First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa

Sunday, March 1st, 2020 - Sunday Sermon by Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch - So often we use the term “Christian” in a monolithic way, suggesting it refers to a uniform set of beliefs and practices. A few years ago when Rev. Pat searched the internet asking the question, “how many different kinds of Christians are there?”, the answer was 33,820. The most recent study from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon Conwell puts the number of Christian denominations and sects at 43,000. What is a "good" definition for the word Christian and where might Unitarians and Universalists fit into the spectrum?

Sunday, February 23rd, 2020 - CUC Sharing Our Faith "Drops Making Waves" Sermon by Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch - "Because he knew that, although he was just a drop in the bucket, enough drops in the bucket make a bucketful." From A Drop with a Dream by Rev Christopher Buice. Annually the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) encourages congregations to take up a special offering for the CUC Sharing Our Faith Fund, part of a program that provides funds for congregational initiatives. Last year such grants helped support UU summer camps, website development, accessibility renovations, increases in social media and outreach. Rev. Pat will reflect on the theme of one drop in the bucket making a difference, making waves you can say, when joined by other drops.

Sunday, February 16th, 2020 - by Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch - “Although our theological beliefs can be diverse, our covenant with one another and the love we bring to it tie us together in a common bond. . .We embrace our responsibility toward one another and the world at large. We encourage one another's search for truth and meaning.” (from Love Connects Us by UU Curriculum authors, Michelle Richards and Lynn Ungar) Rev. Pat will reflect on our Unitarian Universalist heritage of love.

Sunday, February 9th, 2020 - "Coming of Age Credo Service: Respect" by FirstU COA Youth with Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch Since the Fall of 2018, two of our FirstU youth have been following a UU Coming of Age (COA) that will culminate in today's service. They have planned the service with Rev. Pat and here we hear one of their credo statements. A credo is defined as "a statement of beliefs or aims which guide someone's actions."

Sunday, February 2nd, 2020 - by Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch - As a little UU girl, Rev. Pat was taught that everyone was part of the human family, that all should be respected. How can it be that we separate out certain people from the rest of the pack, the rest of the human family, and call them "other." Who after all is a “they” and not an “us”? As Black History month commences this February, Rev. Pat considers the idea of "the other."

Sunday, January 26th, 2020 - by Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch - Rev. Pat recalls being asked once, “Why do Unitarian Universalists pray?” Interesting question... How would you respond? Do you pray or meditate? What sort of meaning does this practice hold for you? Join Rev. Pat as she explores a UU understanding of prayer.

January 19, 2020 - Sunday Sermon by Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch and The Right Relations Team - We acknowledge that our campus is located on unceded, traditional Algonquin Territory and that all Canadians have treaty responsibilities

January 12, 2020 - Sunday Sermon by Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch - Over the next few months, Rev. Pat will present a series exploring traditions of spirituality and mysticism across many different traditions. Before looking to other traditions, why not start with Unitarian Universalist Mysticism? In 1937, the President of the American Unitarian Association, Louis Cornish, declared that "We belong among the mystics." Agree? Disagree? Come find out what Rev. Pat has to say.

January 5th, 2019 - Sunday Message by Deirdre Kellerman - Drawing on a sermon given at the 2006 General Assembly by Rev. Gail R. Geisenhainer, this service will allow us to acknowledge the messy nature of learning and working together. How do we keep moving forward in community and covenant?

December 29, 2019 - Sunday Sermon by Rev. Ellen Bell - A new year is celebrated in many different ways and at many different times around the world. What's it all about and where is the spirituality?

December 22, 2019 - Sunday Sermon by Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch - For the ancients in the Northern Hemisphere, winter was a time of mystery, magic, and fear of what the future might hold. What creatures were out there shrouded by snow and darkness? Will the sun return and the storehouses be replenished? In their myths, there is evidence they were aware of sun depravation's effects on mental health. Yet, winter was also a time of festivals and feasts. At this time of the Winter Solstice, "the longest night," how might we in this age cultivate a spirit for weathering the winter?

