Photo by Goutham Krishna on Unsplash
Greetings, CTU Members and Friends –
Thank you to everyone who attended our successful 2024 Annual General Meeting. We presented a well-deserved certificate of appreciation and a plaque to our beloved Fred Benning for being a lifelong Cape Town Unitarian and his countless hours caring for our building. Gordon presented Gur with Bob Steyn’s robe and stole, in recognition of his upcoming ordination next year at UUA’s Meadville Lombard Seminary.
We gave appreciation candles to our outgoing Council members: Makuba, Elspeth and Ana, and we welcomed our new Council members: Altaira Hatton, Brady Knop, Jacky Woodman, Leigh Meinert, Annie Kamya and Shelley Adams. We are excited to have ten people now serving CTU on Council. We will elect office bearers at an abbreviated meeting on Sunday 2 June 12 pm. Contact Nolu if you would like to attend. All are welcome.
Our theme for June is deep listening
With love and light,
Nima
nimajanettaylor@gmail.com // WhatsApp 076 024 9120
In This Issue of the Newsletter
Check out our events page to view our church calendar. This includes events posted in the building and outside of the building. If you would like your event added, please contact us at via email: community@capetownunitarians.org
Sunday Services
Calendar of Events: Somerset West Fellowship, Mid-week Meditations, Create Space, Wardrobe Rejuvenation, Chalice Circle, Chalice Kids, Community Choir
Community Corner: AfrikaBurn Recap, The Week, International Women’s Convocation
Community Updates
UPCOMING SUNDAY TOPICS
Please note: All Sunday services are hybrid and start at 10:30 am
2 June – Cele Esau, Deep Listening: Join us for a traditional service exploring how we experience deep listening. Do we only hear with our ears? Or do we employ other senses as well? When did we feel so heard that we also felt seen? Come and contribute as you are able to help us create a time of readings, songs and reflections followed by our usual teatime.
iStockphoto.com
9 June – Yoga as a Spiritual Practice: Hans will share reflection on his own spiritual journey with yoga. Yoga can be a world within worlds, that offers those who are curious, not only a way to unite body, mind and spirit, but moreover, to cultivate a greater sense of awareness and Oneness. Not just limited to the physical practice (asana), there exists additional, accessible ‘threads’, to anyone seeking a deeper spiritual connection. We broadly explore some of these considerations, from Patanjali’s Sutras, the Gayatri mantra, scriptures from the Rigveda and Bhagavad Gita, the 4 paths to self-realization and some of the spiritual teachers who shared these gifts with the world, to bring about greater health, joy and peace in the world 🕉💜🪔
Enjoy this video as a supplemental element of our service
16 June - Nima, Buddhist service: Let’s practise together deepening awareness of the innate wisdom within us and in fact all around us. If you knew you had a superpower of knowing, what would you want to ask? Guidance from the mystics from all the major religions encourage us to “open our heart and see”.
23 June - Winter Solstice: Come share this special time as we mark the winter solstice with pagan rituals and songs.
30 June - LARA Method, Deep Listening in Action: Altaira will lead us through the LARA method for active listening. LARA stands for Listen, Affirm, Respond, and Ask questions. This modality fosters strong communication and deep understanding between people, allowing open and honest conversation between people. Come explore this technique and experience the richness of deep listening in action.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
Somerset West Fellowship - In Person
Vonke House, Chapel Room at 121 Lourensford Road
NO FELLOWSHIP MEETING IN JUNE
Midweek Meditation (online only)
We’re back at 12:30 pm on Thursdays, starting 6 June. Join us every week for some light meditation instructions. We start promptly at 12:30 pm and end promptly at 1 pm
Create Space
15 June, Saturday, 10am through 4pm
In our building
“Go into the arts. I'm not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.” ~Kurt Vonnegut
You are invited to create space. It is an open stage to your creativity. We invite you to some creative arts and crafts making, however you wish to fully express yourself. Drawing inspiration from our AfrikaBurn Milliways, Don’t Panic theme camp experience, we will encourage you to belt out some of your favourite tunes, karaoke style. So let your weirdo flag fly, so other weirdos know how to find you. Bring your inner magic and let it shine!
