At the Annual UFL Congregational Meeting on 27 June 2026, the Generous Spirit Team Award was presented to the UFL Property Team. Accepting the award on behalf of the Property Team were Bev Ball, Bob Harrington, and Ian Bailey (not present).
The Property Team coordinates ongoing maintenance and repair of UFL buildings and grounds. They consistently demonstrate dedication and initiative; deliver sustained, selfless service; and, in performing their duties, provide a welcoming, safe environment for the Fellowship’s many activities at the Clark Road site.
Some notable undertakings include recent provision of a new security and fire system, kitchen renovations, weekly property visits, safety inspections, garden planting and maintenance (by the gardening crew led by Ann Klinck), carrying out repairs, replenishing supplies, and so on, and so on.
The Team’s tasks seem endless, but they are carried out quickly and efficiently by this dedicated band of volunteers. Congratulations to Bev, Ian and Bob, as well as the large number of congregants who volunteer to help with the Property Team’s many activities.
In 1953, a member of the newly-established Unitarian Fellowship of London filled out a simple two page form to apply for “charitable recognition” from the Department of National Revenue. He listed 4 “purposes” on the form : Secretarial expenses, contributions to the American Unitarian Association, the purchase of Sunday school materials, and the provision of meeting space. The request for charitable recognition was granted on the basis of the information provided.
In 1967 and again in 1980, we reviewed and rewrote our charitable purposes, which provided more detail about what we do as a faith community.
Fast forward to 2026, and the UFL is ready to submit, for final approval, our ten charitable purposes to the Canada Revenue Agency. (Our purposes describe what we do in our building and when we are out in the community representing our faith). We are also submitting our newly created Activities in Support of our purposes to the CRA. (These activities describe how we do what we do.) The CRA requires that the activities submitted by charities be specific and detailed. We have forty activities that outline how we support our ten charitable purposes.
As a non-profit corporation in Ontario, we were also required to bring our by-laws into compliance with the legislation governing non-profits, proclaimed in 2021.
This has been a multi-year project, superintended by Marlene Koehler, who stepped forward in 2022 and offered her services to the then Board of Trustees. Her work included: a close review of our foundational documents ( the Constitution, by-laws, and purposes); research in our archives and elsewhere; a review of the relevant legislation and regulations; sending and receiving emails; making phone calls; consulting with other UU congregations who were going through the same process; consulting with board members or others with a deep knowledge of the UFL; writing multiple drafts of purposes and getting feedback from the CRA; incorporating the requested changes to the wording of our purposes; suggesting changes to our by-laws; ensuring a congregational vote on revised by-laws and that the board filed them with the province; seeking Board approval of the forty activities; and submitting the final drafts of the purposes and the activities to the CRA.
Through it all, Marlene’s determination to see this task through to completion and her devotion to the UU faith and our congregation were evident. We are all the beneficiaries of her generous donation of her time and talent. The Board of Trustees is pleased to present Marlene with the 2026 Generous Spirit Award.
2026 U U Pride Celebrations
The Pride Celebrations Committee (PCC), Jeff Dixon, Ann Klinck, Mark Konrad, Raghul Ramakrishnan, Bill Ratcliffe, Lori Turner-Otte and Jerrod Whitman have begun to plan the 2025 U U Pride Celebrations for the week of July 12-19. Plan to share the joy with fellow Unitarian Universalists and the general public, some of who are U U, but do not know it yet.
Reflect on the following quotes for a reason to participate in U U Pride Celebrations. “Equality is the soul of liberty. There is, in fact not liberty without it.” (Frances Wright) “The devastating repercussions of hate-filled language manifest in very real ways for today’s LGBTQ youth.” (Cheyenne Jackson) “We are gay and straight together, And we are singing, singing for our lives. We are gay and straight together, And we are singing, singing for our lives.” (from hymn #170, We are a Gentle Angry People by Holly Near, in Singing the Living Tradition hymnal) “When you reduce life to black and white, you never see rainbows.” (Anonymous)
This year there will be two hybrid Pride Worship Services. There will be a fulsome joint Pride Worship Service on Sunday, July 12 with Christa Duvall of PFLAG and Elliot Duvall of Trans*London followed by a briefer Pride Service on Sunday, July 19, at a different time of 10:00 am. The early start time is to allow Pride Parade walkers to gather for the 12:00 pm Parade start. Note that there will be a PFLAG/Trans*London bbq following the joint July 12 Pride Worship Service. U Us are welcome.
The traditional U U Pride booth at the Annual 3 Day Outdoor Festival returns to Victoria Park, Friday, July 17 to Sunday, July 19. Global Importune along with Informational materials. children’s crafts and candy handouts will be features of this year’s U U Pride booth. Be a part of this major outreach activity for our Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Experience the joy of connecting with other LGBTQ+ supporters. Contact Bill Ratcliffe, wratcliffe@sympatico.ca tel. 519-471-7500 about volunteering or sign up for a shift in the booth, on the sign-up sheet on Sundays, starting mid June.
Sunday, July 19 from 12:00 pm., the Pride Parade will start at the Western Fair District. Plan to be a part of this longstanding tradition for our Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Catch the Pride spirit. Contact Bill Ratcliffe, wratcliffe@sympatico.ca tel. 519-471-7500 about marching or sign up as a Pride Parade walker on the sign-up sheet on Sundays, starting mid June. Cars will be left at designated spots with walkers being driven to the start of the Parade and returned to their cars, in groups. Note that this is 30th Annual Pride Parade. Our Unitarian Universalist faith community has been participating for 24 years.
In closing, Joy is in the details. The biggest takeaway from exploring Pride is to allow people to self-identity without assuming that you know. Let’s continue to strive for this aspiration. As Maya Angelou suggests, “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”
Bill Ratcliffe,
Chair, Pride Celebrations Committee
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