In view of the rapidly rising COVID case numbers in this Omicron wave of the pandemic, the COVID Task Force has recommended that we suspend in-person services, with a planned return to the Great Hall on February 13th, 2022.  Until then our Sunday services will be on Zoom and YouTube. The building remains open for small groups and OWL.   
This decision was not made lightly. We want to protect vulnerable members from this highly transmissible variant, give everyone time to get a booster shot, and do our part to protect health care workers and the health care system from another overwhelming surge of hospitalizations. We know many of you are choosing to be cautious in order to see family over the holidays or until you can receive the booster. Thank you for your understanding. 

All services will ONLY be on Zoom and YouTube. In-person services are suspended.

Social Justice

Speaker Series: Confronting Racism
Tickets $5.00 at Eventbrite plus small fee.

Wed. Feb. 9, 2022 7:30 pm
Martin Ejidjra
Tackling Institutionalized Racism within school boards and other organizations. Martin Ejidra, a lawyer with Koskie Minsky LLB, will describe the 2020 Review of the Peel District School Board, the Ontario Government's directives to the PDSB to comply with 29 anti-Black racism orders, and the school board's response since then. Martin will also describe other anti-racism cases taken on by his law firm.

Click here for more info

Wed. Mar. 30, 2022 7:30 pm
Dany Assaf
Author of Say Please and Thank You & Stand in Line – My Experiences as a Muslim Canadian

Click here for more info

Anti Racism

For a list of anti racism articles, videos and books, go to the Nurturing Inclusivity section of the UCM website:  https://uucm.ca/nurturing-inclusivity/

Social Justice Action Committee Update: Refugee family arrival

For those attending the Christmas Eve service, there was a delightful moment when a young Syrian refugee family introduced themselves with their three-year-old son. Yaman and Abeer expressed their gratitude to our congregation for supporting their application, with their successful arrival in Canada on Dec. 7th.  

This was a family-sponsored application, and UCM's role was to coordinate the application paperwork along with the CUC as a Sponsorship Agreement Holder. UCM's continuing role, through our Finance Committee, is to hold the sponsorship funds in trust to provide monthly financial allotments to the family. SJAC's Refugee Task Force has also co-sponsored four other family-sponsored applications, two families and two individuals, which we hope will result in joyful arrivals in 2022. 
 
Yaman and Abeer would like to meet us when we resume in-person services and meetings. They have a good support system through their relatives in Mississauga and now begin the process of finding employment. Yaman has a high-tech marketing background with telecommunication satellites and Abeer is a visual artist. They both have excellent English communication and are job-ready. They are looking for work in the telecommunications and visual art fields, but possibly in the humanitarian sector as well. If you have any contacts/leads in these fields, please email
johnrowell99@gmail.com and John will connect you with them.

We wish them well.

Sheila Bjarnason 
SJAC publicity team

Read about Amnesty International Letter and Other Petitions

Check out  https://uucm.ca/social-justice/ to learn more about how you can help.

Are you considering a leadership role at UCM?

The CUC is offering Serving with Spirit: Nurturing UU Leaders, an online series taking place Sundays: January 23 & 30, February 6, 13 & 20, 2022. 

Each session will be from 4-6 pm ET.

Serving with Spirit: Nurturing UU Leaders invites leader and emerging leaders to an exploration of living out your beliefs in service – a joyful expression of your values as a leader. Steering in a direction that orients you towards a vibrant sense of service. Deeper connections and spiritual practice in your life.

Together we will seek to build our capacity as leaders, allowing us to return to our home communities with stronger networks, fresh perspectives, and a sense of rejuvenation.

• January 23 – Opening Session with assignment for next meeting
• January 30, February 6 & 13 will each have reflection pieces to be completed for the next gathering
• February 20 – Wrap- up Session with special focus on take home for self and home group/congregation

For further information contract Leadership Committee Chair Wendy Shusterman or sign up directly on the CUC website.

Rev. Fiona

You can easily reach me by email, phone, text or facebook message. I don't check work email from Sunday evening through to Tuesday morning, as this is my "weekend", other days I check email from about 10:00am to 7:00pm. I try to respond within two days, if you don't hear from me, please resend, the occasional email will get buried. For pastoral emergencies or the matter requires a quick response, a phone call or text is best.  minister@uucm.ca  226-791-4068

If you are struggling, know you are not alone. It is better to struggle together so reach out to family, friends and to UCM. You can always contact myself or Shelia Bjarnson, Caring Circle Chair.
Fiona

DLL Kathleen Sorensen

Whereas I love hearing from people, the volume of emails and voice messages is sometimes overwhelming. Therefore I check my messages 3 times a day and respond as soon as I can. If you need to reach me in a more urgent manner or want to alert me to a particularly important message, please text me at  647-513-6031. 
 
