canadian unitarian - winter 09

newsletter

of the canadian unitarian

council

www.cuc.ca

vol. 51 • no. 1 • winter 2009

“The rough-and-tumble synthesis

of integration is the lifeblood of

tomorrow’s culture, which will

emerge from unforeseen relations

and fusions, just as rock-and-roll

emerged from the fusion of blues,

gospel, and country music.”

Mark Morrison-Reed, In Between: Memoir of an Integration Baby, p. 187 (see p. 7)

InsIde:

ACM 2009: Thunder Bay 9-11

CUC: some Frequently 4 Asked Questions

Farewell to Mary Bennett 8

UnitarianUnitarianthe canadian

Our IndianUnitarian cousins

This September, six Canadian Unitarians spent two weeks visiting the Unitarians in India. Karen Kumar from Hamilton, Barbara Baxter from Ottawa, Phillip Hewett from Vancouver, John Hopewell from Victoria, and Ellen and Doug Campbell from Toronto met in Chennai (formerly Madras), where a congregation of about 200, founded in 1795, worships in a building built in the 1790s. Each came back enriched by this experience with Unitarian “cous-ins,” and below they share some of their experiences. If you plan to come to the CUC ACM in Thunder Bay in May, sign up for “To India with Chalice and Camera” to learn even more!

Ellen CampbellAbout forty children, boys on one side of the

porch, girls on the other, patiently wait for us to arrive. These children are students at the after-school program in Ammanabakkum, a small farming village about thirty miles from Chennai, formerly Madras. The program is sponsored by the Madras Unitarian Christian Church, with financial assistance from their partner church

in Edinburgh. The children are mostly Dalit (untouchable), and their homes are without electricity. The program provides a place for them to do their homework, with some help from the young women teachers. During the day, the church provides literacy and sewing classes for the women in the village. There is a similar pro-gram in the inner city of Chennai, in the church building. Today the women have made jasmine garlands for us to wear (they perfumed our hotel rooms for the rest of our stay), and some of the children sing or recite things they have learned. This “loneliest Unitarian church in the world” is deeply committed to the work they do in the community, and we are inspired and moved by their work.

The Canadians spent the second week in Meghalaya, a small state in Northeast India, between Assam and Bangladesh. The Unitarian Union of Northeast India includes about thirty congregations, with about the same number of adult members as we have in Canada, and 5,000 children besides.

Ellen Campbell with graduating class of sewing students at Ammanabakkum.

continued on page 2

photo: john hopewell

services. People dressed in their best, little girls in satin and bows, boys in dress shirts and ties, the women in their beautiful traditional dress and jewellery.

We visit many small Unitarian village churches and schools. Each side of the walkway leading to the church is lined with people eager to meet us. They are organised from the smallest to the tallest, and we are often given garlands to wear around our necks.

John HopewellThere were many memorable sights and

sounds. The music in the village churches, with hymns in the beautiful Khasi language, sung to familiar tunes was especially memo-rable; seeing how the Unitarians in both Chennai and the Khasi Hills live out their values by providing schooling and other services to their communities; and at Child Haven seeing the children, healthy and happy, living in an environmentally sustain-able home for over 200 with gas for cooking made from human waste, and waste water recycled to irrigate the vegetable garden. The whole trip was inspirational.

Phillip Hewett

Half a century ago in England I was fascinated by the description of the Unitar-ians in the Khasi Hills given by Margaret Barr, a minister then living and working with them, and still affectionately remem-bered today. She established her base at the remote village of Kharang, which was to be on our itinerary, so I eagerly looked forward to the visit. I was not disappointed. We were warmly welcomed there by a reception party of children and adults lined up outside the church. Inside we were entertained with singing (and had to yield to requests to reciprocate). Subsequently we visited the hospital established in Margaret Barr’s memory and the site on which the founda-tions were being laid for an orphanage. It was well worth the arduous journey over rudimentary roads to be able to visit a place with such rich associations.

All of us left India with a deeper appreciation for the diversity and the strength of our Unitarian faith.We hope that we can build stronger bridges between Canadian and Indian Unitarians.

2 • canadian unitarian • winter 2009

Karen KumarSeptember 18 is the anniversary of the

founding of the Unitarian Church of North-east India; a holiday that memorializes the first service held here on September 18, 1888 by Hajom Kissor Singh, the “self-taught” Unitarian who founded the movement in the Khasi Hills. Three of our party have been asked to give sermons at different churches on that day. The church at Nongthymai is fairly small in size, but it is packed with at least 200 people. The service is three hours long, with 10 hymns and two sermons! (I will point this out to my own Canadian congregation, who tend to complain if the service goes over an hour!) The service is conducted in Khasi, the local language, but many of the hymns are set to tunes we are familiar with, such as “One More Step” and a hymn set to the tune of “Auld Lang Syne.” My sermon explores the theme of spiritual journeys, and the second sermon is given by an articulate young church leader, Rev. Derrick Pariat, who speaks about the con-cept of Divine love that transcends different religious beliefs. To close the service, a male youth choir sings a beautiful set of pieces. Truly a highlight for me! Barbara Baxter

