Jan. 27 - Being moved in your belly - living a life filled with purpose

Speaker: Jaya James

Service Leader: Hannah Shell

As the Executive Director of HOPE House, Jaya has come to recognize that poverty extends well beyond a lack of financial or physical resources. Using examples from her personal life and work at HOPE House, Jaya will share about the 5 aspects of poverty focusing on spiritual poverty - the lack of purpose or meaning in ones life and some of the ways that individuals and communities can identify their unique purpose.

Jaya James, a lifelong Guelph resident and University of Guelph graduate, is passionate about community building and has devoted much of her time to walking with people through life’s challenges and celebrations. Jaya is the Executive Director of Lakeside HOPE House a downtown Guelph organization that offers services and programs to community members experiencing poverty that allow them to maintain their dignity and choice, while simultaneously providing them with practical skills developed in a community environment. Jaya is also the founding director of the Refugee Sponsorship Forum that built relationships across not-for-profit and community organizations in support of 81 privately sponsored refugee families coming to Guelph and area.

Feb. 3 - Self-Compassion and Chronic Illness:

Service Facilitators: Mel Horvath-Lucid and friends

It’s easy to like ourselves when things are going well in our lives. We feel competent, friendly, smart and upbeat.  When we’re struggling with illness, though, our self-esteem can plummet. We may see ourselves as slow, irritable, unlovable and stuck.   Join us for a morning of stories and learning as we grow our awareness and cultivate greater self-compassion in our lives.

Feb. 10 - A Compassionate Choral Community

Rainbow Chorus of Waterloo Wellington

Service Leader: Margie Johnson

Many members of the LGBTQ+ community face struggles as they come out to themselves and those they love. It’s not uncommon to experience discrimination due to transphobia or homophobia. For 25 years now, the Rainbow Chorus of Waterloo Wellington has been a place of belonging that welcomes members of all genders, sexualities, and gender expressions, as well as allies of the LGBTQ+ community. The chorus strives to be a safe place where compassion and solidarity are experienced, as people come together in song.

We hope you’ll join us for this popular service during which members of the chorus will share stories of compassion, as well as some of the songs from their 25th Anniversary Concert (which is January 26th at the River Run Centre).