Unitarian Universalist Summer Worship in Southern Ontario, 2021

July 25^th, Hosted by UCMississauga,  Rev. Fiona. Golden Threads. We are deeply connected and interdependent.

August 1^st,  Hosted by the Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough,  Rev Julie. The Eighth Principle. What it means and why it matters.

August 8^th, Hosted by Kingston UU,     Rev. Beckett

August 15^th,  Hosted by Grand River UU,  Rev. Jess. Exercise for the Brain.   Are we hardwired for connection?

August 22^nd,  Hosted by Neighbourhood UU,  Rev. Wayne. When Things Fall Apart…. Can we put them back together? 

August 29^th, Hosted by UCMississauga,  Rev. Fiona. Spiritual and Religious:   The give and take of belonging to a community.

September 5^th, Hosted by Kingston UU,  Rev. Beckett

Common URL: https://tinyurl.com/UUSummerWorship to tune in, 10:30 AM each Sunday.  Collective Coffeehour conversations to follow.

Summer Hours at UCM

Rev. Fiona will be away from Monday June 28th until Tuesday July 20th, then will return for the week to lead the July 25th service. She will then be away from Monday July 26th to Tuesday August 24th, when she returns for the new congregational year. Director of Lifespan Learning Kathleen Sorenson will follow Rev. Fiona's schedule.
 
Office Administrator Tisa Zabarylo will begin summer hours in July. She will be in the office Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 12 noon to 4 PM beginning the week of July 5th.

WHE eeee!

Our committee continues to be at the ready to put a welcome back plan together once we have a green light. Perhaps we will be able to have some summer outdoor events as a prelude to moving inside for services and other events. Our committee welcomes new members Mara B., Kathleen S. and Tisa Z.

Already in action on the Welcome Home Everyone initiative, our Property Committee is working hard to bring together several bright and beautiful projects to enhance the charms of our gardens, barn and the Great Hall.  There will be a call out in the summer for volunteers to help out with several maintenance and clean up tasks. Hopefully we will also be allowed to combine some fun and refreshment with these get togethers. We will provide another update in this space after our next meeting in mid-July. It will be good to be together again when it is safe to do so.

From: The Welcome Home Everyone Committee. (WHEeeee!): Sheila Bjarnason, Judy Benger,  Shirley Dickens, Jim Lawry, Candice Rice

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.

Bequest Received
We are very grateful to have received a bequest from the estate of Jim and Marion Pattison. Jim joined UCM (Unitarian Congregation of South Peel as it was known then) in the early 60’s. He was a strong supporter of UCM and was for many years a member of the Finance and Canvass teams. His thoughtfulness and good judgment regarding UCM financial matters were much appreciated.  

Joan Hill for the Finance Committee

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

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.

Mark your Calendars for these Fall Series

Fiona:
Wellspring Sacred Arts, September 2021 - June 2022
 
Looking for a small group experience? Do you have a love of the arts? Interested in developing your creativity? Join next year's Wellspring Sacred Arts course. Sacred Arts has focus on a wide variety of arts - from poetry to stand up comedy to architecture - exploring their form as well as our personal experience of the art form. Sacred Arts includes an invitation to develop your own creative side.
 
Wellspring is a UU organization for spiritual deepening. Wellspring courses meet twice a month from late September to early June and asks each participant to engage in regular spiritual practice, work with a spiritual director and study provided resources for each session. Sacred Arts encourages creative practice and provides greater insight into the transformative nature of art.
 
If you are interested in Wellspring Sacred Arts please contact Rev. Fiona as soon as possible. 

Kathleen:
The Most Human of Things
One of the few things that we all have in common is death. Yet, we often shy away from discussing it. This fall we will have a short three-part series that deals with The Most Human of Things. It will include a “Death Café” where no topic is taboo, an introduction to Green Burial, and a workshop about Medical Assistance in Dying.  This will occur in Sept/Oct and everyone is welcome to join in. Please contact Kathleen Sorensen.
 
Young Adult (18-35) Wellspring
If you fit in this cohort, or know anyone who does, let me know if you are interested in joining in our eight week Wellspring course this fall. We will explore the UU sources through media resources and conversations. It will be on-line and we will find a time that suits those who are interested. Drop me an email and I will add you onto the Google Poll to find what best suits everyone. 

Kathleen     DLL@uucm.ca

The 8th Principle

Read more

A Request for Anti-Racism Speakers
The SJAC committee has formed a sub-committee to create a speaker series that relates to our 8th principle. We are calling the speaker series “Accountable Antiracism”.  Our request to our members is to suggest speakers for the series. We are looking for interesting community leaders that can speak to our 8th principle. Criteria for a good speaker would be their ability to engage an audience and their ability to discuss issues relating to anti BIPOC racism in Canada. The racism we are most focused on is that against people of Black, Indigenous and Asian descent.

If you could send any names (and any contact info) to John Rowell, Cathy Tafler or Kath Stobie, that would be wonderful. Contact information is available below. We will approach the speakers; since we only have three spots to fill, please don’t be offended if your suggestions don’t end up on the slate of speakers.

Contact Emails:
John Rowell:  johnrowell99@gmail.com
Cathy Tafler:  taflerrylett@gmail.com
Kath Stobie: jimpcc170@gmail.com

Thanking you in advance,

The Speaker Series Subcommittee of the SJAC Committee

Social Justice Notes

The Compass Food Bank  is in need

Donate at:
3121 Universal Drive, 
Mississauga ON L4X 2E2

www.themississaugafoodbank.org

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/

Read about Amnesty International Letter and Other Petitions

Find out about The Compass

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

Upcoming CUC Events

Connect and Deepen
Sundays August 8, 4 pm ET
Connect and Deepen is a regular small group ministry in which participants gather, virtually, for meaningful discussion, connection and reflection.
More information is available at https://cuc.ca/events/connect-deepen-feb-april-2020/1614528000/1614533400/

Leaders Roundtable 
Saturday, July 31, 12:00 pm ET (please note change in previous time from 3 pm ET - 12 pm ET) 
Join Vyda Ng in a conversation about the 8th principle process and a way forward. These specific roundtables on this topic will run on the last Saturday of each month until October 30. After that date, other timely topics will resume. Connect on Zoom.
 
Youth and Young Adults Forum on the 8th Principle
Saturday, August 7, 2 pm ET 
Young Unitarian Universalists in Canada ages 14-35 are invited to attend this forum to discuss the 8th Principle and the process for adopting it in Canada.
More information is available at https://cuc.ca/events/yaya-forum-8th-principle/1628344800/1628352000/

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: 

This year our educational focus is “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

Minister's Discretionary Fund

Rev. Fiona manages a small fund that is available to help congregants in short term need with costs like groceries or a bill payment. If you need a little extra help during this economic crash, please reach out to the minister.

Those with stable finances are welcome to contribute to the fund, please note Minister’s Discretionary Fund on your contribution or contact Joan Hill for details.

Blessings,
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