Even though the church service is very long, the children are quiet and still except for the little ones who run around quietly. I am amazed to see three boys about eight or ten years old lustily singing all the hymns by heart. Founders’ Day is celebrated with large communal banquets, as well as church

Unitarianthe canadian

Our Indian cousins

Children of the Unitarian School at Tynring, in the Khasi Hills

continued from page 1

photo: john hopewell

http://cuc.ca/canuISSN 0527-9860

The Canadian Unitarian is the newsletter of the Canadian Unitarian Council. It’s mailed free to all members for whom the CUC has a current address.* The Unitarian reports on newsworthy events in the denomination, including the annual conference each spring. It attempts to reflect all segments of Unitarian-ism and Universalism in Canada. We welcome all submissions; however, publication is based on the criteria of newsworthiness, relevance to readers, length and balance. We try to publish all letters to the editor, although they may be edited for brevity and clarity.

* Non-members can subscribe to the Unitarian for $15 CDN or $10 US. Send name, address and cheque to CUC office.

Canadian Unitarian CouncilConseil unitarien du Canada

018 - 1179A King Street West Toronto, ON M6K 3C5

Toll-free 1.888.568.5723Phone 416.489.4121

Linda Thomson Acting Executive [email protected] 905.332.3851

CUC BOARD OF TRUSTEESJean Pfleiderer President [email protected]

Kalvin Drake Vice-President [email protected]

John Michell Treasurer [email protected]

Ron Bulmer Secretary [email protected]

Linda Thomson Publisher [email protected] 905.332.3851

Sharon Mah Graphic Designer

Printed on Canadian-made, acid-free, recycled paper (100% post-consumer fibre)

winter 2009 • canadian unitarian • 3

Regional Gatherings

We gather together: Fall, 2008

I n October and November, the CUC Regions held their annual gatherings. The West went first, with the Unitarian Church of Calgary holding

“’Ever Moving’: Confluence, Divergence & Transition.” The following weekend,

the BC Region gathered to “Eat, Pray, Laugh: A Metaphor for Sharing Our Faith More Mirthfully,” hosted by Beacon Unitarian Church. In November, the Kingston Unitarian Fellowship invited the Eastern Region to meet “At the Confluence: Réunissons nous ôu les

eaux se rejoignent.” In the Central Region, the Unitarian Congregation of Guelph finished out the fall gathering season by “Feeding Body and Soul: Being UU in a Time of World Hunger.”

Counterclockwise from top: 1. John Hagen (Beacon), Julia Varga (Victoria), Hank Einarson (Beacon), and Liz James (Saskatoon) in Port Coquitlam, BC; 2. Jim Logan (Edmonton), Gorham Hussey (Calgary), Pam Brierley (Westwood), Linda Jennings (Westwood) in Calgary; 3. David Thompson (Regina), Mary-Jane Hussey (Calgary), Barbara Lane (Calgary), Ann Kyle (Calgary) in Calgary; 4. spiritual quickening in Guelph; 5. getting ready for the nature walk in Kingston.

1

5

4

3

2

in october and november, the cuc regions held their annual gatherings.


That’s what the CUC Mission Statement says that the CUC is all about. Recently, I’ve spent some time thinking about that phrase. I know for sure that there are “vital religious communities” here in Canada, and that the CUC has contributed to that vitality. But how is it that we set about “growing” them?

Growing—as in cultivating? Like a garden? Like a rice paddy? Yes, of course, we are cultivating ourselves, enriching the soil of community with diversity, harvesting a crop that nurtures our spirit and our society.

But what about the other sense of “growing”? Growing—as in expanding, as in getting bigger? When we pushed off from the UUA six years ago, ready to develop our uniquely Canadian Council, we had every intention to grow in this sense as well. There would be more of us—more people in our congregations, more congregations in our country. More people would share our spirit, our support for social justice, our free liberal religion, our sense of community.

At the moment, that has not happened. There are no more of us than there have ever been. As challenging times press us to revisit many aspects of our work to-gether, I hope we will take the opportunity to consider how to change that. Everything I see around me now tells me the world needs more UUs.

Let’s get growing!In faith,

Jean

Jean Pfleiderer is the CUC president. You may contact her at [email protected]

Growing vital religious communities

Jean PfleidererCUC President

inquire as to availability of additional services.

In the face of changes to youth and young adult ministry at the UUA as well as the absence of a Director of Lifespan Learning at the CUC, how will we address needs of youth and young adults?

