eNews: September 19, 2023 – Issue 153

This Issue:

• A Letter from the Board President
• Congregations Experience Ministerial Transitions
• Conferences Aren’t Working Anymore. What’s Next?
• How can the CUC and Canadian Unitarian Universalism be relevant and sustainable into the future?
• Become a Friend of the CUC
• Meet Two New Members of the Board
• Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation
• Live Broadcast Honouring the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
• Two Things Allies can do to Support Inclusion
• An Update from the Decision Making Exploration Team
• Letter-writing Campaign Affirms Gender Identity and Expression
• Loving Justice
• Apply for a West Trust Grant
• Memorial for Rev. Rodrigo (Rod) Emilio Solano-Quesnel
• Did you Know?
• Job Opportunities
• What’s Making us Smile
• CUC Events from September 19 to December 31, 2023
  

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A Letter from the Board President
By Kiersten Moore

Greetings and Happy Autumn! 

I set myself down to write to you with a tumultuous mix of anticipation, joy, uncertainty, sadness, and trepidation swirling in my mind. What a complicated and wondrous thing life is. The youth in metro-Vancouver (and Washington and Oregon!) are planning a regional fall con for November and their theme is “Life is ConfUUsing, and that’s okay!” Amidst grounding and spiritual practices they are asking each other questions such as “where is the world going? Where are we going? Where are Unitarian Universalists (UUs) going?” 

Where indeed are we going and what are we doing? 

In September 2016, the CUC Board approved the following statement proposing what value our members get from our national organization: The CUC is a beacon for Unitarian Universalist communities across Canada, providing them with leadership, support, and connection as they strive to foster a just and sustainable world and to enrich the spiritual lives of their members.

Within the strategic planning process that the Board and staff are embarking on this year, we will be asking you, our members, to engage with this statement, our principles, aspirations, and vision. We will ask you, and ourselves, what is the function of Canada’s national UU organization? What leadership and services are needed and how can they best be met by our available resources? Resources of staff expertise, time and energy; money; continental UU resources; and collaboration with members and religious professionals (ministers, religious educators, and musicians). 

How do we envision the future and what do we do with our current resources to help both the present and future generations flourish? You will read further from Vyda about the state of conferences and the toll the 2023 Symposium has taken on our budget. We have some big questions to answer and some big imagining to do, and we are not alone in our situation. 

I am filled with hope and energy whenever I create a new covenant with children who have been in Unitarian spaces for more than a year. They lean right in to respect, kindness, consent, consensus and boundaries. I am filled with hope when we show up to march for our ailing planet, when we stand-up against hate and ignorance directed at trans, non-binary, and LGBTQ2S+ folks. When we work together to understand the roots of capitalism, colonialism, and oppression and to make change–I have hope. 

I have hope when a member tells me they do not want to move to a place that doesn’t have a strong Unitarian community. I know this means we are relevant, that we offer a message of love and justice that has meaning for people.

Of course there are times when I am sad and frustrated. No person or organization lives up to their ideals or values all of the time. Every community has discord and disagreement, sometimes passionate differences. We don’t always treat each other well, sometimes we give up on each other or on this faith that we share. But having ideals and values to guide us helps light the path forward; it gives us something to come back to, something to have faith in. 

When I talk about faith, I am talking about trust and belief in the deep values of our Unitarian Universalist tradition and our national community. Faith is not blind to shortcomings or failures; our faith is open to growing and learning. It is trust and belief that committing to Unitarian Universalism helps us do better, grow, be present for each other, work for justice, and to hold each other and all life in love. 

I look forward to walking with you on this journey. 

May it be so.

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Congregations Experience Ministerial Transitions
By Kenzie Love

With the beginning of a new congregational year, several congregations are welcoming new ministers in varying roles.

Rev. Shawn Gauthier, Vancouver Unitarians
Rev. Shawn Gauthier began his undergraduate studies in the Conservatory of Music at Oberlin College, eventually completed a bachelor degree in religious studies at Harvard’s Extension School, and later received a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School. He was previously the Minister at Toronto First Unitarian for 16 years. He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry at the University of Toronto/Toronto School of Theology.

