Sunday Services in December

DECEMBER 2018 THEME: December:  the month of both sadness and merriment

The sad dark days and longer dark nights can turn our inward thoughts into despair for the loss of the sun and those of our kinship who take this time to leave, However, in our moments of grief comes a flicker of hope bringing the knowledge that if we can just hold on, with the coming of the solstice, the light will return.  AND with the music and JOY of Christmas, we will count our many blessings, give thanks for friends and family who share our love and our nostalgia for what has gone.  Together we’ll make merry, pray for Peace on Earth and raise a glass for all who live on our blessed planet.
Joan Thomas, submitted on behalf of SDC

Dec 2— How Self-awareness Develops Compassion for the Self and Others
Speaker: Peter Tongue
Moderator: Bill Israel
Meditation: Jane Warren Campbell
Greeter: Louisa Fiander
Coordinator: Jane Warren Campbell

Peter Tongue Bio:
Having spent thirty years in two top ranking Independent schools in Canada and the UK, Peter uses his wealth of experience to gain a profound understanding of the complexities of the human condition. For the last 12 years, Peter has been engaged in counseling individuals and groups in resolving their difficulties in life as well as assisting them in awakening to their own spiritual path. His heart-centered understanding of science and spirituality offer a vital and powerful pathway to successful living in this chaotic and confusing time. For five years, Peter hosted a weekly radio show, “Awakening to Conscious Co-Creation”, on the 7th Wave Network of Voice America. He interviewed experts in their respective fields within the central theme of understanding higher consciousness. For the last 4 years, Peter has been helping people gain an understanding of the Gene Keys process through one on one counseling sessions and group workshops.

Dec 9th— Loving Determination

Moderator:  Bill Israel
Meditation:  Katherine Muncaster
Greeter:  Marvelous Trudeau
Speaker:  Sarah Kendall
Coordinator: D. Joan Thomas

Author Sarah Kendall is going to share one of her homilies with us, called ‘Loving Determination’. She had a cerebral hemorrhage with right-side hemiplegia in her fifties, and the last 13 years have been spent learning ‘how to inhabit this unfamiliar body’, and how to deal with all the sorrows and joys which surround her. Before the stroke, she was a Massage Therapist and facilitated communication workshops for women; but since the stroke she has suffered from expressive aphasia and loss of speech, rendering communication extremely challenging.  The completion of the book Let Me Show You Chocolate Lilies has been a joyous accomplishment.

Dec 16— Using Patience to Support Relating
Moderator: Brian Martin
Speaker: Troi Leonard
Meditation: Stephen Kinsella
Greeter: Marvelous Trudeau
Coordinator: Marilyn Smando

Dec 23—From Dark to Light: A Solstice Service

Moderator: Marvelous Trudeau
Meditation: Hendrik de Pagter
Presenters: Music and Readings by: Jennifer Sagar, Kay Stewart, Chris Bullock, others
Greeter: TBA
Coordinator: Chris Bullock

Dec 30—Healing Through Movement
Moderator: Stephen Kinsella
Speaker Facilitator: Lindsay Beal
Meditation: Herb
Coordinator: Laurence Beal

Lindsay Beal Bio:
Lindsay has a BA in Psychology and a Masters of Education. Her Masters publication, Art & Art Education as an Integrative Health Practice, is a testimony to her work with people living with chronic health conditions. She studied various movement therapy programs, and in recent years has focused on neurological conditions, giving rise to her weekly Motion Ways program.

Arts & Health is a burgeoning field where benefits are showing across the spectrum of wellness: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual. Engagement with the arts, either as an active creator, or as a passive viewer can be a practice of transferable skills that bolster intuition, connectedness and overall wellbeing.

 

Sunday Services in November

THEME FOR NOVEMBER 2018: RETREAT, INTROSPECTION, REMEMBERING.

November is the month that comes after the activities of harvest have subsided, and before the renewal of hope and forward movement represented by the Winter solstice and Christmas have begun.  November is linked with Odin, the Norse god who was always accompanied by two ravens, representing Thought and Memory. In this season between outer activity and the renewal of hope lies a time of stillness, of thought and memory, of reflection and going within. Remembrance Day, which always falls on November 11, is, from this perspective, a reminder, not just to honor the fallen in wars, but to remember our mortality, prompted by the leaves that have fallen and the blossoms that have disappeared, and to learn lessons for the future.

Submitted by Chris Bullock, on behalf of SDC.

