Pilgrim Days, Pilgrim Ways
Worship Leader: Rev. Fred Wooden
Notes from a latter day pilgrim and the spiritual practice of being UU
The Chalice – December 2024
From the UFL Board President
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” – Abraham Lincoln
It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves. Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason that today arm you against the present.
Recently, we have all been trying to comprehend what is going on in the world. Events south of the border have many of us quite anxious about what the future holds for us.
Be strong, be firm in your convictions. No one can take away our humanity unless we allow it. We stand proud and strong together.
Many blessings,
Jerrod Whitman
From the Director of Congregational Life
As many of you know I have been doing an internship at Religion outside the box to complete my seminary responsibilities in the spring of 2025. As part of this I have been compiling “Lori’s learnings” at the Saturday zoom service. I wanted to share one of them with all of you. This is about setting boundaries and tough love.
“I realize that loving someone isn’t always about kindness and that loving someone may be the most difficult thing we are called to do. Love isn’t always sunshine and roses. To go against your instinct is incredibly hard but it may be what you and the other person needs to grow”
Another subject on my mind is how to cope with the current state of the world. I listened to a sermon that was sent to me, and it gave me some comfort and hope.. This Minister proposed that although it may seem overwhelming and fruitless to respond to the current evils, the best way to retaliate is to maintain our kindness to others. In doing this we respond to the hatred that surrounds us (which I feel is media driven). If we can maintain our standards to be loving, we can respond to this confusing and seemingly insane world in a way that will change our little corner.
Also someone sent me this prayer from A course in miracles and I wanted to share it with you. It applies to both comments above and I added “or the universe” to it to make it more UU.
I am here to be truly helpful. I am here to represent You (or the universe)who sent me.
I need not worry about what I will do or what I will say because You(or the universe) will direct me.
I am content to go wherever You (or the universe) wish because I know that You (or the universe) go with me.
I will be healed as I let You (or the universe)teach me to heal.
But I also ask help to see a person in their innocence and perfection, as God or the universe sees them, especially when I feel hurt by something they’ve done.
We have a busy month and are welcoming Reverend Wooden to provide a sermon writing workshop and a sermon on the first weekend of the month. Also a heads up that on December 13th, RE will be hosting our annual Festive Frolic tree trimming and potluck meal at 5:00 p.m. Please plan to attend and support our young people in this endeavor. As well on December 22nd the service will be related to various traditions around the holidays and will be followed by our annual carol sing with fresh Christmas cookies provided by RE and Jennifer Sadler and Imran Khan. Hope to see you all there and wishing you all the best of the holiday season.
UU Midwinter Retreat
To Ontario UU Congregations:
I’m hoping to reach newsletter editors and any other people who do publicity to tell everyone about this year’s annual UU Midwinter Retreat. If I’ve reached the wrong person, I’d really appreciate it if you could forward this message to the correct one, and let me know so I don’t bother you again. Thanks!
This will be the 34th midwinter retreat, and we are back at the YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre, just north of Toronto. The retreat will run from the evening of Friday, Jan. 31, until after lunch on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
This year’s retreat theme will be “Welcoming the second quarter of the 21st century”. We are delighted to announce that our keynote speaker will be Dallas Bergen, who has been the Director of Congregational Music at the First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto for over a decade. Workshops will be similar to previous years, with a choice of 3 or 4 workshops in each of 4 time slots, and will include outdoor programs led by Cedar Glen staff as well as things such as yoga, improv, presentations on UU history, and more. A follow-up workshop by Rev. Linda Thomson from last year’s theme of “Becoming Acquainted” will focus on new and emerging practices from our congregations to counter separation and loneliness. A Saturday night cabaret, games and euchre, and a Sunday service with our usual Chocolate Communion will round out the weekend.
You can find more details about the retreat at our website, at https://uumidwinterretreat.blogspot.com. The site will be updated as we finalize our schedule. Registration will be open very soon, and details on how to register will be found on our website.
I’ve attached a poster advertising the retreat, and we’d very happy if you could print it and put it up on your bulletin board.
Thanks very much and I hope to see some people from your congregation at the retreat. If you need more information, please email us at midwinter@firstunitariantoronto.org.
Roy Blake
Unitarian Congregation of Niagara
For the Retreat Committee
Sunday Services
December 2024
Earth-Centred Joy
Worship Leader: Laura-Beth Falter.
Joy in Our Unitarian Universalist Faith Community?
Worship Leader: Bill Ratcliffe
Our positive covenantal UU faith community has an abundance of joy if one is only open to it.The feeling of joy and that our Congregation matters, are interconnected
Questions
- For you, what role does joy play in our Unitarian Universalist faith community?
- Which Congregational activities are more likely to create joy for you?
- Do you agree with the perspective that in person involvement creates more opportunities for joy. If yes, explain why.
- How can our UU faith community increase the likelihood of joy?
Joy of the Season
Service Leader: Lori Turner Otte
The joy of the season in various faiths traditions. Carol sing and cookies from RE following the service.
Children's program - Jen Sadler and Imran Khan will help the children make cookies.
Closed
There will be no Sunday Service on Sunday December 29
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Upcoming Events
UU Men’s Lunch
A warm welcome is extended to men within our Congregation who would like to join other Unitarian Universalist men for food and conversation on Monday, December 16 at 1:00 pm., at the Family Circle Restaurant, at 147 Wellington St. London.
The UU Men's Lunch Group meets monthly for lunch, on the third Monday. The normal attendance is 6-8 men. A warm welcome awaits you. Tom Orchard,<tomjoyorchard@gmail.com> emails members of the group the week before the monthly lunch, to determine who will be attending. You may contact Tom Orchard, if you have any questions. Hope to see you at the next lunch.
Soup Siblings’ Luncheon
Join us on the second Monday of the month at Edgar and Joe’s at the Goodwill downtown at 255 Horton St. Don't worry about arriving late; just come in and join our table.(Note: Goodwill offers senior discounts in their store this day.)
Festive Frolic
Festive frolic with RE. All are welcome. Tree trimming. Family Movie, Pot luck meal and more!
UFL Book Club
The UFL Book Club has been around for 38 or 39 years, just slightly more than half of the UFL's existence. The UFL Book Club meets on the third Tuesday of the month from 2-4 pm. The UFL Book Club's most recent meeting was on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 2-4 pm, in-person, at the UFL. A lot of our membership attended the meeting and we had a special attendee, UFL member, Debra Dawson. One member, unable to attend in-person, joined us by Zoom. The book discussed was 'Runaway Wives and Rogue Feminists: The Origins of Women's Shelters Movement in Canada' by Margo Goodhand. Debra knows some history of the establishment of the women's shelters in London. It was a good meeting with much discussion and we are grateful to Debra for joining us and imparting her knowledge.
The December book, 'The Stranger in the Woods, The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit' by Michael Finkel was distributed. Our December meeting will be on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, 2-4 pm, hopefully and most likely in-person at the UFL.
UFL Movie Night
Join us for movie night at the UFL. We will be playing a new movie to delight you. Come for the movie, stay for the discussion and comraderie. Snacks and pizza will be provided. More information coming soon.
Doors open at 5:30pm, Movie starts at 6:00pm.
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