As we begin a new congregational year, our theme invites us to ask: How will we nourish each other? In September, we begin with belonging: How do we nourish welcome and homecoming? Why do we come home?

For our service on Sunday, September 13th, we’ll celebrate our beloved annual Water Communion. You’re invited to bring a small vial of water from a place that nourished you this summer—a river, lake, ocean, favourite swimming spot, or simply a place where you felt renewed and at home.

Together, we’ll mingle our waters and reflect on the ways water connects, nourishes, and carries us home. When have you felt nourished by water? Bring a little water and the story it holds.

September 6th - Pride parade

September 13th - The River Remembers: When have you been nourished by water?

September 20th - Nourishment: How do we nourish each other?

September 27th - The Land Nourishes: How do we nourish the land?

The CU Board is considering renting the lower level of Wickenden to a Before and After School care program called “Next Kids”. They would rent the downstairs classrooms 1-4 during the week from 6:00am-6:00pm. After those hours the programs booked in any of those rooms would still continue as planned as Next Kids will clean up and put away their tables and chairs at the end of each day. It would be a wonderful opportunity to have our classrooms utilized, we would generate income and we would have parents and children from the outside community coming to Calgary Unitarians on a daily basis. We have discussed this proposal with the Children’s Religious Education program director and also CYPT to ensure their interests are being considered. They have given their approval in principle. If you have any questions or concerns please see Lillias C.

Looking to join something new? Or perhaps rejoin after taking a well-deserved break? Whether you are brand new or returning for the twentieth year in a row, we are excited to have you at the Calgary Unitarians Choirs! 

If you are interested in joining or if you want to dip your toe in the water just a little, take a look through this interest form. There you will find descriptions of our choirs as well as other ways you can support the music ministry of this church if you feel so inclined! Whatever it is you choose to do, or however you choose to support, we will be so happy to have you with us!

https://calgaryunitarians.breezechms.com/form/Choir

Join the Calgary Pride Parade, Sept 6:

Our Unitarian Universalist parade crew is coming together, and we want you in the mix—whether you're brainstorming sign ideas, or simply planning to show up on the day and walk with your congregation. This group chat is our joyful hub for everything Pride: coordinating meet-up spots, sharing what to bring, and building excitement together. No role is too big or too small—if you're showing up, you're part of the team! Click below to join the CU Pride 2026 group chat. 

The Calgary Co-op gift card team is organized and is ready to start selling cards as a church fundraiser for 2026-2027. The team consists of Jared Prysanka, Yulia Petryashina, and Wendy Benson. 

How the Fundraiser works

For every dollar gift card you order, you will receive that face value of gift cards and Calgary Co-op will return 5% or 6% of the gift card value back to our community. For example, if you buy $500 of gift cards, Calgary Coop returns $25 or $30 to our community and you have $500 to spend at Calgary Co-op. 

You can buy groceries, prescriptions, gas or alcohol with the Co-op Gift Cards. 

Your everyday purchases helps Calgary Unitarians reach our fundraising goals!

Order Deadline: Friday, September 4, 4 pm

Pickup on Sunday, September 13

Complete these 3 steps: 

1) ORDER/PLEDGE - deadline is Friday, September 4, 4pm.  Email your order to coopcards@calgaryunitarians.ca
Tell us:  a) amount of order, b) denomination for cards  (lowest is $5), and c) type of card: regular (groceries, gas, prescriptions) and/or liquor.  

2)  TO PAY:  Before you can get your Coop Card(s) you must pay for them. Send an e-transfer with your pledge amount to Unitarian Church of Calgary, e-transfer@calgaryunitarians.ca. Identify "Co-op Cards" in the Message section.   

3)  PICKUP:    The cards will be available for distribution at the church on Sunday, September 13, 

Can’t pick up Co-op cards from the church? The Co-op Card team can help make alternate arrangements to receive your cards.

2026-27 Co-op Card order deadlines (about every 6 weeks):

18-Oct-26

29-Nov-26

17-Jan-27

28-Feb-27

11-Apr-27

23-May-27

6-Jul-27

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? Contact the Co-op Card Team.

Do you love books and meaningful conversation? Rev. Samaya is looking for a small group of readers to help shape this year’s CU Reads program.

Our first congregational read is already chosen: the UUA Common Read, Love at the Center: Unitarian Universalist Theologies. Together, we’ll explore how this book can enrich our congregational life and decide how we’d like to engage with it through discussions, worship connections, study guides, or other creative possibilities.

The group will also help select two additional books for Calgary Unitarians to read together during the 2026–2027 church year. We’re looking for people who enjoy reading, sharing ideas, and helping create opportunities for learning and connection within our community.

You don’t need to be a literary expert—just someone who is curious, thoughtful, and interested in helping shape our shared reading journey.