Thank you.

Donations to UCM

If you would like to make a financial contribution electronically to UCM, please do so at: https://uucm.ca/donation/
or via bank transfer to payment@uucm.ca

Please indicate whether these funds are for the current year or next year’s Operating Budget or for some other purpose. Thank you for your generosity.

Weekend Visits
As we get busier at the building if you are planning at doing some work at UCM over any upcoming weekend please inform Tisa in advance. We do have some rentals booked and need to ensure adequate safety measures. Thank you.

Has Your Contact Info Changed?
Have you moved recently? Changed your email address or phone number? Please remember to let Tisa in the UCM office know so that we can keep such information current: admin@uucm.ca

Upcoming CUC Events      

The MyceliUUm Youth Network of Canada,
Saturday, January 22, 2022, 2 pm ET (2 hours)
For Junior Youth and Youth (ages 12-19) and their Adult Advisors (25+)
The MyceliUUm is a large virtual gathering of any UU youth (14-19) and junior youth (12-13) in Canada who would like to attend, as well as their adult supporters (youth advisors, religious educators). These gatherings will occur 3-4 times each year, and last two hours each. The first half of the gathering will be devoted to a special activity such as community building games, worship, or leadership skills development. The second portion of the gathering will be an opportunity for youth to discuss issues that affect them and organize around these issues. 

The MyceliUUm Youth Network includes an ongoing virtual community space using Discord. Our Discord server is a private, moderated space that has been designed according to the CUC’s Online Youth Safety Policy. If you have any questions or concerns about the MyceliUUm Discord, please contact youth@cuc.ca.

This second Gathering will focus on decolonization and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

More information and registration is available here.

Connect and Deepen
Sunday, January 23, 2022, 4:00pm ET (1.5 hours)
Connect and Deepen is a regular small group ministry. We gather, virtually, for meaningful discussion, connection and reflection. If you are not connected to a local congregation, or just want the opportunity to explore spiritual topics within a guided small group we encourage you to join us.
More information and registration is available here.

Lay Chaplain Information Session
Tuesday, January 25, 2022, 7:00 pm ET 
Please join with some of the members of the National Lay Chaplaincy Committee as they host a Question and Answer session. Do you want to know more about the Lay Chaplaincy program? Are you wondering what a Lay Chaplain does? Are you a Lay Chaplain with a question? This session is open to people considering applying to be a Lay Chaplain, for congregational LC committees and others who are curious.

More information and registration is available here.

Rising Together: UU Youth and Emerging Adults of Colour
Saturday, February 19, 2022 – 4:30 pm (90 minutes)
Join us for Rising Together – a welcoming space especially for Black, Indigenous and other people of colour (BIPOC) Unitarian Universalist youth and emerging young adults (ages 14-24). Led by Camellia Jahanshahi, a youth advisor of colour at the Unitarian Church of Montreal, this group gathers monthly for themed worship, discussions, and workshop-style activities. Join us for a chance to meet other BIPOC Unitarian Universalists across Canada and nurture our community with the aim of affirming each other and ensuring we have a confident voice in the broader UU community. 
More information and registration is available here.

How Do Unitarians View Christianity?

Douglas Hill, a member of our Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga, has some of the answers on his web site: www.TopicsInChristianity.com . This site provides a scholarly, respectful and critical review of selected topics in Christianity.

Topics include: Great Quotations, The Historical Jesus, Questions for Atheists and Christians, and Science and Religion Organizations. 

Shelter in This Place

"2020 was a year unlike any other. A year of masks and marches. A tale of two pandemics, COVID-19 and the deep rooted pandemic of white supremacy and structured racism." This year's inSpirit meditation book is an anthology of poems and reflections from Unitarian Universalists and includes a piece by Rev. Fiona, an adapted excerpt from her reflection Dandelion Kindness.  

Shelter in This Place can be ordered through inSpirit, the UU Bookstore.

Youtube livestreaming of the Sunday Service 

If you have trouble logging onto Zoom, you can watch the service on our youtube channel. To view a livestream you must subscribe to our UCM channel. The livestream begins around 10:25am and ends with the benediction. It is available for a short time on Sunday and then is removed. Clips from Rev. Fiona's reflections and prerecorded videos will be uploaded later in the week.