Rev. Samaya Oakley, Calgary Unitarians
The Rev. Samaya Oakley is passionate about our Unitarian Universalist faith. Once she started attending the North Shore Unitarian Church, she quickly became active continentally though the Youth Office of the UUA. She holds at the heart of her ministry the importance of relationships and compassion. She is a strong believer in social justice and believes that our theology calls us to be active agents for love and justice in the world.

She was Co-Chair of the Canadian Unitarian Council’s Truth, Healing and Reconciliation Reflection Guides – five age-appropriate reflection guides for use in Canadian UU congregations. Most recently she helped to coordinate the CUC’s Widening the Circle program that invites leaders and aspiring change-makers to engage with the work of finding new ways of being together that challenge our current ways of thinking.

Rev. Peter Boullata, Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough (contract)
The Rev. Peter Boullata has served congregations in both the United States and Canada and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in spiritual care and psychotherapy at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Rev. Dr. Rita Capezzi, Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga (interim)
Rev. Dr. Rita Capezzi is an American citizen, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, having moved to Buffalo, New York in 1994 when she was hired as an English professor at Canisius University. After a long and happy career involving teaching, administration, advising, and immersion-learning travel, Rita answered a call to Unitarian Universalist ministry, attending Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, Illinois 2015-2018 and serving the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Mankato, Minnesota 2018-2023. She was ordained in 2018 and reached Full Fellowship with the UUA in 2022.

Rev. Pat Trudeau,  Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Rev. Pat Trudeau studied at the University of Toronto, Emmanuel College and Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, and has completed a Master of Divinity degree. Previous degrees include an MSW and M. Ed in Adult Education and Counselling. She was ordained by Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist congregation.

First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto

• • Rev. Victoria Ingram, Interim Senior Minister, served the Hamilton congregation for 11 years prior to retiring in 2021.
  • Rev. Nicole McKay, Minister of Spiritual Care, will be joining the staff team part-time providing pastoral and spiritual care along with support to the spiritual care team.
  • Rev. Stephen Atkinson, a retired UU minister, will be creating worship and preaching once a month from September until June, as well as facilitating the Awakenings online small group ministry and consulting with staff when requested.

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Conferences Aren’t Working Anymore. What’s Next?
By Vyda Ng

In May 2023, the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) held a national symposium in partnership with First Ottawa and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ottawa. The Host Team members and volunteers worked hard to deliver a good experience. More than 150 people gathered in person and online to explore what it means to live into the 8th Principle. Highlights of the symposium included the 2023 Confluence Lecture by Rev. Julie Stoneberg, a keynote presentation by Albert Dumont (the former Poet Laureate of Ottawa), and a national worship service. It was, in many ways, a resounding success. 

Speaking personally, I found it deeply gratifying to gather, worship, and connect with UU friends and colleagues in person for the first time since the national conference in Hamilton in 2018. 

Unfortunately, the cost to produce a multiplatform event of this magnitude is high. I am sorry to say we did not meet our revenue goals. Based on attendance at national conferences prior to the pandemic, the CUC had projected that close to 300 people would attend the multiplatform symposium, generating $80,460 in revenue from registration fees and meals. However, only 155 people attended the symposium (55 of those were online). Actual revenue from registration fees, sponsorship, and meals was $41,977.

The lower-than-anticipated number of attendees is not the only factor that contributed to the shortfall. Revenue from registrations was further impacted by our use of a sliding-scale payment model. We remain committed to ensuring CUC events are financially accessible, however, we cannot ignore the impact a sliding scale has on event revenues. Most people who registered for the symposium paid an amount that was lower than the actual cost to attend the event. 

Overall, the CUC lost -$68,997.52; the actual cost to hold the symposium was $110,974.52. This shortfall will impact the organization’s capacity to deliver programs and services in the remainder of 2023-2024 and beyond. Yet, the CUC remains committed to growing vital and sustainable Unitarian Universalist communities. 

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We are sharing this information with you because doing things the way we’ve always done them isn’t working. Together, we need to imagine and manifest ways of being a national community that are relevant, sustainable and responsive.

This Fall of 2023, we are launching an imagining/strategic planning process to identify how and where we can have the most significant impact, how we can live into our Aspirations, now and in the near future. As part of this  imagining process, you will be invited to be part of national conversations between December 2023 – April 2024. Through town hall conversations, online feedback, and congregational discussions, we will be reflecting on how we are useful in the world, how we remain relevant and engaging, and why the CUC exists. We will also explore more practical issues like the CUC’s revenue and funding; capacity; how we gather nationally; how we sustain our UU congregations and communities, nurture leadership and growth, and maximize connections and partnerships.

