Join us for our next service

"Reflections on Belonging"Saturday, May 24 @ 5:00pm
Join us for our next service
"Reflections on Belonging"
Saturday, May 24 @ 5:00pm

St Margaret's Cedar Cottage 
1530 E 22nd Ave

Please join us for our special Sharing Our Faith service: Reflections on Belonging, in which we will explore the nature of belonging, where one is recognized and appreciated as part of a community.  We are delighted to have with us members from the Vancouver Unitarians who are part of that church’s IPA Team (Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, plus Allies).  Three speakers who are the offspring of immigrants, will share with us their stories of how belonging is possible when one is straddling two cultures.  As children, they were the bridge between their parents, who brought over their language, culture, hopes and dreams, and the new reality of life in Canada. What did these children experience growing up through the Canadian education system and being immersed in North American culture? How did this experience affect them as they became adults? How did they find their way to the Unitarian Church?  We will, hopefully, reflect on how we can widen our circle in our congregation to include those whose experience is different from ours.

Magic Carpet Fashions
Refugee Fund Fundraiser

 Saturday, May 24 2-4pm
Vancouver Unitarian

the Vancouver Unitarian Refugee Committee has invited fashion historian Ivan Sayers back to present a selection of garments inspired by the Middle East and Africa. It is sure to be both informative and entertaining.

We are also delighted to have local fashion designer Somaya Ahmadipresent one of her fabulous creations. Refreshments will be available at intermission.

There will also be a sale of much-loved accessories before, at intermission and after the show in Hewett Hall. Prices will be very reasonable. So, do check out the merchandise to find a little gift for yourself or a loved one.

All proceeds from this event will go towards supporting refugees that Vancouver Unitarians bring to the Lower Mainland through the Canadian Refugee Sponsorship Program.

Bring a friend (or two) for an enjoyable afternoon! Tickets here.

From our Care and 
Concerns Committee

Having trouble getting to UUSS services and events?

We have heard that some folks have trouble driving across the bridge to Saturday evening services in East Vancouver, and some others have difficulty getting to Mollie Nye House in North Vancouver on Sundays.  We want to try to make our get-togethers as accessible as possible, so please contact the Care & Concerns Team at info@uusalishsea.ca if transportation is a barrier for you.  We will try to organize carpooling as needed. 

From Dan Leahy

dear Salish Sea Unitarians. We were proud members of the NSUC UNTIL 2013.....Dan and I are in awe of what you have created and are proud that you chose to create and build a new vibrant community that aligns more with your beautiful spirits and hearts. I am asking for a favour. would you be able to share a link to a go fund me page our daughter set up. Dan experienced chest pain 2.5 weeks ago. went to hospital, got admitted right away, had open heart surgery 5 days ago and is facing 2 months no work. Dan and I are both self employed, and I am off work as well caring for him. any financial support that comes our way would be incredibly appreciated. of course we totally understand if sharing does not fit in for you. thank you so much for your time. Gofundme for Dan.

Join Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust at their Interfaith Water Ceremony planned for Sunday, May 25 at Whey-ah-Wichen / Cates Park. 

 After our regular Saturday service on June 21, there will an annual big bash held right afterwards.  Stay tuned for more details!

Join us for this National Service live on Sunday, May 18 at 10 am  followed by coffee time conversation. What if sustainability isn’t just about how long we last — but about how deeply we belong to each other and to the future? This service revisits Rev. Ray Drennan’s 2004 Confluence Lecture “An Idea of a Possibility” with insights from the UU Expressionsresearch and other current UU practices.  Register for the Live Stream Why you won’t want to miss this:  Real voices, raw stories: Hear from UUs across Canada—elders, leaders, and visionaries—sharing their insights and practices.  A sacred invitation: Reflect, let go, and a reimagining of the possibilities.  You’re needed here: This is about us—how we bridge differences and reimagine sustainability as belonging to the future together. Ready-to-Go Package: Can’t join live? On Monday, May 12, a complete service package will be available for congregations and communities who wish to engage with it in their own way. If you would like this package, please fill in this form.

