First Unitarian Congregation Of Ottawa

This service will set the stage for what promises to be an exciting year of Interim Ministry at FUCO. Being a Covenantal Community is a fundamental aspect of our U*U identity. Thus, we will explore covenants as sacred promises to guide our lives; and we will hold a brief investiture ceremony to acknowledge that we are gathered to support one another in our free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We will also get a ·sneak preview· of the Interim Ministry Period, which promises to be a very rich time for self-reflection and visioning as FUCO prepares to call a new Settled Minister in 2018.

By embracing our own unique voices, we can strengthen our self-identity, express ourselves more powerfully and foster deeper relationships with our community. Let·s sing and breathe together, discovering the power of voices united as one.

Senior's Program for August 2016 - Barry Read reads a meditation on our seven UU principles.

Despite our best efforts and intentions, the soial construct of race still defines how our world is structured, who holds power, and how we form relationships with each other. In this service, we'll explore it together, through reflection and exercises that will help us examine ways that race affects us all and our work for "justice, equity and compassion in human relations." Asha is a lifelong UU who grew up at First Unitarian. She has many years of experience facilitating anti-racism and anti-oppression workshops. Asha works for the Canadian Unitarian Council developping Youth and Young Adult Ministry programs across the country.

Although our Unitarian Universalist roots are clearly Christian, and we claim our Christianity as one of our sources, anything to do with Christianity has become somewhat suspect and even abhorrent for some Unitarians in recent years. Listen here for why Alex refers to himself as a "Christian Unitarian". A member at First Unitarian for a number of years, Alex was a Worship Associate from the start of the program until his appointment as a Lay Chaplain three years ago.

Pilgrimage is an ancient spiritual practice. What might the discipline of travelling to holy places mean for contemporary religious liberals?

“I will pray for you”, “I am sending healing vibes”. Which emotions do these invoke in you, do they differ? We all play our word games in today’s society - what rules are we playing by and are we playing to win? These are important things to ask ourselves when we discuss faith, religion, philosophy in our diverse world within and without of our congregation.

Are you ready to accept your own death? Have you done your own theological work? Doug Cousins talks about this jarring experience with the death of his wife Valerie, earlier this year.

Senior's Program ft. special guest Patricia Stockwell

Guest Keith Shackleton will challenge us to reflect on how the post-carbon economy will affect us, our grandchildren, and the entire world. From his extensive experience, he will suggest viewpoints and facts that will be thought provoking and which may inform changes in our thinking and actions. Keith has been a member of First and the UUFO (alternating) since 1982. He has worked in social work and international assistance (with USC Canada) and taught in the Green Business Management program at Algonquin College. Keith was a founding officer of Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-op, founding co-ordinator of Ottawa East Community Garden, a member of Sustainable Living Ottawa East, Transition Ottawa, and the Ottawa Co-op Network.

Guest Keith Shackleton will challenge us to reflect on how the post-carbon economy will affect us, our grandchildren, and the entire world. From his extensive experience, he will suggest viewpoints and facts that will be thought provoking and which may inform changes in our thinking and actions. Keith has been a member of First and the UUFO (alternating) since 1982. He has worked in social work and international assistance (with USC Canada) and taught in the Green Business Management program at Algonquin College. Keith was a founding officer of Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-op, founding co-ordinator of Ottawa East Community Garden, a member of Sustainable Living Ottawa East, Transition Ottawa, and the Ottawa Co-op Network.

Guest Speaker Albert Dumont will speak about his life experiences and the many injustices which have impacted him, his family, his community and his nation. He will speak, as well, about First Nations offenders and of the seeds which led to their incarceration. Albert is an elder and spiritual advisor who works with First Nations inmates in the prison system.

Senior's Program, June 2016. Senior's Program for June 2016: The service speaker was Alex Campbell, and his topic was "Living Our UU Faith Seriously". The after-service speaker was Blair Erskine, and his topic was "My Trip through the Northwest Passage".

For a long time now, we have been flying high, as individuals and as a society. Metaphorically, in the sense of living well while drawing down the earth's ecosystems; and literally, in the way we just hop on a plane for the smallest of reasons. How much longer can we or should be flying so high, and what might we gain from learning to glide instead? David Chernushenko is an educator, public speaker, filmmaker and, since December 2010, a city councillor.

Guest speaker John Read will focus briefly on his 40 years of experience with democracy here and abroad, in many of its forms. He will deal with the declared aims of democratic processes, the strengths and weakness of these systems and look at the dangers facing democratic systems. Among many positions, John has been the Information Commissioner for Canada, the Chief Electoral Officer of the UN for Eastern Slavoinia, a member of the Provisional Election Commission for Bosnia and Herzegovina, President of the Canadian Nuclear Association, Executive Director of the Forum for Young Canadians, Minister of Federal-Provincial Affairs in Pierre Trudeau's government, MP for Kenora-Rainy River, and member of several House of Commons committees.

For this, our last service with Intern Minister A.J. Galazen, a message of beginnings and endings...and an exclamation: "THE END IS HERE!"

Senior's Program, May 2016. Ed Tamagno presents an after service talk entitled "The Wonders of Ancient Syria".

Senior's Program, April 2016. Bob Stevenson presents our service presentation.

Our youth group will be working on the multi-sensory service for all ages, helping us celebrate curiosity in our lives. We will be recognizing all of our Religious Exploration leaders for all their hard work as curiosity creators and fulfillers!

In 2007, Guy Thatcher walked 700 km from Pamplona across Spain to Santiago on the ancient Celt and Christian pilgrimage trail, the Camino de Santiago. In 2012, he went to Le Puy en Velay in France near the Swiss border to join the Chemin de Saint-Jacques, one of the many European feeder routes to the Camino. He walked almost 900 km through France and over the Pyrenees to Pamplona in Spain. He was 75. He will be talking today about the life lessons he learned or relearned as he walked.·