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Upcoming Sunday Services
All Services at 10:30
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Rainbow Relay Day
Today is our annual Rainbow Relay Day!
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If the weather is good, we'll be in the park across the street; otherwise, join us inside.
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Service Leader: Ilara Stefaniuk-Gaudet
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Summer Serendipity Services
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Our summer serendipity services follow the small group ministry format; an idea or a reading will be provided by the service leader followed by some time to think and some questions to get conversation going. Everyone is invited to join in or individuals can simply sit back and listen. Each one-hour service begins with introductions around the circle and a brief "check-in" on a topic provided by the service leader.
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Summer Serendipity: Growth
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July 2, 2017 "Born this Way" Some things are facts -- I was born this way. And some things are choices -- I choose this path. And sometimes the two get complicated. When does it matter? And how?
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Summer Serendipity: Love & Justice
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July 9, 2017 "Can Love & Justice Co-Exist?" How do you balance the call to "Love" with the requirements of "Justice?" This circle will consider topics like punishment vs. rehabilitation and forgiveness vs. self-care asking, "Is it always an either/or choice?
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Summer Serendipity: Simplicity
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July 16, 2017 "Simpler in a Circle" We say things like, "If only people had to sit face to face with one another, to really see each other, then they would treat each other better." What do you think?
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Summer Serendipity: Letting Go
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July 23, 2017 "Letting Stuff Go" One of the reasons people join a group or community is to find help with letting something go, often something that hurts you to hang onto. What do you wish to let go of? How do you think that works?
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Summer Serendipity: Resistance
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July 30, 2017 "Nothing Personal" Defensiveness is a common response to change -- especially when there is a perceived loss. It can be a barrier to growing diversity and to welcoming multicultural relationships. Knowing this, can we (should we?) learn to respond some other way?
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Summer Serendipity: Compassion
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August 6, 2017 "The Purpose of Life" Emerson wrote that the purpose of life is not to be happy... Come and hear the rest of the quote and share your own ideas. What is the purpose of life? Is it (should it be?) the same for everyone?
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Summer Serendipity: Expectation
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August 13, 2017 "94 Calls to Action" The Truth & Reconciliation Commission of Canada issued 94 Calls to Action in 2015. What is your expectation of yourself, this congregation, the country?
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Summer Serendipity: Creation
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August 20, 2017 "Truthiness" Stephen Colbert propelled the word "truthiness" into popular usage. What do you think truthiness means in the context of this community? (hint: what do we assume to be true here and how would we determine if this is correct?)
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Summer Serendipity: Invitation
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August 27, 2017 "Returning" We all have places that we return to again and again. What calls you in? What makes it hard for you to return?
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From the Minister’s Study…
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Summer 2017: Thoughts to Ponder Over the Summer
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Here we are – summer again!
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I am writing this from the first week of ‘study leave’, after having spent the day on-line with the continental UU Minister’s Association, for 2017 Ministry Days in New Orleans. The magic of the internet allows us to do so many remarkable things! Even though I was nearly 4000 kilometers away, I could vote in the annual meeting, chat on-line with other ‘distance’ colleagues, and learn from some of the wisest beings in our faith tradition. While it can be hard to sit at the computer, waiting for folks ‘on the ground’ … it was a real blessing to be able to be together.
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4000 kms away, our siblings in faith are wrestling with hard decisions: talking about what it means to be anti-racist; facing hard truths of colonialism, systemic power imbalances, and deep grief; struggling to forge a path of reconciliation. It is, in many ways, parallel to the journey we need to take with our indigenous neighbours.
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Reverend Ashley Horan spoke specifically to the ‘white’ people among us:
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“The freedom and flourishing of all people is our ultimate concerns and our highest loyalty. … We shall not claim to be allies without being transformed. Are you willing to be transformed, in service of the work? … Our history is not our fault – but it is our responsibility. … We shall learn to take up less space and hoard fewer resources. … The payoff of showing up in public is not to be seen as special but as trustworthy.”
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I leave you these words, to germinate over the abundant summer season. I return mid-August, and expect to see most of you again in early September. May your growing season be one of deep value and abundant fruits.
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Westwood's 2017-2018 themes:
Next year’s themes are here …
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We’re going to make a deeper study of our beloved Candle Affirmation:
Affirmation:
May the light of these candles inspire us to use our power,
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To heal and not to harm, to help and not to hinder,
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To serve the spirit of truth in loving affection and trusting hope.
