Committees and groups keep the rest of us up to date on their activities and accomplishments. The content of this section will be always changing.
list of committees & groups
| Library News
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from Elizabeth Murdoch
Welcome two new members to the Library Committee: John Omielan and Errol McKinstry. The Library Committee is a going concern and we invite others to join us. To start the new year, Arthur Hughes highlights two books he has donated to our library:
The Civil Rights Chronicle: the African-American Struggle for Freedom, editor Clayborne Carson. |
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“I have read several books and articles on this subject and can state that there is no more comprehensive and provocative work on this key aspect of U.S. history. I encourage any Unitarian with interest in current American society to read this book.”
With or Without God by Gretta Vosper, minister at West Hill United Church, Toronto.
“This book proposes a radical and fundamental change in religious faith today, in the direction of just and compassionate living. The sub-title reveals its premise, Why the Way We Live is More Important than What We Believe. It is a most interesting read for any Unitarian.
Have you read a book from our library that you'd like to encourage others to enjoy too? Why not write a mini-review and email it to me at ermvcr@yahoo.ca
We’re delighted to focus this month’s list of recently catalogued materials on those created by UCV members:
Non-fiction
Men & Women & Tools by Marcia Braundy. Excerpt from Fernwood Publishing review: “…Canadian women still represent less than 3 percent of tradesworkers. Why does this disparity continue to exist? In Men & Women and Tools, Marcia Braundy—herself a tradesperson—explores this issue…”
Children’s fiction
Maggie de Vries has two new books published! Chance and the Butterfly and Somebody’s Girl.
Music CD
Breathing August by Jane Slemon. Jane launched this CD earlier this year. We’re glad to have a copy available for borrowing.
Just a note for those who’d like to donate materials for possible inclusion in the library collection, please ensure that there are no hand-written markings before your bring them to us. The next incredibly popular Book Bash will be in March. Our cupboards are overflowing with many donations. Thank you! We can’t accept more donations—please do not bring any more donations until after the next Book Bash!
We'd love to see you in the library! Drop in, Sundays 10:30 - 11:00 am, and 12:00 - 1:00 pm.
For further information please contact: Aphrodite Harris, Library Chair (604-987-5339, aphrodite_harris@telus.net)
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| Environment News
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Pipes
by Karl Perrin
“Jubilant U.S. oilsands opponents in fact have only re-energized Canada's determination to transport its [oil] resource to sensitive waters off B.C.'s coast, for shipment to Asia.”
Opinion, Barbara Yaffe, Vancouver Sun, page B1, November14, 2011
The Tar Sands-to-Texas Keystone XL pipeline was stopped by environmentalists and Nebraska legislators. Environmentalists, led by Bill McKibben and 350.org, opposed the dirty oil because GHGs (greenhouse gases) created in the production of fuels from tar sands are far above GHGs from conventional production. NASA’s James Hansen said that exploitation of the tar sands would be “game over for the climate,” i.e., prevention of runaway climate change would be extremely unlikely.
The Nebraska legislators feared a pipeline leak in their state would contaminate the Ogallala Aquifer. This underground aquifer is already depleting due to wasteful irrigation. It is a huge body of fresh water under most of Nebraska and several other states. Its contamination would devastate agriculture and drinking water.
Yaffe (who admits to being wined and dined by Alberta oil interests) wonders “...why the big brains at TransCanada would propose a routing near an aquifer.” Answer: the Ogallala stretches from South Dakota to Texas. You almost have to cross it somewhere. She concludes that the proposed Enbridge pipeline to Kitimat and the Kinder-Morgan proposed expansion to Burnaby are necessary so Big Oil can ship to Asia. Too bad that BC is in the way: “Moving oil to Asia now has become a national strategic imperative for the Conservatives.” She could add that China is a major player in the tar sands.
What could happen if crude oil shipments from Burnaby to China increase thirteen-fold from 2005 levels? Another Exxon Valdez? No, an oil spill here would be much worse. Another BP blow out? Quantities from a single tanker would be less, but our cold waters would congeal the crude oil.
BC’s coast contains most of Canada’s biodiversity, and the wealth of species under water is even rarer than the abundance above. Wage war on nature? Disgusting, but also unwise. Nature always wins, eventually.
For more information, please email Karl Perrin, chair of the Environment Committe. For his phone number, see the Bulletin for December, page 9.
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| Social Justice News
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Come Champion Choice in Dying
from David Steele:
Starting this month, here in Vancouver in the Supreme Court of BC, Gloria Taylor will fight for the right to die.
Lasting social and cultural change is not achieved through the courts. Legal change can prompt or assist in social change, but it does not assure it. The battle to change hearts and minds is equally important. Come help us win that battle.
On Saturday, January 7, 2012, the Social Justice Committee of the Vancouver Unitarian Church is sponsoring a one-day session facilitated by Dying With Dignity’s executive director, Wanda Morris. The one-day session covers options at the end of life, options for those who want to self-determine their dying and a review of the legislation in place in Canada and around the world.
This training is open to any DWD member who wants to be an ambassador for Dying With Dignity. A DWD ambassador is a person who wants to be informed, to engage friends, family, colleagues or others in conversation and to respond to any questions that might come out of such conversations. Participants may also choose to become public speakers on behalf of Dying With Dignity but this is not a requirement.
Space is limited and registration is required for this session. Please email DWD executive director Wanda Morris to register.
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| Refugee News
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from Virginia Crabill:
We are stretched a bit thin these days, so we greatly appreciate those who pitch in and help at our busy Sunday lunches. We won’t be having our Quilt Raffle this winter, although hopefully we will next year. We greatly appreciate your donations of small items to our Thrift Sale table in Hewett Centre most Sundays. We either pass these items along to our newcomers, or sell them to raise funds.
We also will be selling Entertainment Books for $46, as well as tickets to our Metro Theatre fund-raiser in May. This will be Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, and we'll be sharing any profits with the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign. These wonderful women assist African grandmothers raising their AIDS-orphaned grandchildren.
We are quite concerned about Bill C-4.You can find out why by reading Ten Reasons Why Bill C-4 Needs to be Defeated. You then can go to the CCR C-4 Action Page. If you are so inclined, you could contact your MP to express your concerns.
Our young African friend has moved to northern Alberta for employment. We wish her the very best of luck, and certainly hope to see her again.
For more information about the Refugee Committee, talk to either our new co-chair, Julia Myers, or myself. If you wish to financially assist the Refugee Committee, you can place your gift in the offering basket during the service or bring it to the office. Please add the memo “For the Sheilah Thompson Refugee Fund.”
For a phone number, please see the Bulletin for December, page 8.
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| Centenary Mosaic
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The centenary mosaic, created in celebration of our centenary, is made from glass mosaics of which some were purchased in Venice 40 years ago. The mosaic is now hanging on a wall in the Hewett Centre hall.
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