As part of our ongoing practice of reconciliation, we invite you to wear your orange T-shirt to worship on Sunday, September 27, and on the fourth Sunday of each month thereafter.

Gathering in orange is a visible reminder of our commitment to reconciliation and right relationship with Indigenous peoples. It is one small but meaningful way we hold memory, deepen awareness, and continue learning what it means to live in solidarity, humility, and care as we walk this ongoing journey together.

Whether you have been participating each month or are joining this practice for the first time, you are warmly welcome. In wearing orange together, we affirm our shared commitment to remembrance, relationship, and reconciliation.

On Wednesday, September 30, Calgary Unitarians are invited to join the Pokaiks ‘The Children’ Commemorative Walk for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

We’ll gather at 11:00 a.m. at River Hall (311 8 St SW) and walk together to Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St SW). An afternoon of Indigenous cultural programming follows, including Elder storytelling, drumming, dancing, singing, tipi teachings, artisan showcases, and family activities.

This is an opportunity to walk together, listen, learn, and deepen our relationships with Indigenous peoples and with one another.

Wear your orange shirt and join us if you can. The walk and afternoon gathering are free and open to all.

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?

Have you been enjoying the music programming?  Would you like to contribute to the musical atmosphere of our services and events? We have options for everyone! 

Join UUPhonia for a low-stakes, unaudition, radically inclusive experience. Perhaps NousEnsemble for those with a little bit of music experience and a treble voice! If you have a skill that is better suited to an individual setting, the Songleaders Group could be the place for you. Whether you want to sing or play, we will find a place for you!

Back in September of 2025, the UUA released a new hymnal in an online format. While the charm of a physical book has been lost, the flexibility this modern format holds is immense. There are transcriptions of every key, reference recordings, braille transcriptions, lyric sheets, pre-made slides, and more. Another huge benefit is that the UUA can add new hymns, which they have been doing, introducing as many as five each month. We purchased a 3 year licence to this hymnal with a combination of Music Programming budget and one-time donations, and are excited to start using these hymns in our services. 

We will start to introduce these hymns in the offertory, interlude, and postlude music, as well as slowly with the choirs and songleaders. This is all in preparation for our Sing Out Love service on November 15th, 2026.

If you are worried about not having the sheet music, that is understandable. A feature of the pre-made slides is incorporating the melody and lyrics together, so they can both be projected. 

We are very excited to join the many congregations that have been adopting this new hymnal! Join us on November 15th to experience it yourself!

Our Whole Lives is a comprehensive, age-appropriate sexuality education program created by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ. Rooted in Unitarian Universalist values of love, justice, respect, and interdependence, OWL helps children, youth, and adults develop knowledge, confidence, and compassion as they grow into healthy relationships with themselves, others, and the wider world.

We are offering two rounds of OWL this fall:

Kindergarten–Grade 1 (8-week program + 2 mandatory orientations)

• Parent Orientation: Sunday, September 27, 12:30 p.m.
• Parent & Child Orientation: Sunday, October 4, 12:30 p.m.
• Sessions Begin: Sunday, October 18

Participants will learn about bodies, families, safety, relationships, identity, and the changes of growing up in developmentally appropriate and caring ways. 

Interested parents and caregivers are invited to join us for the parent orientation on September 27. Attendance for both orientations are required for participation.

Young Adult Module (Ages 18–35)

• Saturdays October 17
  • 10:00–12:00; 1:00–3:00; 3:30–5:30 

Participants will reflect on intimacy, relationships, life transitions, communication, identity, and sexuality as part of lifelong growth. 

For more information about either program, visit our website HERE or contact owl@calgaryunitarians.ca.

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

Are you new to Calgary Unitarians? Have you been attending for a while and wondering how Unitarian Universalism fits together? Deepening Our Faith is designed with you in mind.

This introductory session offers a welcoming space to meet others, ask questions, and learn more about the values, traditions, and practices that shape our congregation. Together, we'll explore what it means to be part of a Unitarian Universalist community and how our faith encourages us to grow in wisdom, deepen relationships, and live our values in the world.

You'll learn about our worship traditions, discover pathways for participation and connection, and gain a deeper understanding of the shared theological foundations that unite Unitarian Universalists while honouring diverse beliefs and life experiences. Future sessions focus on our UU roots, the philosophy of religious education, our social justice philosophy and practice, how decisions are made here, and what are the rights and responsibilities of membership.

Whether you're simply curious, considering membership, or looking to deepen your sense of belonging, we invite you to join us at noon in Panabaker on Sunday, October 4th for this first gathering of Deepening Our Faith.

The Monday night reading sessions, on Google meet, https://meet.google.com/ybj-gqew-xtw, will begin on September 14 as noted in the news, and we will start our next book on Monday, September 21, 2026 at 8:00 pm.

The title of the book is ‘In the Company of Crows and Ravens’ by John M. Marzluff and Tony Angell

What: 5 weeks to explore the essential nature of mindfulness.  Learn and practice together the foundational aspects of focusing attention on your body, breath, emotions, inner narrative, and spirit.  Increase your ability to know and love yourself.  Strengthen your connection with wonder, joy, and wisdom.

When: Monday mornings from 10:00am – 12:00pm.  Dates are Mondays October 5, 19, 26 & November 2, and Tuesday October 13.

Where: Wickenden Hall at Calgary Unitarians building 1703 1 Street NW.

Who: Guided by Kathryn Burwash, a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher of Vispassana lineage taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.  An open invitation to anyone interested, whatever your experience with meditation.

How: Bring your curiosity and your questions.  To register, please email burwash.k@calgaryunitarians.ca

Please be aware the Women's Circle event scheduled for September 23rd, 2026 will be a closed event.  The next regular meeting will take place on October 7th, 2026 in room 4.