If you’d like to be part of the CU Reads planning group, please contact Rev. Samaya. We’ll gather this fall to begin dreaming, reading, and planning together.

As we begin a new congregational year, Community Dinners are continuing as a weekly opportunity to gather, eat, and connect.
Join Rev. Samaya on Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm in Wickenden for a relaxed community potluck. There will always be a pot of vegan or vegetarian soup to share, and you’re welcome to bring something if you’d like—and you don’t need to bring anything at all. Come as you are!

Community Dinners are a chance to slow down, share a meal, have meaningful conversations, and get to know one another beyond Sunday mornings. Whether you’re a longtime member, a newer face, or simply curious to connect, there’s a place for you at the table.
Come for the soup. Stay for the conversation. Help us nourish one another—body, mind, and spirit.

We look forward to gathering around the table with you!

Summer Has Arrived – Here’s What You Need to Know

With the arrival of summer, our garden is once again being enjoyed by children, families, and gardeners. In the past at this time of year, we have also seen the return of individuals using the garden as a temporary campsite. While we recognize the challenges faced by those experiencing houselessness and want to respond with compassion, we must also ensure the safety of our community.

What We Are Doing

• Securing the garden: Temporary locks are on both gates. The combination will be shared with those who need access.
• Managing unattended belongings: Items left in the garden will be moved outside the gate with notice that unattended belongings may be removed in the future.

If you use the garden, please be aware of this situation. If you suspect someone is camping in the garden, contact the Alpha House HELP (Human-Centred Engagement Liaison and Partnership) Team at 403-805-7388 and complete a CU Incident Report Form.

If someone is in immediate distress, call 9-1-1 first, then leave a message for our Office Administrator that you have done so by calling 403-276-2436.

Thank you for helping us keep our garden a safe, welcoming, and compassionate space for all.

Curious about the Alberta Referendum? Have questions, thoughts, or simply want to better understand what’s on the horizon? Join Calgary Unitarians for a relaxed evening of conversation, reflection, and fellowship.

Whether you have lots to say, lots to ask, or would rather listen and learn, everyone is welcome. Come share a little, listen a little, and connect with one another in a welcoming space.

Join us on Sunday, August 30th at the Sunday service or on Monday, September 21st at 7 pm in Wickenden Hall here at Calgary Unitarians.

We hope you’ll join us!

It’s that time again! Here’s the opportunity you’ve been waiting for if you want to help shape the future of UUism in Canada.

Based on our winter webinars and conversations, the Ecosystem Project (aka “Activating the Canadian UU Ecosystem”) has identified four areas for deeper conversation. 

Each event will bring together people with lived experience, congregational or community leadership experience, and academic or subject expertise for a lively conversation. 

Beyond simply attending these sessions, if any of these topics ignites your passion, please join our planning team to share your ideas and help craft the event.  (Contact info below.)

• A Theology for this Moment - Sept 26, 2026
  10 am pacific / 11 am mountain / 12 noon central / 1 pm eastern / 2 pm atlantic  How is UU theology adapting to the needs of this moment? What aspects of our tradition  will help us respond to uncertainty, ecological crisis, and rapid social change? What do we have that we can share with the wider world?
  Contact: Karen Fraser Gitlitz, kfrasergitlitz@gmail.com
• Shared Leadership through Sociocracy - Oct 24, 2026
  10 am pacific / 11 am mountain / 12 noon central / 1 pm eastern / 2 pm atlantic
  Explore collaborative governance models that distribute leadership, foster participation, and strengthen decision-making within congregations and organizations. Learn how Sociocratic practices can help communities become more resilient, inclusive, and responsive to change.
  Contact: Robyn Newton, robyn.newton.mail@gmail.com
• Engaging Youth and Young Adults, Including Thriving Congregations that Welcome and Support Trans and Queer Youth and Young Adults - Nov 28. 2026
  10 am pacific / 11 am mountain / 12 noon central / 1 pm eastern / 2 pm atlantic   Many of our UU communities are reporting an increase in youth and young adults, particularly those who identify as trans and queer. What are thriving UU congregations doing to garner this attraction? Together, we’ll consider how congregations can create cultures where trans and queer youth and young adults are not only welcomed but empowered to thrive.
  Contact: Robyn Newton, robyn.newton.mail@gmail.com
• Meeting the Spiritual Needs of Coming Generations - Dec 12, 2026
  10 am pacific / 11 am mountain / 12 noon central / 1 pm eastern / 2 pm atlantic   Hear from experts on societal trends and learn about strategies other faith groups are taking. Investigate how changing cultural patterns are shaping the ways younger generations seek connection, purpose, community, and spiritual growth. Learn from current research, emerging trends, and innovative approaches to imagine the future of spiritual communities.