Nov 4: Using Humour to Navigate Life’s Challenges and Stay Grounded in its Success.
Moderator: Sanjara Omoniyi
Meditation: Chris Bullock
Speaker: Ella Brown
Greeter: TBA
Coordinator: Jane Warren Campbell

Nov 11: “Lest We Forget”: That Which Can No Longer Be Forgotten

This service, which takes place on Remembrance Day, will explore the deepest lessons of this day, looking both to the past and to the future.
Moderator: Chris Bullock
Meditation: Bob Winkenhower
Presentation: Frances Litman
Greeter: Marvelous Trudeau
Coordinator: Chris Bullock

FRANCES LITMAN is a professional photographer, founder of Creatively United for the Planet, and an activist for political democracy (including proportional representation) and care for the Earth.

Nov 18: November 18th:  Introspection:  the Inner Quest.
Moderator:   Pat Miller
Meditation:  Norm Smookler and his flutes
Speaker:     David Srikant Muncaster
Greeter:     Marvelous Trudeau
Coordinator: D.Joan Thomas

David Muncaster:  Trained as a teacher, David takes ESL postings overseas.

He is a devotee of Amma and spends months at a time volunteering at her ashram in India.

Between trips, he cheerfully takes cashier and retail jobs because he loves interfacing with people and having the freedom to make his pilgrimages.  He’s described (by someone who knows him very well) as a prime example of someone who lives from his heart – kinda off the grid – and who in a different time would have become a monk.

Nov 25:  Clarifying shared objectives in a systematic way.
Moderator: Sanjara
Meditation: Stephen Kinsella
Greeter: Laurence Beal
Co-ordinator: Marilyn Smando

 

Sunday Services in October

THEME FOR OCTOBER 2018: SEPARATING WHEAT FROM CHAFF

This month we continue our focus on harvest, but with a different angle. Harvest involves collecting nourishment, both outer and inner, for the winter ahead.  Yet farmers do not  keep everything that is in the field; the process of milling involves separating the wheat from the chaff, separating the nourishing grain from its inedible surrounds.  And we too need to collect what nourishes us in life, and let go of the rest.  This is a particularly important lesson for those approaching the winter of life, where a focus on essentials is more and more necessary for psychic and spiritual health. Astrogically, this month involves balancing spontaneity and breaking out of habit with a concern for building community and social dialogue. Overall, the question for the month is:  what is nourishing for the spirit and what do we need to release?

Submitted by Chris Bullock, on behalf of SDC

October 7: –  Thanksgiving – sharing the Harvest
Moderator:   D. Joan Thomas
Invocation:  Lorna Rennie
Meditation:  Choir
Community Sharing Discussion
Greeter:  TBA
Co-ordinator:  D.J. Thomas

A pot-luck lunch to follow the service

October 14:  Discovering Essentials through the Shamanic Journey
Moderator: Chris Bullock
Meditation: Hendrik de Pagter and Daniel Ouimet
Speaker: Kirsty Inglis
Greeter: Joyanna Wilkinson
Coordinator: Chris Bullock

Kirsty Inglis is a shamanic practitioner based in Victoria, BC. She works with clients to help them remember who they truly are and what they want from life. Her healing practice focuses on supporting clients to reconnect with their bodies, to tap into their innate wisdom and in using their intuition to influence their life’s direction and choices. Kirsty’s practice is guided by her teachers in the Q’ero tradition of the High Andes of Peru and the Shipibo tradition of the Amazon jungle. The philosophy underpinning Kirsty’s work is the cultivation of ayni (pronounced eye-knee) or “right relationship” so that we can each walk in right relationship – with ourselves, our friends and family, the environment and our wider community – as a means of living a fulfilled life. For more information on Kirsty’s work see https://ayniwest.ca.

October 21:   Becoming the True Self by Letting Go of the Old
Moderator: Marvelous Trudeau
Speaker: Steve Kinsella
Meditator: Louisa Fiander
Greeter: TBA
Coordinator: Jane Warren Campbell

October 28:  Listening to our soul messages
Community service
Moderator: Laurence Beal
Meditation: Marilyn Smando
Greeter: TBA
Coordinators: Marilyn Smando and Laurence Beal

Sunday Services in September

THEME FOR SEPTEMBER:  REFLECTING ON HARVEST

Those who are not rich now, as summer goes,
will wait and wait, and never be themselves.
–Rainier Maria Rilke

