Bring Soil this Sunday (Nov. 20th)

As our congregation moves through a difficult time, it is all the more important to ground ourselves. Literally touching the earth and celebrating the regeneration that is made possible only through disintegration may serve us well.

In soil we may find each other restored as the earth provides something common and generative to our lives and the life of our congregation. We will gather for soil communion and see ourselves metaphorically in this symbol of soil. We will honour our interiority in a public ritual that is similar in form to water communion, but done in silence. We will listen to where we are replenishing. We will listen to our own buried voices. We will churn, breakdown, and make our ground ready for new life. Bring soil from right where you are.

Christmas Potluck: 6pm December 3rd

You’re invited to a family potluck in the Fireside Room at 6pm on Saturday, December 3rd.  Roasted turkey will be provided.  Contact Merrick Walsh or Janni in the Church Office to find out which of the following side dishes and desserts are still needed:

  • Vegetable Platter

  • Tortilla Chips and Salsa Sauce

  • Brussel Sprouts

  • Caesar Salad with Dressing

  • Cranberries

  • Ethnic Dish

  • Gravy

  • Green Peas

  • Ham

  • Rice

  • Roast Potatoes

  • Stuffing

  • Sushi with Soya Sauce, Ginger and Wasabi

  • Yams

  • Sweet Desserts such as Cakes, Pies, Brownies, Cookies

  • Cheese and Crackers

  • Fruit such as Strawberries, Watermelon, Apples, Grapes

  • Milk, Cream & Soy Cream for coffee and tea

Music:

It also would be nice to have someone help with music (which would involve printing off sheets of Christmas carols, and providing some kind of music background). Perhaps the group could sing the Christmas Carols from 5 PM to 6 PM, while the kitchen crew puts the finishing touches on the food. If you can help with music, please let Merrick know.

Uncolonizing Climate Action Group with the CUC

Do you want to deepen your understanding of how to uncolonize your climate justice practice?

In the Canadian Unitarian Council’s (CUC) upcoming Uncolonizing Climate Action sessions, you will make connections with others who are taking steps to unite their work regarding Right Relations with Indigenous peoples with their Climate Change activism.  

One of the CUC Elders, Dave Skene, will join CUC Social Justice Lead Erin Horvath for each of the sessions. He will help us broaden our understanding of what uncolonizing and decolonizing looks like in this context. 

Some of the areas we will address are:

  • What we mean by colonization, decolonization, and uncolonization

  • Identifying colonial characteristics in our movements

  • Settler wounds of disconnection from Mother Earth

  • Amplifying Indigenous leadership.

Here’s how it works:

  • Attend two networking sessions in 2023. They will take place at 4pm on these Wednesdays: March 1 and May 3.

  • Learn, discuss, and expand your thinking.

  • Determine the next step you’d like to take individually or as a group.

  • Decide if and/or how you’d like to continue to connect with members of the group once the three sessions have been completed.

Register for the Uncolonizing Climate Action Group HERE by February 15th.

Inclusivity Action Group with the CUC

It’s time to bring the 8th Principle to life and transform our communities into beacons of diversity. The CUC has several tools and opportunities to empower your journey.

Joining an action group is a chance to meet with other people interested in co-creating inclusive spaces and experiences. Action Groups introduce people with lived experience to their allies but what happens next is up to you.

We’ll open each of our 3 sessions with guided discussion around implementing change, followed by ample time to dialogue and plan future actions as individuals, groups, congregations and/or Canadian UUism as whole.

  • Choose the type of inclusivity you’d like to focus on: Race, Colonialism, Age, Disability, Non-traditional families/relationships, Class, Engaging Men in Inclusivity Action and Gender.

  • Attend each of the three networking sessions that take place at 4pm on these 2023 Wednesdays: February 1 (Getting Started), Moving Through Hurt (April 5), and Addressing Resistance (June 7). Each session will open with a guided discussion about implementing change, followed by ample time to discuss and plan future actions as individuals, groups, congregations and/or Canadian UUism as whole.

  • With your group, determine an action you’d like to take together or separately. Return to the larger group and share learnings and resources.

Sign up for an Inclusivity Action Group HERE. (When you register for the first networking session, you will automatically be enrolled in sessions two and three. You cannot join the action group after the first session takes place.)

Circle Potluck Dinners & Lunches

Joy Silver is our circle dinner and lunch coordinator. She is excited to restart our potluck social lunches and dinners after a long furlough of COVID restrictions. 

Monthly potlucks are held on the last Saturday of each month of October, November, January, February, March, April and May unless otherwise indicated in our eBulletin.

These social gatherings are designed to engage small groups of 6 -8 folk in fun and often meaningful conversations.  The meals are hosted in rotating members’ homes, or with a host at church in the Fireside Room. Joy contacts the hosts and the hosts contact their guests. When there are enough folk to circulate participants in further dinners or lunches, Joy will do her best to circulate the hosts and the guest lists.  Food sensitivities will be considered and carpooling can be arranged.

Hosts can become guests at another meal and guests can become hosts in a month of their choice.

Joy will circulate repeating participants as numbers allow. We have had up to six different dinners on the same night! 

Family Meals of six to eight are organized when there are at least two interested families.

Our November 2022 dinner was held in our church Fireside Room and organized as a welcome meal to our regular new-comers, our new members, and soon-to-be new members.

Who’s who in our pew? New members love to get to know our seasoned members more personally.   All, consider joining in one or more of our meals to “break bread” with each other. 

Let Joy know of your interest by connecting with her at church or by phone 604.941.2606 text 604.329.8073 or e-mail at odetojoy@telus.net .

WANTED: Your Stories of Christmas in Other Countries

Dear NSUC Congregation,

For our upcoming Christmas Choral service (December 11th), I have an idea . . . I would like to hear the stories that many of you have of Christmas in other countries.

The format of the service would be that one of you who have memories of Christmas in say . . .Kenya. . .or Poland. . . or Holland (etc.) . . . might come to the front to share a short story of a Christmas memory that is particular to that country. We will sing a Christmas Carol from that country.

If you might be able to contribute to this service, please get in touch with Alison as soon as possible at 778-688-2912 or alisonnixon@hotmail.com.

Thank you so much,

Alison Nixon, Music Director

Does the church close when it snows?

When weather is bad, our main concern is for the safety of our congregants.  It is up to each individual to determine whether or not they feel safe coming to church in inclement weather depending on the temperature, wind conditions, road conditions, vehicle type, tire type, level of experience driving in snow, and other factors.

On rare occasions, church services (and other church events) may be CANCELLED due to poor weather conditions, road closures, snow, and power outages.  On a Sunday, the decision will be made by 8:30am.  

If a Service is cancelled, we will try to notify the congregation several ways, including:

  • Posting a message on our website’s Home page.

  • Emailing congregants on our eBulletin email list.

  • Changing the message on our phone’s answering machine. 

  • Encouraging “word of mouth” communications. 

Unforeseen situations may prevent these methods of communication, in which case we will use whatever means we can to notify congregants of the closure.

Church events other than Sunday Services may be cancelled for bad weather at the determination of the event leader.  It is the responsibility of the event leader to communicate the cancellation with the participants.

Staff are likely to work from home if it is snowing.