Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation

Musician and UU Rev. Erin Walter lifts up one small but key detail in that story of the Israelites’ exodus from slavery toward a promised land: the women bring tambourines. Join us as we explore practices for keeping joy, music, and community in our lives even as we continue pandemic precautions.

Rev. Erin J. Walter (she/her/hers) is a UU minister and musician based in Austin, Texas. Winner of the UU Women’s Federation Sermon Award in 2017, Rev. Erin leads the indie group Parker Woodland, whose music you’ll hear in the service, and plays bass in the queer rock band Butch County. A former YMCA director, she serves as a board member for the Texas UU Justice Ministry and as the Affiliated Community Minister of Wildflower (Unitarian Universalist) Church in Austin. You can find more about Rev. Erin’s music and ministry at ErinWalter.com.

For Zoom link please contact Amanda at tarling@shaw.ca

Most of us know about near-death experiences, but there is much more to learn than the events. We will briefly cover the death experience, and go on to explain the deeper learning that is being brought back. We will look at why I consider NDEs to be real and how they relate to each one of us.

Lynn has over sixty-five years of studying various religions and spiritual philosophies. She researched near-death experiences for Dr. Jeffery Long, of NDERF. After studying 2500 cases, Lynn became fascinated with the profound underlying spiritual knowledge brought back. The second edition of her book, The Wonder of You: What the Near-Death Experiences Tells You About Yourself, is about that knowledge and your reality. Her interest in science has helped to add profound understandings of the link between science and spirituality.
Website: https://lynnkrussell.com/

For Zoom link please contact Amanda at tarling@shaw.ca

We all leave and inherit many legacies: family, culture, faith movement. This personal reflection on the specifics of one inheritance invite us all to look at what we inherit and what type of legacies we are building each day through our choices and actions.

Anna Isaacs is a dual citizen as a member of both Capital and First Unitarian. She has inherited the phrase “well there you go” as a neutral conversational response.

For Zoom link please contact Amanda at tarling@shaw.ca 

It’s well known that mind can help heal or harm physical health, although the mechanism is mysterious.   How can we optimize the placebo element in treatment and prevention?  I will be looking at the evidence and practical measures we can all take.

Di was originally trained in Biochemistry and did research in Neurochemistry, studying brain, but for many years now Di has worked with mind and – broadly – the placebo effect in music therapy and hypnotherapy.

For Zoom link please contact Amanda tarling@shaw.ca 

We often talk about Unitarian Universalism as a transformational faith – and yet to be transformed means to take a risk. How is it that we are averse to taking such risks when it comes to widening the circle of who we are as a community? Join Revs. Shana Lynngood and Samaya Oakley for a service that explores mistakes we’ve made and how we can learn from them to become the transformational faith we aspire to be.

In 2021, we invite all congregations and people to this national service. The virtual collection taken during the service will be allocated to successful congregational applicants for growth initiatives. The fund consists of these monies, supplemented by a Foundation Fund administered by the First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto.

Free event! No registration is required. 10 am PT

Zoom link: http://bit.ly/SOF_2021

The service will also be viewable on the CUC YouTube channel.

It’s St Valentine’s Day, what better day to talk about love, all sorts of love. As UUs we talk about inclusion in our Congregations but often we don’t walk the talk.  As a congregation we took a pledge to be a LGBTQ2S Welcoming Congregation over two decades ago.  Talking about how we can be a place of safety and support for our Trans folks helps us to be a healthier and better community. As Maya Angelou says “Do the best you can, until you know better, and when you know better, do better.”

For Zoom link please email contact.capital@unitariancongregation.org 

Music is hardwired into the core of our being and essential to our existence. We instinctively know how music and song lyrics make us feel, but how does music and particularly song make a difference as we put our UU principles into practice? Using historical and recent examples Tony will help us explore how the power of song can unite minds and spirits to help influence and inspire hope in our quest for justice and societal change.

Tony Turner is a Unitarian and a songwriter based in Nanaimo BC. He has contributed his songs to services, the community and the country. A writer with a social conscious, Tony penned the protest song Harperman in 2015, which became the centrepiece of political rallies across Canada and garnered the writer an international Spirit of Folk award. Tony’s much-loved anthem Circle of Song was recently published in Rise Again, the sequel of the popular Rise Up Singing folk songbook.

For Zoom link please contact contact.capital@unitariancongregation.org

Sometimes, helping is easy… But sometimes it’s complicated to figure out where to even start. Come hear the story of an unusual trio working on challenging problems in rural Kenya… and the sometimes hilarious adventures that ensued. And learn about a great UU organization that approaches aid in a unique way.

To join us on Zoom please email contact.capital@unitariancongregation.org

Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World. While this suggests singing the praises of accomplished women, let us remember the influence of those women who are less frequently spoken of. Join us to get an inside look at the life of an Iranian woman.

Sepideh Heydari is a recent graduate of the University of Victoria. She moved to Victoria in 2012 from Iran and started attending Capital UU on International Women’s Day in 2019.

For link please email Our Director of Congregational Life Amanda Tarling

There’s been a lot said over the years about authenticity, but most of us still opt to fit in rather than flaunt our differences. We’ve been taught how to behave and how to get along – how to be safe and not stand out. We push our authentic selves down in favour of the common denominator or the common good… But what if we’ve had it wrong all this time? What if being true to ourselves is not only good for us, it’s good for everyone else as well?

Dar Gareau-Levy is a trans non-binary queer, an ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience) survivor from a working poor family, and a true blue UU who’s faith has lead them on a personal and spiritual quest for wisdom, justice and healing.

For link please email Our Director of Congregational Life Amanda Tarling

Amongst the strife and anxiety of everyday life, we often forget what a miracle it is to be alive. Join Brian on a journey of exploration of just how marvelous we all are. Despite Covid, wars, racism and climate disasters, never forget that we live in a magical time and place.

Brian Short is a retired Electrical Engineer who has always marvelled at how things work both in the engineering world, and the biological and psychological world. He resides in Nanaimo with his wife, Glenda and has been a UU for almost 35 years. His 3 children currently reside on Vancouver Island with 2 grandkids in Victoria. When not with family, Brian can be found sailing, swimming, biking or involved in Environmental Activism

For link please email Our Director of Congregational Life Amanda Tarling

Katrina Pavlovsky was born in Toronto. In 1977 she met Fransesca, a spiritual teacher who greatly influenced Katrina’s life. She wrote “Fransesca A Remarkable Life” in 2020 which is a tribute to Fransesca’s deep connection with the inner self. The focus this morning will be on some of Fransesca’s teachings which include techniques for meditation and visualization, clearing, discipline and being of service.

For link please email Our Director of Congregational Life Amanda Tarling