Note: The first Sunday of every month is a potluck.

After the service, we get together downstairs for a potluck lunch.

On the other Sundays, please join us for coffee and tea after the service.

Services begin at 10:30 AM.

March 2010

March 7, The Bible and Fundamentalism – Rev. Brian Kiely

Most of us ignore the Bible. Partly it's because of the oppressive and negative messages pounded out by those who insist that the Bible is factual, without error and full of literal magic. In this service we will consider how the Fundamentalists have misunderstood the way the Bible was written and have compounded that error with unsupportable doctrine.

Brian Kiely is the minister for the Unitarian Church of Edmonton.

This is potluck Sunday

March 14, The Sacred Feminine – Panel

The Sacred Feminine has many faces and much symbolism. Many cultures have female icons and imagery that are revered; energy is drawn from this reverence to influence the everyday world. How does the feminine add balance to our world and how can our lives be enhanced by connecting with this force? Panellists will share with us how the feminine is reclaiming her role as spiritual guide and intellectual cause célèbre.

March 21, Reflections on The Religious Case Against Belief – Carl Von Baeyer

Belief systems are wilfully closed and certain, and are the enemy of religions, which are so open to debate, uncertainty, and reinterpretation that it takes thousands of years for these discussions to run their course. In his 2008 book, theologian James P. Carse explains how the essence of religion is poetry or mystery or a higher form of ignorance rather than a didactic set of claims or beliefs.

March 28, Necessary Losses – Ann Coxworth

In a recent Peanuts cartoon, Charlie Brown's little sister tells him she thinks she has discovered the secret of life: "You just hang around until you get used to it," she says. Judith Viorst's analysis in her 1982 book, Necessary Losses, is a bit more challenging. She suggests that in order to become a mature human and to gain wisdom about life, one must accept – and perhaps even embrace – the inevitability of loss.

February 2010

February 7, Buddhist Mind Training – Heather Moody (Damchoe Wangmo)

Buddhist mind training takes many forms: calm abiding meditation, visualization, working with slogans, etc. All these are focused on bringing the practitioner into a clearer experience of their mind and on transforming negative emotions into wisdom. Heather is a Buddhist nun originally from Saskatoon. She is currently a graduate student of Tibetan Buddhism at Ngagyur Nyingma Institute in India. She is a translator of Buddhist texts.
This is potluck Sunday

Februrary 14, Take the Railroad from Midnight to Dawn – Mary–Anne Parker–McInnis

Many of us have heard the story of the underground railroad and Harriet Tubman. Now we take the time to celebrate the courageous actions of ordinary people who, through an intricate web of codes and decisive action, defied a law they felt was unjust. Stories, reflections and songs remind us of the incredible strength forged from simple, defiant action.
Intergenerational Service

Feb 21, Made in Canada: Clarity, Complexity, Compassion – Antonia Won

John Ralston Saul claims Canadians have a history that has been ignored but which we ought to be proud of in his recent book, 'A Fair Country.' We'll explore how this heritage can be a source of inspiration in negotiating today's complex world as Canadians and as Unitarians.

February 28, It's About Time – Panelists

Time flies - Time to kill - I don't have time - Passing time - Using time well. How does the passage of time shape our lives? Does time feel like a burden, or like a scarce resource?