Please feel free to bring along a dish, snacks and/or drinks to share. Any questions, feel free to WhatsApp Hans +27721276497.
Wardrobe Rejuvenation will be part of Create_Space!
Saturday, 15 June, as part of Create_Space
in our building
Wardrobe rejuvenation sessions led by Annie Akinyi Kamya consist of knowing the basics of sewing. Machine stitch can be taught if you provide your domestic machine. The main skills will be hand-stitching (basic, blanket, secret, cross); crochet; knitting; embroidery; pattern reading and making; and basic tailoring (hemming, etc.).
Cost: R100 per lesson
RSVP: Email missaakamya@gmail.com
Please bring your own machine if you have (or learn to use our new professional sewing machine!) and the item(s) you would like to repair or knitting needles, Crochet hooks, etc. to practise.
Chalice Circle
Tuesday, 18 June, at 19:00-20:30
Online only, email Nima for Zoom link
Chalice Kids - IN PERSON
We have a robust Chalice Kids education project every month. If you would like your child to participate, email Nima at nimajanettaylor@gmail.com. She will help you choose the right group for your kid(s) and share the homes where we are meeting.
CTU Community Choir - HYBRID
Every Wednesday, 18:30 - 20:00
64 Hout Street and Online
Community Corner
AfrikaBurn Recap
Our CTU AfrikaBurn family!
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Council Meeting - Save the Date
Council meeting will be held Sunday 14 July at 12 pm SA time. All are welcome. Please email Community@capetownunitarians.org to request the documents for this council meeting as well as the zoom link. (Or feel free to come in person to the building as well.
Climate Change, “The Week” and What We Can Do
Climate change and surrounding topics can be uncomfortable to turn our attention to. They may seem abstract or overwhelming. For a view on how we may take action in our own day-to-day lives, we could venture on a little journey.
This Journey means doing "The Week". I propose hosting "The Week", which can be done hybrid (on zoom and simultaniously in person) and consists of three meetings that take place in the space of one week. The element of human connection and little time between the meetings is important for this process according to the makers of "The Week" (www.theweek.ooo).
At every meeting we watch a one hour documentary and then have a 30 minute conversation (or more if required).
If you might be interested in joining "The week", changing your awareness and maybe even your actions around climate change, please contact Christine +27767354406 or christine.hinterlang@gmail.com
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International Convocation of Unitarian*Universalist Women (ICU*UW)
Dear fellow Unitarians, if you are passionate about in supporting womens empowerment in a international setting the following information may be interesting for you. You are welcome to join the International convocation of unitarian*universalist women (ICU*UW). They are a non-profit organisation and aim to advance equity for women and girls worldwide through leadership development, empowerment and awareness programs, advocacy, and resources. They are a group of women, diverse* and men who have been operating for over 10 years and have successfully awarded over $150,000 in scolarships and over $ 100,000 in grants to this purpose. Education projects were funded in Bolivia, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Kenya, the Philippines Romania and the US in addition to running various crisis relief programs, led by Unitarian*Universalist women from around the world, its members include Unitarian*Universalists and other people of liberal religious faith. The ICU*UW meet online on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 3 PM Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Request to join (admin@icuuw.com).
In addition to the online meetings there are in person events. one of which is taking place September 5-8 in Cluj in Romania. It is organised by the ICUUW and the National Organization of Unitarian Women of Romania (UNOSZ) in partnership with the Hungarian Unitarian Church. Our very own Camille Hatton has been the musical director for the last in person meeting which shows that unexpected magic happens when you dont expect it. For more information on the event go to www.intlwomensconvo.org/page/4th-convo-2024-september.
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Volunteer Opportunities - Please Share Your Time and Talents with CTU!
Our (Growing!) Communications Committee is always looking for people who can write, edit, photograph and create graphics. Contact Altaira or Camille on WhatsApp at +1 831 345 6128.
Join the Social Justice committee by contacting Cele on 082 433 8815.
Help with events by contacting Hans on 072 127 6497.
Have questions or comments for Council? Please email us at community@capetownunitarians.org.