In our last service description, we spoke of summer ending with the “misty kiss” of September. September does indeed carry with it a sense of ending, so much so that this month is the time of the New Year in some lands and faiths.  We might, though, rather think of the time as one of gathering, rather than a complete ending. Traditionally, September was often the time of harvest festivals, where selected produce from agricultural areas would be used to decorate the local church, and then donated to the poor.  We might want to bring produce to our own Church for the same purpose, but the deeper question to consider this month might be: what have we gathered on an inner level that we are bringing to the more contemplative season of fall? What is our harvest?
Submitted by Chris Bullock, on behalf of SDC

September 2^nd: BEGINNING THE HARVEST
Moderator: Troi Leonard
Meditation: John Vanden Heuvel
Presentation: Rev Greg Skala
Greeter: TBA
Coordinator: Chris Bullock

Greg Skala writes: “Since 1977, when I was ordained as a Church of Truth minister by a Board based in the State of Oregon, my ministry has been a commitment and a joy for me.  Though I was never hired as a full-time minister and put bread on the table by teaching in private and public schools for almost forty years, I am deeply grateful for my Plan B career as what I like to call “a minister without portfolio.”  As such, I have enjoyed giving talks and performing other ministerial services in four Canadian Provinces and four US States.  I have also been a member of the congregation here for twenty-five years.

Harvest time, for farmers and gardeners, is a time of additional chores.  For every one of us, it is also a time of abundant and important choices.  In today’s address, titled “The Pick of the Crop,” I want to discuss key choices we can make now that “the fields are ripe and ready for harvest.”

Sept. 9th Title: The Opportunity of Change
Moderator: Marie Logan
Meditation: Brian Martin
Speaker: Sherry Morgan
Greeter: Marvelous Trudeau
Coordinator: Jane Warren Campbell

September 16th  Title:  The Value of Poetry
Moderator –  Marvelous Trudeau
Meditation –  Bill Israel
Speaker  –  Rev. Joan Hopper
Greeter  – TBA
Coordinator  – D.J. Thomas

September 23rd Title: Why choose to be vulnerable?
Moderator: Laurence Beal
Meditation: TBA
Speaker: Edward Butterworth
Greeter: TBA
Coordinator: Laurence Beal

Edward Butterworth values effective communication, emotional literacy, and building community, and has led a number of workshops on these topics.

September 30  Community Service

Moderator : Bill Israel
Meditation : Peggy
Theme : Reflection and Introspection
Coordinator : Marilyn

Sunday Services in August

August Theme

Passions of Summer come in many colours, from hot reds to iced blues – all
have the ability to burn the flesh and sear the mind.  July begins in the
red in all its heated moments, rushing from warm to hot in a flushed moment
of passion.  Enjoy the moment – we were created for bliss, desire and
love.  All are momentary. Soon the hot winds of August will move into
cooling reason and the passions of summer will end with a misty September
kiss.

August 5th:  Come on everybody- Lets get moving

The Small group discussions will be on the topic of

Conscious Community – What might this be

Moderator Laurence Beal

Community Service

August 12th:  will be about the Healing power of music.
Speaker:  Laura Lane
Moderator:  Marvelous Trudeau
Meditation:  Norm Smookler

Aug 19, 2018:  THE DANCE OF LIFE
Moderator: Sanjara Omoniyi
Presentation: Anne Marie Hogya
Meditation: Jane Warren Campbell
Greeter: TBA
Coordinator: Chris Bullock

This service will explore how movement and/or dance link us to passion and spirit. ANNE MARIE HOGYA studied under Gabrielle Roth and has been practicing 5Rhythms movement since 1999 and has been a certified 5rhythms teacher since 2008. In addition, she has a Master’s degree in leadership and is a private practice occupational therapist who works with Canadian Military Veterans and injured workers as a mental injury and trauma specialist. Anne Marie is passionate about helping people live their passion, purpose and potential (annemariehogya.com).

August 26th:  For the last service in August the theme of the week is

‘Getting Back to Our Roots’. A community service to discuss what we love about living on Planet Earth.

Moderator: Bob Winkenhower
Meditation/Facilitation: Jane Warren Campbell
Greeter: TBA

 

Sunday Services in July

PASSIONS OF SUMMER

Passions of Summer come in many colours, from hot reds to iced blues – all have the ability to burn the flesh and sear the mind.  July begins in the red in all its heated moments, rushing from warm to hot in a flushed moment of passion.  Enjoy the moment – we were created for bliss, desire and love.  All are momentary. Soon the hot winds of August will move into cooling reason and the passions of summer will end with a misty September kiss.