Dismantling Barriers - Talking about Solidarity: May 29 - 4:00 pm CUC AGM 2025: May 31 - 10:00 am

Justice News

Sacred Trust Water Ceremony Sunday May 25, 8:30 to 2 p.m.  Location: Whey-ah-Wichen/Cates Park, 4141 Dollarton Highway North Vancouver, BC Join us for the second Interfaith Water Ceremony hosted by the Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust and supported by Sierra Club BC! Join TWN as many faiths worship together – one heart, one mind, one prayer. The Tsleil Waututh Nation Sacred Trust is asking folks to register via the Eventbrite link so that they can ensure there is enough food. They are looking for volunteers for 3 different shifts.  There is also an opportunity to be part of the water ceremony itself, out on the water in a canoe.  Let Robyn know (robyn.newton.mail@gmail.com) if you want to participate on the water (space limited), or if you can help out at any of these shifts: 8-9am > a) setting up tent, table, chairs b) canoe launch support (e.g., helping wrangle folks to sign waver and get in place and oriented) 11:30am–12:30pm > Helping with lunch distribution 2-3pm > take down tent, table, chairs; tidy up park International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia May 17 Simon Fraser University has provided a link to a previously recorded Panel event: Mobilizing Fear and Misinformation: Anti-SOGI and ‘Parent's Rights’ Movements.  In this pre-recorded session, a panel organized by our good friend Dr. Travers, Anthropology & Sociology professor at SFU, discussed misinformation, the forces behind anti-SOGI movements, and how these messages can be resisted. Watch the video. May is Asian Heritage Month The Vancouver Art Gallery is celebrating with a vibrant lineup of programs and events! Learn more here: https://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/asian-heritage-month-2025/ The Climate Emergency Unit has launched an information & advocacy campaign called #SignedSearedDelivered. The initiative flips the classic tourism postcard on its head with a scorching message to those in power.  This campaign seeks to connect the dots between escalating wildfires, the climate crisis & the burning of fossil fuels. It calls on our leaders to hold Canada’s fossil fuel industry accountable & make climate action a priority.

Check out our social media! We have many NEW followers and growing and now are on Blue Skye! Check out our latest Instagram stats

Public Worship:
There Will Always Be Dancing

When: May 15 @ 5:00 PM 

Where: Online, please register for details

Through the destruction and the devastation, something enduring resides within us that cannot be stamped out by bigotry, greed, or exploitation. No matter how much injustice we face and the burdens we carry, there will always be movement. There will always be music. There will always be dancing.

From this inner well, we sing, pray, resist, rejoice, dream, and rebuild—because our liberation is bound up together, and our spirits are uncontainable. Let us gather to remind one another of our sources of courage, joy, and power.

Justice News

Concerns raised about Provincial Bill 15: the Infrastructure Projects Act  

Quick Summary: On May 1^st, the BC NDP tabled Bill 15, which will allow a minister and the cabinet to designate a broad range of public and private sector projects as worthy of jumping the regulatory queue. Bill 15 will empower the government to intervene as it sees fit on behalf of “provincially significant projects,” public as well as private. The NDP intend to pass this legislation on May 28.

BC will not meet its emissions targets

At the end of April the BC government  released its (long delayed) 2024 Climate Change Accountability Report. For those unfamiliar with it, the BC government is required every year to report on their CleanBC progress. You can read the report HERE. 

Quick summary: We know the B.C government was never on track to meet its 2030 climate targets. In this latest report, the B.C government finally admits it won't achieve them (see page 2). B.C. expects to reduce emissions 2% by 2025, missing this target by 9 million tonnes, and expects to reduce emissions 20-21% by 2030, missing this target by 13 million tonnes. 

CleanBC review just announced:

Quick Summary: CleanBC is B.C.’s road map for cutting climate pollution and building a cleaner, more sustainable future. The Province is launching an independent review of CleanBC programs to ensure they are effectively reducing emissions, while making life more affordable and supporting a strong economy.

South Fraser UnitarianCongregation invites you to our beautiful neighbourhood. Rev. Karen Fraser Gitlitz will be conducting a service and a workshop. Here are the details for this Sunday:

Date: May 11, 2025 2:30-3:30 pm (doors open at 2:10)
Venue: Peninsula United Church (Sunnyside location)
Address 15629 24 Ave Surrey BC

Unitarian Service: Making, Knowing & Dreaming Justice

How can tapping into our own creativity help us care for one another and work towards justice? Karen will draw from the perspectives of science, therapy and the arts to consider how creativity might help us respond to the challenges of our world.

