On October 25th, we took down 2 trees that were BADLY rotted from within. Both were at high risk for falling soon — causing possible damage to fences, buildings, vehicles, and people.
These two images show how the rot was deep . . . so these trees were on borrowed time!
Special thanks to Brian Welwood (B&G Chair) and Brian McConnell (the Church Factotum) for their foresight to have these trees removed, and overseeing the work.
After the service on January 26th, you’re invited to join us downstairs for a sandwich lunch arranged by Dianne Hicks. (Suggested donation: $5/person). Vegetarian options will be provided.
As a follow-up to our September 29th service, our guest speaker (Ken Coates, PhD) put together the following reading list of books that relate to the theme of “Living in the Spirit of Reconciliation:
J.R. Miller, Skyscrapers Hide the Heavens: A History of Indian-White Relations in Canada
Olive Dickason and David Newhouse, Canada’s First Nations: A History of Founding Peoples from the Earliest Times
Jodi Wilson-Raybould, True Reconciliation: How to be a Force for Change
Jodi Wilson-Raybould, From Where I Stand: Rebuilding Indigenous Nations for a Stronger Canada (and watch for her new book, Reconciling History, coming out this fall)
Bob Joseph, 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act
Bruce McIvor, Standoff: Why Reconciliation Fails Indigenous People and How to Fix It
Greg Poelzer and Ken Coates, From Treaty Peoples to Treaty Nation: A Road Map for All Canadians
Sniderman and Sanderson, Valley of the Birdtail
Michelle Good, Five Little Indians
Maria Campbell, Halfbreed
Tanya Talaga, The Knowing
Murray Sinclair, Who We Are
Thomas King, The Inconvenient Indian
Thomas King, The Truth About Stories
There is a large and wonderful body of literature by and about Indigenous peoples, Indigenous-newcomer relations, and the path to reconciliation. This is only a start of your reading!! Enjoy!
Remember our annual FundFest event (formerly called "Bidnight"). . . what a great fundraiser and people-pleaser it was? We are pleased to announce a modified version of FUNfest. Instead of an auction, the newly-imagined FUNfest is based on a simple sign-up and payment format with 100% of the proceeds going to NSUC. This is a great way of getting to know others in the NSUC community while having FUN and contributing to church funds. Starting this fall, we are offering a series of events starting with BUNKO on October 18th, T’was a Dark and Stormy Night on November 9th, and continuing with one event per month now throughout the new year! Watch for more details coming soon.
Each month, 100% of our offering plate (unless otherwise noted) is donated to a non-profit organization whose mission is in line with our values. We call this “Outreach”.
During the month of October, we collected $1,548.50 for the North Shore Women’s Centre (NSWC) — a drop-in space offering access to resources, programs, support, information, and answers to questions women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals may have regarding a wide range of issued. All services offered by NSWC are free and confidential.
Thank you for all who contributed!
After the Sunday Service on February 2nd, you’re invited to join us downstairs for a Casserole Lunch arranged by Dianne Hicks. (Suggested donation $5/person).
Another round of scam emails went out recently --- and this happens frequently! Someone pretending to be Barrie Forbes (our Board President) asked people to "help him with something" -- buying gift cards . . .
North Shore Unitarian staff and leaders will NEVER ask you to buy gift cards.
DO NOT FALL FOR THESE HOAXES! If you’re ever in doubt, phone the staff/leader to verify if the email was legitimate.
(sorry this event is not available by Zoom).
Enrich your life with the excitement of powerful ideas and masterful story telling! Joseph Campbell, in a five-part series, explores “The Shaping of our Mythic Traditions”. Explore our own mythic journey and the richness of First Nations rituals and religion. Examine our primal and spiritual impulses. Trace the ancient roots of Judeo-Christian traditions and their life renewing energies.
Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) focused his life on exploring and understanding mythology and comparative religions. He believed in a common pattern beneath the narratives of the great myths, and that the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are. His work examined the universal functions of myth in various human cultures.
Each session will begin with a 50-minute recorded presentation by Joseph Campbell followed by a discussion of the ideas presented in the video facilitated by Marga Hanna.
Facilitated by Marga Hanna, a retired University Professor, Art Therapist and Trauma Therapist. During her graduate work she studied at Pacifica University which maintains the Joseph Campbell’s archives.
A collaboration between Century House and Beacon Unitarians - we welcome people of all faith traditions and philosophies to join us for these sessions, taking place at Century House Seniors Centre (620 8th Street, New Westminster, BC) and by Zoom.
Are you overwhelmed in the face of the climate crisis? Are you seeking a safer place to think about this existential threat and support in deciding how you feel about it? We offer a series of 4 sessions where we will collectively grapple with how to engage with these challenges, build resilience and explore how hope is nurtured and incorporated into our daily lives. We will be drawing from Elin Kelsey’s book Hope Matters: Why Changing the Way We Think is Critical to Solving the Environmental Crisis.
These 4 sessions will include:
Understanding and feeling our ecological grief
Processing our responses so we can gain access to our ecological joy
Learning strategies to shift perspectives and cultivate hope
Providing resources and support
Each session incorporates sharing, learning and experiencing through creativity and simple ritual. Sessions will give an opportunity to apply what we are learning and bring back insights to share at the next session.
Facilitated by Teresa Morton and Rev. Meg Roberts
If more info is required, please contact: Teresa at president@beaconunitarian.org
TO REGISTER:
In person; call the Front Desk at Century House; (604) 519-1066. The desk is open Monday - Friday 9-9 and Saturday 9-4 (They will be closed on Sept 30 for Truth & Reconciliation Day.) There are 20 in-person spots.
On Zoom; please register HERE ahead of time.
RECOMMENDED READING ahead of time: Elin Kelsey’s book Hope Matters: Why Changing the Way We Think is Critical to Solving the Environmental Crisis
REQUIRED READING:
Why Evidence-Based Hope is Crucial to Salish Sea Recovery and Bey.pdf
After the Sunday Service on January 12th you’re invited to join us downstairs for a Soup Lunch arranged by Dianne Hicks. (Suggested donation $5/person). A variety of soups will be available, including vegetarian options.