Embracing Our Affirmation…
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- September – affirmation
- October – light
- November – inspire us
- December – use our power
- January – heal & not harm
- February – help & not hinder
- March – serve
- April – spirit of truth
- May – loving affection
- June – trusting hope
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Please keep them in mind as you plan programming & activities for the 2017-18 church year.
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Board Meeting Highlights for June 2017
Sounding Board Highlights of the June 2017 Board Meeting (held May31st) - our Final meeting of the 2016-17 Board
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- Thank you to all who showed up for our May 29th AGM.
- Please submit your budgeted expense receipts by or before July 15th so you can be reimbursed out of the 2016-17 budget. Any receipts submitted after July 15 will be charged to next year’s budget.
- Staff Administrator Elaine J. will be away on vacation July 4 - 25 and during that time the back-up emergency contact person is Carl Ulrich @ 780 - 434-2423, cell at 780 446 2442 or ceulrich at shaw.ca.
- Have a look at our new Little Free Library at the front of our building. Thank you Terry for your your fine craftsmanship! Feel free to take a book or leave a book anytime! Check out the Board-approved book donation guidelines located on the sides of the Library.
- A huge Thank-You to Miguel, Trudy, Mitch, and Rev. Anne for pitching in spur-of the-moment to deal with an emergency flood at Westwood on May 28th. Miguel’s first-on-the-scene response likely prevented expensive damage to our building.
- Volunteer positions are being filled in anticipation of the December 30th/31st Casino fundraiser. If you still plan to sign up please check our website.
- Planned for and met for the June 16, 17 annual Board Retreat
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How Was Your Summer? - BBQ
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Mark your calendars NOW so you don't miss it! The "How Was Your Summer? BBQ " will be on the Labour Day Long weekend, Sunday, September 3rd, 2017 at Lorian Kennedy's home at 4:30. Details will be available closer to the time.
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Invitation to the Eighth Annual Genocide Memorial Service
Sunday, July 16, 2017 - 1:00 PM
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Members of all faiths and ethnic groups are invited to participate in the annual Genocide Memorial Service to be held at 1 p.m. July 16 at 9916-154 Street, Edmonton, Alberta. This event is sponsored by the Unitarian Church of Edmonton and the Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Action. Rev. Audrey Brooks of the Unitarian Church is the facilitator.
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Each year, individuals from different faiths and cultures, are invited to place a large stone in a memorial garden, inscribed with the name of a person, place, or event that involved the death of an individual or group caused by violence of any kind. During the service those who place the stones are invited to tell the audience why it is essential to honour those whose names are inscribed on the stones. Members of many faith groups give brief comments, with prayer, music and reflection as part of the service.
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In particular, the Memorial Garden and ceremony is dedicated to honor those who were murdered in the Holocaust and other instances where groups of people were eliminated by planned attacks on them. Groups that placed memorial stones in previous years are invited to the service every year, in order to continue to bring honour to their dead.
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Time for conversation and refreshments follow the service.
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The annual Genocide Memorial Service began as a witness to planned violence committed against human beings because of wars, greed, ethnic cleansing, slavery, gender bias, colonial appropriation of people and their lands, instances of neglect and political oppression, that resulted in mass extinction of helpless men, women and children.
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We, the people, must speak out, must stand as witnesses to genocide, and never let the world forget that humanity stands in a pool of its own blood; this is unacceptable. It is hoped that we grow into a collective voice so powerful that our witness and protest is heard throughout the world, and others take up this cause against the horrible barbarity of genocide.
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The stones in the Memorial Garden cry out against the murder of innocent people. There are ways to resolve conflict other than mass destruction of human beings, in the name of politics, greed and exploitation of resources.
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Albert Einstein said, “Peace cannot be kept by force, it can only be kept by understanding...all my life I have hated war; it is the greatest curse of man’s history. It comes from absolute ignorance, absolute greed, and absolute cruelty...some paths a man takes cannot be retraced. Some acts can not be undone.”
