Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation

Speaker: Jan Dawson

The idea of resurrection intersecting with UU ideals seems somewhat unlikely. Anastasis is the Greek word for resurrection which simply means “Rise again”… that is to kill the power of sin and reinstate a new beginning. It was a Unitarian that rescued a badly beaten little girl named Mary Ellen Wilson in 1873, thereby resurrecting her from her hellish life. It was this case that was the inspiration for this Unitarian to create the first child protection agency in the States in 1874. This Unitarian inspired us to create our charity to help both the human and animal victims of intimate partner violence. I will be talking about how our charity Warm Hearts Pet Safe Havens provides resources for transition houses throughout BC.

Bio: Jan Dawson has been a Unitarian since 1985 when she joined the Vancouver UUs. There she met Alan and Elizabeth and through them, their son Kim. Kim and Jan got married at Vancouver UU 1992. Within the first couple of years, they got their first rescued pup who they named Annie.They ended up fostering a variety of dogs..some had serious behaviour challenges. The one thing they all had in common is that they came from problematic abusive and neglectful environments.

Through their charity, WARM HEARTS PET SAFE HAVENS, Jan feels like she is doing what she was put on earth to do…that is nurturing and protecting the human animal bond. She considers this to be her personal mission statement.

Forum: Jan will attend the forum.

Speaker: Lee Tuley with Joy Huebert

Join Lee Tuley in dialogue with Joy Huebert as they explore Joy’s faith journey from the certainty of Christian salvation to the beautiful ideas of  Buddhist nirvana to a contemplation  of the mysteries beyond our understanding. What is joyful about each of these practices, and why land on Unitarianism?    

Bio: Lee is a Counselor specializing in Integrative Body Psychotherapy, Health and Spirituality – all of which are at the center of her personal life, along with creative writing. She also has had two interview talk shows, one in community radio, and one at KSFO in San Francisco. She comes to Capital for the special community of people here.

Forum: Joy and Lee will be in attendance for the forum.

Speaker: Dr. Ingrid Friesen, Ph.D.

Dr. Friesen will discuss the evolution of psychiatry over the last 150 years. Psychiatry initially begun with psychoanalysis, where the focus was on the dialogue between the patient and therapist to discover and sort out conflicts of the psyche. In the mid to late 20th century, a paradigm shift in psychiatry conceptualized chemical imbalances in the brain as the central explanation for psychological maladies, creating the proliferation of antidepressant medications. In response to the poor efficacy of these medications, current treatment models are pushing the boundaries of science and looking to neuromodulation to improve mental well-being and treat depression and other mental health conditions.

Bio: Dr. Ingrid Friesen holds a doctorate in Neuropsychology from the University of Victoria (1999). She worked as a clinical neuropsychologist for 26 years, diagnosing brain injuries and diseases. Her focus has since evolved to providing TMS to clients for enhanced well-being.

Forum: Dr. Friesen will be in attendance for the forum.

There will be a short Installation ceremony for the new board of directors.

Speaker: Rev Fiona Heath (video homily)

Nourishing Nature- the practice of nourishing nature while being nourished by the natural world: How do we align with the rhythms of earth?

Bio: With the light of the chalice guiding the way, we explore our aspiration to be theologically alive: seeking to be ever-evolving in our understanding, open to new knowledge. How does our theology respond to the present moment and where might it go in the future? Rev. Fiona Heath spent nine years as the settled minister at the Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga, as well as two years as the part time minister of the UU Congregation of Durham. Now retired, she lives in the countryside north of Kingston, focusing on fiction and poetry writing, local climate crisis response, and how to be a UU at home.

Forum: There will be a forum, Rev Heath will not be in attendance.

Speaker: Dr. Elizabeth Vibert

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This illustrated talk explores the contested concept of ‘race,’ examples of its historical making across the British empire, and its ongoing power into the present day.

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Bio: Elizabeth Vibert is a historian at the University of Victoria. Her research, writing, and filmmaking focus on colonial understandings and misunderstandings of Indigenous and other colonized peoples. Most recently she is the director of Aisha’s Story, an award-winning documentary film about a Palestinian grain miller keeping her food culture alive in exile. aishasstory.com/

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Forum: After the service, there will be a coffee/tea break, and at 11:15 AM there will be a forum to discuss the topic. Elizabeth will be present.

Speaker: Sarah Weaver

Buddhist scholar, systems thinker, environmental activist and passionate teacher Joanna Macy died in the summer of 2025, at the age of 96. Through the practices of her seminal “Work that Reconnects”, she helped people transform their grief for the world into “active hope” by experiencing their innate connection with the wonder of life. Macy showed that to love the world is not a passive thing; in fact, in her words, gratitude “loosens the grip of the industrial growth society.” On this Mother’s Day, Sarah will offer a snapshot into some of Macy’s ideas and her work for our common mother, the earth.