A conference is being planned for February to bring together youth leaders, staff, and board members to discuss these issues; in the interim, the CUC remains committed to providing services. Contract staff is in place to organize CanUUdle at the 2009 ACM. We anticipate being able to begin work with the young adult community as well, early in the new year.

How is the CUC weathering the world financial storm? How is our bottom line being affected?

We are not immune to conditions in the markets. Last year, we made no income on our investments and counted ourselves fortunate not to have ended in the loss column; this year we will have lost money. We will be present-ing a 2009 budget that reflects a new financial reality and introduces some cost-saving measures.

Why have we lost so many program staff in such a relatively short time? What about our over-all financial health? Is this organization sustainable? What about growth? What can we expect for the future?

These are, of course, all the big picture questions lumped into one. The board is working to address all of these issues and will present an analysis and proposed next steps early in the new year. We are also well into the implementation of the short-term plan approved by the membership at the annual meeting in May, and we invite

Owing to both internal and external events of recent months, there are several questions on people’s minds concerning the status of the Canadian Unitarian Council. This article offers some direct answers to some frequently asked questions.

When will the CUC have a new Executive Director?

The Board has approved a job description, struck a selection com-mittee, determined on a recruitment strategy, and has posted the position (see announcement p. 5). We hope to be able to announce a new Executive Director in March.

What about the other program staff positions that are presently vacant?

At the request of and with the full support of the board, the Acting Execu-tive Director is reviewing the existing staffing model for sustainability, taking advantage of this moment when restruc-turing would not result in lay-offs to ask important questions about our staffing needs. For the present, we don’t know when, or indeed if, all of the existing positions will be filled.

If we don’t rehire soon, can our congre-gations count on services being available from the CUC when they need them? What about our Annual Conference and Meeting, CUUL School, other CUC-sponsored events and services?

In a word, yes, you can expect events and services to continue uninterrupted. Preparations for the ACM in Thunder Bay are well underway. CUUL School will continue. The Acting Executive Director has reviewed what has been promised or planned for the next several months, and has begun hiring contract assistance to assure these things are delivered. It may even be possible to ac-commodate some additional demand, so congregations should feel free to

Frequently asked questions

Board and Staff

continued on page 5


In 2002, I joined the staff of the Canadian Unitarian Council, as the Director of Regional Services – East. I was grateful then for the opportunity and privilege of working to support the Unitarian Universalist congregations in Canada. Since then I’ve had the great pleasure of working with skilled and commit-ted colleagues. I’ve been particularly appreciative of the support of Mary Bennett who during that time was the Executive Director. Since Mary left that role in September, I’ve been serving as the Acting Executive Director, while try-ing to keep up with my Director of Regional Services responsibilities. I’m happy to do this work, as it gives our Board the time they need to plan their Executive Director recruitment. How-ever, my commitment means that my calendar and to do list are particularly full these days and that my choices about priorities leave some people disappointed. I’m very aware that I’m

relying (even more than I normally do) on my fellow staff members and on the skill and commitment of an army of volunteers. In spite of staff vacancies we are ‘open for business’. We are us-

ing this time to consider how best to build a sus-tainable staffing model that provides quality ser-vice to our congregations. We are also considering how best we can serve our youth and support our congregations as we develop excellence in youth ministry. We are still working to meet the needs of our congrega-

tions and their leaders. Please don’t hesitate to ask for the help and support you need! We may not respond quite as quickly as we have in the past, but I am committed to meeting the needs of congregations so that we can support ‘Vital Religious Communities’.

The Board of Directors have been tremendously supportive and all the oth-ers I work with in doing the work of the Canadian Unitarian Council have been as

Moving forwardwell. During my visits to congregations and the Regional Fall Gatherings I’ve attended, in my telephone and e-mail conversations, people have been kind and supportive. Since September when I took on this role, those I work with have been particularly patient and understanding. I’ve very grateful for the support and kindness I’ve been shown. Thank You!

The CUC, like any organization, is not a static one. Things change, people come and people go, and I’m proud that we are flexible and gracious enough to adapt to changes. We remain committed to our members; the congregations, and are looking forward to working with them to help imagine our shared, collective and vital future.

In faith and with affection;Linda Thomson

Acting Executive [email protected]

you to follow along as the various ini-tiatives in the plan progress (www.cuc.ca/strategy/short_term_plan/). Based on re-examination, re-alignment, and re-commitment, we believe there is a

Frequently asked questions

continued from page 4 Let’s Go-4-ward in 2009! Track the progress of our short-term plan, decide what you’re most passionate about – your Go! for 2009 – and join a group, at www. cuc.ca/strategy/short_term_plan.

are You the one?

The Board of the Canadian Unitarian Council is seeking a new executive director. see the position description online at http://cuc.ca/careers/.

bright future ahead for the CUC. Times of intense change are often stressful, but they are exciting, too, as they open out into new possibilities.