July 1 – Canada Day (perhaps men’s group BBQ)

Coordinator – D. Joan

July 8 -“The Experience of Compassion”

Speaker: Frances Litman
Moderator: Troi Leonard
Meditation: Sherry Morgan
Greeter: TBA
Coordinator: Jane Warren Campbell

July 15 – “Impulse Tuned”

Many ways of identification have differing resulting harmonies in the resulting expressions.  The speaker will outline from experience a few of these differing layers. From reflecting and working on the matters of such identity cultivation his experience has yielded a tale or two, to be caught and … interlaced with a few references from written sources.

Laurence has a Ba. in Philosophy backing his experiential learning, most pointedly concerning the greater human potential.

Speaker: Laurence Beal
Moderator: Brian Martin
Meditation: Jean Gregson
Greeter: TBA
Coordinator: Laurence Beal

July 22 – “Embodying Creativity: Approaching  Life Poetically”

Presenter: Terence Stone
Moderator:  D. Joan Thomas
Meditation: Chris Bullock
Greeter:  TBA
Coordinator: Chris Bullock

Before he retired, Terence Stone had concluded a varying career by working as a counsellor specialising in children and children’s education. Since retirement, he has explored poetry, song, gardening, co-housing and work with refugees.

July 29 – “Action towards Creativity”

In this Community Service, let’s explore what we do in potent creativity.

Moderator: Pat Miller
Meditation: Jennifer Sagar
Greeter: Joyanna Wilkinson
Coordinator: Marilyn Smando

Sunday Services in June

THE GREAT BEGINNINGS OF PASSION

 

June 3  As we move into the warmer weather of June, we are invited to open our hearts through dance, poetry and celebration.

It’s going to be like a community service – no speaker. We’re going to break into groups of 3, write a haiku in each group and then dance it into our souls!

Moderator:      Jane Warren Campbell
Meditation:      Jennifer Sagar
Greeter:           Jean Gregson

June 10                Self Discipline Safeguards Emotional Freedom

Community Service…

Bring the best of your contemplation on this point of real potency.  Surely, we have all had circumstances or situations where the wise view was held with a little self discipline and all went sailing through without a glitch.  OK, maybe the bearing was difficult, but the small price allowed for a much greater feeling of freely choosing, yourself.

Got it?  Or got some story of someone who used this principle, or something like it?  Bring it along for a little conversation in small groups.

Moderator and Meditation:  Laurence Beal

June 17                          Practical Mysticism “The Way of the Future”

Moderator:    Troi Leonard
Meditation:    William Meader
Speaker:          William Meader
Greeter:          Jean Gregson

At this pivotal time in history, William emphasizes the importance of becoming the “Practical Mystic”. From his insightful perspective, a practical mystic is one who is inwardly conscious of his/her soul and its intention, while at the same time outwardly contributing to humanity’s upliftment. Practical Mysticism is an approach to spiritual living that blends the mystical dimension of life with sound thought and wise action. This is truly the hope of the future. It is also an invaluable template for defining new paradigms that give genuine promise to all forms of life.  In William’s talk, he will share with us the nature and application of practical mysticism.

June 24                                   Insight Aids in Social Navigation

Moderator:      Hendrik dePagter
Meditation:      Kirsty Inglis
Discussion  Facilitation:Chris Bullock
Greeter:           tba
Coordination:  Chris Bullock

About William Meader:  William Meader is a teacher of Esoteric Philosophy and has become internationally renowned as an extraordinary spiritual teacher. With heartfelt conviction, he follows his passion for teaching the deeper implications of modern spiritual development and provides practical tools to recognize the soul deep within each of us.

 

William will also be offering:  A Public Talk “The Spiritual Call” at the Church of Truth on  Thurs, June 14^th from 7 p.m. to 9 pm.Details:  https://meader.org/event/the-spiritual-call-victoria/ and a A Two-Day Workshop on the ” Lighted Lamp” at  Lutheran Church of the Cross from Fri, June 15 at  9 am to Sat, June 16th at 5 p.m.   Detail:  https://meader.org/event/the-lighted-lamp-2_victoria/

For more information about William Meader and his offerings:  https://meader.org/ or  annharley7@gmail.com

out William Meader and his offerings:  https://meader.org/ or  annharley7@gmail.com

 

Sunday Services in May

Memory of Flowers

May flowers bring the scent of memory, carried on soft spring breezes, the colours of memory washing rainbows into being; the sounds of memory moving through tall grasses and opening up pathways to enlightenment.