We know these challenges are not unique to the CUC. Many of our member congregations and partners are holding similar discussions about their impact and sustainability. How can we support one another through this process? How can we continue to grow vital, sustainable UU communities–locally, regionally, and nationally?

I hope you will join us for these national conversations, starting in early 2024. A conversational guide will be provided for congregations and communities who may wish to have their own discussions, and we invite you to schedule these at a time that fits (about 2.5 hours) or in February during CUC month.

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How can the CUC and Canadian Unitarian Universalism be relevant and sustainable into the future?
By Vyda Ng

Unitarian Universalism (UUism) has the potential to be a faith for the future. Building on the visioning work done in 2016, we will use the five Aspirations to guide our conversations in positioning UUism as a vital, relevant and engaging faith. 

Come help us imagine. The first Aspiration is:

“Deeply Connected: We strive to foster healthy relationships amongst and within UU communities, with the broader world and with all life.” 

Let your imaginations take flight; channel your inner Piglet or Roo, and suspend any Eeyore-like doubts. We will explore questions like:

• • How could/does your congregation/community manifest this Aspiration? Within your local community? Within the wider world?
  • How is this realized in your own life? Your congregation? Your community?
  • What would be sustainable ways of doing this well?
  • How can the CUC support, encourage and help manifest this?

The results of these conversations will form the basis of a strategic plan to guide the CUC into the future.

Conversations and other forms of input will take place between January – April 2024. Subscribe to the CUC eNews for dates and to stay in the loop. 

To get into a “thinking outside the shape” mindset, we suggest listening to the CBC’s “Under the Influence” podcasts. While the focus is on marketing, the thinking and creativity behind some of the most successful campaigns is often ingenious and original, like how Elton John once hid in plain sight. Download the CBC Listen app to access podcasts.
Note: this is not an ad for CBC, merely the use of it as a resource.

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Become a Friend of the CUC
By Vyda Ng

For more than 60 years, the Canadian Unitarian  Council (CUC) has been committed to growing vital and sustainable Unitarian Universalist (UU) communities. Our small but dedicated staff provides support to UU congregations and communities across the country, particularly in the areas of congregational engagement, youth and young adult events, and justice and equity issues. Our most-recent annual report highlights some of the work that our donors made possible in 2022-2023. 

In 2023-2024, we will continue to offer programs, services and events to fulfill our strategic priorities, including:

• • • Two national worship services
    • A Sharing our Faith worship video and resources 
    • Monthly “Connect & Deepen” small group worship sessions
    • Gathered Here, a monthly check-in for UU young adults
    • Rising Together, worship and community-building opportunities for Indigenous, Black and other Unitarian Universalists of Colour (IBPOC UUs)
    • Leaders’ Roundtables on topics of interest to congregations
    • Workshops on decision-making models
    • Youth Advisor Training and
    • A blog

I am excited to announce that we also plan to enhance the CUC website with increased Canadian content, making it easier for professional and lay leaders to access resources that advance religious exploration and spiritual growth in a multigenerational context. Resources created by and for UUs in Canada. 

We can do this thanks to you and your generous support. On behalf of the CUC staff and Board of Trustees, I want to thank all of the Friends of the CUC. Every day, I recognize the difference your gifts make in the lives of Unitarian Universalists in Canada. 

Last year, we raised over $33,000–five percent of our operating revenue–through the Friends of the CUC Fund. Will you help us raise $40,000 in 2023?

When you give a one-time donation of $50 or a monthly donation of $5 or more to the Friends of the CUC, you are investing in our progressive faith community. Your gift encourages and supports the growth of vital, sustainable Unitarian Universalist congregations, and other UU communities, throughout Canada. Now and in the future. 

Thank you for being a leader in our vibrant, liberal faith community. Thank you for being a Friend.

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Meet Two New Board members
By Kenzie Love

The Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC)  is pleased to welcome two new Board members who were acclaimed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) this past May: Margo Ellis (Unitarian Church of Montreal) and Ilara Stefaniuk-Gaudet (Unitarian Church of Edmonton), representing the Eastern and Western regions respectively.

