First Unitarian Universalist Church of Winnipeg

Bruce Knotts, Executive Director of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) writes the following:

I want to share with you what the Canadian Unitarian Council has just sent to their government. I fully agree with this statement and hope that leaders around the world will take concerted action to end the violence that is causing so much suffering in Libya. The Responsibility to Protect is a Canadian idea that we should all adopt. The entire international community can not sit and watch massive suffering on our television sets. We all equally have a responsibility to protect the innocent and the weak.

Parent, RE Leader, and OWL Oversight Committee member Lisa Naylor delivered this message during the service on March 6, as the first stewardship credo.

When Rev. Millie asked me to speak about what this church means for me and my family – I hesitated only a moment before realizing that this is an opportunity to verbalize my gratitude for the role that each of you play in our lives whether you know it or not.

My daughter is learning about water stewardship in school this year. She’s learning that she must be part of a communal responsibility for a precious resource; that stewardship is about the choices we make now, for today, as well how we care for things so that they will be vibrant and healthy in the future.

Stewardship within a congregational setting is, of course, the same thing. We talk about sharing our “time, talents, and treasure” to make this community vibrant and healthy today, and long into the future. The treasure piece is vital: your pledges pay the mortgage, provide fair wages, and support our mission. All ages will explore what it means to be financial stewards this month.

Time and talents are just as important as treasure in this mix. It’s true that finding teachers and advisors for our children and youth has been a challenge this year. But when you look at the RE News page this month you’ll see examples of other types of engagement. Here are a few more ways in which the whole church serves:

• The House Committee has enhanced RE spaces and provided our new bulletin board in the foyer so that all may feel connected.
• The Audio-Visual Committee provided a new computer (donated by John Redston), and supports us every time we’re involved in worship.
• The Sunday Service Committee welcomes youth and child involvement in services, and supports us in our leadership roles.
• Our Pastoral Care team offers support and care for our families.
• The Global Outreach Committee connected our youth with Bruce Knotts last fall, and Ruth Pearce led a workshop on Human Rights during the last Youth Con.
• Cheryl Butler, not usually involved in RE, took on providing a Young Fun program during the Western Region Fall Gathering.
• The Coffee Committee provides refreshments for children every Sunday.
• The Membership Committee reaches out to new families so they feel welcome.

These are just a few examples of how we are all connected; how we all make space for, and lift up, the younger people in our midst. When we show by example that our stewardship is for all, we inform the next generation of people who will care for this beloved community.

Peace,

~Andrea