December 15, 2019 - Sunday Sermon by Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch - "Give me the strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is." (Black Elk/Heȟáka Sápa, b.1863-d.1950, an Ogala Lakota holy man from the U.S.) "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes but in seeing with new eyes." (Marcel Proust, b.1871-d.1922, writer) As the children will be walking the Advent Spiral downstairs in the NOW Room during the service, let us reflect upon the ancient contemplative and healing practice of walking the path of a labyrinth.

December 8th, 2019 - Remembering Polytechnique - Sunday Message by Rev. Patricia Haresch and members of the Men's Breakfast Group This Sunday we celebrate our FirstU tradition of the Mitten Tree, "decorating the tree" with donations to the Snowsuit Fund. We also recognized members who have joined recently. And here our Rev. Patrician Guthmann Haresch is joined by members of the Men's Breakfast Group to name and recognize the lives of the 15 female victims of the École Polytechnique massacre, 30 years ago on December 6th, 1989.

December 1st, 2019 - Advent Sunday: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Renew Holiday Giving - Sunday Sermon by Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch Years ago there was a book called, "Unplug the Christmas Machine." Ever feel that way - that you just want to dial down the holiday season? This holiday season, let us consider some other ways of giving that may be friendlier to the Earth, ourselves, and our loved ones.

November 24th, 2019 - Don't Wait for the Woodcutter: On Being Your Own Hero/Heroine - Sunday Sermon by Rev. Patricia Gutmann Haresch During a ministers' retreat years ago, Rev. Pat with a small group of colleagues were given the task of together weaving the story of Little Red Riding Hood into a homily that could be used in a Sunday morning service. A series of three sermons resulted, each focusing on different characters/personalities in the story. Are we waiting for a Woodcutter to bring us a happy ending to our own story, or might we have it within to be our own hero/heroine?

November 17th, 2019 - Experts tell us music is as old as humanity itself and found in every culture on earth. Somehow music is hardwired into the core of our being and essential to our existence. We instinctively know how music and song lyrics make us feel, but how does music and particularly song make a difference as we put our UU principles into practice? Using historical and recent examples, this talk explores how the power of song can unite minds and spirits to help influence and inspire hope in our quest for justice and societal change.

November 10th, 2019 - Imagine it is 2024. Imagine what it will be like at First U in 5 years. Will we be feeling effects of climate change? How will changes in technology and transportation be impacting our society? What will "church" look like in 2024? During this Sunday's service we will share together our hopes for the future. To prepare for this special service, please take the time to consider even write a description of a peak moment you have experienced at First U that make a difference in your life. A time when you felt particularly alive, involved, connected, engaged. A time when you felt affirmed about your decision to be at First U. When did it occur? What were you doing? Who was involved and how? How did it start and end? What happened? What factors in you and/or others made this experience possible? We will begin our appreciative inquiry with these reflections.

November 3rd, 2019 - The story of David and Goliath, of the small young man subduing the giant, can be found in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim sacred writings. Many a sermon has centered on the metaphoric meaning of the five smooth stones David brought in his shepherd's pouch along with his staff and slingshot to overtake the almost 10-foot Goliath. Our Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch explores: What are the five smooth stones that we as UU's have in our back pockets to confront the larger-than-life challenges in our own world and society?

October 27th, 2019 - "Man's Search for Meaning" is a 1946 book by Viktor Frankl chronicling both his Nazi concentration camp experiences as well as his psychotherapeutic method based on the premise that finding meaning is a primary motivational force in our lives. As we approach All Souls' Eve (Halloween) and All Souls' Day, let us reflect upon those we have lost and loved and the meaning of our own lives.