May 6 –  The Lotus – Rising from muddy waters to reveal the beauty within
Moderator: Brian Martin
Speaker: Radika
Meditation: Bill Israel
Greeter: Marie Logan
Co-ordinator: Marilyn Smando

May 13 – Mothers’ Day
Moderator:  Bob Winkenhower
Speakers:    Maria Escude and D Joan Thomas
Meditation:  D.Joan and Torrey Archer
Greeter:     TBA
Co-ordinator:  D.Joan Thomas

May 20 – Truth arising to re-align the experiences of Love
Moderator: Laurence Beal
Meditation: TBA
Speaker: Trinity Sarah Craig
Trinity Sarah Craig is the great-granddaughter (5 times removed) of Sir James Henry Craig, the Governor-General of the Canadas and lieutenant-governor of Lower Canada from 1807 to 1811 and a Knight of the Bath.   She is a priestess and an artist who  lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. https://www.facebook.com/trixxcorp/
Greeter:TBA
Co-ordinator Laurence Beal

May 27 – Community Service
The Rose. It has been around for thousands of years with many healing, spiritual and life symbols.  We are going to explore our own symbols and meanings associated with the beautiful flower in its many varieties and colours?
Moderator : Rashana
Mediation : April Hamby
Greeter : to be announced
Coordinator : Marilyn Smando

 

Sunday Services in April

Re-writing your Life Story:

As spring encourages new growth, it’s a good time to look at any out-dated stories of who we are and allow a fresh concept of self to grow and evolve ~ one that reflects the truth of who we are now.

Submitted by Jane Warren Campbell, SDC

Easter Sunday – April 1^st – New Growth
Moderator:  Lorna Rennie
Meditation:  Norm Smookler with various flutes
Speaker:  Rev. Joan Hopper
Greeter:  TBA
Coordinator:  D. Joan Thomas

April 8th – Becoming Whole
Moderator: Linda Chan
Speaker: Peter Tongue
Meditation: Pat
Greeter: TBA
Coordinator:  Jane Warren Campbell

About Peter Tongue: Having spent thirty years in two top ranking Independent schools in Canada and the UK, Peter uses his wealth of experience to gain a profound understanding of the complexities of the human condition. For the last 12 years, Peter has been engaged in counseling individuals and groups in resolving their difficulties in life as well as assisting them in awakening to their own spiritual path. His heart-centered understanding of science and spirituality offer a vital and powerful pathway to successful living in this chaotic and confusing time. For five years, Peter hosted a weekly radio show, “Awakening to Conscious Co-Creation”, on the 7th Wave Network of Voice America. He interviewed experts in their respective fields within the central theme of understanding higher consciousness. For the last 4 years, Peter has been helping people gain an understanding of the Gene Keys process through one on one counseling sessions and group workshops.

April 15^th – Remodeling Tips for Time Travellers
Moderator:   Chris Bullock
Meditation:  Maria Escude
Speaker:   Rev. Greg Skala
Greeter:   TBA
Coordinator:  D. Joan Thomas

April 22th – Poetry, Stories, Study, opening doors to realization.
Coordinator and Moderator Laurence Beal

Others TBA

The invitation is to bring what you have as example, in words, of something that worked for you as a door opener or a catalyst in your life path.  This might have been a book, a poem or a study for you.  Bring it to share and give witness.  We’ll either be in a big circle or small groups as we go with the flow.

Sharing is the key.

April 29th – Community Service –  Re-writing the Story within our Community.
An opportunity for us to explore what we would like to re-write in how we do things in our community.

Moderator:  Brian Martin
Meditation:  Lorna Rennie
Community Service –  A open forum facilitated by Bill Israel with ideas coming from members of our community and guests – ideas written on a flipchart.
Greeter:  Jane Warren Campbell
Coordinators:  Marilyn Smando and Linda Chan

Sunday Services in March

THEME FOR MARCH:  Fertility, Creativity and a Touch of Madness

Fertility, creativity and a touch of madness dictated by the physical presence of the gamboling or roaring wind prevailing at any time in the month.  Hares in the Scottish fields stand up on their hind legs and box each other – mad or not it is their way of sorting out the competition; this is why they are called “mad March Hares”, and perhaps where Lewis Carroll drew inspiration for his Mad March Hare in Alice’s Wonderland.  So this month comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb – or vice versa.  It is also the month where we hop (oops!) forward into Spring  –  D. Joan Thomas, SDC