In memoriam

Making music in BostonNine Canadian musicians attended the Unitarian Universalist Musician’s Network annual conference, held this summer in Boston: Dallas Bergen (Toronto), Cindy Carey (Hamilton), Linda Clark (Peterborough), Rachel Derry (Hamilton), Brian Dorsch t (Ca lgary ) , Beverly Horton (Ham-ilton), Sandra Hunt (Montreal), Beth Ann McFadden (Toronto), and Joyce Poley (Surrey, BC). Including such selections as The World of Jewish Mu-sic, Music for Healing, and an “intense” harmonica workshop, the offerings held something fascinating for everyone. Participants waxed enthusiastically about main pre-senter Nick Page, a Boston-based song leader and choral music composer.

Joyce Poley is widely known in UU circles for her many musical contribu-tions (including “One More Step,” p. 168 in Singing the Living Tradition, and her popular Christmas pageant, Would You Like to Hold the Baby?). She has attended the UUMN conferences for nearly 20 years, and reports that they have expanded their musical horizons enor-mously—from classical choral works to contemporary jazz. She said, “A big draw each year is the choral repertoire sessions. In addition to the pieces pre-sented, we pick up ideas for repertoire just by talking to people around us, and sometimes those are the biggest ‘finds’ of all!”

This was the fourth UUMN conference for Sandra Hunt, Pianist and Choir Director of the Unitarian Church of Montreal. She feels that the conference is invaluable for support for engaging congregations in music, understand-ing UU history, and making personal connections with other UU musi-cians—and especially for strengthening the communication network among Canadians.

Internationalby elisabeth Bailey, senior writer

Rachel Derry, Music Director of the First Unitarian Church of Hamilton, Ontario, attended for the second time this year. “I’ve brought home some

interesting ideas for sing-ing meditation that I can’t wait to try. A great empha-sis was put by all session leaders on honouring where the music comes from, and I hope to bring that to all my work this year. Most importantly, personally, I feel refreshed and inspired to continue in this ministry.”

Musicians came home full of ideas for their

congregations. This year at the First Unitar-ian Congregation of Toronto, where Dallas Bergen is Director of Congregational Music, the choir will be working on At the River by Copeland, Esto Les Digo by Kinley Lange, and Alvinu Malkeinu by Srul Irving Glick. Hamilton is doing a live Oldtime Radio Show. Montreal had a special service for Remembrance Day with folk and pop musicians from their wider community.

Canadian musicians met several times at the conference to talk shop, break bread, and put their creative minds together. Projects discussed included organizing a list of musicians for every UU group in Canada for publication in the CUC directory, as well as setting up a Canadian choral library. They look forward to meeting with even more of their colleagues at the Annual Music Leaders’ preconference in Thunder Bay just prior to the ACM in May of 2009. Next year’s UUMN conference runs from July 28 to August 2 in Portland, Oregon. For more information, visit: www.25uua.org/uumn/conf/2009/index.htm

Connect today – check out the listserv especially for Canadian UU Musicians: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cuc-music/.

Joyce Poley of Surrey, BC has attended UUMN conferences for the past 20 years.

Dr. Sheilah Doreen Thompson, longtime member of the Unitarian Church of Van-couver and former member of the CUC board, died June 20, 2008. Born in 1919, she grew up in North Vancouver where, after her marriage to James Swanson Thompson and the birth of their two daughters, she was a teacher at Hamilton, Delbrook, and Handsworth High Schools. She received a Doctorate of Education from the University of British Columbia in 1968, and later headed the Counsel-ling Department at Douglas College. She retired early from her career in education in order to be more involved in the church and in social activism.

Her deep concern for social justice was reflected in her support for the rights of women and her work among the poor of Nicaragua. The Sheilah Thompson Refugee Fund at the Vancouver Church is a testimony to her concern for refugees.

Rev. Phillip Hewett, minister emeritus at the Vancouver Church, speaking at her memorial service, described Sheilah as one of the “most prominent, unforget-table and well-loved members” of the congregation. She signed the member-ship book immediately after attending her first service at the church, and she served the congregation for many years and in many ways, from singing in the choir to serving as the chair of the board of trust-ees. Later, she served the denomination as well, on the CUC Board of Trustees and as UUA Trustee at Large from Canada, as well as by contributing to development of resources for social responsibility.

Sheilah also delighted in her garden, and even though her life became restricted after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 1999, she continued to take pleasure in the beauty there. .

sheilah Thompson


Across the country

This summer, I travelled around the world–in one week. This journey all took place on a yellow school bus, right here in Toronto.

The course I took, “Exploring World Religions,” covered eleven religious tradi-tions through lectures at “base camp” (a church basement in mid-town Toronto) and 22 site visits to places of worship in Toronto and the GTA.

