During 2024, the SJ team organized several events to call for peace and justice. In April, the team called for a ceasefire in Gaza with lasting justice in Israel/Palestine and in May, coordinated a photo with over 80 people gathered in the sanctuary.

In June, the team submitted a resolution to endorse the statement by the Canadian Unitarian Council and Unitarian Universalist Ministers of Canada calling on the State of Israel and on Hamas to agree to a permanent ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages.

In September, during the annual water ceremony, the team invited the congregation to stand in solidarity with those in Palestine, Sudan and Indigenous communities who do not have access to safe drinking water.

In 2025, the SJ team will continue calls for peace and justice by working within VanU and with other organizations. On January 26^th, Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) will be hosting an author talk at 7pm at the Peretz Centre ( 6184 Ash Street, Vancouver). The SJ Team will be one of the many cosponsors and invites all VanU members to attend this free event.  Authors: Rabbi Alissa Wise and Rebecca Vilkomerson will talk about their recently published book:  Solidarity is the Political Version of Love: Lessons from anti-Zionist Organizing.

Building on the efforts of many past and present VanU members, the Social Justice Team has been busy working on a Resolution on the Endorsement of the CUC Motion to Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery and the Doctrine of Terra Nullius.  The team is  grateful to John Omielan who proposed and drafted the resolution with input from the SJ Team. The Social Justice and IPA teams are co-sponsoring this resolution.

On February 23^rd, there will be a forum to give the congregation an opportunity to ask questions and discuss this resolution. Individual members of the Environment, IPA and SJ teams presented a forum in November 2022 on the Doctrine of Discovery. Here is a link to a recording of the forum  on the previous UCV website.  This forum was instrumental in helping the CUC draft and approve their motions to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery and the Doctrine of Terra Nullius.

The Social Justice team has sold white peace poppies every November to recognize all victims of war and the team assembles wreaths for the annual Let Peace be Their Memorial ceremony. This past November, the team hosted the first Peace Building reception that provided ceremony attendees a chance to socialize, meet event hosts and wreath layers, and visit display tables set up with information about peace building activities at VanU and beyond.

The Social Justice team plans to create more opportunities for discussion about peace in 2025. On March 9^th, SJ/IPA members Debra, Hisako and Huguette will be speaking at the forum entitled Let’s Talk about Peace Building.  The SJ team invites all VanU members to attend and share their thoughts.

As Labour Day approaches, we hope you have had a restful and joyful summer. The Vancouver Unitarians are excited for Rev. Shawn Gauthier’s second full year as our minister, and we are all feeling inspired and energized for the Fall.

This week Rev. Shawn is working with staff to map out our Fall programming and special events. Watch this space for more details and information on how you can sign up to participate!

This bookclub will study Dr. Roxy Manning’s book “How to Have Antiracist Conversations: Embracing Our Full Humanity to Challenge White Supremacy.” Sessions are planned for Tuesday evenings online, Aug 13 and 27, Sept 10 (this date subject to change), and Sept 24.

Dr. Roxy Manning will be a guest at VanU in the Sunday service on October 6, 2024, interviewed by Rev. Shawn, sponsored by the Healthy Relations Team. Following the service Roxy will lead a workshop open to members and friends. Roxy’s book provides guidelines on authentic antiracist conversations that consider all of us part of Beloved Community (a concept promoted by Dr. Martin Luther King).  

The purpose of the book club is to learn the skills in the book. Our learning will contribute to integrating the 8th Principle in ourselves and in our community, and will, we hope, enrich the October 6 workshop at VanU. The book can be purchased through Massy Books or Banyen Books, and may soon be available in the VanU library. 

Questions? Ask our Membership Outreach Coordinator at moc[at]vanu[dot]ca. 

Please register ideally by August 1 on this online form HERE.