Greetings, CTU Members and Friends –

Given our strategic priority of fully integrating our Principle Statement into our activities this year, we start with understanding the Principle Statement more fully – how did it come to be? What do we need it? For those interested in reading it, you’ll find Our Principle Statement here.

We are very excited to be hosting a special interfaith event with Cape Town Pride on 23 February (details below). Then the Pride March will be on Saturday 1 March at 10 am. It’s a great opportunity to support the LGBTQIA community as a member or an ally!

Lastly, the vacuum cleaner that Jeanie and Dave donated a few years ago has been working overtime, and has decided to stop working. We’ve tried a few fixes but nothing has worked. Might anyone have a spare vacuum cleaner to donate to CTU? Our rug and floors would be very appreciative!

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
Upcoming Activities: CTU Summer Outing to Kalk Bay, *New* Sangha, Interfaith Pride March Collaboration, Somerset West Fellowship (on break), Mid-week Meditations, Community Choir
Community Highlights: Water Communion, Special Music Service, Game Day, Piano and organ tuned
Council Updates: January 19 Recap, Notes from the Chair

UPCOMING SUNDAY TOPICS

Please note: All Sunday services are hybrid and start at 10:30 am SA time

2 February Our Principle Statement.Nima will be joined by Shelley and Melanie to share the history of our Principle Statement as well as its meaning and significance. Come learn how you can participate in our beautiful creation of community.

9 February - Katleho (Jabulani). Join us this Sunday as we share the "first fruits" of 2025. Katleho (the being formerly known as Madeleine aka Jabulani aka Georgia) will be leading a Pagan-style service weaving together traditions practised to celebrate the wheel of the year. Lammas/Lughnadash is a Pagan Sabbat drawn from Gaelic traditions. Halfway between the Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox, it marks a turning point for us to harvest what we've sown as we slowly turn towards Autumn. Lammas or Loafmass is also celebrated in some Christian traditions. Enjoy some connection and meditation in community. Candles, incense and snacks will be involved! Participants are encouraged to wear autumn colours and an item you would like to have on the altar. Perhaps even bring an autumn-themed treat to share! :)

16 February - We are all leaders. Join Nima as we discuss the importance and practice of Community. Research has proven that being part of a community keeps us healthy and sane!

23 February - Imam Muhsin Hendrickse. Keeping our Faith. Imam Muhsin is a beloved, and reviled, gay Imam whose organisation the Al-Ghurbaah Foundation supports LGBTQIA Muslim worldwide. Join us as we hear how we can all stand up for the right to practice your faith regardless of your identity.

*We will host a special dialogue in preparation for the 1 March Pride March. See details below. Please invite any friends who might also be interested in participating.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

CTU Summer Outing to Kalk Bay
8 February, Saturday
Depart 9:15am from 64 Hout street

Choo choo! All aboard! You are invited to join a blessing of Unitarian Unicorns on a summer adventure. We plan to take the train from Adderley station, Cape Town city centre to Kalk Bay. Once there we may stroll around the neighbourgood taking in the sights, before settling into a picnic brunch at Lever Street public park. (Train departs from Cape Town, at 9:45am).

Remember to bring:

Sunhat, towel, blankie, sunscreen
Picnic foods to share, Ubuntu vibes (Bob’s Bagel Cafe, around the corner)
Something to share~ storytelling, poetry readings, magic tricks, corny Dad jokes, salty sea air, summer sunshine & smiles
Summer vibes enjoying our beautiful Mother City
Return train fare, R18 per person

(Transport sponsorships available)

Please contact Hans with any questions, if you might require transport assistance, what to bring with regards to food & beverages~ WhatsApp +27 721276497.

Let’s explore together and enjoy our Summer season by the sea!

Sangha (NEW)
22 February, Saturday
3:00 - 4:00 pm
64 Hout street

Join us for an afternoon of chanting and meditation and discussion of a Buddhist principle. No experience necessary. Come as you are!

Nurturing Faith & Hope - Interfaith Gathering
23 February, Sunday
2:00 - 4:00 pm
64 Hout street & Zoom

This is the interfaith workshop Queer Faith Collective will be hosted (along with CTU and others) in our building. Here are some additional details to put with it:

Join us for a special interfaith workshop on this important issue. Our goal is to support each other in this challenging time, and create actionable ideas to ensure all humans are treated with dignity and respect.

Somerset West Fellowship

Dave and Jeanie Mayes have sadly notified everyone that they need to step down as leaders of this fellowship. Roux has offered to work with the group to determine what they might want to happen going forward.

Midweek Meditation

CTU Choir

You are welcome to join your voice when you are ready. All are welcome, irrespective of experience level.

Please contact Camille with any questions you may have about the choir.

Community Highlights

We used Fred’s glassware for our Water Communion!

We are ever grateful to songbird, mezzo-soprano Janette Lallier and pianist maestro Markus Hauck, for gifting us with a very intimate and soul-stirring musical pilgrimage of reflection, renewal and possible new beginnings

Games day

…don’t be duped by these innocent, placid looking, Unitarian poker-faces. There is mad cunning and scheming afoot! Enter at your own risk ~ you have been warned…

Council Updates

January 19 Council Report

Our CTU Council had an inspiring meeting on January 19th. They discussed our Strategic Priorities, the 2025 budget, restarting the Chalice Circles, beginning the ministerial search process, CTU t-shirts, the upcoming Pride March, and many administrative details. One important ask for the community: we need to purchase a new computer for the church's administrative tasks. Currently, we are using outdated, slow, second-hand devices. While the Council agrees that these previous donations were quite generous, they also recognize that this important work requires a more robust computer. Please stay tuned to find out ways that you might be able to support this purchase. Finally, everyone is welcome to attend any Council meeting. They next meet on March 16th at noon.

Notes from the Chair

Hi all! Another month has passed, and Festive is now well behind us. I’m delighted to say that in our last council meeting, we approved our 2025 budget. Go team! Our new accounting software is making our lives easier, and our Strategic Priorities are clear.

We recently met with Investec about our church’s modest portfolio, and if our returns stay similar to the last few years, we are projected to keep our expenses close to our earnings. Phew!

If you would like to recognise our beautiful community in your will, please reach out to me, Nima, or Karin. We would love the opportunity to honor your legacy.

I love seeing things grow. Anyone who knows me even casually will have heard about my small jungle of plants. So I’m equally delighted to see our community growing! All of the new faces are great.

Our “rescue tree” in front is also flourishing. If you have any plants needing new homes, please consider donating them to the church, Hans and I will happily integrate them.

CTU has proposed a workshop for the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in June, held in the States and online. The title is “Unitarianism in Africa; Today's Future”. We’ll let you know if we’re selected!

Have a fantastic month everyone.

Altaira

Have questions or comments for Council? Please email us at community@capetownunitarians.org.