Unitarian Congregation of Guelph

CELEBRATION AND CONTEMPLATION: THE PATH OF AN 8TH PRINCIPLE
2022-02-06 13:00 - 14:30 (America/Toronto) | Zoom
Unitarians and Universalists have been on the forefront of social change and justice seeking for hundreds of years. In November 2021, congregations of the Canadian Unitarian Council once again stepped forward, this time to commit ourselves to dismantling racism and systemic barriers to full inclusion for all people. Be part of celebrating this commitment to foundational social change as we contemplate the steps we take to move forward in our commitment to justice in ourselves, our denomination, and our larger society. To attend this service, please register at the following link:

Sharing Our Faith National Sunday Service – Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada (cuc.ca)

Join us live on Zoom or the CUC’s YouTube channel.

Call-in toll-free: 1-855 703 8985; Meeting ID 847 1005 5117; Passcode: [REDACTED]

AN INFORMAL GATHERING AT OUR USUAL TIME
2022-02-06 10:30
Join us for the chalice lighting, sharing joys and sorrows, and some music and a reading in honor of Black history month.

Isabelle Horvath Kirby will share what she has put together as programming for children and youth.

Email Holly at admin@guelph-unitarians.com for the Zoom link.

AWAY SERVICE WITH THE UNITARIAN FELLOWSHIP OF SARNIA AND PORT HURON
2022-01-30 10:30 - 12:00
Code White – Sounding the Alarm about Violence Against Healthcare Workers

Through health care workers’ own voices, we learn what it is like to work in a state of almost constant hypervigilance, never knowing for certain when they might be harassed or threatened or assaulted. They are the true “experts” about such violence and its negative physical and psychological. Their ideas for prevention are based on their own personal knowledge and lived experience. The book reveals the institutional and systemic failure to protect health care workers from violence and the failure to adequately support them in its aftermath. Violence against health care workers is symptomatic of sick health care system that is inexorably unravelling. Increasingly, governments are failing to provide much needed funding for health care, leading to frustratingly long patient wait times, understaffing, bed shortages, and appallingly impersonal long-term care. Under such conditions, it is not surprising that violence against rushed and harried staff would flourish.

James Brophy and Margaret Keith both have PhD’s in environmental health from the University of Stirling in Scotland.

As a couple and as research partners, they have studied an extensive range of important occupational and environmental health issues. Both worked at the Sarnia Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) where they helped to document one of the largest cohorts of asbestos diseased workers in Canadian history – the industrial workers in Sarnia. They also assisted the First Nation’s community of Aamjiwnaang in examining health problems that were hypothesized to be associated with environmental pollution arising from the petrochemical industry. Margaret was a co-author, along with Ada Lockridge, of an article that found a skewed birth ratio among the Aamjiwnaang community that generated international scientific attention. In 2008 they were recipients of the Gold Award in Environmental Health by Canadian Geographic for their work in assisting the Aamjiwnaang community.

They have just had a book published entitled Code White: Sounding the Alarm on Violence against Health Care Workers, which drew heavily on three important research studies they conducted over the past five years. The first two focused on violence against health care staff in the hospital and long-term care settings and the third on health care worker protection during the pandemic.

OUR UU SOURCES - A TASTE OF WELLSPRING
2022-01-23 10:30 - 12:00
Since September, a small group has been meeting twice a month to engage the materials of Wellspring, a curriculum focused on the sources of Unitarian-Universalism, self-selected spiritual practices, spiritual mentoring (or companionship), and reflective conversation. This Sunday offers a “taste” of Wellspring, as some of the participants will share their experiences in the program. You will then be invited to participate in a mini-version of the Wellspring meetings, which follow the “Circle of Trust” developed by Parker Palmer. See the Courage and Renewal website if you want to learn more about the Circle of Trust approach. Please note that we will break into small groups for a part of this service.

CHALICE CAFE
2022-01-16 10:30 - 12:00
Join us for an hour of conversation as we get to know each other better and celebrate the spiritual and religious diversity within our UCG community. You will be invited to reflect upon and share the story of what led you to Unitarian-Universalism. What, if any, were the religious beliefs and practices of your childhood and young adulthood? How does your upbringing relate to your current worldview? How would you describe yourself now? Are you at home in UUism or still seeking a religious/spiritual home?

TRANSFORMATION: THE LIVING EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNITY-BUILDING: THE STORY OF JUNCTION VILLAGE
2022-01-09 10:30 - 12:00
In the past ten years, Mary-Kate and Mike Craig have intentionally established a new community in Guelph, called the Junction Village. Diana Smith will interview these two community pioneers to find out what their intention was in starting this project. The process of setting up a community is filled with uncertainties and risks, and Diana will explore these through Mary-Kate and Mike’s stories and find out the meaning of what they learned in attempting to consciously live a life of transformation. Look for the service link in your inbox on Sunday morning.

Service to be lead by Team Blue: Lorna Wyllsun, Hannah Schell, Ruth Slavin and Michael Gilbertson

More Information ►

LETTING GO OF THE OLD AND EMBRACING THE NEW
2022-01-02 10:30 - 12:00
Please join us to welcome in 2022 with a Zoom version of the Fire Communion or Burning Bowl ritual, a UU tradition. We will take time to reflect on the past year, and to let go of the old in order to embrace the coming year.