Without exception, the people we met greet-ed us warmly, welcomed questions, and invited us to participate in their re-ligious observance. I saw and did things I could not have imagined:• I prayed with the Mus-

lims in their mosque • I sang, in Hebrew, at

Shabbat service in a reform synagogue

• I prostrated myself before a holy Sikh book, which is regarded as a living Guru and is put to bed every night in a queen-size bed in the temple

• I meditated with a Zen master • I chanted with the Hare Krishna • I danced around a fire with the Wiccans

in a mid-town park• I marvelled at an elaborate Hindu temple,

built of stone carved in India and assembled without mortar or nails.

• I took a Tai Chi class at the Taoist temple

• I participated in a smudge ceremony at a native lodge in a high-rise office building

• I learned from a Jamaican record-shop owner in dreadlocks that Rastafari beliefs go back to Solomon

• I visited a Zoroastrian temple housed in a stately mansion

• I learned about Buddhism from a female monk at their temple

• I witnessed the scars of an arson attempt on an old Orthodox synagogue

• I saw the best examples of Byzantine icons in North America at a downtown Greek Orthodox churchI t was an in tense exper i -

ence. The class of 45 students from Ontario and the U.S. were together morn-

ing, noon, and night for seven days. We ate together, three times a day, mostly at base camp but sometimes at a place of worship or a restaurant. We piled onto the yellow school bus together to visit 22 sites following the relevant lecture.

Sometimes, we ate as we learned. We savoured vegetarian lunches at the Hare Krishna temple and at the mosque. The

Rastafari record store laid on Caribbean delicacies. At the Sikh temple, we shared a meal, sitting in rows, cross-legged on the floor, served by a volunteer from a kitchen they operate 24 hours a day.

The course convinced me that the “other” is not so strange when you know something about them. I will in future not make assumptions about people who are different from me. I also now have a greater appreciation of Toronto, where a multitude of cultures are thriving under our eyes, sometimes obvious, some-times hidden. And I am grateful to be so grounded in my Unitarian faith, which encourages me to learn and grow.

You can learn more about the Encounter World Religions program at www.worldreligions.ca.

submitted by Nancy Krygsman, First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto

Exploring world religions A religious experience

Nemo Chua of Montreal and Ron Bulmer of Halifax enjoy a hike in the woods at the Eastern Fall Regional Gathering in Kingston.

photo: bunty albert


Mary Bennett is an artist in more than one medium, in people and organi-zations as well as in tempera and wood. In her eight years as Executive Director of the Canadian Unitarian Council, Mary brought her talents to the project of creat-ing the organization anew. In 2001, she was at the helm of the organization as it negotiated a friendly separation from its North American cousin, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congrega-tions, and began the project of developing all of the organizational pieces it needed to deliver services and inspiration to its Canadian congregations.

The hiring of staff, recruiting of volunteers, and developing of organiza-tional systems had to be done quickly and on a limited budget. Artistry, or perhaps wizardry, was called for, and Mary delivered.

Among the many things that needed to be attended to, there was something of a motivation issue for the many Canadian congregations that had long and happy associations with American counter-parts in cross-border UUA districts and relatively little connection with Canadian congregations outside those districts. Mary and her team built from scratch a sense of cohesion within each of the four newly created CUC regions—Eastern, Central, Western, and BC. Despite the daunting geography, regional fall gather-ings introduced people face-to-face, and electronic communications helped knit the fabric of the CUC. Over time, under her tutelage, the numbers and the excite-ment of our Annual Conference and Meeting grew until last year in Ottawa saw us at well over 700.

But face-to-face gatherings across our vast land can be only one way of weaving ourselves together, especially as we are in-creasingly challenged to be green, so Mary built a formidable virtual organization as well—and from “virtually” nothing. Thanks to her urgings, it is today a com-monplace at the CUC that volunteer groups of all kinds meet by inexpensive internet-based teleconferencing, and

Recognition

many are pro-ficient with online sched-u l ing and desktop-shar-ing tools as well. Online discussion g r o u p s abound. And Mary ushered the CUC into the age of telecommuting, with staff across the country learning how to work as though across the hall.

All the while, Mary emphasized an intergenerational approach which is serving the organization well as we in-terweave our children, youth, and young adults into the CUC fabric. She brought consistency to our uniquely Canadian Lay Chaplaincy program, and she supported the developing framework for Social Responsibility

An inveterate traveler and self- proclaimed extrovert, Mary put her personality into the service of the organi-zation as well, supporting our presence on a world stage through attendance at international conferences, and brighten-ing with her wit and humour many a Sunday morning in many a congrega-tion across Canada. She also carried our concerns to the country at large, most notably in testifying in the cause of equal marriage.

After gifting us with a huge outpour-ing of energy and creativity, Mary Bennett is now pursuing other interests, includ-ing working as an arts administrator with the Community Arts Council of Vancouver and offering a variety of consultative services for organizations, as well as returning once again to full participation in the life of the Unitarian Church of Vancouver. We miss her, we wish her well, and we are grateful for all that she has given.

