Everyone is welcome to join fellow congregants and your new Board for conversation, socializing and just plain old connection. We look forward to seeing you there!
Office Closed Monday for Victoria Day Holiday
Our Church Office will be closed on Monday, May 22nd, for the Victoria Day Holiday. Janni will be available by phone (604-926-1621) and email the rest of the week, and physically present in the office Tuesday through Thursday (working from home on Friday).
CUC AGM
The CUC AGM will take place on Friday, May 19th at 10am (Pacific Time). We are entitled to four voting delegates at the CUC annual meeting.
Jonathan Fountain, on our behalf, registered four volunteers as delegates: Brian Funt, Barb Kroon, Kit To, and Linda Vance.
There are three motions, and a budget proposal. At this time, we are likely to vote in favor of the three motions, as amended in April.
We feel that the budget, however, needs the clarification of approach and details that we anticipate when presented at the AGM. We felt it important to update members on the motions under consideration.
What follows is my (Linda Vance's) brief summary. I welcome your feedback or questions:
1. Motion to amend current (2020) bylaws. The amendments include updating to include provision for digital meeting access, clarification of language, an enhanced description of board Treasurer and Secretary duties, and opens the possibility of hiring a treasurer (unlike all other Trustees who serve as unpaid volunteers).
2. Motion of CUC Goals and Strategic priorities. While the initial draft was somewhat problematic, given that there was only one area of social justice, three are now identified — living into the first principle, environmental justice, and refugee support. Please read motion 2 for details.
3. CUC Doctrine of Discovery Motion, as updated 4/23. "The CUC formally repudiates the Doctrine of Discovery, and urges its members to do the same." The motion endorses a) formal CUC repudiation and addition of CUC to the list of faith organizations that have already done so; b) CUC advocacy for [unspecified] legislative consistent with repudiation.
Should you wish to attend as an observer, or read through the motions in their entirety, you’ll find more information here.
AGM: Sunday, May 28th at 12:15pm
Our Annual General Meeting will be held at 12:15pm on Sunday, May 28th. Notice Packets were distributed to Members on Wednesday, May 17th.
If you are a Member of NSUC and did not receive the Notice Packet, please contact Janni in the Church Office or access the packet in the Member area of our website.
Note that Zoom will be available for viewing only. Voting will ONLY be done in person or by proxy. (Zoom participants will need to arrange for voting by proxy with someone who is attending the meeting in person). Zoom participants will also not be able to speak at the meeting.
Access the Proxy form HERE or in the Notice Packet.
Special thanks to Dianne Hicks for providing sandwiches after the service and before the AGM.
Adiemus Choir Concert at NSUC: 7pm Sat. June 3
You’re invited to our Adiemus Choir Concert, featuring members of our Vox Lumina Choir and guests. This concert will be held in the Sanctuary of the North Shore Unitarian Church. Soloists include:
Diana Diaz (Soprano)
Evelyn Natacha (Mezzo Soprano)
Kathy Griffin (Tenor)
Pavol Simoncic (Bass)
Purchase $25 tickets from choir members or the Church Office. Proceeds beyond expenses will be donated to Family Smart (one of the local mental health non-profits we are collecting for in memory of Dani/Maiken Cooper).
Contact Alison Nixon or the Church Office with questions.
Annual Report Deadline: May 14th
The deadline for contributing annual reports is Sunday, May 14th. If you are the chair of a Committee, Team, or Task Force, please turn your annual report in by then. (Contact Janni for details).
Please slow down when exiting our parking lot
Neighbours complain that cars go FAR too quickly when exiting our property. Please remember that we are in a residential area with neighbours and their children and pets. We want to be respectful in driving at a safe speed.
Also: please exit via Lawson Ave, NOT using the one-way entrance that leads into our property.
Nominate a Volunteer Now through April 17th
We appreciate our volunteers! Each Spring, we collect nominations for our annual Volunteer Appreciation Awards. Nominate an outstanding volunteer online HERE or use the paper forms on the foyer table by April 17th. We will recognize this year’s outstanding volunteers during a service in May or June.
March 19, 2023: celebrating 56 years!
On March 19, 1967, our church officially began. One hundred sixteen people signed the Membership book as “Founding Members” — and the group filed the paperwork with the Province of BC to officially organize themselves as a non-profit organization. Fifty-six years later, we’re still here!
Join us in the Fireside Room this Sunday (March 19, 2023) following the service and Spirit Zones. We’ll have cake, along with coffee and tea, to celebrate another milestone for our church.
Sunday, April 23rd: Soup & Youth Fundraising event
Sunday April 23 is Soup day! Please come chow down on soup following the service on Sunday, April 23rd. Proceeds will help send NSUC youth to the national Con (CanUUdle) in Ottawa at the end of May. Anyone wishing to contribute a soup, please don’t be shy.
A second youth fundraising activity will happen on this same day. Did you know that young women in the developing world walk, on average, 6km a day to bring water back to the village? To better understand how that feels, our two Ottawa-bound youth (and two advisors) will each walk 6km carrying five gallons of water on their heads (or possibly on their backs). You can pledge a few shekels to this effort too if you wish.
There’ll be an announcement at the beginning of the service as the water-walkers set out, and we’ll send around a basket.
Thanks in advance.
~ Bruce Grierson, Youth Advisor