[cuc-uumoc] FW: February message to UUMOC from CUC Executive Director

Wed Feb 7 19:18:14 EST 2007

February, 2007

Hello to our professional ministers in Canada

(and a "cc" to CUC board & staff).

You are welcome to forward this message to anyone you feel would be
interested. Information is geared to what I feel professional ministers
would be interested in, but it is not a confidential message.

I'm in chilly Toronto - and busy enough to not spend too much time thinking
about the very cold weather! I'll be back in Vancouver for March 1 - to see
the crocuses coming up!

Meeting Ministers  in B.C.

I recently enjoyed meeting with some of the ministers from BC & Alberta who
met for a retreat in Vancouver in late January. Thanks to UUMOC President,
Steven Epperson, for suggesting that I share reflections on my (nearly)
seven years in this job and outline, from my travels across the country,
what I see as Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.  It was
thought provoking to consider my responses to those questions and I felt we
had an engaging and enjoyable discussion. 

CUC West Office and Administrative Coordinators - West and East

When our Administrative Coordinator, Janice Lincoln, decided to move from
Toronto to Vancouver, I saw it as an opportunity.  This past weekend, the
CUC board after approving in principle a 5-year staffing plan, confirmed
commitment to decentralization. Janice will be on continuing employment with
the CUC at the four days per week she has been working, but now called
Administrative Coordinator - West and working from our 9' x 13' office
sublet from the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, 949 West 49th Avenue,
Vancouver BC V6Z 2T1.  After next Monday we expect to have our new phone
line installed and you'll be able to reach Janice at: 604-224-0088.  

Kirstie Peden, hired as a temporary, part-time Office Assistant last
September, has increased her hours to 20 hours per week over four days and
assumes the role of Administrative Coordinator - East.  We will be hiring a
half-time Office Assistant in the near future. With increased administrative
staff, Kirstie and Janice will be available to provide regular
administrative support of approximately five hours per week to each of the
three Directors. 

The board also approved my spending significantly more time based in
Vancouver. On average I will be in Toronto 10 days every two months, timed
around board meetings and other events. I will continue working from home
about half the time and be at the CUC West office two to three days per
week. 

For 2007, with a balanced budget, we now have now have a total of 3
"full-time equivalents" spread among four people for our admin staff.  As we
had two full-time staff seven years ago, this increase has been needed for
some time, and will make a big difference in making all of the CUC jobs more
sustainable over the long haul. 

CanU - and New Communications Director

Bruce Schwartzentruber began working on short-term freelance assignments in
the fall including writing and editing for Canadian Unitarian and designing
and analyzing a survey about the Regional Fall Gatherings. More recently,
Bruce was hired for a two-month contract to carry on with similar projects.
The CUC board approved this role as an ongoing one, and Bruce will be
working 25 hours per week as CUC Communications Director including taking on
the role of editor of CanU.  Sharon Mah continues as graphic designer and
freelance writers, Don Hauka, Chris Michell and Jo-Anne Elder-Gomes will
continue contributing articles to Bruce for inclusion in CanU. (Watch for
Bruce's "Testimony" column in the next CanU to learn more and you'll meet
Bruce at CUC ACM in Vancouver.) 

Toronto, now Vancouver - and hopefully on to Ottawa in the near future! 

The longer-term plan-hopefully within five years-- includes providing staff
and office in Ottawa. This has been hoped for by many people over a long
time and most recently was a recommendation of the CUC Board Social
Responsibility Task Force including current UUMOC President, Steven
Epperson. 

Volunteer appointment - and volunteer alert!

At my BC meeting, I was asked how ministers can support the development of
BC. One idea that occurred to us was that I send a "Volunteer Alert" when
we're recruiting volunteers.  

Susan Spyker of Comox Valley is taking on the role of volunteer Librarian
for CUC for the BC region. Among other things, all of the books recommended
on the CUUL Program will be available for borrowing.  We are also looking
for a regional librarian for each of the other three regions. Fuller details
are at: http://www.cuc.ca/whos_who/volunteer_opportunities.htm

Volunteers will be reimbursed for postage to send materials out to borrowers
and borrowers will pay for the return postage. We expect to set up a system
whereby if there's a wait list, borrowers will send directly to the next
person on the list. 

So if you know someone with library and/or bookstore experience, who's
organized and good with details; comfortable with email and websites and has
space available either in the church or their home, please let them know of
this opportunity to serve. 

Sermon Series on the Web

http://www.cuc.ca/ministry/sermon_series/sermon_series.htm
<http://www.cuc.ca/ministry/sermon_series/sermon_series.htm> 

On Charles Eddis' initiative, CUC set aside space on our website to showcase
sermons that you might be willing to share with others.  Our lay-led
congregations often use these to either read or adapt.  And members of
congregations often enjoy reading them especially if parts are quoted or
referenced in other writings. 

We're writing an article on Communion - UU style for CanU - does anyone have
a sermon on Communion, you'd like to share?  Original words used as part of
a service including a UU communion (water, fire, flower, bread, maple syrup,
etc.) would also be very appreciated by the people discussing worship at
cuc-worship-discussion at yahoogroups.com
<mailto:cuc-worship-discussion at yahoogroups.com> .  

Rev. Phillip Hewett recently sent his sermon: The Plant That Needs Watering.