March 4^th

Moderator:  Bob Winkenhower
Meditation:  Jane Warren Campbell
Speaker:  Sanjara Omoniyi
Greeter:   Marie Logan
Coordinator:  Jane Warren Campbell

 

March 11^th – Surrender in Life

Moderator:  Laurence Beal
Meditation:  Jennifer Sager
Community Service Discussion
Greeter:  Marvelous Trudeau
Coordinator:  Laurence Beal and Linda Chan

 

March 18^th – Community Service – Recovery from Broken Relationship and Starting Anew

Moderator:  Marvelous Trudeau
Meditation:  April Hambly
Community (Group) Discussion – Bill Israel
Greeter:  Jean Gregson
Coordinator:  Bill Israel

March 25^th

Moderator:    TBA
Meditation: Linda Chan
Speaker: Paul Galewitz
Greeter: Jean Gregson
Coordinator : Marilyn Smando

Sunday Services in February

 

Theme for February:  Romancing the Soul – It’s All About Love

As we know, love is the elixir of life.  In his letter to the Corinthians, written more than 2000 years ago, St. Paul gives us a philosophy that still rings true today:

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am becoming as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.  And although I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind;  Love envies not;  Love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;  rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices in the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, Love never fails.

And now abides faith, hope and love, these three but the greatest of these is Love.”

(1Corinthians 13.1-13)

Respectfully submitted by D. Joan Thomas

Sunday Services in February:

February 4th   –  All is Love

Moderator:    Marie Logan
Meditation:    Norm Smookler with his flutes
Speaker:       Rev. Joan Hopper, retired Minister Church of Truth
Greeter:        Marvelous Trudeau
Coordinator:  D. Joan Thomas

February 11th –  Connection

It’s takes energy and commitment to connect in a real genuine way in relationship…

Moderator:       D. Joan Thomas
Meditation:       Lucas White and Linda Chan
Speaker:          Brian Martin
Greeter:           Jean Gregson
Coordinator:   Marilyn Smando

February 18th:    Cultivating Compassion

Moderator:      Brian Martin

Speaker:            April Hambly

Meditation:      Mary Lapp

Greeter:            Marilyn Smando

Coordinator:    Jane Warren Campbell

SUNDAY SERVICES IN JANUARY

Theme:  Visions of Oneness 

In any idea of “oneness” the key principle brought forward is the principle of relating. Because every one of us must relate with the various people and in greater collectives of which we might want to cultivate a spirit of oneness or unity.

As we move into the beginning of this New Year, the month of January will give us four opportunities to think about relationships. The count is logically from the first, the relation to Self.

The second week, we’ll find more revealed on the relationship with one other. The third week, we’ll explore the relationship with groups.

Then, on the final week of relational exploration we’ll have a fun community service where we will explore humour as a social medicine in the world heat of calamitous news.

January 7      Surrender to a greater purpose

Moderator: April Hambly
Meditation:  Jennifer Sager
Speaker:   Peggy English
Greeter:   Elsie Marie Poquin
Co-ordinator: Bill Israel

January 14       One with Other

Moderator:  Pat Miller
Speaker:   Steven Kinsella
Greeter:  Jean Gregson
Coordinator:    Jane Warren Campbell

January 21      One with Group

Co-ordinator:   D. Joan Thomas
Moderator:   Marvelous Trudeau
Meditation:   Torrey Archer (music) and D. Joan Thomas
Speakers:   Laura Lane and Chris Bullock
Greeter:   Bob Wikenhower

January 28        Vision of Oneness in the World – Community Service

We live in a complex world where many of us are stressed out, fearful and negative. World events and happening have brought us down to a level where we feel that we are powerless and the experience of complacency, hopelessness and blame has become our reality. In this Community Service, we will explore humor as a social mechanism to assist us to connect us to each other – to help alleviate the stress that is all around us, to help us change the way we think and how we act in our world. In bringing lightness to the world via humor, we can begin to cope with difficult seemingly impossible situations that we face in our world and become united through the process of flexible thinking and situational reframing.

More on this topic: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160829-how-laughter-makes-us-better-people

Moderator:   Troi Leonard
Meditation:   Marvelous Trudeau
Greeter:   John Vanden Heuvel
Coordinators:   Linda Chan, Laurence Beal and Marilyn Smando