Contact: Rev. Rosemary Morrison, rmorrison@uuma.org

We invite you to join us to ignite and build these conversations, and help lay the groundwork for a thriving and sustainable UU community. If you would like to join in the planning and co-ordination, please reach out to the contact above for more information. 

Thank you, and we look forward to you joining us on our shared journey.

Save the Date! Fall Faire 2026 is September 19, 2026 from 10am - 3pm in Wickenden Hall. We will have local artisans, some returning and some new, tarot readings and Huggabowl will be onsite with their new food cart. We are also hosting non-profits who are building community here in Moh'kinsstis(Calgary). Come by, visit with friends old & new, support your local economy and build community. 

Calling all makers and bakers!  For this year's Fall Faire we are looking to reaise some cash for the church and need your help!  If you have some handmade arts/crafts or are a baker and would like to help fill the CU table please talk to Jen Allore.  There is limited space available, so please talk to Jen by September 5th, 2026

The CU Fall Faire 2026 is going to be here before you know it! Have some stuff cluttering up your art space? Some raisins that need to get used up? We are accepting donations of your creations, food or handicraft, for our CU spotlight table, with all proceeds going back into our Calgary Unitarians community! Contact Jen Allore at jallore78@gmail.com for more details.

We're filling Sunday morning (9:30–11:45) classroom volunteer slots for September through November and stocking our snack table—come join the fun!

From boardgames to papier mache, Sunday mornings at Calgary Unitarians offer a front-row seat to wonder, joy and connection.

To keep everyone safe and sound, all volunteers must have on file:

• Prevent It!: a free 90-minute online child sexual abuse prevention training (click here to get started) (proof of alternative equivalent training may be accepted)
• A current Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector (VS) (click here to get started) 
• Calgary Unitarians covers the cost! Email Rachael to get a volunteer letter that lowers the application cost to $25. Submit your receipt, and we'll reimburse you. 

We're also looking for folks to sign up for donations of gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free snacks—think fresh fruit, chips, pretzels, and similar. Two options per Sunday (one fruit, one crunchy) keep our kids fueled and ready to connect!

Returning CYRE Volunteers: email Rachael to request the sign-up link once you have submitted your police check and certificate of completion for Prevent It! (or equivalent)

New and Returning Volunteers: Register HERE to attend the 26/27 CYRE Volunteer Meeting at Calgary Unitarians on September 12 at 10:00 am in Room 4.

Sign up to bring snack HERE

We at the Calgary Animated Objects Society (CAOS) and we have a program called Grey Guardians that teaches the public about internet safety in a fun and engaging way! 

Our program is an interactive presentation that includes puppets, audience participation, and imaginative play. Facilitators will bring in puppets for the audience and lead them through interactive scenarios. After the presentation, Technology Helps will be available to help people one on one with tech questions/ issues.

This program is primarily targeted towards seniors, but the content is suitable for all ages. We believe that in this increasingly digital world, everyone should be aware of their internet presence and how to protect themselves.

 This program will be available to book between the dates of September 6th-26th 2026. 

If you are interested or would like more information, please email us back at greyguardians@animatedobjects.ca or call us one of our team members at 403 397 6130

Listen to Your Heart: Crystal Bowl Sound Experience with Marsha Read returns this fall. Join us  at 7:00 p.m. on the first Friday of each month, beginning with September 4th.  Any questions: Contact Lynn Nugent nugent.l@calgaryunitarians.ca

Calling all women who self-identify as elders: An Elder’s Circle is coming this fall. We will meet once a month and organise around the needs of the group. Topics may include spirituality, healthy aging, purpose, and any other topics relevant to women as we age. We encourage you to bring your questions and issues to the group. Future direction will be determined by the needs and the curiosities of the group.

An organisational meeting will be held Sunday August 30, at noon in room 4. 

Organizers: Elfriede Sapergia, Kathryn Burwash and Lynn Nugent. Contact Lynn Nugent to express your interest.  nugent.l@calgaryunitarians.ca

Alberta Referendum: Why Wait Until October 19?

By Reza Dehaki, CACG Communications Coordinator

Alberta’s 2026 referendum will take place on Monday, October 19, but you don’t have to wait until then to make your voice heard.

Applications to Vote by Mail are now open. Also known as a Special Ballot, Vote by Mail is available to all eligible Alberta electors, and you don’t need to provide a reason for requesting one.

Why wait until October 19? Between work, family, travel, weather, and the wonderfully unpredictable business of being alive in Alberta, Election Day may not always go exactly according to plan. Voting by mail gives you the flexibility to choose a time that works for you, review the referendum questions at your own pace, and get your vote taken care of ahead of time.

And if you know someone who may find it difficult to get to a voting place on October 19 — or who will be away — consider encouraging them to vote by mail, too. A little planning now can make voting much easier later.