October 20th, 2019 - The story of Adam and Eve has been ubiquitous over the years in art, literature, comedy, and theatre where women are portrayed as wily temptresses rendering men defenceless (and blameless). Our Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch asks: What might the original author(s) of the story intended? What innovations did the author(s) make to the older underlying stories and why? What inferences did the people of the time make when they heard these stories? What new understandings might we gain about the story's message about humanity's "proper place" in Creation?

October 13th, 2019 - What is Grace? Philosopher and theologian Paul Tillich suggests that “Grace strikes us when. . .we walk through the dark valley of a meaningless and empty life. . . It strikes us when, year after year, the longed-for perfection of life does not appear. . . Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness, and it is as though a voice were saying: “You are accepted.” On this Sunday before Thanksgiving, our Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch will reflect with gratitude on unbid and unexpected gifts.

October 6th, 2019 - On this "Pledge Sunday" we begin our pledge campaign for the coming year. As part of her sermon, Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch reads from a Dedication Address for the new church building of the First Unitarian Church of Buffalo, N.Y. on October 13, 1880

September 29, 2019 - This year Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sunset on Sep 29 and ends at sunset on October 1. The holiday marks the beginning of a 10-day period known as the “Days of Awe” or “High Holidays.” For Jews this is a time of self-reflection, forgiveness, prayer and introspection. The shofar, typically a ram's horn, is blown at Rosh Hashanah services to signal the New Year, but is also a sort of spiritual wake up call. Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch will reflect on being spiritually awake.

September 22, 2019 - In this first of a series focussed on Unitarian perspectives on the Bible, our Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch will answer, "Why the Bible?" Unitarian Universalism draws upon many sources including wisdom from Jewish and Christian teachings. The European Unitarian and Universalist movements grew out of an era of Protestant Revolutions, when the Bible was more widely distributed and read leading educated and common folk alike to question the doctrines of the Church. What they found in the Bible wasn’t necessarily what was being taught or demonstrated through the words and deeds of the Church.

September 15, 2019 - Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch reflects on the notion of all of us being part of a great cosmic dance. Not just as bystanders, but as partners and co-creators.

September 8, 2019 - Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch presents a reading of "Old Turtle" by by Douglas Wood "A man should treat all creatures in the world as he himself would like to be treated." (Sutrakritinga Sutra, circa 5th Century B.C.) When a people lose sight of an old truth, perhaps an old turtle and a child can help restore the knowledge once shared. All ages are welcome to gather together for our first "official" Sunday of the new congregational year and hear a telling of Douglas Wood's "Old Turtle and the Broken Truth."

September 1, 2019 - Sermon by Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch - We might speak as though being concerned about our carbon footprint, or how we impact or damage the world around us, are new ideas. But, concepts like “The Golden Rule” and “do no harm” have been asserted in philosophical and religious traditions for thousands of years - none more intense than in Jainism, an ancient religion that pre-dates and gave rise to Buddhism. Jainism is concerned with the welfare of all living beings and organisms, not just humans.

Aug 18, 2019 - Guest speakers from the 2SLGBTQ+ community will share their stories and experiences for Ottawa Pride Week!

Aug 11, 2019 - Loneliness is the unspoken reality for many of us at some point in our lives and/or right now. It can become a mental health issue. How can we understand the complexities of loving as a human need and a process, which can be a part of our spiritual journeys? Linda Goonewardene is one of two Community Ministers affiliated with First. In 2002, she graduated from Drew Seminary in Madison, New Jersey. Since 2013, Linda has worked as a Family Counsellor with Rideauwood Addictions and Family Services.

The average human takes 20,000 breaths per day, every day, no matter what is going on in our lives our breath comes and goes. Breath sustains us physically and mentally. Can it also support our spiritual growth? In all spiritual traditions, breath plays a central role both in metaphor and practice. Does our breath make us living souls? How does breath connect us to Spirit? What breathes life into you and me? Lisa Boulay, RP (Registered Psychotherapist), recently retired, and a UU member since March 2018. In her 20 years as a counsellor working in the addiction and recovery field, she has used the breath to help clients heal physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

July 28, 2019 - Those mysterious, troubling Big Questions..... maybe Google knows? Not quite, but it can certainly assist- some personal reflections on the revolutionary ability of the internet to help us find truth. John Scott-Thomas has a Ph.D. in physics and has spent half his working life in research, and half in the corporate world. When not chasing down his kids, he enjoys the music of Bach, and studying philosophy and the world's religions.

