Sharing Our Faith
The Sharing Our Faith fund is a program of the Canadian Unitarian Council, supporting projects that enhance ministry, growth, and outreach for congregations and for the Unitarian Universalist movement in Canada. It is designed to encourage greater associational awareness in our congregations, the fostering of relationships, and a sense of community and connection among and between our member congregations and communities.
Each year, this fund is renewed with money collected by congregations at special dedicated services, and from a Foundation Fund administered by the First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto. These donations are sent to the CUC to be distributed as grants to congregations applying for projects they may not otherwise afford.
Since its inception in 2001, through the generosity of our congregations and Canadian UUs, the Sharing Our Faith program has awarded over $200,000 in grants.
For 2024, UUMOC has created a new offertory message for the Sharing Our Faith collection available here in both print and video formats.
Sharing Our Faith Worship Services:
In pre-pandemic times, Sharing Our Faith service packages were created and shared with congregations to hold their own services. From 2021 – 2023, national Sharing Our Faith services were held virtually.
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- 2023 service: Congregations are dealing with a lot of upheaval and change, and which challenge members to remain in good relationship with each other. “Covenanting Through Transitions” is a national worship service that asks us “How do we stay in covenant through all of this in our communities? How do we stay in it in a good way when it is hard and people aren’t always their best selves or are disappointed?” Witness the reflections, both personal and professional, of several professional church staff. Watch and share on the CUC’s YouTube channel.
- 2022 service: “Celebration and Contemplation: The Path of an 8th Principle” Coordinated by Revs. Victoria Ingram and Anne Barker, this service recognizes the momentous step that Canadian Unitarian Universalist congregations took in adopting an 8th Principle for “individual and communal action that accountably dismantles racism and systemic barriers to full inclusion in ourselves and our institutions.” Witness how UUs commit to foundational social change to justice in ourselves, our faith community, and our larger society on the CUC’s YouTube channel.
- 2021 service: “A Faith Worth Failing For” Coordinated by the Revs. Shana Lynngood and Samaya Oakley, the service reflected on ways that we as Unitarian Universalists have fallen short and how we can learn from our mistakes. It can be viewed here on the CUC’s YouTube channel.
- 2019’s Sharing Our Faith Package 2020, compiled by Rev. Fran Dearman with contributions from Canadian UU ministers, focused on the theme of Making Waves and contains an eclectic collection of reflections, art, readings, and sermons for your congregation’s use in planning. Our seventh principle calls us to respect the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. The worship materials in the package offer ways for UU congregations to live into that aspiration. Download Organizing a Sharing Our Faith Service: Guidelines for preparing the service and collecting the special offering. Read more about Sharing Our Faith Services.
Sharing Our Faith Applications
UU congregations and communities may apply for grants for growth initiative and projects which enhance ministry, and which contribute to growth and vitality for that congregation and for the UU faith community in Canada. Applicants will usually be either current member congregations, emerging groups, or UU communities. Grant applications are due by March 31 of each year with all required documents. Completed applications can be e-mailed to sharing-our-faith@cuc.ca..
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- Application Form: Sharing Our Faith Application (Word)
- Report Template (due by March 31 of the following year from recipients):Sharing-Our-Faith-Report-Template
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2024 Sharing Our Faith Grants
| 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Recipient | Project | Grant Amount |
| Unicamp | Repair of meeting space floor | $2,500 |
| Unitarian Fellowship of Fredericton | Repair of the RE space and bring it up to health and safety standards | $2,500 |
| UUEstrie (North Hatley) | Repairs to the entry doors and wayside pulpit | $2,500 |
| UUs of the Salish Sea | Acquire some specified AV equipment | $2,500 |
2023 Sharing Our Faith Grants
| 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Recipient | Project | Grant Amount |
| Unitarian Congregation of Niagara | Safety, appearance, and rental prospects of sanctuary | $5,000 |
| Mirth and Dignity | To produce a second season of the podcast, the Cracked Cup | $4,300 |
2022 Sharing Our Faith Grants
| 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Recipient | Project | Grant Amount |
