Task Forces, Study Groups and Committees

From time to time, the Board or Executive Director may establish a task force or an ad hoc or on-going committee to help do their jobs. For example, the Resolutions Advisory Committee was formed to assist congregations and members in working through the resolutions process to bring resolutions to the floor of the AGM.

Current Committees

  • Nominating Committee
  • Lay Chaplaincy Committee
    The National Lay Chaplain Committee supports congregations with their lay chaplaincy program, and liaises with congregations through their local committees. The national committee is responsible for training coordination for lay chaplains, updates in policies and processes, and ensuring timely processing of lay chaplain applications. Contact the committee at lcc@cuc.ca

Members:

    • Lyla Miklos, Central/Eastern Region
    • Guy Belleperche, Central/Eastern Region
    • Anne Coward, Central/Eastern Region
    • Mary-Anna Louise Kovar, BC/Western Region
    • Beth McLin, BC/Western Region
    • Linda Thomson, CUC Liaison

Task Forces and Study Groups

Living into the Future – A Strategic Planning Process for the CUC (LIFES)

The CUC has launched a strategic planning initiative, called “Living into the Future: Emergent Sustainability” (LIFES).
The initiative is aimed at engaging UUs – congregations, communities, individuals, youth, young adults – in answering the question “How can the CUC and Canadian Unitarian Universalists be relevant, thriving and sustainable into the future?”
It is the hope of the CUC Board and Executive Director that the initiative will provide relevant, thriving and sustainable pathways for the CUC, Unitarian Universalists, congregations and UU communities into the future.

The LIFES Crew was established by the CUC Board in December 2023.

Members of the LIFES Crew are:

    • Arran Morton (he/him), British Columbia
    • Catherine Strickland (she/her), British Columbia
    • Kalvin Drake (he/him), Central Region
    • Olivia Hall (they/them), British Columbia
    • Ilara Stefaniuk-Gaudet (they/them), Western Region and Margo Ellis (she/her), Eastern Region – Board members sharing one seat
    • Anne Barker (she/her) Western Region and Vyda Ng (she/her), Central Region – staff members sharing one seat

Questions? Email future@cuc.ca 

Decision-making Exploration Team

The Decision-making Exploration Team was established by the Executive Director in December 2021. Its purpose is to explore viable decision-making processes for use at the CUC’s annual general meetings and special meetings. 

According to the Terms of Reference, the team will:

  • Explore options that might allow for a balance between flexibility and the timely sharing of information with congregations;
  • Consider processes that are inclusive, collaborative and model informed group decision-making;
  • Seek the wisdom of Indigenous and other Elders; and
  • Apply a decolonizing and ethnically diverse lens to their analysis.

Members:

  • Robbie Brydon
  • Rev. Danie Webber
  • William Ward 
  • Juensung Kim 
  • Eric James 
  • Linnea Granberg 

Contact the Decision-making Exploration Team at decision-making@cuc.ca

Polyamory Task Force

The Polyamory Task Force was established in 2018 by the Executive Director to examine polyamory in the context of Canadian Unitarian Universalism, and to develop position statements and resources that will help the CUC and Canadian congregations proceed on this matter.

The Task Force has completed its mandate and submitted CUC Polyamory Task Force Report with recommendations to the Board and Council. The members of the Task Force:

  • Rev. Beckett Coppola, Kingston
  • Margaret Kohr, Toronto
  • Rev. Meghann Robern, Winnipeg
  • Shoshanna Green, Montreal

Contact: executivedirector@cuc.ca

Council Task Forces and Study Groups

The Council, by vote of the delegates at an AGM, may establish a Task Force or Study Group to examine a particular subject. Such a Study Group typically functions for one or two years, presents its report to the AGM, and then either disbands or is formed into a monitoring group dedicated to a specific issue.

Dismantling Racism Study Group

This group was formed by a resolution of the 2019 Annual General Meeting to:

  • Identify and assess efforts made in our congregations and communities to dismantle racism and other oppressions; and,
  • Explore possible action plans that will engage Canadian Unitarians and Universalists in serious conversation and action about racism; and
  • Consider how and where a commitment to racial justice might be better woven into our founding documents: our principles and sources, our vision statement, and our aspirations; and,
  • Produce a report that names where racial justice is present in our Canadian Unitarian and Universalist institutions and gathering places  (Report available in the CUC Annual Report for 2019)

The DRSG presented their final report and recommendations to the May 8, 2021 Annual General Meeting.

Members:

  • Beverly Horton, Hamilton – Co-chair
  • Rev. Julie Stoneberg, Peterborough – Co-chair
  • Ashlyn Noble, Winnipeg
  • Catherine Strickland, North Shore (BC)
  • Charmaine Ferworn, Mississauga
  • Douglas Ennenberg, Vancouver
  • Pamela Smith-Loeters, Mississauga
  • Tamiko Suzuki, Vancouver

Contact the Study Group at dismantling-racism@cuc.ca 

Some previous Task Forces have included:

  • Lay Chaplaincy Review Task Force
  • National Identity Task Force
  • Resolutions Study Group
  • Active Democracy Study Group