Sunday Services
Sundays at 10:30 am September through June
Personal and Indigenous Women's Stories of WWII
November 9 at 10:30 am
In-person and online
Speaker: Monica Kreiter
Service Leader: Cecile Coppens
Join us to remember, reflect, and celebrate the Indigenous and non-Indigenous women who served in WWII with passion and commitment.
From Monica: The book group I attend recently read A Bird’s Eye View by Elinor Florence. The story tells of a Saskatchewan woman who joins the RCAF when her town becomes a British Commonwealth training base during World War II. As the author describes on her website, “She travels to England where she trains to become an aerial photographic interpreter.” This book brought back many memories of my dad, a pilot during World War II who flew night missions in Italy and North Africa. As I read, I realized there was so much more to the World War II story than what we usually hear. It led me to learn about the role women—both Indigenous and non-Indigenous—played in the war effort and how their courage, service, and sacrifice often went unrecognized.
Learning from Ancestors
November 16 at 10:30am
In-person and online
Speaker: Rev. Lynn Harrison
Service Leader: Cori Smithen
Many of our ancestors lived through times of great upheaval. What can the practice of learning from our ancestor’s experiences offer us right now? Lynn, a Canadian Unitarian minister and singer/songwriter, speaks to us by video in this year’s Meaning Making series, “Meeting this moment with love and justice.”
Building a Fairer Economy the Co-operative Way
November 23 at 10:30 am
In-person and online
Speaker: Kelly Storie
Service leader: Marc-André Pigeon
Unitarians believe that democratic governance is an important mechanism for the attainment of justice, equity, and compassion in our relations. But how can we live those values in our economic lives? Co-operatives have long promised one way of solving this puzzle, by embedding economic production, distribution, and other activities in a formalized democratic governance structure. Kelly Storie has over 25 years of experience in the co-operative and solidarity economy and she will share how Camino, a worker-owned Ottawa-based co-operative, brings together democratic governance and economic best practices through fair trade relationships with small farmers in the Global South. Kelly will also talk about co-operation among co-operatives, know as Principle 6, and share some reflections on the importance of the broader co-operative sector coming together in support of Camino’s vision for democratic practices and economic justice inside and outside our borders.
About Sunday Services
All our programs are run by volunteers, with the support of our part-time paid administrator. Most of our Sunday services are created and led by teams from within our congregation, each with its own focus. These teams include:
- Cultivating Caring Communities: Learning about values and caring practices that help us be effective community members
- Green Sanctuary: Celebrating and caring for the interdependent web of life
- Widening the Circle: Developing our understanding of racism/anti-racism and other forms of discrimination and oppression
- Earth-Based Spirituality: Celebrating the sacredness of nature through the seasonal cycle of the year, in story, music and ritual
In addition, we are offering a series of eight services developed by Unitarian Universalist ministers across Canada, “Meaning Making in Liminal Times – Roots of Resilience,” which addresses themes from Intentional Rest to Cultivating Joy.
While every service has some consistent elements, the content and style vary from one Sunday to the next. Some services are informal and conversational; others are explorations of ideas or reflections on how to live life well. While there are often opportunities for participation, it’s never required; we trust everyone will take part as they feel comfortable. The general format of most services involves lighting our chalice (symbol of Unitarianism), sharing milestones, usually music and/or singing, and a brief talk by a member of the congregation or a guest speaker.
After the service ends (around 11:30 am), coffee, tea, and treats are provided in the foyer and everyone is invited to stay and chat. On some Sundays, there is an opportunity to return to the sanctuary to discuss the service topic or engage in a related activity.
Those who attend online are welcome to connect via Zoom a little ahead of the service to get to know other online attendees. We encourage but don’t require you to keep your camera on. After the service, you are welcome to stay online to visit, too.
Missed a service? You can request a recording. We only record the speaker (if they have agreed).