Bio: Sarah is a writer and poet who grew up in an urban area, but has always had nature in her blood. She has been advocating for the planet for decades, as a city planner, business woman, environmental educator, writer and long-time volunteer. Discovering Capital was one of the pulls which brought Sarah to Victoria over seven years ago.  She is passionate about Capital!

Forum: After the service, there will be a coffee/tea break, and at 11:15 AM there will be a forum to discuss the topic. Sarah will be present.

Speaker: Peter Scales

“How hard could it be to build a new congregation?”  Our society was formed in 1996 when eight Unitarian-Universalists decided to re-establish a UU presence in James Bay.  Through good times and bad, and a global pandemic, CUUC remains “the little congregation that could.”  Come and share stories of resilience and joy.  There will be birthday cake.  If you are able, please contribute to a potluck lunch in the hall.

Bio: Homilist Peter Scales is a B.C. historian.

Forum: There will most definitely be a forum to celebrate this anniversary, Peter will be in attendance.

Speaker: Dr. Peter Fenwick (video homily)

Dr. Fenwick provides both an account of his research into Near-Death Experiences and a practical discussion of “what do we really know about dying,” the circumstances around near-death experiences, and how consciousness changes when the heart stops. He also relates, very practically, how to prepare for death. Fenwick provides much hope for death being a good experience. Statistically, from accounts of near-death experiences, it will likely be your mother you see at the moment of death.

Bio: Neuropsychologist Dr. Fenwick was born in Nairobi in 1935 and died in London, England, in 2024. He was a senior lecturer at King’s College London, where he worked as a consultant in the Institute of Psychiatry. Fenwick was the President of the Horizon Research Foundation, an organization that supports research into end-of-life experiences. And he was President of the British Branch of the International Association for Near-Death Experiences.

Forum: Forum will be held, this service was at the request of members to be given the opportunity to speak about shifting attitudes towards aging and end of life.

Speaker: Rev. Samaya Oakley, Calgary Unitarians (video homily)

Liberating love is not sentimental—it is courageous. It interrupts rumour, resists polarization, slows the nervous system, and widens the circle. We can choose curiosity over certainty, compassion over gossip, truth over distortion, and presence over panic.

Bio: Rev. Samaya Oakley is deeply committed to fostering a congregation where relationships, compassion, and curiosity guide our shared spiritual journey. She believes that Unitarian Universalism calls us to live with integrity, love, and justice in our communities and the wider world. Samaya’s ministry is grounded in supporting people of all ages as they explore their values, deepen their connections, and grow into their fullest selves.

She has a special passion for nurturing youth and families, having spent 15 years coordinating youth programs and expanding Our Whole Lives sexuality education across all age levels. A committed social justice advocate, Samaya has worked on initiatives such as the Canadian Unitarian Council’s Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation Reflection Guides and the Widening the Circle program, and is currently involved in the national project Activating the Canadian UU Ecosystem.

Forum: After the service, there will be a forum; however, the Reverend will not be present.

Speaker: Ashley Ohtsijah Hall

An artist talk with accompanying visuals of her practice, shaped and informed by her cultural dichotomy, history, family stories, memories, blood memory, teachings, language, matriarchy, and motherhood. She hopes to inspire the audience to reflect on their own identity and the ways and people who have influenced them. Ashley will be showing her work in the Friendship Hall during this service.

Bio: Ashley is a Kanien’kéha (Mohawk) and Settler visual artist, photographer, and curator living on the unceded territory of the Lekwungen People. She works with Indigenous clients as a Support Worker for community inclusion and volunteers with an artist-run centre as Studio Manager and Board member, with a focus on engagement through community programming and curatorial projects.

Forum: After the service, there will be a coffee/tea break, followed by a forum at 11:15 AM to discuss the topic. Ashley will be present.

Speaker: Steve Morgan

When I first slid down the bank into the ravine and looked around, I was astonished that something so beautiful, so exotic, was hidden just a few hundred metres from my backyard. I knew the land was slated for development, and I remember saying to myself, “This place is going to break my heart.” Fifteen years later, we are still fighting to protect this landform. In the process, we are learning a great deal about the power of maps, the potential of activism, and the power and limits of local government. Join me as I tell the story of the Hidden Ravine.

Bio: Steve Morgan is a biologist, map maker, and community activist. He founded Cumberland Wetlands a decade ago to gather baseline data and advocate for the protection of wetlands and other important landforms from the effects of development in Cumberland, BC.

Forum: After the service, there will be a coffee/tea break, followed by a forum at 11:15 AM to discuss the topic. Steve will be present.

Speakers: Sarah Weaver, John Pullyblank, Kim Dawson

Sarah Weaver, John Pullyblank, and Kim Dawson speak about being a father or the father figures in their lives. Services in which congregants share personal stories, especially on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, are among the favourites at Capital. This diverse congregation open-heartedly shares personal experiences in a safe space with a supportive membership.

Forum: After the service, there will be a coffee/tea break, followed by a forum at 11:15 AM to discuss the topic. Sarah, John, and Kim will be in attendance.