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To give you an overview of the event:
Each year the service begins with a smudge and prayer by an aboriginal elder. Brian Kiely and I facilitate the service. Gordon Ritchie plays the harp as the stones are dedicated. In the past we have had the Rwanda Children's Choir; Raging Grannies singing "Circle Round for freedom." Other participants were: Notre Dame De Bananas; Martin Kerr; Anthony Burbidge and Sebastian Berrara performed; as well as a former student played the Japanese flute on behalf of Kita no Taiko drummers who were touring at the time. Kris Wells and Mickey Wilson placed stones on behalf of LBTQT persons; Ricardo Acuna and Leo Campos represented the South American people; Emmanuel Guitara from Rwanda; Dr. Junaid Jahangir, Muslim GLBTQ advocate has been a keynote; others from the Edmonton Interfaith Centre, representing diverse faith groups have spoken . There are presently 40 stones in the garden. Often, passers-by stop and read the inscription on the large stone at the front of the yard: Catholics will cross themselves and kneel; Muslims usually come into the yard to look at the stones - some people leave flowers; some will have conversation with me if I go out to greet them. Last year 98 persons attended, including members of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Muslims community who placed a large stone on behalf of the Muslim men and boys who were murdered; I spoke with the Adams family today, about representing the Syrian people at the service, but they are leaving for Windsor at the beginning of July, and will miss the service. If anyone knows of another Syrian contact, please share that information with me, so I may invite them to participate.
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Rev. Audrey Brooks, Unitarian Chaplain (retired)
University of Alberta Interfaith Chaplains Association
& Member of the Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Advocacy
audbrook at telusplanet.net Phone Audrey at 780-489-8842 for more information about placing your stone or other details. Plastic, weather proof plaques for the stones can be obtained from any engraving firm, such as Elite Sportswear located at 14703- 118 Avenue, or Alberta Stamp & Marking on 10435-79 Avenue.
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World Indigenous Games Volunteers Needed
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The WIN Games are in Edmonton this summer July 1-9.
Volunteers still needed. Register here or at the games office, see above.
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Child Haven: Garage Sale and International 14th Annual East Indian Dinner
Inspired by the ideals and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, Child Haven International is a registered not for profit charity founded in 1985 by Unitarian minister Fred Cappuccino and his wife, Bonnie. Child Haven Int’l assists children and women in developing countries, who are in need of food, education, health care, shelter and clothing, emotional and moral support. Child Haven has five homes in India, one in Nepal, one in Tibet in China and one in Bangladesh. Further information is available at www.childhaven.ca
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The Annual Edmonton Child Haven dinner will be held on Sunday, October 22, 2017 at the Meridian Banquet Centre, 4820 – 76 Avenue NW, Edmonton at 5 pm. Adult tickets are $50, Children 5-12 years are $20 and 4 years and under are free. Bonnie and Fred Cappuccino will be in attendance and show slides of some of the children. There will be a bazaar, silent and live auction, children’s craft table and auctioning a painting created during the event by artist Lewis Lavoie. We hope you will join other Unitarians and support this worthwhile Unitarian initiative. Tickets are available from Sylvia Krogh at skrogh at shaw.ca or phone 780-454-6216.
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Sylvia Galbraith is having a garage sale at the end of June and all proceeds will be donated to Child Haven. Sylvia lives at 10728-125 Street NW, Edmonton. If you have any contributions – they would be appreciated. If you are not able to deliver the donations she will pick them up if you contact her at 780-455-6741.
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Best Casino Volunteer Jobs - NOW AVAILABLE
We know that thinking of New year's opportunities may seem a bit strange, but we want to make sure that Westwoodians get to choose Casino volunteer jobs that they like the most.
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Please note we are using the new Website Volunteer signup system. If you or your committee would like to use the system for any Westwood related activities- please contact web@westwoodunitarian.ca
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Our co-chairs Brenda Jackson and Sara McEwan send the following note:
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Greetings Wonderful Westwood Supporters,
The Casino sign up sheet is now up and open. Click here.
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Please pick your preferred task and mark your calendar.
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If you are kind enough to work two shifts they must be the same task, casino rules.
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Training and support will be provided. No experience necessary.
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Volunteer at Westwood
Do you enjoy lawn and garden work? Could you help even once or twice over the summer? We are now recruiting volunteers to maintain the lawns and gardens at Westwood. You can sign up to join other members of our community and work together or on your own as you prefer.
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Sunday volunteers, for a variety of task, are also highly appreciated.
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