Here's a short excerpt: Last year a survey was published which not only
noted the extent to which church attendance has fallen continuously over the
years and is still falling, but also reported, perhaps paradoxically, that
at the same time more and more people are privately undertaking some sort of
spiritual discipline.  They felt a need, but didn't feel that church-going
would meet that need.

Brian Kiely's three-part sermon series on Islam: the Faith; the Fanatics and
the Future is posted. (By the way, in case you were wondering, the Council
On American-Islamic Relations Canada http://www.caircan.ca/
<http://www.caircan.ca/>  likes Little Mosque on the Prairie.  Here's an
excerpt from their press release:  

Ottawa, Canada - Jan. 9, 2006) The Canadian Council on American
Islamic-Relations (CAIR-CAN) welcomes CBC's new comedy, Little Mosque on the
Prairie. The sitcom, whose first episode was previewed by CAIR-CAN, takes a
humorous look at a rural mosque's congregation and their attempt to live in
harmony with other residents of their prairie town.
Intended for a broad Canadian audience, Little Mosque on the Prairie adds
depth and color to Canada's Muslims in a way that viewers have yet to see.

Want to Share?

You are invited to send a sermon to webweaver at cuc.ca
<mailto:webweaver at cuc.ca>  that you are willing to share with UU's through
having it read or printed for distribution (with you credited, of course, as
author). 

>From the Pulpit

You may have noticed that we have for some time had a full-page "From the
Pulpit" feature in CanU. We select and adapt a summary or lecture by a
professional minister for each issue and post the full-version on our
website. Usually, we include the Sunday sermon at the ACM and the Confluence
Lecture. So far, we have featured words from: John Baros-Johnson; Allison
Barrett; Peter Boullata; Ray Drennan; Charles Eddis; Steven Epperson; Carole
Martignacco; Wendy McNiven; Donna Morrison-Reed; and Susan van Dreser.

CanU previously had alternated between an ordained minister and a lay person
writing in a column called "Exploring Our Faith". The Testimony column now
tells a lay person's story each issue. 

Confluence Lecture at the ACM

This year's Confluence lecture will be on Saturday, 7:15 - 8:45 pm. Here's
the description:

C1. Confluence Lecture 2007

Presented this year by Rev. Christine Hillman.

"The "H" Word".  "Where do we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?"
These words from a chant sung by many, speak to the direction of this year's
Confluence Lecture.  Where does our religious tradition come from?  Who are
we now? And where are we going?

Christine is in the sixth year of her ministry at the historic Unitarian
Universalist Church of Olinda in Southwest Ontario, and on sabbatical from
January to early June.  A long time Unitarian Universalist, she currently
chairs the CUC Theological Education Funds Committee and has co-led the UU
History Module for religious educators in Canada.

On Saturday, 3:15 - 4:45 pm Peter Boullata will lead a workshop as a
follow-up to last year's Confluence Lecture.

B8.  Restless Unitarians

Eighteen thousand Canadians told Statistics Canada that they're Unitarian,
though we have only 6 .000 in our congregations. Twelve thousand potential
participants in our movement need to connect with you! Using the insights
from Reginald Bibby's latest study, "Restless Churches," in which the
Canadian sociologist of religion sees the emergence of a religious
renaissance, this workshop will explore ways our Unitarian and Universalist
congregations can be reaching out to Canadians already sympathetic to
Unitarianism. 

Rev. Peter Boullata is currently the interim minister with the Unitarian
Fellowship of Peterborough. 

Past Confluence Lectures can be found at: 

http://www.cuc.ca/ministry/index.htm#Ministers
<http://www.cuc.ca/ministry/index.htm#Ministers> 

ACM - Accommodation

If you are coming to Vancouver in May and haven't booked rooms yet, I
encourage you to do so. I'm told that approximately 25% of the rooms we have
reserved have now been booked.

I expect the following option will be popular at $179/night with up to 7
persons. 

GAGE TOWERS-TOWER SUITE 

Each suite with six bedrooms (one room with double bed and phone, five rooms
with single bed), washroom, lounge with TV, and fully-equipped kitchenette.
Maximum seven occupants per suite. Suite is sold at a flat rate regardless
of number of occupants. Located In Walter Gage Residence. 

Daily Housekeeping 

Equipped Kitchenette

High-Speed Internet Access at a daily rate 

In-Room Phone Service

Television

On-Site Services: Facsimile, Laundry, Safety Deposit Boxes, Luggage Storage

You can reach the link for the online form from:

http://www.cuc.ca/conference/2007/accommodation.htm

Take care,

Mary

Mary Bennett

Executive Director

mary at cuc.ca <mailto:mary at cuc.ca> 

CANADIAN UNITARIAN COUNCIL - CONSEIL UNITARIEN DU CANADA

018-1179A King Street West, Toronto ON M6K 3C5   1-888-568-5723  www.cuc.ca
<http://www.cuc.ca/> 

PS - CUC has workshops on conflict resolution; covenants; mission, vision
and long-term planning; financial stewardship; lifespan learning; worship
and lay chaplaincy.  Consider completing an initial request at:
http://www.cuc.ca/programs/index.htm <http://www.cuc.ca/programs/index.htm>
We'll get back to you within 2 working days. These sessions are provided
through funds from congregations' Annual Program Contributions and generous
donations from our Friends (www.cuc.ca/friends).