Justice News

Free training opportunities to support your social justice activities!

Right to Be offers excellent and free trainings that give you skills to engage in social justice in a way that is in alignment with our UU values. If you don’t know what to do when you witness a microaggression or want to increase your capacity to engage meaningfully with social justice work, consider participating in one or more of their trainings listed here.

Register for the Screening of Incandescence on May 2, 2025, at 7 pm.

Every summer, wildfires increasingly ravage places around the globe, darkening the skies with thick smoke and reducing communities to little more than ash and debris.

Award-winning directors Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper weave together immersive on-the-ground footage with first-person accounts from Indigenous Elders, first responders, and ordinary people forced to react to a rapidly evolving ecosystem in the feature documentary Incandescence.

Register here. 

From Decolonial Solidarity and Dogwood:

On Wednesday, May 28th 2025 the Gitanyow will go before the BC supreme court to argue their case for Title —standing up for their lands, laws, and the generations to come. The Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs are together claiming title to the 6,200 square kilometres of the Gitanyow Lax’yip, located in the Nass and Skeena Watersheds (Kitwanga and Kispiox Rivers). When the Canada negotiated the Nisga'a Final Agreement with the Nisga'a Nation they did not consult the Gitanyow, despite their overlapping territorial claims.  Gitanyow Territory is now under threat from the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline (PRGT). Their title claim goes hand in hand with their struggle to protect their territories from destructive development and safeguard salmon in the Nass, Cranberry and Kiteen river.

The Gitanyow are calling on their allies to march with them from Robson Square to the steps of the BC Supreme Courthouse. If you are in Vancouver on the morning of May 5th, please join the Gitanyow and their allies. You can also support by sharing this call with any and everyone!

Location: Meet between Robson Square Ice Rink and Vancouver Art Gallery. Commence march up the Hornby sidewalk. Arrive at the front steps of BC Supreme Court, 800 Smithe Street, Vancouver, BC

Time: 8:00am gather - 8:45am start the march - 9:15am arrive front steps of BC Supreme Court, 800 Smithe Street

After our regular Saturday service on June 21, there will an annual big bash held right afterwards.  Stay tuned for more details!

Join Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust at their Interfaith Water Ceremony planned for Sunday, 
May 25 at Whey-ah-Wichen / Cates Park. 

JOIN US NEXT SATURDAY AT 5:00 FOR A SPECIAL SERVICE

please come if you can and 
welcome Liz James!

On Saturday, April 26, UUSS Worship Circle has invited Liz James, founder of Mirth and Dignity and the UU Hysterical Society, to speak as part of our service entitled "Inherent Mirth and Dignity".  Join us at St. Margarets Cedar Cottage at 1530 E. 22nd Ave.

What do you do when the life you’d imagined for yourself is stuck in committee? Join us for the story of the UU Hysterical Society...The practical joke that accidentally turned into a 230,000 person UU community on Facebook. It’s a story of feeling lost, finding yourself, and UUism-outside-the-box with  UUHS founder, Liz James. 

Also on Sunday, May 4, Liz James will be at Mollie Nye House to lead UUSS in a workshop called  The Church of Our Imagination, a congregational/community development workshop. In it, we will look at strategies for congregational adaptation. This isn’t a “How to use Facebook” style workshop. This is about changing how we think about ourselves. We will talk about what it looks like to get the word out in a viral world, how to re-envision what the “main part” of what we do really is, what streamlined governance and a failure friendly culture can really look like, and more. This is a story heavy workshop, with lots of examples of how UU communities are successfully adapting (as well as some jokes, discussion and a game thrown in).

Check out the Unitarian Universalist Hysterical Society!

This is primarily a humour group, made by Unitarian Universalists (but welcoming everybody!), that arose kind of by accident out of a practical joke in 2015.

They are a special corner of the internet, due largely to the tireless work of a professional mod team that works 24/7 (okay, not really at night) to approve posts, approve members, and watch over threads.

Below is an example of the fun postings you will find there - join the group!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/uuhystericalsoci

Justice News

“Saving Our Planet: Faith in Action 3,” 

A dynamic gathering is taking place on World Earth Day, April 22,2025, at St. Andrew’s Wesley Church. Brought to you by the Foundation for a Path Forward, the Interfaith Climate Alliance, and supported by St. Andrew's Wesley United Church. 

