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Hamilton was concerned about housing accessibility and affordability but unsure what to do about it. They partnered with an Indigenous organization and building that relationship and support has been deep and meaningful.

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We need to keep inviting stories to highlight barriers and what needs to change as we can't know what we don't know without those stories.

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Regarding ACCOUNTABILITY. Three of the six of us who worked through Me And White Supremacy last year formed a Buddies group. We meet for an hour each week to check in with each other on our lives and what we’ve done in the service of anti-racism, reflect on what we’ve seen around us, troubles we might have run into, what we’d like to do in the future. We cheer each other up and on. We keep each other on track. Coming to think about it now, I ‘d call it  a form of Accountability. I’d be lost without its encouragement and support.

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I was in serious conflict with people in our congregation.  I was able to meet in person with one of those people and heard their story – and it made all the difference.  I now consider them a friend.  The others – not so much.

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CUC staff are all located across the country, and back in the early days, we needed to find ways to work effectively together online. In 2014, we started using Zoom. In the years following, we ported all our work to cloud platforms, implemented online voting and participation at CUC AGMs, and offered online webinars, information & resources to congregations. We built a foundation for being prepared for the pandemic without realizing we were doing so.

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Sharing stories as a way to navigate conflict

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Sharing stories as a way to navigate conflict

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Problem with conflict during COVID – I was not hearing some of the stories that would have supported me when the conflict arose.  Had I heard some of the stories during that period (that were shared with me afterward) it would have given me more clarity about how to navigate the situation.

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Knowing the congregational stories is helpful

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Knowing the congregational stories is helpful

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As a relative newcomer, I have no story or history with the congregation.  Knowing the stories is helpful, asking people questions.  Benefit of being there in person – get to overhear the stories of elders – feels less intrusive.  Stories are important to safety – somethings we have done well, some we have not.

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Challenges as part of our growth; difficulties as a blessing

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Challenges as part of our growth; difficulties as a blessing

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In early 2000s we had some unfortunate incidents.  Our long-term minister retired.  We had interim, then 7 year settled, then 2 interim, then 3 years of learning ministry.  At beginning – feelings that we couldn’t cope.  Had such different people coming in – exposure to very different ways of ministry.  Really think we came out of it with a greater sense of where we had been at fault, realized we had not really understood shared ministry – now less minister-centric.  More of a sense that we can cope with change.  In early years – there were people who said they would not come back until we had a settled minister.  A few may still feel this way, but it turned out to be a blessing.  Less focus on blaming, more emphasis on interplay.

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Listening Circles as a way of increasing understanding of each other

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Listening Circles as a way of increasing understanding of each other

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We had two tapestries based on national themes – people did not like the idea of switching the tapestries.  Listening circle - One woman shared that she could not meditate with the more vibrant tapestry – had to close her eyes.  Would never have realized this without the sharing circle.

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Listening Circles as a powerful way to address conflict

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Listening Circles as a powerful way to address conflict

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An effective restorative process through listening circles – shared discomfort with the 8th Principle Process.  Two rounds of sharing.  By second round, person who had been resisting the notion that racism existed in the congregation – noticed a shift in perspective, an openness that was inspiring.  The honesty and vulnerability of the people who were there, willing to share their stories, that made it work.

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Can we please shift the story of “We are an old congregation” stops and halts the young adults from attending.

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Using Theatre for Social Change - a program that was taken in Hamilton. How do we shift ideas and attitudes

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The sharing of stories that allow the listener to participate, experiential learning, such as the Blanket Exercise and other IBPoC

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Last week 4 UUs discussed in the service about being arrested at the pipeline protests. The sharing of experiences, and the using of their privilege was really special. Also the Vancouver congregations had an author to talk about his book - an Indigenous Lawyer, and they have had a long relationship with this Lawyer, so the book discussion was much more of a discussion, and not a presentation.

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On the committee for our new settled minister, and the conversations around Widening the circle of concern, and the 8th principle, and how these conversations will create impetus for their search.

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In 2021 our interim minister held several workshops called “No More Kierachy” and focussed on micro-aggressions. This happened before the 8th Principle, it was great to witness his love, and his passion for these issues.

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Owl Summer Camp - (Ottawa) will offer participants chance to experience Our Whole Lives during first week of July! 

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Owl Summer Camp - (Ottawa) will offer participants chance to experience Our Whole Lives during first week of July! 

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Supporting one another through life's ups and downs over time, overcame historical barriers. Relationships make a difference. Maybe similar in one or two dimensions like age/gender but different in race, sexual orientation etc. Keep it going through ups and downs builds trust so you can talk about the hard stuff.

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It used to be nearly unthinkable to see a woman in the pulpit or an LGBTQ identified minister, and we hav gotten past that as a faith. We have a track record, let's keep doing it.

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Engagement with the CUC Truth, Healing, Reconciliation Guides led forward into a safe community to have discussions of difficult topics in going forward with the 8th Principle.

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Person leading service in lay-led congregation and handed out tangerines. Invited people to open them up and seeing this as an image of how we open ourselves up and share ourselves. It fell flat.