July 21, 2019 by Nancy Rubinstein and Lorna Erickson-Fraser What does an atheist mean when she says she prays? Prayer is relational, a conversation, but with whom? Most Unitarians are uncomfortable with the concept of a traditional god. Let's ponder together another way. Nancy Rubinstein, a member of the UUFO, is a storyteller. She and her husband, Dan, co-authored the book 'Railroad of Courage' and a second book which will be published soon. Lorna Erickson-Fraser, a member of the UUFO, has always loved her life of learning including being a mother, a social worker and a student of Carl Jung.

Former MP and current CUC Board Member Hon. John Reid will speak about a few “knowledge revolutions” we have gone through in our lifetimes, their impact on individuals, organizations, governments and nation states and the limits of our ability of to cope with many of these changes. When you think of the we had when we came of age inherited assumptions, the rapid changes in their validity, the resulting loss of stability in our world as our assumptions were upset, it is no wonder many are unable to make sense of this world. John will propose approaches we should take to lessen the deterioration of our democracy.

June 30, 2019 - Sunday Message by Chuck Shields Canadian Unitarian Council Vice President Chuck Sheilds discusses the future plans of the CUC as it relates to our own First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa

Today's message comes from guest speaker Claudette Commanda - a Knowledge Keeper and Elder of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation. What are the fundamental principles of restorative justice; what does restorative justice mean for First Nation communities and individuals? Justice must be understood from a spiritual and cultural sense in order to fully appreciate the essence, the importance and the use of restorative justice for First Nation people. Restorative justice is about healing and (re)connection with creation, ceremony and land. What role do Canadians have in restorative justice?

Rev. Pat gets us all ready to enjoy the summer with a short-but-sweet homily on "Being Present" before the congregation heads out to enjoy sunshine, food and fellowship together at FUCO's Spring Picnic.

Today we celebrate Fred and Bonnie Cappuccino. In 1953, Fred, first a Methodist minister than a Unitarian minister, and Bonnie, a student nurse, fell in love, married and started a family. Conscious of world overpopulation, they chose to have two children born to them and adopt one or two more, ending up adopting 19 children from around the world. In 1985, they established Child Haven International, a non-profit that assists destitute children and women. Child Haven has helped thousands of children, and has grown to include eight separate homes in Nepal, Tibet, India and Bangladesh. Fred also received the Order of Canada in 1996.

Several years ago, Rev. Pat’s oldest sister sent her a blog post entitled, “I'm Christian, unless you're gay.” The writer noted he really wasn't writing about homosexuality or about Christians. He was writing about when well-intentioned folk, it could be any one of us, feel justified in abandoning loving-kindness because of who someone is. We aspire in our lives to live out our UU principles of compassion and acceptance. Yet, can we think of anyone, any groups we might list in the following blank: “I am a loving, compassionate Unitarian Universalist, unless you are a ______”?

Today we celebrate Fred and Bonnie Cappuccino. In 1953, Fred, first a Methodist minister than a Unitarian minister, and Bonnie, a student nurse, fell in love, married and started a family. Conscious of world overpopulation, they chose to have two children born to them and adopt one or two more, ending up adopting 19 children from around the world. In 1985, they established Child Haven International, a non-profit that assists destitute children and women. Child Haven has helped thousands of children, and has grown to include eight separate homes in Nepal, Tibet, India and Bangladesh. Fred also received the Order of Canada in 1996.