Margo Ellis

Born in the United States, I have fond memories of growing up in the First Unitarian Church of Chicago and participating in its choir, which became the Chicago Children’s Choir under Chris Moore. In the U.S., I graduated with a Ph.D. in exercise physiology. I was active in my local LGBT+ community and I was one of the founders of a non-profit supporting women in the arts and music. I also served on the board of an organization focused on supporting women in substance abuse recovery and their families.  

I moved to Canada 27 years ago to join my spouse in Quebec City. I have worked in a variety of positions in Canada including product management, marketing, and communications for medical technology companies. A few years ago, I was contracted by the CUC to build the organization’s website. I was then hired on staff in the position of communications and web manager. I served in that position until August 2022. This past Spring, I developed the CUC’s 2023 Symposium website. 

After moving to Montreal, I joined the Unitarian Church of Montreal where I have served on the board in various positions and currently serve as its secretary. I am an active member of the ongoing Beloved Conversations group working on issues of racial justice and inclusion. I have also played music for worship services. 

My pronouns are she/her and I identify as Queer. As a member of the CUC board, I would like to see work on the long-term sustainability of the CUC in our challenging times, addressing the pressing issues of post-pandemic recovery, changing demographics, social justice, and outreach on congregational and national levels.

Ilara Stefaniuk-Gaudet 

Warm greetings to you from Amiskwaciwâskahikan in Treaty 6 Territory! My name is Ilara, and my pronouns are they and them. My lineage is maternally Ukrainian and paternally Acadien. I often say that I’ve been Unitarian Universalist (UU) my whole life but didn’t know it until I was 14. I was born with chronic illness, and from day one my parents surrounded me with Healers: Reiki Masters, Tai-Chi Masters, Cree Medicine People, Orthodox Priests, New Age Mystics, Carmelite Nuns, Yogis, the list goes on. I am shaped by pluralism.

I am a Mystic, a Dreamer, an Artist, and a Student of Spirit. I am passionate and full of heart-fire, dedicated to systemic transformation, and committed to the aspirations of our UU Faith. May we do our work together, as Elder Sharon Jinkerson-Brass often says, “In a good and humble way,” and may our shared ministry heal a wounded world.

Onwards, Beloveds!

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Honouring Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation
By Shelley Motz

Both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day take place on September 30. 

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a federal statutory holiday that commemorates the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools. 

Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots initiative to raise awareness of the individual, family, and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools and to promote the belief that every child matters. The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.

As mentioned in the August issue of the eNews, the Canadian Unitarian Council is not holding a national worship service on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation this year. However, on Wednesday, September 27, we will be releasing a collection of new and familiar resources that honour the children who never returned home, the survivors of residential schools, their families and their communities. (Watch for these resources on our blog.)

We also invite you to watch Unsettled and Unafraid, a recording of the powerful national worship service we produced last year in honour of the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. 

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Live Broadcast Honouring the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

On September 30, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation will hold a live national broadcast commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. You can join the event in person or watch the broadcast online to memorialize the children lost to the residential school system and honour survivors and their families. We also encourage you to attend local events in your community. Learning and commemorating the truth of our history from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis knowledge keepers is an important part of the path to reconciliation. 

 

 

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Two Things Allies can do to Support Inclusion
By Erin Horvath and Amber Bellemare, CUC’s Justice & Equity Team

We are in great need of allies to support the Canadian Unitarian Council’s inclusivity action groups. These groups are led by Unitarian Universalists (UUs) who experience exclusion related to race, Indigenous identity, age, disability, family/relationship structure, class, and gender (specifically trans). There is also a group for those who want to engage more men in inclusion work. 

Last year, these groups formed to bring the 8th Principle to life and transform our UU communities into beacons of diversity. Great ideas have started to take shape and we look forward to working on them over the Fall.

You can support this ongoing work in two ways:

1. 1. Join an action group. Meet other people interested in co-creating inclusive spaces and experiences. We open each of our sessions with a short reflection on implementing change, followed by ample time to talk and plan future actions within small groups. What happens next is up to the group.
   2. Make a donation.  The vast majority of people who have joined an inclusivity action group are folks who have experienced exclusion within UU spaces. Many are not able to make a donation to cover the cost of the program. Will you help us compensate our Inclusivity Action Group facilitators? To give, donate to the CUC’s Special Collections Fund by midnight (Pacific Time) on September 30, 2023.

