Director of Lifespan Learning (DLL)  

The Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga (UCM) is a spiritual community rooted in the values of interdependence, love, and justice, with about 130 members and 25 children and youth. Website: uucm.ca

This is part-time permanent position, 20 hours per week (including Sundays), 4 weeks of vacation and 4 weeks of paid study time; 8 Sundays off between September and June. Salary range $20,000 – 22,000 and benefits.

White Allies in Anti-Racism Workshops

Our educational focus next year will be on "nurturing inclusivity", learning how we can deepen our understanding of systemic racism and oppression and broaden our congregation culture to better welcome people of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds.  Check out our Workshops in November.

In this workshop series, we will unpack racism in Canada and explore ways to become allies in the struggle to dismantle the racial barriers in our congregations and the larger community. Please note the workshop takes an explicit view that transforming ourselves and our society into a racially just place implicates a responsibility in white folks to engage more robustly. Youth are encouraged to attend.  More details to come in the fall.

Obituary - Sally Stout Upton

I just wanted to let you know that my mother, Sally Stout Upton, passed away on August 16, 2019.
As you may be aware my father, Donald Stout, was the first minister at South Peel.
He and my mother were fundamentally involved in the establishment and growth of the Congregation.
After my father died, my mother remained involved and interested in the Congregation through many, many dear friends who gave our family their support.
The church and the people were a huge part of our lives, and we as a family have very fond memories of those years.

I thought there might be people who still remember Mom who would be interested to know that there will be a Celebration of Life at Elmhirst Resort, near Peterborough, on Saturday, September 28, from 2 to 5 pm. Everyone who would like to attend is welcome, children included.
Karla Stout
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/8944f5b983a0131714b5f6553/files/15706da2-eec3-4263-ae19-eb1ff9b543d2/Globe_Obit_Sally_Stout_Upton.pdf

Budget Planning for 2020

Deadline: September 30, 2019
Committee Chairs, Activity Leaders and Staff should send in their 2020 budget requests to Treasurer, Geoff Cliffe-Phillips by September 30. A separate notice has been sent to each chair and Board member. If you have any input or questions concerning this process, please contact Joan Hill, Chair of Finance.

Green Sanctuary Survey

As part of our work to achieve our Green Sanctuary designation, we are asking members to take - or retake - the Green Sanctuary Survey.   
This will help us better understand the impact of our work to develop a greater environmental awareness at UCM.  It will only take 15 to 20 minutes. Every contribution helps, so please go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/UCMGSfinaleval  and fill out the survey.
Whether you engaged with much of the Green Sanctuary activities or not, your response will help. Please find some time over the next week to do the survey.
Thank you!

The Green Sanctuary Task Force

Party Platforms for 2019 Election

John Rowell led a Sunday Service on Aug. 18th and complied a chart of election platforms of 4 major Political parties: Liberals, Conservatives, NDP and Greens. He has updated it slightly and you can check out this scorecard as more election policy statements come out during the election campaign:

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/8944f5b983a0131714b5f6553/files/16805751-cebe-4f31-8645-68126ad813d3/Election_Platforms_2019_2_.08.xlsx

Norias Cake and Sweets
Hozaifa Jalouk has started Norias Cake and Sweets and makes very delicious desserts! Please consider ordering cakes or Syrian sweets either through his Facebook page
http://fb.me/noriascakesweets  or by email noriascakesweets@gmail.com

The bakery is named after the traditional water-raising devices called "Norias" which are part of the culture and history of Hama, the Jalouks home city in Syria:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noria  
Some of the items include: Cake (cream / sugar icing), Faisaliyat, Bulbul Nest, Konafa, Barazik (Cookie with sesame / pistachios topping), Shaibiyyat, Baklawa

Calling All Performers!
Calling all performers! If you are not able to join the choir but would still like to contribute to the services, please consider donating your talent to perform during musical gifts. Please let Abigail know if you are interested and she can put you on the list. Any type of performance involving music is welcome - singing, playing an instrument or dancing.  abigailfreeman@rogers.com
 

CUC Online Book Club 

Would you like to be part of a cross-country book club for Unitarians? We are facilitating groups of 6-8 to find each other and agree on a first book and a time frame to meet using zoom technology (provided by the CUC). More details can be found here: http://vancouverunitarians.ca/canadian-unitarian-book-group/

Or email Mary Maler in Montreal who initiated this idea mmaler@videotron.ca or Mary Bennett in Vancouver maryinvancouver@gmail.com

Opportunities Abound

As a thriving community, UCM has much going on. If you have time, please consider sharing your energy and gifts with us. There is a place for you! There are opportunities to help with the garden, the green sanctuary work, and much more. Please speak to Rev. Fiona or visit our Volunteer Opportunities page.

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

Looking for Inspiration
Each week Rev. Fiona posts a spiritual practice for people to try at home. Sometimes it is an ancient practice such as meditation, others focus on the earth or universe with contemporary practices.  You can find the practice posted each Thursday at emptychalice.com or on the UCM facebook page.