To learn more about Mary’s next steps, check out her blog at:

www.marybennett.wordpress.com

Farewell and good luck, Mary!

In memoriam

Reverend Felix Danford Lion died peacefully surrounded by family on Nov 29, 2008, at the age of 94 in Victoria, BC. He lived a rich life in love and caring and a ministry abundant in accomplishment.

Born in Massachusetts in 1914, the son of a Unitarian minister, he married Eva Hoel in 1943 and they raised three children. Felix graduated from the University of Chicago in 1936, and Meadville Theological Seminary in 1938; in 1966 he received an honorary doctorate from Starr King School for the Ministry.

He was a Unitarian minister for congregations in Massachusetts, New York, and California, before coming to serve the congregation on Superior Street in Victoria (1981-1986). He was the beloved Minister Emeritus of both Palo Alto and Victoria congregations.

Felix was a lifelong human rights activist who chose to lead by example. As a member of the NAACP he spent the summer of 1964 working in Mississippi with Pete Seeger and the Student Nonvio-lent Coordinating Committee, helping to register African-Americans to vote. Later he participated in the freedom marches with Dr King in Selma, Alabama and Washington, DC. This spirit and active participation continued throughout his life. He knew that these were dangerous times in America, but felt compelled to contribute in a positive way to change the world.

He served as Chair of the Board of World Interfaith Colleges; as President of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (1979-1981); was a founding member (and president for 6 years) of the Vancouver Island Civil Rights Coalition; member of the Archeology Society of B.C.; member of the International Association for Religious Freedom. He became a Canadian citizen in 1993.

His lifelong passions were gardening and music. In the past twenty years he was active in five gardening groups. He was usually very successful in fruit and

Felix Lion

continued on page 9


The Thunder Bay Host Committee and the Program Planning Committee will welcome as the keynote speaker for the 2009 Annual Conference and Meeting the Reverend Chris Buice, minister at the Tennessee Valley UU Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Rev. Buice this summer found himself in the international spotlight after a gunman entered the Knoxville church he serves and opened fire, killing two people and wound-ing six.

Unitarian Universalists across the world were stunned to hear the news on Sunday, July 27th, 2008. The gun-man entered the Knoxville church during a church production of Annie. People moved quickly to protect the children on stage and in the audience, wrestling the man to the ground and pinning him there until police arrived.

The United States and Canada are close—too close, some Canadians feel, especially when the lines between us get blurred. But at times of crisis those boundaries dissolve under the weight of shared sorrow. Canadian UUs have a special tie to the congregation that expe-rienced this tragedy. Rev. Buice attended the CUC ACM in Ottawa this May with his two children. He brought the theme

song from the conference, Circle of Song by Tony Turner, back to his congregation. Finding it particularly suitable to the occa-sion, the TVUUC choir performed Circle

of Song at the re-dedication of their sanctuary follow-ing the violence. (To hear Tony Turner singing Circle of Song, visit: http://cuc.ca/arts/music.htm.)

Rev. Buice was quick to express his gratitude to all those, internationally, na-tionally, and in Knoxville, who expressed their love and caring for the con-gregation. At the same time, he has also reflected on the motivations of the

shooter and how his thinking may have been influenced by public discourse. In a segment on Public Television’s Bill Moyers Journal, Buice commented, “Some have suggested that his spiritual attitudes, his hatred of liberals and gays, was reinforced by the right wing media figures. And it is beyond dispute that there are a plethora of books which have labelled liberals as evil, unpatriotic, godless and treasonous.” (The program can be viewed at www.pbs.org/moyers/ journal/09122008/watch.html.)

In May, we will welcome Rev. Buice back to Canada to share his thoughts with us.

AnnUAL COnFeRenCe And MeeTInG 2009

Answering the call : Répondre à l’appel

In May, UUs from across Canada will be Answering the Call to gather together in Thunder Bay at the Annual Meeting and Conference of the CUC.

We’ll hear what the Reverend Chris Buice has to say to us about Answering the Call in his keynote address (see “From tragedy to love” on this page).

We’ll be offered a smorgasbord of unusual and exciting workshops, such as “Canadian Contributions to the UN” and “Answering the Doorbell: Growth Resources for Small Congregations.” Some of us will learn about “Taking the Heat: Food Justice, Fuel Issues and Future,” while others will go off “To India with Chalice and Camera.” A full program listing will be available soon.

Delegates to the Council will elect trustees, make decisions about the CUC’s direction, and celebrate its accomplish-ments. Many will avail themselves of a National Identity Symposium, others will participate in a World Café, and all will be invited to an intergenerational day. Canadian UU youth will enjoy their annual CanUUdle conference.

In the midst of all this, there will also be multiple opportunities for spiritual practice and source-infused worship, as well as community networking.