 After our regular Saturday service on June 21, there will an annual big bash held right afterwards.  Stay tuned for more details!

Join Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust at their Interfaith Water Ceremony planned for Sunday, 
May 25 at Whey-ah-Wichen / Cates Park. 

Happy Birthday, Jilly!

 Liz James set to visit us on both
April 26 and May 4!

On Saturday, April 26, UUSS Worship Circle has invited Liz James, founder of Mirth and Dignity and the UU Hysterical Society, to speak as part of our service entitled "Inherent Mirth and Dignity" 

What do you do when the life you’d imagined for yourself is stuck in committee? Join us for the story of the UU Hysterical Society...The practical joke that accidentally turned into a 230,000 person UU community on Facebook. It’s a story of feeling lost, finding yourself, and UUism-outside-the-box with  UUHS founder, Liz James. 

On Sunday, May 4, Liz James will be at Mollie Nye House to lead UUSS in a workshop called  The Church of Our Imagination, a congregational/community development workshop. In it, we will look at strategies for congregational adaptation. This isn’t a “How to use Facebook” style workshop. This is about changing how we think about ourselves. We will talk about what it looks like to get the word out in a viral world, how to re-envision what the “main part” of what we do really is, what streamlined governance and a failure friendly culture can really look like, and more. This is a story heavy workshop, with lots of examples of how UU communities are successfully adapting (as well as some jokes, discussion and a game thrown in).

More info on Liz James

Liz James began preaching and leading workshops twenty years ago, as a growth consultant for the Canadian Unitarian Council. Ten years ago, she founded the UU Hysterical Society, now a 270,000 person humour group on Facebook.  She then went on to found Mirth and Dignity, an organization devoted to diverse expressions of UUism.  She is cohost of the UU humour podcast The Cracked Cup, and working on a book with Skinner House press. 

 After our regular Saturday service on June 21, there will an annual big bash held right afterwards.  Stay tuned for more details!

Join Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust at their Interfaith Water Ceremony planned for Sunday, 
May 25 at Whey-ah-Wichen / Cates Park. 

"Lend your ears to music, open your eyes to painting, and … stop thinking! Just ask yourself whether the work has enabled you to ‘walk about’ into a hitherto unknown world. If the answer is yes, what more do you want?”

Join Jilly Watson and the Sunday Gathering Team for connection, conversation and a hands on arts activity!  

Please rsvp to Barb  so we know how much soup to have on hand. If anyone would like to make an additional pot of soup for this gathering, also please let Barb know.

Parking Information: Mollie Nye House is at 940 Lynn Valley Road.  We are in the basement, entrance on the south side.  We can't park in the Hillside Baptist lot as they are using their lot Sunday morning.  The best parking option is at the Karen Magnussesn Rec center.  It's a little walk.  If you have accessibility issues you could be dropped off at Mollie Nye and then the vehicle can be moved.

 Liz James set to visit us on both
April 26 and May 4!

On Saturday, April 26, UUSS Worship Circle has invited Liz James, founder of Mirth and Dignity and the UU Hysterical Society, to speak as part of our service. 

On Sunday, May 4, Liz James will be at Mollie Nye House to lead UUSS in a workshop called  The Church of Our Imagination, a congregational/community development workshop. 

Just who is Liz James you ask?
She is a member of the Saskatoon Unitarians, on the Canadian prairie. She runs Mirth and Dignity, an organization dedicated to UUhumour, which can be found at UUHystericalSociety.com. Liz also does guest preaching and can be reached through her website at lizjameswrites.com. 

New Membership Team!

Looking for Volunteers

We are looking for volunteers to join a brand-new Membership Team.  To give you a sense of what the work might entail, I’ve developed a possible “Terms of Reference” document which is shown below.  One of the first tasks of the new group will be to review the ”Terms” and change them if you think it advantageous to do so.

Please let me know if you’re interested.  I’m including a special invitation to any youth who might find this work of interest.  Your participation would be more than welcome.