Important Dates

Now: Applications to Vote by Mail are open.

September 1: Special Ballot packages begin being mailed. They can also be picked up in person at Elections Alberta’s Edmonton head office.

September 21: Special Ballot packages become available at Returning Offices in electoral divisions.

October 9: Last day to request a Special Ballot. Elections Alberta encourages voters to apply early enough to receive and return their package on time.

October 13–17: Advance voting is available at any advance voting location in your electoral division.

October 16, before 5:00 p.m.: Completed Special Ballot packages must be received by Elections Alberta by mail. Returning Offices will not accept completed Special Ballot packages.

October 19: Referendum Day. Voting places are open 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. You must vote at your assigned voting location on Election Day.

How to Vote by Mail

Electors can secure a Special Ballot by:

• Completing the online form at specialballot.elections.ab.ca,
• Writing to info@elections.ab.ca, or
• Contacting the Returning Office for their electoral division starting September 21.

When voting by mail, you’ll need to sign a declaration and provide copies of accepted identification showing your name and address. Do not send original ID documents.

Vote for the Common Good

Our Vote for the Common Good campaign is still going strong with three simple ways to get involved:

Connect: Join the campaign for updates, volunteer opportunities, educational resources, and upcoming events.

Educate: Explore our Educational Guide, Campaign Statement, and Communications Toolkit — and share them with your community.

Act: Pledge to vote, attend the GOTV Assembly, and help the people around you make their voices count.

Get Out the Vote: Join Us September 16

As we move from education and conversation into the Get Out the Vote phase of our campaign, we’re bringing our communities together to prepare for the final weeks before the referendum.

Join Calgary Alliance for the Common Good and our member organizations for an evening of campaign updates, stories from community conversations, GOTV strategy and training, volunteer opportunities, and concrete ways to help ensure voters are informed, engaged, and ready to participate.

Whether you’ve been involved from the beginning or are looking for a way to get involved now, you’re welcome to join us.

September 16, 2026 | 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Scarboro United Church
134 Scarboro Ave SW, Calgary

Dear friends,

We are saddened to share the death of the Rev. Fred Cappuccino, who died at the age of 100 after an extraordinary life of ministry, service, courage, and love.

Fred’s life was deeply woven into Canadian Unitarian Universalism. He served congregations including Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist Congregation and was Founding Minister Emeritus of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ottawa, where he led the fellowship’s inaugural service in 1996. Just this January, UUFO gathered to celebrate Fred’s 100th birthday alongside the fellowship’s 30th anniversary.

But Fred’s ministry extended far beyond the walls of any congregation.

For Fred, faith was something to be lived. In 1965, he joined hundreds of clergy who travelled to Selma, Alabama, to stand with those struggling for racial justice. With his wife, Bonnie, he raised a family of 21 children, 19 of whom were adopted from countries around the world. Together, Fred and Bonnie founded Child Haven International in 1985, creating communities of care for children and women in India, Nepal, Tibet, and Bangladesh.

Over a century of life, Fred showed what it can mean to put our values into practice: to meet suffering with compassion, injustice with courage, and human need with generosity and action.

He received many honours, including the Order of Canada and recognition from UNESCO for teaching human rights. Yet the greater measure of his life can be found in the people, families, congregations, and communities shaped by his care.

Fred leaves Canadian Unitarian Universalists a remarkable legacy. We give thanks for his ministry, for the example of his life, and for the many ways his spirit will continue through those he inspired.

We hold Bonnie, Fred’s family, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ottawa, the Child Haven International community, and all who knew and loved him in our hearts.

A fuller obituary celebrating Fred’s life will follow.

A celebration of Fred’s life will take place November 7 at 2:00 pm at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa.

Registration for the 2026 Unicamp Retreat is now open!

This year’s retreat will take place Friday, September 11 – Sunday, September 13, 2026, and is open to young adults ages 19–40 (yes, you read that correctly!). Please disregard the age range listed incorrectly in the registration form.

If you are travelling by air, we recommend booking refundable tickets, just in case your plans change.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact Summer Christiansen at summer.christiansen@cuc.ca.

Registration: 2026 Unicamp Young Adult Retreat Registration

We hope to see young adults from congregations across Canada come together for a wonderful weekend at Unicamp!

If you attend our services online, we’d love for you to stick around and connect with others after the service—or arrive a little early for a pre-service hello. Join the conversation here (the link is the same each week—no need to memorize it, just bookmark it!): https://meet.google.com/qvo-beqy-rqx

Rev. Samaya will be on vacation and study leave Sunday, June 28, 2026 through Saturday, August 16, 2026, inclusive. Durning this time, if you need urgent support or have a pastoral emergency, please reach out toLillias Cowper.

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