Don't forget to watch past services on the channel (every view helps our profile!) and send links to friends who might need this life sustaining community.

Nurturing Inclusivity: 

“Nurturing Inclusivity”, deepening our understanding of systemic racism and the inherent bias that has been internalized in Canadian society. 
 
We are seeking to deepen our understanding of the impact of racism on racialized people, so that we may develop as Unitarian Universalists.  As a community, we are working to enlarge our circle in ways that are welcoming of people of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds.  This work can be uncomfortable, but it is also rewarding; an opportunity to grow in spirit and develop meaningful connections with others. Please check our Nurturing Inclusivity webpage and our Event webpage.

The Reverend Mark Mosher DeWolfe Sermons

We have created a collection of webpages on our UCM website featuring The Reverend Mark Moshe DeWolfe sermons. This is such a wonderful opportunity to showcase his sermons as many Unitarians all through Canada and the States admire him. You will be able to listen, read and see some annotated or handwritten sermons in PDFs. We have approximately 50 sermons to upload so come back and check frequently. Enjoy!
Please visit www.uucm.ca/mark-dewolfe-sermons/
Brigitte Twomey

Covenant of Right Relations

We, the members of the Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga, affirm a Covenant of Right Relations. As Unitarian Universalists, we come freely into community, guided by our seven principles and nourished by the six sources.

In good faith, we covenant to:

• Assume good intentions, recognize impact
• Listen deeply and seek understanding.
• Appreciate each person’s contributions.
• Communicate directly with people when differences exist.
• Speak to and about people with empathy and respect.
• Seek peaceful and constructive resolutions to conflict.
• Ask for help when we need help in dealing with situations.
• Forgive each other and ourselves when mistakes are made.

Affirmed at the Annual Meeting, June 2016.

A Message from the Personnel Committee 

Our Safe Steps policy helps the congregation be attuned to right relations between members. The policy, which is currently being updated, ensures that we take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of adults and children alike.
 
During this pandemic time we are reminded that many people are facing stressful home situations. We hear reports in the media about increases in intimate partner assault and child abuse. Financial stressors and tight living situations mean that tempers can flare more easily. If you are in a situation where you feel you might need some help, here are some local agencies that can help:
 
The Children’s Aid Society for the Region of Peel, now assisting families with children up to the age of 18: (905) 363-6131
Assaulted Women’s Helpline: (416) 863-0511
24/7 Crisis Support Peel Line: (905) 278-9036
 

UU at Home

One way to stay connected with Unitarian Universalism is to create a UU space in your home that you can turn to for exploration or contemplation. This might be a shelf or corner table or a box.  It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, just a chalice and tea light, or decorated with other images and objects that have meaning for you. You might have a book of poems or essays near by or use a favourite website or twitter handle.  Use the UUA Worship Web app or sign up for the weekly Braver/Wiser message.  Families can use these UU World activity pages. Take time every day or once a week to light the chalice, to sit and breathe and be, and care for your spirit. Or find a special "sit spot" outside and visit it often to build your connections to all that is.  Unitarian Universalism is about belonging to the earth and celebrating the mystery - we celebrate together on a Sunday morning but you can also experience this in your daily living through practicing intention and attention.

I look forward to hearing about your "at-home" explorations!

Rev. Fiona

Audio Reflections are now on the Website and YouTube

We have created another way you can stay connected with UCM while we are in virtual mode for the next little while: Rev Fiona's reflections for the past three months have all been posted to the UCM website as audio files!  
 
Our new digital sound system which we purchased last Fall creates excellent quality audio recordings of our Sunday services. UCM members Rya Khan and Marc Xuereb are creating edited recordings of Rev Fiona's reflections each Sunday.

Brigitte Twomey has redesigned a portion of our website that enables you to listen to a reflection while reading the full text. Go to the Reflections Archive on our website (https://uucm.ca/reflections-archive/) to see the latest recordings along with the text of the reflections. The reflections have also been added to our UCM YouTube channel. 
 
On a related note, we can also create edited recordings of portions of the services on demand for members. Just ask Rya or Marc if want a recording of the choir's performance, for example or a special section of the service that spoke to you.

Marc Xuereb

Sexual harassment excludes women from public life
Renu Mandhane, Chief Commissioner, Ontario Human Rights Commission

Le harcèlement sexuel : un acte qui relègue les femmes à la marge de la vie publique

Par : Renu Mandhane, commissaire en chef, Commission ontarienne des droits de la personne