John Slattery (for the Planning Team)

This Team shall:

1. Maintain the official Membership List and control access to it
2. Prepare name tags for members and stick-on labels for visitors
3. Keep Membership materials in an updated, organized container
4. Prepare and make available (for weekend services and gatherings) information about our congregation, special events, etc.
5. Serve as Greeters, or if needed, recruit Greeters for these services and gatherings
6. Provide information about what it means to be a member and how to become a member for those interested
7. Develop and organize Becoming-a-Member sessions
8. Inform (tba) about the Team’s activities on a regular basisDevelop an annual action plan (and an associated budget request) and evaluate how well it has met its goals by the end of the planning year.
9. Review the Terms of Reference annually or more often if needed
10. Liaise with other Teams, or individuals (e.g.  Worship, Sunday Gathering, Care and Concerns, Communication, etc.) to ensure clear communication
11. Meet as needed to carry out the above tasks

From the CUC Congregational Conversations Transitions: April 9 – 10:00 am& April 12 – 10:00 am Connect and Deepen: April 19 1:00 pm PT AGM Conversations: April 19 – 10:00 am & May 7 4:30 pm National Worship Sunday Service "From Possibility to Practice:  May 18 - 10:00am Dismantling Barriers - Talking about Solidarity: May 29 – 4:00 pm

"Art and Spirituality" 
(rescheduled from February after storm cancellation)

 Sunday, April 6 at 11:00am

Mollie Nye House, 940 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver

Save the dates! 

On Saturday, April 26, UUSS Worship Circle has invited Liz James, founder of Mirth and Dignity and the UU Hysterical Society, to speak as part of our service. Here is a brief description of the service entitled Inherent Mirth and Dignity:

What do you do when the life you’d imagined for yourself is stuck in committee? Join us for the story of the UU Hysterical Society...The practical joke that accidentally turned into a 230,000 person UU community on Facebook. It’s a story of feeling lost, finding yourself, and UUism-outside-the-box with with UUHS founder, Liz James. 

On Sunday, May 4, Liz James will be at Mollie Nye House to lead UUSS in a workshop called  The Church of Our Imagination, a congregational/community development workshop. In it, we will look at strategies for congregational adaptation. This isn’t a “How to use Facebook” style workshop. This is about changing how we think about ourselves. We will talk about what it looks like to get the word out in a viral world, how to re-envision what the “main part” of what we do really is, what streamlined governance and a failure friendly culture can really look like, and more. This is a story heavy workshop, with lots of examples of how UU communities are successfully adapting (as well as some jokes, discussion and a game thrown in).

More information to come next week!

Last week our Treasurer gave an update on our finances and thanked our amazing donors for their generous gifts.  If you haven't received your tax receipt yet, please email Ryan.

Celebrating Trans Day of Visibility on March 31    

Rev. Samaya Oakley of Calgary Unitarians is preparing for the congregation to mark Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, an event she hopes other UU congregations across Canada will honour as well. 

“If I could, I would love to wave my magic wand and have every Canadian UU congregation across Canada do something to visibly say to the trans community in which they’re located that they are welcome,” she says. “Even making sure that their trans flag was outside of their building. Just something to let the trans community know across Canada that Canadian UU congregations can provide a home, If they’re looking for a spiritual home.”

Calgary Unitarians’ service on March 30 will feature a panel discussion of the book Authentic Selves, the Unitarian Universalist Association’s common read for 2024-25, which will be followed by a four-session group discussion over the subsequent weeks. Oakley believes the interviews with trans and non-binary people within the book make it important reading for UUs.

“The subjects in the book share their real lives, their revelations, challenges, and  joys,” she says. “And the common read invites us to explore the nature of living authentically and the ways connections among us help us to thrive.”

Oakley believes that marking Transgender Day of Visibility is a critical action for UUs to take in these times.

“The way I look at it is If we truly are on the side of love, if that is what we profess, then when we say We honour and affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person, then that means we honour the inherent worth and dignity of every single person,” she says. “And that’s why I think it’s so important that we honour this day because it’s a day that celebrates trans lives.”

In addition to marking this day, Oakley encourages UUs to act year-round by supporting organizations advocating for trans rights, considering recertification as a Welcoming Congregation, and making space for a variety of gender options on congregational registration forms.

. 

Financial Update

from our Treasurer

The first thing you should know is that the new Treasurer at FUCV abruptly resigned in the fall, forcing the old Treasurer to come out of retirement. That's why you're reading this update on a random spring day, rather than at the end of the year.

