Program Guide

Let us celebrate the beauty of the earth, the bounty of our gardens, and the comfort of community. Let us celebrate moving our bodies to joyous music, and thereby filling our spirits. Circle Dance gatherings are held throughout the year, and the dances are drawn from many traditions and danced together in a circle. Everyone is welcome. Steps are simple and will be taught. There are no wrong steps, only variations.

Two offerings in the Meditation Room on Sunday mornings. Chi Gong runs from 9am to 9:45am, chanting to clear the organs and the chakras as originally taught by Dr. Steven Aung. Silent meditation follows from 10am to 10:45am. Both are facilitated by Victoria Oginski, who has led the group for nine years and has been a dedicated meditator for over 45. The approach is informed by Buddhist principles but universal in spirit. Everyone is welcome. There is no fee, though donations are welcome.

We are people who love to sing. Some of us are learning to read music, some have advanced music degrees, and what we share is the joy of making music together and a willingness to work hard at it. The repertoire is varied: our two formal concerts each year usually feature a major work, and our Sunday pieces follow the theme of the service. There are no formal auditions, though you may be asked to sing a little in private to find your range. Get in touch with David Buchan using the link below.

During this course we will be looking at what modern Paganism is (and isn’t), and how and why modern Pagans worship or celebrate. We will learn how to cast a circle, about the elements and directions, and about Pagan views of divinity. Some of the tools we will be using are dance, study, ritual, art, chanting, and meditation.

This course consists of nine sessions, each about 3 hours long with a short break. There is a variety of fun activities in each session.

The VanU Intercultural Team (ICT) works actively and collectively to foster intercultural learning and connection, and to strengthen VanU's commitment to celebrate diversity and dismantle colonialism and racism. We meet monthly for social and educational gatherings at VanU, lead forums, and organise outings to Indigenous, Black and People of Colour events in the city, among them galleries and museums, plays, restaurants, protest marches and cultural celebrations. The ICT meets in person on the second Sunday of the month at 12:30pm in the Lindsey-Priestley room. All are welcome.

These sessions are for newcomers seeking basic information about Unitarianism and our congregation. Join us after Sunday service in a warm, relaxed atmosphere for an introduction to the community here at VanU. The program will start at 12:30pm and end by 1:15pm.

Rev. Shawn welcomes Dr. Paula Flynn for a conversation about how we document our wishes for our end-of-life care. Dr. Flynn recently retired from family medicine, having worked primarily in community mental health. She has studied many aspects of advanced care planning and is dedicated to helping people have conversations about life transitions and end of life, guiding them in the necessary documentation.

The VanU Environment Team is a welcoming group committed to educating and involving members and the public on environmental issues and current initiatives, as well as developing green building initiatives at VanU, including overseeing VanU's Green Fund. The team is guided by the seventh principle of Unitarian Universalism, respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. We meet once a month to share information and coordinate actions. Open to all interested.

Earth Spirit turns the Wheel of the Year, offering public rituals for the eight sabbats: the solstices, the equinoxes and the cross quarter days. Gatherings have included maypole dancing for Beltane, a magical herb divination, circle dancing and walking the garden path labyrinth. Our events usually involve creating a sacred space to honour the four elements and directions, as well as the God and the Goddess and our spiritual centre. Everyone is welcome.

Get in touch using the link below.

Come celebrate the turning of the wheel of the year through community, dance, reflection and earth spirit ritual. In these spiritual gatherings, we deepen our connection with the rhythms of the earth, the sun and the moon.

The gatherings are community-led, and contributions to the gathering are appreciated. All financial donations are given to Vancouver Unitarians to support the work of the congregation.

All are welcome. Please register in advance using the link below. Send questions to earthspirit@vanu.ca

Join our practice of interactive "Theatre for Living" inspired exercises that explore the connections, tensions, and beauty in our shared humanity. No theatre experience necessary, all adults welcome! Wear comfortable clothes and be prepared for fun and insight. And remember: sometimes the best way to decide if something is for you is just to come and give it a whirl. For more information, contact us at tflpracticebc@gmail.com.

RSVP before noon on the Wednesday 3 days before each practice (no cost to participate). We will confirm by email to those attending on that Friday by noon.

The Vancouver Unitarians' Fourth Sunday Book Group meets after the Sunday service on the fourth Sunday of each month, except July and August. We meet at 12:30pm in the Family Room in the admin building, and online at vanu.ca/fourth-sunday-books. Everyone is welcome. Get in touch using the link below. If you are joining online, come back to the event page at the time of the meeting and you will see a join button.

GEM is an affinity group for IBPOC members and friends of VanU to meet and socialise. The group hosts regular gatherings, outings, and events. All IBPOC folks are welcome to join us.

If you’ve been attending VanU for a while and are feeling you’d like to deepen your relationship with the congregation, we invite you to consider becoming a member. To learn more about our congregation, our tradition’s history, and the rights and responsibilities of membership, please join us for our Starting Point workshop, from 1:00pm until 3:30pm, on one of the following Sundays: 27 September, 28 February, or 30 May. To register, get in touch using the link below.

This four-part series led by Rev. Shawn Gauthier will introduce the context and key ideas of 19th century Transcendentalism, inviting participants to reflect on how this movement still resonates today. There will be an expectation of reading a couple of chapter-length texts for each session to deepen our discussions.

Four consecutive Wednesday evenings, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm, beginning on September 30th. Register with link.

Between young adult years and midlife is a time when questions of identity and purpose surface. Space opens up for reflection about who we want to be, what kind of life we want to live, what brings joy, how we want to serve the community and how we want to live into our values.

Join this group of 35–50-year-olds for monthly discussions facilitated by Janet Pivnick. There will be opportunity to delve into questions of meaning, purpose and identity. Meet at the benches outside Hewett Centre at 12:20 to caravan to a local cafe for coffee/lunch.

Join us on any second Sunday of the month after coffee hour at 12:45 for an introduction to VanU's Meaning Making Circles. We will spend an hour together in our small group format facilitated by a member of our ministry team, delving into deep conversation on the theme of the month.

Small groups at VanU offer a way to go deep with 6-10 people, deepening your connections to each other, community, meaning, and spirituality. Come once to see what it's about, attend every month and see connections grow. Follow the button link below for information on the Meaning Making Project.

The Social Justice Team is hosting a forum to discuss the Apartheid Free Community Resolution, to be voted on at the upcoming November AGM.

Voluntary simplicity was a movement that encouraged people to turn from a life of “stuff” to a life of connection and meaning. With today’s digital lives, leading a simple life can feel both more necessary and more challenging.

This six week program, led by Janet Pivnick, is rooted in the Unitarian 4th and 7th principles (a search for meaning that respects the interdependent web). Each session will support participants in simplifying their lives through discussion, sharing of inspirational ideas and time for creative visioning. To register, get in touch using the link below.

A forum hosted by the VanU Environment Team, a welcoming group committed to educating and involving members and the public on environmental issues and current initiatives, as well as developing green building initiatives at VanU, including overseeing VanU's Green Fund. The team leads forums at VanU through the year and is open to all interested.

We invite you to gather at Vancouver Unitarians for our Breaking Bread community dinners, held monthly. New this year: dinners will be cooked onsite by a group of volunteers. If you love to cook together, come early! If you need to recharge and reconnect at the end of the week, simply come when you are able. Bring yourself, bring friends, bring family. This event is for all ages, with childcare staff present to help keep children engaged and safe throughout the evening.

RSVP at the link so we make the right amount of food, thank you!

Interested in watching the results of the US midterm elections in community with like-minded folk? Join us in Lindsey-Priestley.