Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation

That we live in unprecedented times is a refrain we often hear too often these days. All the ways of living and being in the world have fallen away. As we begin to make our way forward into who knows what, how is it that we can love ourselves, our congregations, and our communities into a new wholeness. What do we want to be remembered for? Who do we choose to be in these times.

Speaker bio: The Rev. Samaya Oakley serves as the Minister for Calgary Unitarians. Once Rev. Samaya started attending a Unitarian Universalist congregation, she quickly became active continentally though the Youth Office of the UUA. After fifteen years of youth ministry, she entered ministry ten years ago. In that time, she has been involved in the CUC’s Truth and Healing and Reconciliation Reflection Guide team as well as the Canadian Widening the Circle team. She holds at the heart of her ministry the importance of relationships and compassion. Rev. Samaya is a strong believer in social justice and believes that our theology calls us to be active agents for love and justice in the world.

Unitarians tend to be uncomfortable about prayer.  The idea that a supernatural being would take an interest in the minutiae of our lives seems far fetched.  But what about prayer for others?    Is there any evidence that ‘sending thoughts and prayers’ can actually help?

Di is one of CUUC’s lay chaplains.

Taking inspiration from the 19th century artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, who published a wildly popular series of 100 woodblock prints featuring the moon, I will present many ways that I look at the moon. How is it that every culture and every age has a fascination with the moon? How does my fascination with a celestial object improve my earthly existence?

For many of us in the Capital congregation, our mother is no longer living. As well, our relationship with our mother may not always have been a positive one. If we have experienced motherhood, there have been challenges as well as joys. The Service coordinators for this service, Leigh and Heather, have invited several people from our congregation to share their experiences and thoughts on what Mother’s Day means to them. Join us at Norway House on May 12 as we get to know each other a little deeper.

How do we help effectively across a culture gap? Drawing from more than a decade of personal experience, Liz James tells a story that has it all … Humour, thoughtful analysis, and confrontations with lions. Not a metaphor. Real lions.

Liz James is the founder of a 230,000-person online UU community called the Unitarian Universalist Hysterical Society (UUHS); half of The Cracked Cup podcast; and working on a book with Skinner House Press.

Liz is based out of Saskatchewan, where she is building a tiny house with her own two hands. She believes in a Unitarian Universalism that is filled with meaning and joy, and that sees change as an adventure.

Join the national UU community in a livestream of this service on Sunday, May 19th at 10:00 am PT | 1:00 pm ET on Zoom. A coffee hour conversation will follow the service.

Cults are extreme forms of religious organization.  Seeming to offer love, support, community and meaning, they can also exploit, abuse and even kill their members.  Mary Dahonick will describe how she was lured, exploited and rescued from the Reverend Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church (Moonies).   Why is this information of value to us today?  There are still many cult leaders who seek to control and manipulate individuals for personal gain.  Although we think we are not likely to fall prey to them, we can observe cult behaviours in our society, such as the spreading of misinformation for personal gain.  We can also become vulnerable in our lives through loneliness or suffering and fall victim to those who promise unconditional love in return for conformity, money and obedience.  How can we safeguard ourselves, our loved ones and our community in ways that truly offer love and support without the abuses of cult behaviours?

Our congregation’s first service was on Mar 3, 1996.  For 28 years our little community has created opportunities for newcomers and seasoned UU’s.  What has changed, what challenges have we faced, and what are we still doing the same?  Today after coffee, Joy will lead a Forum discussion of “what next for Capital”

There are no high school or college courses on ‘Fatherhood’ and many of us have only one example to follow (or not follow): Darth Vader.  While recognizing that parenting has many styles and genders, today Peter and friends will discuss lessons they learned from their fathers, or lessons they learned while fathering the next generation.

For our last service before the Summer Break… please join us on Sunday June 30th for Amanda Tarling “Lessons I have learned about our principles and Sources from wildlife photography.”

Starting wildlife photography has changed my life, given me a renewed appreciation for nature and has deeply concerned me.  Come and hear about Amanda’s remarkable journeys to remote areas of BC to capture images of Superfauna and what she has discovered about the dark side of wildlife photography.