Let us celebrate both the Unitarian Flower Communion service originated by Rev. Norbert Capek (1870-1942) that reminds us of the unity that flows through us within our diversity. We will also celebrate this month's anniversary of the Buddha's birth, marked as well by flower festivals and rituals of new beginnings around the world.

Sometimes it can take so little to be hurt or hurt someone else. We may even build a wall of protection around a hurt that makes it more and more difficult to dismantle over the years. Everett Worthington, who has researched forgiveness and endured coming to terms with his own mother's murder, likens unforgiveness to a dragon protecting a hoard. Join Rev. Pat in considering how we might transform this hurtful hoard into a treasure.

Rev. Patricia Guthmann Haresch has members of the congregation read excerpts in character from "The Faith Club: Common Themes in Christianity, Islam, Judaism". This highly recommended book is by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner, t...

The Case of Mother Earth vs. World’s People (Earth Day Service) To celebrate Earth Day, Rev. Pat with a troupe of First U actors will present an adapted version of Doug Stewart's entertaining and enlightening play, "Mother Earth vs. World's People." The complaint being that the people acted "in ways to cause [Mother Earth] grievous personal harm and limit her inherent civil rights to a fruitful existence." As the trial judge notes, "a serious charge, indeed!"

In their books, theologian Rita Nakashima Brock and the Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, the former president of the Unitarian Universalist Starr King School for the Ministry, discovered for most of their first 1000 years, early Christians didn't focus on the resurrection of Jesus. Rita and Rebecca found that Jesus’s teachings and the practices of the early church affirmed life in THIS world as the place of salvation. Let us consider a life affirming message on this Easter Sunday.

Rev. Ndagijimana served the Unitarian church of Bujumbura in Burundi for 14 years. The congregation got very involved in social justice work and was noticed by the brutal regime in Bujumbura. The congregation was attacked with grenades and bullets, Rev. Ndagijimana was kidnapped, jailed and tortured and was only able to escape with a tremendous pressure of UUs around the world. When he was temporarily released, he escaped from Burundi and found his way to Canada after a brief stay in Rwanda.

Rev. Pat continues her "Wounded Word" series. Tied for third among the most common words noted was the word "church." Church has four current definitions within Christianity: a building for worship; a congregational or denominational organization/assembly of people; all Christian assemblies and people as a whole; congregational governance. How does this word fit or not fit for us at First U?

Rev. Pat continues her "Wounded Word" series. The third most common words noted were "religion" and "church." What came to Rev. Pat's mind was the Dance of the Seven Veils featured in Tom Robbins' novel, Skinny Legs and All. With each veil dropped, another truth is revealed. When the fourth veil dropped, a Robbins character reflects that “longing for the Divine is intrinsic in Homo sapiens. . . enlarging our souls and lighting up our brains. . . Religion is nothing but institutionalized mysticism. The catch is, mysticism does not lend itself to institutionalization.” Does organized religion and/or Unitarian Universalism help to broaden or diminish the mystical impulse?

Sunday Sermon on "The Celtic and Pagan Crossover" by our Rev. Pat Haresch

Sunday Sermon on Gods and Goddesses by our Rev. Pat Haresch

The Canadian Unitarian and Universalist Women's Association (CUUWA) invites all Canadian congregations to celebrate International Women's Day. Our guest speaker, Ketty Nivyabandi mobilized women to protest against her country's goverment. Burundi, leading her to flee from persecution to Canada. As a refugee, Ketty continues to be a voice for peace and rule of law in her country and regularly speaks on human rights, refugee issues, and the intimate effects of conflict on women’s lives globally. She works with the Advocacy and Media team at the Nobel Women’s Initiative. She will share her own story with us this Sunday.

Our Rev. Pat harsh ponders... How often do we speak of salvation among Unitarian Universalists these days? Seldom, if ever. However, this word was one of the most frequently mentioned when Rev. Pat asked people to submit "wounded words." What might "salvation" mean to or for UUs today?