Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation

The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience,” wrote the poet Emily Dickinson. Anne shares her difficult journey of leaving a fundamentalist religion as well as insights from her whirlwind year of experimenting with two dozen spiritual practices—from singing to solitude to going to a witch camp and heading out on a pilgrimage—and how they taught her to live more attentively and authentically in the world. All of us are on a spiritual journey yet so often we neglect this essential aspect of our lives.

Anne Bokma is an award-winning journalist and author of the award-winning memoir, My Year of Living Spiritually: One Woman’s Secular Quest for a More Soulful Life, published by Douglas & McIntyre in 2019. She is also the founder and host of Hamilton’s popular 6-Minute Memoir live storytelling event and online writing workshop series. She is a member of the First Unitarian Church in Hamilton.

Julia Ward Howe (above) and Anna Marie Jarvis (below) are the two women who founded Mothers’ Day and never knew each other.  One was Unitarian and the other wasn’t a Mother.  Come and hear how their stories are relevant during a she-cession and pandemic.

Now more than ever we need to be grounded in connection, in hope, and in love. As the cycles of the seasons teach us the gifts of the dark as well as the light, we still need energy — a spark — to fuel living into our aspirations and values no matter the season, the struggle, or the celebration. This Sunday service will celebrate how our UU faith and our connections are crucial to sustaining and amplifying that spark.

All are welcome to join us at our Sunday Worship Service.

The Sunday service will be live-streamed on Zoom at http://bit.ly/NationalWorshipMay16 – Meeting ID: 885 0018 9706 Passcode: 595025 and will be closed captioned, and on the CUC’s YouTube Channel.

(There will not be a service at Capital today)

Hundreds of Humans projects worldwide share stories of local people. Humans of the Salish Sea was started on March 25, 2020 and shares stories of those who call this part of the world home. Our goal is to build a Salish Sea community through our stories. We will look at our own community as well as other Human projects and talk about the philosophy of community building through storytelling.

Gail Richard is an American educator specializing in Cross Cultural Communications, Language Acquisition, and Language Learning Methodology. After earning an advanced degree she moved onto a second career in Interpretation of Nature and Heritage. As an interpretive trainer Gail has worked internationally focusing on cross cultural interpretation communication. Her passion for the Humans project derives from her involvement as an interviewer for Humans of Christchurch Otautahi (New Zealand). Upon her return to the Salish Sea she was inspired to begin this project of collecting stories of the many wonderful Humans who live right here! Gail is also happily a member of CUUC.

The building blocks of life appear to be common throughout the Universe. With the presence of methane on Mars and possible discovery of phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus, there is speculation is that extraterrestrial life may be discovered within the next decade. Join retired meteorologist Bill Woolverton as he takes us on a journey from the first thoughts about life on other heavenly bodies through the current search for extraterrestrial life and the spiritual implications of finding it.

Bill is the chair of the Sunday Services Committee at FUFON and a past-President of the Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice. He has a degree in Physics and worked for thirty odd years as a weather forecaster with Environment Canada in various provinces and the Yukon. He enjoys reading and has a personal library of hundreds of books on various subjects in the apartment in Pacific Gardens Cohousing in Nanaimo he shares with his partner Sharon Fulton.

“Disability”, “service” and “adventure” in American Samoa, including a visual exploration of community empowerment and culture.

Dr. James Skouge — recipient of the Chancellor’s Citation for Meritorious Teaching — is a retired professor of “special education”, University of Hawai’i. His record includes years of outreach to Polynesian and Micronesian islands — promoting “digital storytelling”, disability awareness and community voices. A lifelong Unitarian, Jim and his wife Sharon — both members of the CUUC — reside both in Honolulu and Victoria, appreciating a marriage of 48 years.

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

Victoria’s 2021 youth poet laureate; James Summer, speaks about his experiences with writing poetry in multiple genres. He will perform finished works as well as give context for the meaning behind what he shares and why he believes writing poetry allows you to give back to yourself and others.

James Summer is a Poet from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Now living on Vancouver Island, he is hoping to share his work with the world, as he tackles conversations of gender identity, mental health, and childhood experiences. He is passionate about being a voice for youth, just as he was inspired by poets during his growing up.

For zoom link please contact our Administrator

Lynne will be sharing all about the Victoria Native Friendship Centre with us. VNFC began as a meeting place in the city—providing limited referral services to community members in 1970. Today the centre has become a vital resource for urban Indigenous individuals and families, and is strategically positioned to play a major role in the development and implementation of urban Indigenous governance on southern Vancouver Island.

Lynne Milnes- is working as a part-time contractor in fund development for the Victoria Native Friendship Centre after being recruited from UVic where she worked for 14 years raising funds in support of Indigenous students in the Faculty of Human & Social Development. Lynne has a degree from UVic in biology and worked for years supporting the environment in government and with many non-profits. She is a certified fundraising executive and has lived in Victoria since 1974.

For zoom link please contact our Administrator

We are all called to something; for some, this calling might be one of vocation, such as a new job opportunity. For others, it might be one to come OUT of the closet as they embrace their true and authentic identity as a member of the LGBTQ community. Still, for others, they might be called towards faith as they seek the truth in the love of a religious community. Whatever you are called OUT to join us as we learn about and celebrate what it means to be “Called OUT of the Closets Towards Faith.“

Roddy Biggs, personal pronouns He/They/Them, is a senior graduate of Middle Tennessee State University holding a Bachelors’s degree in religious studies with a minor in sociology. In the fall, Roddy will be continuing their education at Meadville Lombard Theological School Seminary in Chicago, Illinois, to pursue the Unitarian Universalist ministry. As of December 2020, they are also an official aspirant for the ministry with the UUA. Currently, Roddy is a member of the First UU Church of Nashville, where they are a worship associate and serves as co-chair for the Social Justice Ministries. In addition to the work in their local congregation, they are also serving as Worship Co-Cordantior for the Unitarian Universalist Young Adult Revival Network. Roddy also serves on The Board of Directors for Unitarian Universalist Mental Health Network and works as a lay speaker on Sunday mornings whenever they have the opportunity to do so. They have a passion for speaking on and working to address many topics that have historically been left out of religious spaces, including mental health challenges, queerness, and multiracial identities.

For zoom link please contact our Administrator

Like any culture, queer culture changes over time. With these changes, we see ourselves and each other differently, both inside and outside of queer communities. We will share stories and reflections about how evolving queer identities offer a more nuanced understanding of love & inclusion… And, of course, some fabulous music!

Arran Liddel is the Director of Spiritual Exploration and Learning for Children and Youth at First Unitarian Church of Victoria and is a Unitarian Universalist Ministerial Candidate, studying at Cherry Hill Seminary. He is delighted to begin his ministerial internship at the Unitarian Universalist Minister’s Association in the Fall. His work before being called to ministry focused on love-based community building as well as training and facilitation on issues relating to healthy relationships, sexuality, conflict-resolution, and restorative justice/practices.

What does it mean to be virtuous, and how does this goal manifest in our Unitarian Universalist principles? Which of the classical virtues match the UU principles, and which virtues have we abandoned? Let’s prepare for the post-pandemic year with “20/21 vision” about virtue!

Peter Scales joined both of Victoria’s congregations when he moved here in 2004.  After 21 years as a federal servant he semi-retired to part-time work and full-time volunteering.

For zoom link please contact Amanda.

Sara is a Psychologist and has a PhD from the University of British Columbia. She has been a Unitarian for 28 years, reads fantasy stories to friends, and does ballet and jazz dance.