First Unitarian Congregation Of Ottawa

Sometimes it can take so little to be hurt or hurt someone else. We may even build a wall of protection around a hurt that makes it more and more difficult to dismantle over the years. Everett Worthington, who has researched forgiveness and endured coming to terms with his own mother's murder, likens unforgiveness to a dragon protecting a hoard. Join Rev. Pat in considering how we might transform this hurtful hoard into a treasure.

Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch has members of the congregation read excerpts in character from "The Faith Club: Common Themes in Christianity, Islam, Judaism". This highly recommended book is by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner, t...

The Case of Mother Earth vs. World’s People (Earth Day Service) To celebrate Earth Day, Rev. Pat with a troupe of First U actors will present an adapted version of Doug Stewart's entertaining and enlightening play, "Mother Earth vs. World's People." The complaint being that the people acted "in ways to cause [Mother Earth] grievous personal harm and limit her inherent civil rights to a fruitful existence." As the trial judge notes, "a serious charge, indeed!"

In their books, theologian Rita Nakashima Brock and the Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, the former president of the Unitarian Universalist Starr King School for the Ministry, discovered for most of their first 1000 years, early Christians didn't focus on the resurrection of Jesus. Rita and Rebecca found that Jesus’s teachings and the practices of the early church affirmed life in THIS world as the place of salvation. Let us consider a life affirming message on this Easter Sunday.

Rev. Ndagijimana served the Unitarian church of Bujumbura in Burundi for 14 years. The congregation got very involved in social justice work and was noticed by the brutal regime in Bujumbura. The congregation was attacked with grenades and bullets, Rev. Ndagijimana was kidnapped, jailed and tortured and was only able to escape with a tremendous pressure of UUs around the world. When he was temporarily released, he escaped from Burundi and found his way to Canada after a brief stay in Rwanda.

Rev. Pat continues her "Wounded Word" series. Tied for third among the most common words noted was the word "church." Church has four current definitions within Christianity: a building for worship; a congregational or denominational organization/assembly of people; all Christian assemblies and people as a whole; congregational governance. How does this word fit or not fit for us at First U?

Rev. Pat continues her "Wounded Word" series. The third most common words noted were "religion" and "church." What came to Rev. Pat's mind was the Dance of the Seven Veils featured in Tom Robbins' novel, Skinny Legs and All. With each veil dropped, another truth is revealed. When the fourth veil dropped, a Robbins character reflects that “longing for the Divine is intrinsic in Homo sapiens. . . enlarging our souls and lighting up our brains. . . Religion is nothing but institutionalized mysticism. The catch is, mysticism does not lend itself to institutionalization.” Does organized religion and/or Unitarian Universalism help to broaden or diminish the mystical impulse?

Sunday Sermon on Gods and Goddesses by our Rev. Pat Haresch

Sunday Sermon on "The Celtic and Pagan Crossover" by our Rev. Pat Haresch

Our Rev. Pat harsh ponders... How often do we speak of salvation among Unitarian Universalists these days? Seldom, if ever. However, this word was one of the most frequently mentioned when Rev. Pat asked people to submit "wounded words." What might "salvation" mean to or for UUs today?

The Canadian Unitarian and Universalist Women's Association (CUUWA) invites all Canadian congregations to celebrate International Women's Day. Our guest speaker, Ketty Nivyabandi mobilized women to protest against her country's goverment. Burundi, leading her to flee from persecution to Canada. As a refugee, Ketty continues to be a voice for peace and rule of law in her country and regularly speaks on human rights, refugee issues, and the intimate effects of conflict on women’s lives globally. She works with the Advocacy and Media team at the Nobel Women’s Initiative. She will share her own story with us this Sunday.

UU Ottawa Minister Rev. Linda Goonewardene delivers a sermon that explores the makeup and dispels the myths of what it takes to truly be happy.

A sermon about UBUNTU by our Rev. Patricia Haresch

A first instalment in our Rev. Patricia Haresch's participatory "Wounded Words" series that she introduced at the start of 2019.

Our Rev. Patricia Haresch gives us a chronological history of Unitarian Universalism, hearing directly from prominent Unitarian and Universalist minds of the past.

Tu BiShvat is a Jewish holiday that's also called "Rosh HaShanah La'Ilanot", literally "New Year of the Trees." In contemporary Israel, the day is celebrated as an ecological awareness day, and trees are planted in celebration. Sermon by Rev. Patricia Haresch

"Words are tough...Words can be complicated...Words are so packed with meanings based on our life experience" Reverend Patricia Haresch invites members of First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa to offer Examples of their wounded words.

Our Minister, Reverend Patricia Haresch, welcomes and prepares for 2019 with reflections on resolutions and other changes that come with the new year.

A Yule Celebration with our FirstU children & youth. During the holidays, we commonly hear stories of Baby Jesus and Santa Claus. Yet, many of our holiday customs are rooted in ancient Yuletide lore of Oak Kings, Holly Kings, Winter and Spring Goddesses, the forces of Winter battling with or trying to capture the forces of Spring. The celebration of Yule reminds us that life always holds the promise of transformation and a new beginning.

Let us celebrate many of our Unitarian connections to modern North American Christmas songs and traditions... including our own favourite FUCO Christmas tradition: The Mitten Tree!