Thank you for your support. If you have questions about the inclusivity action groups, contact socialjustice@cuc.ca for details. 

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An Update from the Decision Making Exploration Team
By Danielle Webber

Hello Canadian Unitarian Universalist Decision Makers!

We hope that the Decision Making Exploration Team’s efforts over the last 14 months have caught your attention, because we are approaching the end of our work.

At the beginning of this project, we ran a survey on decision-making practices. We compiled, analyzed, and shared the results of this survey, which allowed us to learn about various models of decision-making and identified a few experts who could help us understand these models. We communicated regularly with these subject matter experts as well as a group of advisors, including the CUC’s Elders-in-Residence, individuals with experience in disability justice advocacy, and members of the Unitarian Universalist community who have worked with democratic practices outside of colonial systems.

We also created opportunities to practice different decision-making models. In May 2023, we asked you to pay special attention to the use of Robert’s Rules of Order at the CUC’s Annual General Meeting. The next month, we facilitated a workshop, where we addressed the following questions: What is a decision-making system for? And, how do we build the relationships which serve as the foundation for us to work together? (You can read highlights from the discussion in this summary.)

Over the next few months, we will continue to explore different decision-making practices. We hope you will join us for the following workshops:

• • Practicing Together: Sociocracy (Saturday, October 21, 2023)
  • Practicing Together: Formal Consensus (Saturday, November 18, 2023) 

Our last gathering will be held on January 13, 2024. Please save the date in your calendars; we will open registration for this event soon. 

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Letter Writing Campaign Affirms Gender Identity and Expression
By Shelley Motz

At the beginning of September, Rev. Karen Fraser Gitlitz (Saskatoon Unitarians)  wrote a letter to the media, expressing her concerns about recent policies implemented by the Government of Saskatchewan. These policies affect students under 16, who can no longer use their preferred names or pronouns at school without parental consent. The policies also prevent teachers and schools from bringing in groups and facilitators to teach sexuality education programs like Our Whole Lives (OWL). (Similar legislation has been introduced in New Brunswick.)

Your National Voice Team has written a statement in support of the letter-writing campaign initiated by Saskatoon Unitarians. This statement was sent to Premier Scott Moe and the Honourable Jeremy Cockrill, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Education.

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Community Group Seeks Worship Resources for Trans Day of Remembrance
From Loving Justice

November 20 is Trans Day of Remembrance, a day to memorialize those who have lost their lives as a result of transphobia. A community group called Loving Justice is  creating a worship packet for Unitarian Universalist congregations and you are invited to contribute resources to it. You can learn more about this initiative in the August issue of the eNews.

*Loving Justice is a small, grassroots team created by Olivia Hall, Rory Brimacombe, Gaby Lamoureux, Arielle Canning, Casey Stainsby, and Rev. Danielle Webber. If you have any questions about their work or if you are interested in connecting with the team, please contact them directly  at lovingjusticeuu@proton.me. The Canadian Unitarian Council does not speak on their behalf. 

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Apply for a West Trust Grant 

The.West Bequest Trust, administered by a board of trustees in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is currently accepting applications for funding for projects which advance our Unitarian Universalist Principles. All applications must be received by Friday, October 6, 2023. For more information, read the article about the West Bequest Trust in the June 2023 issue of the CUC eNews.

 

 

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Memorial for Rev. Rodrigo (Rod) Emilio Solano-Quesnel

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Did You Know?

When to Call the CUC

Is your congregation growing? Looking to revisit its mission and values? Facing an issue that’s dividing its members? You don’t have to face it on your own. For all these challenges and opportunities (and many others), your CUC Congregational Life team is ready to help. Reach out to congregationallife@cuc.ca.

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Job Opportunities

• • Join the CUC’s staff team! The CUC is hiring an Administrative and Financial Assistant to join our collaborative staff team. We invite applications from qualified candidates, and encourage Indigenous, Black and People of Colour, and people of all sexual identities and orientations to apply. Check out the job posting here.
  • Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation is searching for a part-time Director of Lifespan Learning. Apply to work in this “heart-centred” congregation.

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What’s Making Us Smile

Whether you’re looking for instructional posters for your congregation’s kitchen, bathrooms, or sanctuary, the Unitarian Universalist Hysterical Society has you covered.

Enews Prepared and Formatted by Brigitte Twomey, Website Specialist