The other impact is that, while I know we've received $7250 in donations since November, I don't know who donated or how much. This is, perhaps, an ideal way to break the relationship between money and power which caused problems in the past. After all, how can money and the threat of its withholding be used as a lever when nobody knows where it comes from? It simply falls like rain from the sky, irrigating the programs and ministries that this congregation is attempting to grow. There may be droughts in the future, but no one can credibly threaten to stop the rain.

But thank you to everyone who donated. You know who you are, and that's what's important. You should've received your tax receipt by now, so if you haven't please let me know and I'll look into it.

We currently have $16,542.42 in the bank, which for those keeping score at home is about $1,500 more than last May. This is an ideal amount of money: enough to cover our expenses for several years, but not enough for an embezzler to retire in a non-extradition country.

Ryan Guenther, Treasurer

What does it mean to belong truly? To the land, our ancestors, our communities, and even ourselves? These are the profound questions at the heart of Annahid Dashtgard’s powerful new book, Bones of Belonging: Finding Wholeness in a White World (2023).

As the CEO of Anima Leadership, a racial justice consulting firm, Dashtgard brings a deeply personal and insightful perspective to the conversation about belonging. Her latest work is a collection of interconnected stories exploring the many facets of belonging—from the land we inhabit to the relationships we nurture and our identities.

We’re thrilled to invite you for a Book Study on Bones of Belonging. Whether you are new to Unitarian Universalism or a lifelong UU, this is an opportunity to reflect, connect, and grow together.

REGISTER HERE

Justice News

From Dogwood

The PRGT pipeline is a Trojan horse. While claiming to be “Indigenous-led,” the investors are trillion-dollar Wall Street companies.

You can help stop it. Use this webpage to call Energy Minister Adrian Dix and tell him not to fast-track another American pipeline.

From The Palestinian

Solidarity Network 

A federal election call possible at any moment. This is our moment to put pressure on federal politicians to keep justice for Palestine front and Centre. 

Palestinian organizations and solidarity partners across Canada have developed a Palestinian platform that you can push all political parties to endorse:Impose a two-way arms embargo on Israel, End Canadian involvement in illegal Israeli settlements, Address anti-Palestinian racism and protect freedom of expression on Palestine, Recognize the State of Palestine, Protect and Fund Gaza Relief Efforts, including UNRWA

Will you take action today, by asking all federal parties to endorse the Palestine Platform? Send an email using this tool.

From Sierra Club

Join Sierra Club's webinar on March 26 @ 6 pm to learn how incredible old-growth forests are in terms of biodiversity, a livable climate, Indigenous stewardship, tourism, recreation and much more. They will provide an update on provincial old growth policies and discuss the importance of supporting Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) and other Indigenous-led solutions for old-growth in B.C.  

Sign up for webinar.

Call on PM Carney to implement a two-way arms embargo against Israel:

Israel just bombed Gaza, killing over 400 Palestinians—including children—and shattering a fragile ceasefire. This comes after weeks of electricity blackouts and food blockades, showing Israel’s intent to keep this war going. Egypt and Qatar have condemned the attack. Now, it’s time for Canada to step up. Our biggest leverage? The millions in military equipment Canadian arms dealers sell to Israel. Prime Minister Mark Carney just took office, and with an election on the horizon, he’s listening. If we flood his inbox, we can force peace onto the political agenda. Send a message to PM Carney now demanding Canada condemn this attack and implement a two-way arms embargo against Israel. Click here.

Support Indigenous land defenders' efforts to block financing for pipelines

Decolonial Solidarity is requesting our help! Do you know anyone who owns shares of RBC or BMO? DS is looking for proxies from shareholders so they can attend this year's Annual Meetings.

This year, with two major gas pipelines seeking financial investment (Coastal GasLink Phase 2 and Prince Rupert Gas Transmission), Indigenous Land Defenders plan to attend both RBC’s annual meeting and the Bank of Montreal’s annual meeting. This is an incredibly important annual action that will ensure bank executives hear about the lack of Indigenous consent for these projects, the clear climate implications, and the economic risks of expanding investment in liquefied natural gas.

