Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation

This is the story of how personal tragedy taught me to live joyfully. Let’s see if we can approach a very uncertain New Year with joy….

In a long life Di has been many things, including a neuro-chemist, teacher, singer, hypnotherapist, mother, grandmother, immigrant, and all round eccentric.

Of his book, Ralph says

“My hope is that the pages that follow will give younger people
an insight into what these platinum years are like for those of us
who are over eighty. I hope they give us a bit of the feel, the taste, the
beauty and the pain of it all-that we’ll come to think of old as a good
thing to be. Platinum is even more precious than gold, but softer and
more easily marred.”

Ralph Milton was publisher of Wood Lake Books from 1980 to 2000. He has written hundreds of magazine articles and is the author of over twenty books. He holds two honorary doctorates (Doctor of Divinity and Doctor of Sacred Letters). Milton lives in Kelowna, BC, with Beverley, his wife of 63 years.

Ralph’s work has taken him to many different countries, mostly in
Africa and Asia, where he worked ecumenically with a wide variety
of churches and faith groups: Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and others.

As an observer and participant in marine ecological recovery, I am constantly impressed with the forces of the natural world. Presently this world is wrecking havoc as it strives to reach equilibrium caused, in large part, from human interference with natural cycles. I am intrigued with this time we are in, when we have opportunities to learn from processes and glean lessons on how to behave better towards all living beings. Thank you for this opportunity to share my musings to date.

Nikki Wright has served as the Executive Director of SeaChange Marine Conservation Society since 1998.

Who are we? And where are we going on this tiny planet of ours, this bright sparkle of life in a Universe so ridiculously vast? Are we rushing towards a civilizational cliff, our eyes set on material gain – or are we turning in a new direction, towards a future many have dreamed of, but few have found?

Guy Dauncey is an ecotopian futurist who works to develop a positive vision of a sustainable future, and to translate that vision into action. He is the author of Journey to the Future: A Better World is Possible, and he is currently completing a new book titled The Economics of Kindness: A Ten-Year Transition to a Green Cooperative Economy. He is co-chair of the West Coast Climate Action Network. His website is www.thepracticalutopian.ca.

This presentation focuses on the importance of community-based planning and participatory planning in order to weave the threads of community visioning into a diverse, inclusive and vibrant fabric of placemaking. I will discuss the critical elements required for placemaking to be woven with a social equity lens in order to create decolonizing, safer, and welcoming spaces within our communities.

NO SERVICE AT CAPITAL THIS SUNDAY … INSTEAD…

As part of CUC Month, we offer a national Sunday Service on February 6th as the Sharing Our Faith service. Coordinated by Revs. Victoria Ingram and Meghann Robern, the service takes place at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET.

The service is titled “Celebration and Contemplation: The Path of an 8th Principle” – Unitarians and Universalists have been on the forefront of social change and justice-seeking for hundreds of years. In November 2021, congregations of the Canadian Unitarian Council once again stepped forward, this time to commit ourselves to dismantling racism and systemic barriers to full inclusion for all people. Be part of celebrating this commitment to foundational social change as we contemplate the steps we take to move forward in our commitment to justice in ourselves, our denomination, and our larger society.

Join us live on Zoom or the CUC’s Youtube channel; the service will be made available early the following week for your congregation’s use if you are unable to attend.

Unitarian principles do not include the word love, and the sources of our faith community include only “God’s love.” Should Unitarians love their neighbours? What does ‘love’ mean in Unitarian philosophy?

How does it relate to our principles?  Why is it important to nurture a sense of curiosity and to be eager to learn about our early ethnic diversity?  How are we in relationship with others?  Come and hear stories of Black British Columbians, especially those who came to Vancouver Island in the mid 1800s.

Karen Christie became a Unitarian in 1996.  She has been a member of Capital since the fall of 2016 when she retired to Victoria from Ottawa where she worked in international development for many years.  She has lived overseas for about 15 years on 4 continents.  Karen was also a teacher for 13 years in the first part of her career.

The CUC and many congregations have adopted the 8th principle that calls on Unitarians “to individual and communal action that accountably dismantles racism and systemic barriers to full inclusion in ourselves and our institutions.” Great, but what does that look like? How do congregations put the 8th principle into practice to reconcile with internal racism, take action in our communities, and stand in solidarity with others? Donovan Hayden will address the challenges of doing anti-racist work and provide insight on how Unitarians can live the 8th principle.

Donovan Hayden is a Black activist and artist. Last year he finished a MA in Theatre & Performance Studies at York University in Toronto and is currently a Volunteer Coordinator at Progress Toronto. Donovan has had the opportunity to engage with Unitarians and anti-racism work in both Canada and the US. He blends activism and art for the goal of liberation and the dismantling of White supremacy.

*Photo: First UU Louisville during BLM protests.

This Sunday service is to recognize International Women’s Day, which takes place around the world on March 8th.This TED Talk incorporates three important aspects of this day: 1) it is international, given that the speaker is Australian; 2) it gives voice to a smart woman; and 3) it recognizes an aboriginal person of colour.  Michelle Deshong is a strong self-confident advocate for her gender and for other black women, who she states make the best leaders.

International Women’s Day is one of Karen Christie’s favorite days of the year.  So she offered to pull together this service of celebration and awareness.  Her career focused on the world at large, and actively promoted the important role of women in the development of their nations.

I was an official observer to COP26 Climate Conference in November 2021 (online) with an ecumenical team from For the Love of Creation National Initiative. I will share some of my observations and reflections of this event. What were the prophetic calls to action that I heard?

Janet lives on Lekwungen territory of the Sci’anew nation (Metchosin, BC) and is passionate about doing what she can to leave this beautiful diverse Mother Earth in better shape for healthy future generations of all beings. Active in the United Church and KAIROS Canada and Victoria Mining Justice Action.  She recently attended COP26 in Glasgow virtually as a member of a 8 person team from the Ecumenical organization called For the Love of Creation.

Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation held its first service in March 1996 in James Bay New Horizons.  We wish to celebrate our 26th birthday by getting to know more about 4 congregants who will each tell us a short story about themselves.  Join us to find out who they all are and what secrets they might choose to reveal to us.

Karen Christie will coordinate this service in her role of Interim Director of the Sunday Service Committee (SSC).  She acknowledges that it was our Board Chair Heather Stefanek, who is also a hard-working member of the SSC, that requested that we invite congregants to speak. The SSC hopes to do more services of this kind, although our birthday only happens once a year!