| Unitarian Congregation of Guelph | Upgrade equipment for hybrid services | $4,500 |
| Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship | Professional ministry | $4,600 |
| Westwood Unitarian Congregation | Upgrade technology for outreach | $5,000 |
| Unitarian Fellowship of Fredericton | Building retrofit to reduce carbon footprint & heating costs | $3,000 |
2021 Sharing Our Faith Grants
| Recipient | Project | Grant Amount |
| Unitarian Church of Calgary | Extend outreach through livestreaming and virtual gatherings | $4,200.00 |
| Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation | Create Director of Congregational Life leadership position | $4,200.00 |
| Kingston Unitarian Fellowship | Summer music development program and recording | $2,450.00 |
| Lakehead Unitarian Church | Improvements to online services through equipment purchasing | $2,000.00 |
| Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough | Extend online reach -through equipment purchase and upgrades | $4,200.00 |
| Unitarian Congregation of Saskatoon | Physical and online service changes for online ministry/accessibility | $4,200.00 |
| First Unitarian Church of Victoria | Purchase and upgrade of audiovisual equipment to improve the quality of in-person and online service | $4,200.00 |
2020 Sharing Our Faith Grants
| Recipient | Project | Grant Amount |
| Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Durham | Religious Exploration programs | $4,500.00 |
| Unitarian Congregation of Mississauga | Sign replacement | $3,500.00 |
| Unitarian Church of Edmonton | Repurposing of previously granted $5000 | $5,000.00 |
2019 Sharing Our Faith Grants
| Recipient | Project | Grant Amount |
| Unitarian Church of Edmonton | Summer camps for seven weeks | $5,000.00 |
| Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship | Design, creation & implementation of website | $2,500.00 |
| Unicamp of Ontario | Renovations to improve accessibility | $3,000.00 |
| Unitarian Church of Vancouver | Summer camp: Harry & UU, on water issues | $3,000.00 |
| Westwood Unitarian Congregation | Hardware to increase social media & outreach | $1,087.00 |
2018 Sharing Our Faith Grants:
| 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Funding Source | Fund | Amount |
| Opening Balance | $2,862.63 | |
| CUC – Donations | Sharing Our Faith Fund | $4,800.00 |
| First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto | Foundation Fund | $11,740.00 |
| Sub-Total | $19,402.63 | |
| CUC 3% admin fee | $582.08 | |
| Total to be disbursed | $18,820.55 | |
| Recipient | Project | Grant Amount |
| UU Congregation of Durham | Part-time ministry & family outreach | $4,500.00 |
| UU Fellowship of Kamloops | Rental of permanent space | $4,500.00 |
| Comox Valley UF | Support staff for outreach to families | $4,116.00 |
| Salt Spring UF | Development of religious education program | $4,580.00 |
| Total disbursed | $17,696 | |
| Total remaining for 2019 | $1,124.55 |
2017 Sharing Our Faith Grants:
| 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Funding Source | Fund | Amount |
| Opening Balance | $3,030.00 | |
| CUC – Donations | Sharing Our Faith Fund | $8,476.00 |
| First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto | Foundation Fund | $7,295.00 |
| Total | $18,801 | |
| Recipient | Project | Grant Amount |
| UUEstrie (North Hatley, QC) | Outreach | $2,300.00 |
| Unitarian Church of Calgary | Branding and Promotion | $3,500.00 |
| First Unitarian Church of Victoria | Compose music for Latin Vespers, Vesperae pro Serveto, based on UU principles | $2,500.00 |
| Unitarian Congregation of Guelph | Exploring options for ministry | $6,000.00 |
| Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough | Interfaith work | $3,000.00 |
| Unitarian Fellowship of London | Summer day camp for community | $1,000.00 |
| Total disbursed | $18,300.00 |
2016 Sharing Our Faith Grants:
| 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Funding Source | Fund |
| $12,148.00 | Opening Balance | |
| $3,956.68 | CUC - Donations | Sharing Our Faith Fund |
| $0.00 | First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto | Foundation Fund |
| $16,104.68 | Total | |
| Grant | Congregation | Project |
| $2,000.00 | Salt Spring Island | Religious Education and Children's Program |
| $4,370.00 | First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto | Community Engagement ministry |
| $4,934.00 | Unitarian Fellowship of Regina | 2nd year of 2-year consulting ministry |
| $3,200.00 | Comox Valley Unitarian Fellowship | Weekly services and program enrichment |
| $1,600.00 | Kamloops Unitarians | Developmental ministry |
| $16,104.00 | Total | |
Previous Projects:
Since 2001, Sharing Our Faith has awarded over $181,000 to congregations. Initiatives include:
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- Professional ministry
- Communication, publicity
- Religious education and music programs
- Youth programs
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To view Sharing our Faith Grants from 2001 to 2018, download CUC Sharing Our Faith Grants.2001-2018