If you can help,  please contact Decolonial Solidarity decolonial-solidarity@protonmail.com

Save the Date!  Sunday,

March 30 from 2:30 to 4:00

Call on the BC government to take stronger action on the Climate Crisis- Sustainability and Social Action Zoom Presentation.

Mari Piggott, from British Columbia Climate Emergency Campaign Signatory Engagement Working Group and Tracey Saxby Marine scientist, musician, and award-winning environmental activist, will speak to us about the BCCEC Urgent Call to the BC Government Progress Report. They will also share information on how to communicate with our members of parliament.

We will provide a reminder and the zoom link in a future newsletter.

From the CUC

Congregational Conversations: Hard Conversations (2nd run) (Online)

March 22: 10:00 am PT

Dismantling Barriers: Talking About Bylaws

March 27: 4:00 pm PT 

Celebrating Trans Day of Visibility

Rev. Samaya Oakley of Calgary Unitarians is preparing for the congregation to mark Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, an event she hopes other UU congregations across Canada will honour as well. 

“If I could, I would love to wave my magic wand and have every Canadian UU congregation across Canada do something to visibly say to the trans community in which they’re located that they are welcome,” she says. “Even making sure that their trans flag was outside of their building. Just something to let the trans community know across Canada that Canadian UU congregations can provide a home, If they’re looking for a spiritual home.”

Calgary Unitarians’ service on March 30 will feature a panel discussion of the book Authentic Selves, the Unitarian Universalist Association’s common read for 2024-25, which will be followed by a four-session group discussion over the subsequent weeks. Oakley believes the interviews with trans and non-binary people within the book make it important reading for UUs.

“The subjects in the book share their real lives, their revelations, challenges, and  joys,” she says. “And the common read invites us to explore the nature of living authentically and the ways connections among us help us to thrive.”

Oakley believes that marking Transgender Day of Visibility is a critical action for UUs to take in these times.

“The way I look at it is If we truly are on the side of love, if that is what we profess, then when we say We honour and affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person, then that means we honour the inherent worth and dignity of every single person,” she says. “And that’s why I think it’s so important that we honour this day because it’s a day that celebrates trans lives.”

In addition to marking this day, Oakley encourages UUs to act year-round by supporting organizations advocating for trans rights, considering recertification as a Welcoming Congregation, and making space for a variety of gender options on congregational registration forms.

RAVEN is starting a book club! Join them on April 3, 2025 at 5pm PT (8pm ET) to discuss the book "Valley of the Birdtail" by two esteemed law professors, Douglas Sanderson and Andrew Snobo Sniderman. The book dives into history, reconciliation, power, and how Canada has become what it is today. Register Here:  https://raventrust.com/event/raven-book-club-april-2025/

Looking for youth volunteers for Magical Camp

Magical Mayhem Camp at Vancouver Unitarians (Live Action Role Play Social Justice Theatre Camp) is gearing up to return July 21-25, 2025. We're currently accepting applications for Camp Staff jobs and would love help getting the word out. This camp is delightfully quirky and an amazing container to play and work for a week. Info and application links at:  https://vanu.ca/services/magical-summer-camp/

Camp description:

Magical Mayhem Summer Camp with the Vancouver Unitarian Centre engages children ages 7-12 in creatively addressing social justice issues through the avenue of role play, theatre, ritual, nature magic, and fun. Our guiding value is Radical Inclusivity with love at the centre. Children are honoured here from the gender creative to the neurospicy to families of all backgrounds and identities. We support every child to thrive, be themselves, show up and participate in the way that works for them. Magical camp at Vancouver Unitarians has been running since 2018 making magic for children and adults alike. Full job descriptions at  https://vanu.ca/summer-camp-jobs

Youth Volunteer descriptions at:  https://vanu.ca/magic-camp-volunteer

Volunteer Application Form:  https://vanu.ca/camp-LD-application 

Necessary Trouble Collective is hosting another Community Care and Repair series starting

Monday, March 31. Community Care & Repair (CC&R) is a series of bi-weekly online learning and practice sessions to build the skills and connections we need to create communities of belonging. The skills and practices offered are grounded in principles of nonviolence, emergence, Nonviolent Communication and collective liberation.The sessions run from 5 pm to 6:30 pm Pacific Time. 