Plan now to join old friends and make new ones, May 15-18. Online application and latest news about the conference will be available at www.cuc.ca/conference/ 2009.

From tragedy to love 2009 ACM keynote address

Rev. Chris Buice of Knoxville, Tennessee, keynotes at the 2009 ACM.

vegetable competitions, and he loved to share his knowledge, experience, and cut-tings with others. At age 93 he climbed to prune the very tops of his trees. Starting in his early teens and continuing until he was 92 years old, he played the trumpet in a variety of jazz bands and orchestras.

A religious humanist, Felix believed we should live Christ-like lives, while he spoke of “Christs in every generation.” When asked what we should do when the world is so full of problems, his advice was to “Light the corner you’re in.” .

Felix Lioncontinued from page 8

by elisabeth bailey, senior writer



Approximately twenty indi-viduals met in September of 1958 to explore the possibility of forming a Unitarian Fellow-ship in what was then the Port Arthur/Fort William area of Ontario. On January 7, 1959, they received the Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship charter from the American Unitarian Association in Boston. Rev. Philip Petursson, Minister of the Winnipeg Church, and the Field Service Officer for Western Canada, led the first formal service in the Odd Fellows Hall.

Among the thirty-six early members, some came out of the New England Unitarian tradi-tion, some from the Icelandic, and some from the United Church. In addition to wanting a church with doctrinal free-dom, they wanted a religious education program that offered a breath of fresh air for their children.

For many years, members met in rented quarters and private homes while pursuing a permanent location. For a time, enthusiasm ran high. The building fund grew rapidly, but when key families moved away, followed by the tragic death in a car crash of a young and energetic president in 1966, the momentum slowed.

Meetings continued in various locations, but lugging hymn books and RE supplies to and from the meeting spaces was a major chore. The children’s program fal-tered, then adult meetings dwindled.

The Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship, in the newly renamed city of Thunder Bay, reached its lowest ebb and faced disbandment in the late 70s, but the thought of giving up entirely just could not be contemplated!

There were false starts, but in 1982 the group found a space that suited adults and children. With a piano available, LUF started a tradition of live music and visit-ing musicians that continues to flourish to this day. In November of 1983, the 25th anniversary celebrations provided the momentum needed to look again for

a permanent location. The 32 members of the Fellowship, in a leap of faith, pur-chased the Finnish Pentecostal Church in the downtown area of the former city of Port Arthur. Members took possession in January 1984, worked on the building for the next few months, and then opened for services every Sunday. Every Sunday!

Membership doubled. The RE program expanded. Community groups used the building for their meetings and events. Soon activity was out-pacing the abil-

Fifty years and counting

Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship will be hosting the 2009 ACM at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, ON

ity of volunteers to do the work. An RE director and secretary became the first employees of the Fellow-ship. Growth continued, and with the help of West-ern District consultant, Rev. Jack Loadman of Calgary, and later Rev. Stefan Jonasson, followed by a number of other ministers in on-loan and part-time capacities over a period of several years, the group came to recognize the value of professional ministerial leadership. Unfortunately, financial issues brought about the premature end of a 1996

extension ministry, and the congregation now continues to explore how best to bal-ance its needs for professional leadership, space, and growth.

submitted by Del DickeyLakehead Unitarian Fellowship

celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2009 and, as hosts of the CUC’s An-

nual Conference and Meeting in May, they’ve invited us all to the party!

are special people who help the organization meet itsCuC Friends

send to: CuC, 018-1179a King street w., toronto, on M6K 3C5

please send me more informationi would like to donate

codeprov

email

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annual goals through direct financial gifts. Will you become a Friend?

aRe YOU aFRiend?

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DONATE ONLINE AT www.cuc.ca/friends

The Annual Conference and Meeting of the CUC will take place in Thunder Bay, Ontario on May 15-18. Approxi-mately 110 congregants of Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship (LUF) call the Thunder Bay area home. They’re look-ing forward to hosting hundreds of UUs from across Canada as they cel-ebrate their 50th anniversary in 2009.

LUF has undergone many changes during the last fifty years, but exploring personal growth and social justice have always remained their top priorities. One of the earliest Welcoming Congregations in Canada, LUF has supported a wide range of social justice issues over its history. You might find LUF members carving up a moose to serve at Shelter House or raising money for local char-ity Empty Bowls/Caring Hearts. They are proud to purchase their electricity from Bullfrog Power, a carbon-free wind powered energy provider.

Today, LUF is a congregation in transi-tion. The congregation recently adopted a Way Forward Strategic Plan, enabling them to enter the search process in pur-suit of a called ministry. At the same time, they are launching an initiative to move into a new space where they can more effectively carry out their ministry while living their UU values.