Listen to Your Heart: Crystal Bowl Sound Experience with Marsha Read.  Join us at 7:00 pm on the first Friday of each month.  Next session: October 2nd 7:00 pm in Panabaker Hall.  Any questions: contact Lynn Nugent

nugent.l@calgaryunitarians.ca

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!

The Climate & Environmental Justice Committee would like to extend our gratitude and thanks to Kathy B., and those who helped her, for keeping our front flower gardens in tip top shape this summer.  It was a challenging gardening season and it was a pleasure to see how beautiful our garden grew!

The most fun volunteer session at Calgary Unitarians is our fruit cake slicing and dicing session on a Saturday morning where we slice and prep the fruit and nuts for our key fruit cake fundraiser.

Come join us Saturday, October 24th 9:00 am - Noon (and if you can only come for part of this, that is fine too).  There is lots of laughter and conversation as we chop together.  It is a great way to get to know your fellow Unitarians better.

Fruit Cake Baking Sessions

We are also looking for 2 people each morning to work in the Unitarian kitchen from 8:00 am till about 9:45 am on the baking dates below when the cakes go in the oven.  You are free to leave as soon as the cakes go in the oven, but you are also very welcome to join for coffee, goodies, and conversatoin as the cakes bake... stay as little or as long as you like.  Any help would be very appreciated - could you do a shift or two?

Monday - Friday mornings Oct 26-30, Nov 9-13, Nov 16-20, Nov 23-24

Contact jane.ebbern@gmail.com or give her a call at 403-283-7162 to sign up.

As the seasons turn and the days grow cooler, we are reminded that love is not only something we feel—it is something we do.

We invite you to help us extend care beyond our walls by donating new or gently used unisex sweatpants, hoodies, and warm tops for the outreach work of the Aboriginal Friendship Centre. These simple items can offer warmth, comfort, and dignity to people who are facing difficult circumstances.

Throughout the month, you are welcome to bring donations to the church and place them in the collection box located beneath the community food pantry in the Barker Room. Once a month, we will gather the items, bundle them together, and deliver them to the Aboriginal Friendship Centre’s Outreach Team for distribution.

A hoodie, a sweatshirt, or a pair of sweatpants may seem like a small gift, but offered with compassion, it becomes something more. It becomes a tangible reminder that someone cares. It becomes love in action.

Thank you for helping us nourish our wider community and live our commitment to a more just and caring world.

Pam Rickey will be ordering the book Beloved as We Are: Building a Congregational Culture of Disability Inclusion from Owl's Nest Books.  The story of how Ian Clipperton became a full member of Calgary Unitarians and Kathy Wellburn's description of our providing sanctuary to an El Salvadorian refugee in 1993 are included in the book.  If you woul dlike to purchase a copy ($25) please place your order with Pam (pamelarickey@gmail.com).

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.

September 25: 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.

6:30 - 8:30 pm

Monday, October 5

Location TBD

The Calgary Interfaith Council will celebrate its 10th Anniversary in 2027. On the cusp of this important occasion it is crucial to make space for renewed connection and collaboration between organizational members. We need your voice and the wisdom of your community, especially during this time of social and political uncertainty.  

We are excited to share some initial plans and possibilities about how we can celebrate our 10th anniversary and begin our next decade. We want to hear your dreams and suggestions as well!

We hope each member organization of CIC will bring 5-10 people from their community to participate in this event. This event is also for Individual members, super volunteers and CIC fans — you know who you are!

The energy of our shared commitment to respect, inclusion and to valuing  diversity is so important at this time. Your participation will make all the difference

Refreshments will be provided.

Register here

What started four years ago with a soup truck in Olympic Plaza a few friends and tables has branched out to now $45,000 event which has been subsidized quite generously on large part to the downtown motion grant from city of Calgary, which aims to activate under utilize spaces and include marginalized populations and active art and community economic building exercises. So with that we’re gonna have a large music stage. We’re gonna have live artists and we have this common approach for the tables are laid out and everyone eats together whether they have money in their wallet that or not. To backstock it we have tickets for sale on Eventbrite, which are $30 and the $30 ticket gets you a pie junkie turkey festive pie with gravy dessert pie from pie junkie as well and your sides potatoes, vegetables, etc. you get admission into the event and you are buying someone else a meal with your ticket. 

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/parksgiving-by-huggabowl-tickets-1999029645482?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile

Mirth & Dignity, the Canadian not-for-profit behind the wildly popular UU Hysterical Society, is holding a retreat this autumn in beautiful southern Ontario!  Spend four days/three nights at the Crieff Hills retreat centre (just outside of Guelph, ON) laughing together, dedicating time to rest and recharging, and connecting with other UUs.

Some of your favourite Canadian UUs are going to be there: UUHS founder Liz James, songleader Wendy Luella Perkins, storyteller Katharine Childs, and animator Amber Dawn Bellemare will be leading the programming!!  We can’t wait for you to 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.

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.

• ~50-150 words
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• Sent in by Tuesday at noon 

Do you enjoy learning new skills, solving practical problems, or helping create meaningful experiences for others? Calgary Unitarians is looking for volunteers to join our Audio-Visual (AV) Team.

Our AV volunteers help support Sunday morning services and, on a scheduled basis, assist with congregational events and rentals in our building that require AV support. Training is provided, and no previous experience is necessary—just a willingness to learn and work as part of a team.  Supporting rentals also provides an opportunity to earn some additional income, as AV assistance is included in some rental agreements.

Whether you're tech-savvy or simply curious to learn, we'd love to hear from you. The AV Team plays an important role in helping us connect, communicate, and welcome people into our community.

To learn more or express your interest, please contact av@calgaryunitarians.ca.