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Person leading service in lay-led congregation and handed out tangerines. Invited people to open them up and seeing this as an image of how we open ourselves up and share ourselves. It fell flat.

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Do it with Levity--Limited engagement volunteerism. Where is less more? When you say no, it can make your yeses more meaningful.

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Do it with Levity--Limited engagement volunteerism. Where is less more? When you say no, it can make your yeses more meaningful.

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Of those who are marginalized and those who are struggling with the call to recognize the marginalization of others. Understand what is holding some folks back. Establish trust and relationship so people can explore their own reactions.

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Barrier of intimidation that can prevent even the most comfortable people in a congregation to speak up when uncomfortable. imagine how much more difficult it is for a newcomer or marginalized person.

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Barrier of intimidation that can prevent even the most comfortable people in a congregation to speak up when uncomfortable. imagine how much more difficult it is for a newcomer or marginalized person.

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Participating in protests, carrying banners, lot of weddings with UU Lay Chaplains, forming an in-person drumming group, engaging with neighbour and building relationship, working with Greater Victoria Acting Together

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There are people moving together, but the structure hasn't changed to support commitments and reality. Still opperating in the same mindset that everyone in leadership is able to produce something in a certain timeframe.
Maybe what we expect of people should be personal--should fit the person, otherwise commitments are only accessible to people who have the means.

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doing our best simply to survive

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Someone in the congregation would turn up for the coffee time after the service. Person has mental health illness. When they found out she was so poor she was starving, the congregation started feeding her.

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Someone in the congregation would turn up for the coffee time after the service. Person has mental health illness. When they found out she was so poor she was starving, the congregation started feeding her.

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Green Sanctuary and Reconciliation teams understanding that their goals are connected. And that following Indigenous Leadership and committing to Anti-Racism is part of the work. 

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Green Sanctuary and Reconciliation teams understanding that their goals are connected. And that following Indigenous Leadership and committing to Anti-Racism is part of the work. 

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The people who have found us online during the pandemic are largely younger, and from more diverse backgrounds and identities than the majority of longtime members. The message we have shared from our worship services, the topics we have talked about, the action evenings and speakers we have hosted are shifting the demographics of newcomers.

I hope we can live in to this shift and change processes, policies, ways of doing and being so that people stay and build with us this new way of being, this calling.

I think it is a gift of the pandemic--of moving online, having an online prescence

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Sharing in small groups about the story of the water rather than in front of everyone. Not everyone can go on big trips.

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taking banner to events - recently Earth Day - showing up to be visible and be present (need more easily portable banners)

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Grand River--more ad hoc, task force, individual tasks. More flexibility in fitting the schedule of the lives of busy people. Fewer long-standing committees

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Grand River--more ad hoc, task force, individual tasks. More flexibility in fitting the schedule of the lives of busy people. Fewer long-standing committees

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Lay-led congregation almost had to close down. A couple who were attending for the first time, got up and said, 'You can't quit now. We just got here.' The couple started a series of dinners and the congregation started to grow again. It was about relationship outside of Sunday service. It had been lacking before that. It gave people a chance to become friends.

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Lay-led congregation almost had to close down. A couple who were attending for the first time, got up and said, 'You can't quit now. We just got here.' The couple started a series of dinners and the congregation started to grow again. It was about relationship outside of Sunday service. It had been lacking before that. It gave people a chance to become friends.

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Our IBPOC Caucus is changing the climate from carrying the burden of thinking of ourselves as white saviors lifting up the downtrodden to enjoying the richness brought to our white lives when we participate as equals with People of Colour.

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Our IBPOC Caucus is changing the climate from carrying the burden of thinking of ourselves as white saviors lifting up the downtrodden to enjoying the richness brought to our white lives when we participate as equals with People of Colour.

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Donation anonymous, everyone gets the same number of Uni-bucks to spend (Monopoly Money).

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Chalice groups and discussion groups on Braiding Sweetgrass.

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Chalice groups and discussion groups on Braiding Sweetgrass.

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Saskatoon--understanding that Reconciliation and the Green Sanctuary Initiative are in alignment and have common goals

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important tools: curiousity and/or openness to new ideas--I have felt that way too.

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important tools: curiousity and/or openness to new ideas--I have felt that way too.

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working with ON Aboriginal Housing Services on affordable housing - working through the anxiety and expecting to move forward - big shift

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These things are not as fast as I would like them to be, but our vote on the 8th principle this year was 95% in favour and it would not have been that way 10 years ago. There is a swelling of change.

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Woman in my former congregation who globbed onto my BIPOC wife. Wife stopped coming to church and minister didn't ask woman more about herself. Minister discovered back story after woman's  adopted BIPOC son drank himself to death.

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Woman in my former congregation who globbed onto my BIPOC wife. Wife stopped coming to church and minister didn't ask woman more about herself. Minister discovered back story after woman's  adopted BIPOC son drank himself to death.

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Small group sessions "What Matters Now?" focused on sharing our own stories of how the world is impacting us.

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Believe that the IBPOC group at Vancouver Unitarians has been changing the view of white saviour complex, they are suggesting films, activities, cultural understanding--it is uplifting.