With a pagan group, meditation group, men’s group, chalice circle and more, LUF extends their warm welcome to small group ministries and individuals of all backgrounds and approaches. They are particularly proud of their Director of Music, Heather Morrison, a pianist with the Thunder Bay Symphony. Heather has brought high quality classical, folk, and jazz to Sunday services. LUF con-tinues to grow and change, focusing on Lifespan Learning for the coming year and working towards a new Covenant of Right Relations.

The city of Thunder Bay has much to recommend it, as well. Named a “Cultural Capital of Canada” in 2003, this former fur trading outpost is located on an inlet of Lake Superior. It is now home to roughly 120,000 people with roots all over the globe. The Finnish/Swedish/Italian/

Portuguese/Chinese restaurants of the city are sure to have something to tantalize every palate. For a unique taste of Thunder Bay, check out The Hoito (a restaurant famous for plate-sized Finnish pancakes) or Persian Man, a coffee shop renowned for its eponymous pastry, the Persian—best described as a cross between a large cinnamon bun and a doughnut, topped with strawberry icing.

When LUF first formed, “Thunder Bay” did not exist—rather, there were the two cities of Port Arthur and Fort William, which were collectively known as Lakehead. The cities merged into Thunder Bay in 1970. In recent years, the economy has shifted from resource extraction to the information economy. Thunder Bay is the proud home to the Molecular Medicine Research Centre, the Paleo-DNA Laboratory, and Genesis Genomics, among others.

The area around Thunder Bay is rich beyond measure with opportunities to experience nature. The forests and lakes of areas such as Sleeping Giant, Kakabeka Falls, Mount McKay, and Eagle Canyon invite exploration. For more information on hiking, biking, and running in the area, visit www.tbaytrails.com.

The 2009 ACM will take place on the campus of beautiful Lakehead University. Take advantage of the opportunity to get to know the area around the university, and enjoy Thunder Bay as the congrega-tion proudly welcomes you to their home community!



See you in Thunder Bay

LUF Vice President Suzanne Hansen lighting the chalice with her daughters, President David Belrose at the lectern

by elisabeth bailey, senior writer


I was born May 8, 1928 on Red Pheasant Reserve, Saskatoon. Just in my band alone there were only 692 people. I thought we were going to die off. Now there are 2,500 of us. I went to residential school. I was 12 the first time I went; I finished when I was 15.

My parents went to an Anglican church be-cause they were both in residential schools. That was what they were taught. My dad was a well-educated man on the reserve—he had his standard six, which is equivalent to grade 12 today. He had all kinds of books. He had a book on Ralph Waldo Emerson, a collection of his essays. I read them; I thought they were pretty good! That’s when I first encountered the Unitarians.

Our god wasn’t a personalized god like the Christian god. God’s a spirit that exists everywhere. I joined the Calgary congregation when we moved here in 1963. In 1969 I became president of the congregation. We didn’t have our own building. Most people felt we couldn’t afford it. I saw an ad on a bulletin board for a church for sale. I called the realtor and told him, “you have an hour to sell me a church, and I have an hour to buy a church.” We had lunch and wrote up an agreement, subject to board approval. The board approved it. That’s the build-ing they’re still in now.

My 1971 book, Ruffled Feathers: Indians in Canadian Society, led to my being banned from 13 reserves, including my own. The chief didn’t want me around! People were upset. What I talked about then is happening now—I was 30 years before my time. People’s attitudes are slow to change when you’re talking about dis-crimination. The situation has changed a great deal, but it still needs a lot of work.

I have six kids. We raised them in the church. Three of them are lawyers. One of my daughters is a crown pros-ecutor. One son is the Director General of the Department of Public Health

of Saskatoon. Nisha is a teacher on Siksika reserve. Most of my kids consider themselves UU—they don’t attend regularly, but they’re got that lifestyle.

I travel a lot, but go to services whenever I can to listen to the presenta-tion. I like some music, but not these old hymns they pull out of the book. You can have lively mu-sic and good singing

without that. The choir singing is very good; they’re beautiful singers.

Someone said, “Bill nothing ever bothers you, how do you do that?” Well, I get up at 4 in the morning. I meditate. In the end I think it’s all how you live, what you think about life. About my work on the oversight committee: I believe there should be a reconciliation. You have to go on with life, no matter what has hap-pened to you. I’m proud of our survivors. They know how to overcome disaster. We have to live with one another and start anew without violence. If necessary, start anew each day.

Lawyer, activist, and author William Wuttunee has been a member

of the Unitarian Church of Calgary for over forty years. In 1961 he founded

and became the first chief of National Indian Council (which became Na-tional Indian Brotherhood in 1968 and then Assembly of First Nations

in 1982). Currently a member of the Oversight Committee for the Truth and

Reconciliation Commission,William Wuttunee was listed in the

Calgary Herald this spring as 1 of 125 nominees for Greatest Citizen.

TestimonyWilliam Wuttunee

The journey of a visionary and activist

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