In this series we will be focusing on conflict for the first 3 sessions and collaboration for the second 3 sessions. For more information about each session and to register please visit https://communitycareandrepair.sutra.co. Please note, you must register for each individual session in order to receive the zoom link and the materials for the session.

MARCH SERVICE

"Change the story, change the world!" with Barb Moore

March 15 @ 5:00pm

St Margaret's Cedar Cottage,

1530 E. 22nd, Vancouver

A look at how different creation stories created different world views.  What story do we want to create now?

Please bring a packet of seeds for “seed communion”.

We will enjoy food and fellowship at a potluck after the service.

Justice News

Refusenik tour is coming to a city near you!

Israeli conscientious objectors Tal Mitnick and Einat Gerlitz are traveling across the country, speaking about their experiences resisting genocide and why they refuse to serve in the Israeli military.

Vancouver March 21, register at https://secure.ijvcanada.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=9825&qid=8233300

Vancouver March 22, register at  https://secure.ijvcanada.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=9826&qid=8233300

From CAPE

Next Friday, March 14, CAPE BC is hosting a fundraiser event for the Unist'ot'en Healing Centre, where they will be showing the film 'Yintah', sharing a delicious meal, and speaking with Unist'ot'en land defenders. Spots are limited, so reserve yours now!

https://act.cape.ca/events_yintahscreening?e=9fc8e0b7a7c76dd40c1446452f59d5bd&utm_source=cape&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=yintah_event_invite_1&n=9&test_email=1

Looking for youth volunteers

for Magical Camp

Magical Mayhem Camp at Vancouver Unitarians (Live Action Role Play Social Justice Theatre Camp) is gearing up to return July 21-25, 2025. We're currently accepting applications for Camp Staff jobs and would love help getting the word out. This camp is delightfully quirky and an amazing container to play and work for a week. Info and application links at:  https://vanu.ca/services/magical-summer-camp/

Camp description:

Magical Mayhem Summer Camp with the Vancouver Unitarian Centre engages children ages 7-12 in creatively addressing social justice issues through the avenue of role play, theatre, ritual, nature magic, and fun. Our guiding value is Radical Inclusivity with love at the centre. Children are honoured here from the gender creative to the neurospicy to families of all backgrounds and identities. We support every child to thrive, be themselves, show up and participate in the way that works for them. Magical camp at Vancouver Unitarians has been running since 2018 making magic for children and adults alike. Full job descriptions at  https://vanu.ca/summer-camp-jobs

Youth Volunteer descriptions at:  https://vanu.ca/magic-camp-volunteer

Volunteer Application Form:  https://vanu.ca/camp-LD-application 

AGM 2025 Conversations

 March 19: 4:30 pm PT

Congregational Conversations: Hard Conversations (2nd run) (Online)

March 22: 10:00 am PT

Conversations with Annahid Dashtgard Author of  Bones of Belonging

March 26: 4:00 pm PT

Why is belonging so important? Join us for a bonus Sharing our Faith event with Annahid Dashtgard. Dashtgard is the author of Bones of Belonging: Finding Wholeness in a White World. She is also the CEO of Anima Consulting, a diversity, equity and inclusion company in Toronto. Bones of Belonging is the recommended read in this year’s Sharing our Faith packet. Find the study guide for Bones of Belonging in the Sharing Our Faith folder. Bring your questions! 

Your hosts are Camellia Jahanshahi and Karen Fraser Gitlitz. Camellia is the CUC’s Dismantling Barriers Lead. Karen is a UU community minister. Karen also created this year’s Sharing our Faith packet.

Dismantling Barriers: Talking About Bylaws

March 27: 4:00 pm PT 

RAVEN is starting a book club! Join them on April 3, 2025 at 5pm PT (8pm ET) to discuss the book "Valley of the Birdtail" by two esteemed law professors, Douglas Sanderson and Andrew Snobo Sniderman. The book dives into history, reconciliation, power, and how Canada has become what it is today. Register Here:  https://raventrust.com/event/raven-book-club-april-2025/

Question:

How many UU's does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer:

This statement was issued: "We chose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that a light bulb works for you, that's fine. You are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your personal relationship with your light bulb and present it next month at our annual light-bulb service, in which we will explore a number of light-bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, three-way, long-life, or any additional non dark resources-all of which represent equally valid paths to luminescence."