<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[My Site]]></title><description><![CDATA[My Site]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/news</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:48:51 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Transforming Hearts - Trans Day of Visibility Service - Sunday, March 29]]></title><description><![CDATA[Observing Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, we celebrate and honour the contributions of the transgender community and promote trans joy, resilience, advocacy and inclusivity. Click here to view the service in full Use the time stamps in the description to just to our guest speakers' Reflections.]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/transforming-hearts-trans-day-of-visibility-service-sunday-march-29</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69cedfe2719295076f2d1f7a</guid><category><![CDATA[Belonging]]></category><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><category><![CDATA[Inherent Worth and Dignity]]></category><category><![CDATA[Guest Speakers]]></category><category><![CDATA[Social Justice Sundays]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Kinds of Families]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[2SLGBTQIA+]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:31:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_1aef77448be44aec81fc60526cd7116e~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sing Out Love - March 22 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[Introducing the new UU virtual hymnal! We will explore how our hymns reflect our values and help us cultivate resilience, wonder, and wisdom.​ Click here to view the service in full Use the 46:09  time stamp in the description to jump to our Music Director's Reflection.]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/sing-out-love-march-22-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c6ddda495b6130434f30db</guid><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[Seeking Wisdom]]></category><category><![CDATA[Guest Speakers]]></category><category><![CDATA[UU Music]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:45:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_083f3bd5a35a4a748880d98374f102c4~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Facing the Future with Gratitude, Imagination, Courage, and Action - March 15 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[We are faced with many pressures, internal and external. What practices will help us face the future together? Join us as we celebrate this year’s Sharing our Faith Sunday with a reader’s theatre-style service. Grief, gratitude, imagination, courage, and action will all have their say. Click here to view the service in full Use the time stamps in the description to jump to various Acts in our Reader's Theatre piece.]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/facing-the-future-with-gratitude-imagination-courage-and-action-march-15-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69bd9b3b401a0b244dfff1b8</guid><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><category><![CDATA[UU Traditions]]></category><category><![CDATA[Guest Speakers]]></category><category><![CDATA[Embracing Change]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[Seeking Wisdom]]></category><category><![CDATA[CUC Sharing Our Faith]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 19:10:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_38edd7dc6b36467fa0afefb3973bf79e~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Oh, My Goddess! - March 8 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[The enduring wisdom of Goddess traditions and the divine feminine, presented through a non-biologically-reductionist lens. Click here to view the service in full Use the 51 :15​   time stamp in the description to jump to Reverend Lara's sermon.]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/oh-my-goddess-march-8-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69b316bcd558374c818d9358</guid><category><![CDATA[Rev Lara]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[Seeking Wisdom]]></category><category><![CDATA[UU Sources]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 19:43:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_84bc62f6c12c4f2d8db0fab5793ee673~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Wisdom Stories - March 1 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[Long before there were textbooks, sermons, research papers, Google, and podcasts, there were myths, fables, parables and wisdom stories. Click here to view the service in full Use the  44:26​   time stamp in the description to jump to Reverend Lara's sermon.]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/wisdom-stories-march-1-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69ab16a8b5dd05873349b128</guid><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rev Lara]]></category><category><![CDATA[Seeking Wisdom]]></category><category><![CDATA[UU Sources]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:04:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_e1405a58211a41ca931f7e82d71c04a4~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Out of the Shadows: Black History in Canada - February 22 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[Canada's Black History Month is a time to honour the leadership, and contributions of Black communities across Canada. It is also a time to reflect on the systems that continue to shape the lives of Black Canadians today. Click here to view the service in full Use the  43:10  time stamp in the description to jump to Reverend Lara's sermon.]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/out-of-the-shadows-black-history-in-canada-february-22-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69a1c910aac6e7cda916d161</guid><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rev Lara]]></category><category><![CDATA[Discerning Truth]]></category><category><![CDATA[Learning from Our Ancestors]]></category><category><![CDATA[Social Justice Sundays]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:41:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_76ea576a110b42408f9d57c39bd2f391~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Free and Responsible Search for Truth and Meaning - February 15 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[Our UU Fourth Principal states that we are all entitled to our own "free and responsible search for truth and meaning". For a covenantal faith, with deeply held shared values, but no expectation that everyone in a given congregation will have the same beliefs about the nature of the cosmos and their place in it, the "Free" part of our Fourth Principle is self-explanatory. But what is a "Responsible Search"? How do we discern what makes truth true or what makes meaning meaningful?​ Click here...]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/a-free-and-responsible-search-for-truth-and-meaning-february-15-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">699882671d8cdde54448bbba</guid><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rev Lara]]></category><category><![CDATA[Discerning Truth]]></category><category><![CDATA[Search for Truth and Meaning]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:50:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_b7cfe8205296410594f98349d22c2129~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is It True? Is It Kind? Is It Necessary? - February 8 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[The great Sufi poet, Rumi, believed that before we speak, our words should pass through three gates. Each gate asks a simple question, yet each one carries weight. Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? These poignant questions aren’t meant to restrain us, but to become invitations to awaken and grow conscious of what we release into the world. ​ Click here to view the service in full Use the 41:11  time stamp in the description to jump to Reverend Lara's sermon.]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/is-it-true-is-it-kind-is-it-necessary-february-8-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">698f6e806e0eff1a485960da</guid><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[Discerning Truth]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rev Lara]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:34:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_9cf8ec88b4b84210bca945aaf436781f~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Inherent Mirth and Dignity - February 1 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[What do you do when the life you’d imagined for yourself is stuck in committee? Join us for the story of the UU Hysterical Society - a story of feeling lost, finding yourself, and UUism-outside-the-box with UUHS founder Liz James. ​ Click here to view the service in full Use the 35:15  time stamp in the description to jump to Liz James' Reflection]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/inherent-mirth-and-dignity-february-1-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69863a5bcafaaac48841abbe</guid><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[Discerning Truth]]></category><category><![CDATA[Guest Speakers]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 19:02:02 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_3bcea508331f4a2fb5fb146cd9e788fb~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Everything is Holy Now - January 25 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[This Sunday, we explore how we can live into a practice of cultivating wonder and reverence for the world around us. Click here to view the service in full Use the  44:27  time stamp in the description to jump to Reverend Lara's Sermon]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/everything-is-holy-now-january-25-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">697d1bcf5fd06c182fe2ec32</guid><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[Awakening Wonder]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rev Lara]]></category><category><![CDATA[Lay Chaplains' Reflections]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2026 21:01:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_dc4df0e4e5a8412c9a481da81842366d~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Awakening to Love - January 18 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[Wonder often begins with love. In this service, we reflect on love as a grounding and awakening presence - one that invites us into deeper relationship, shared values and faithful action in the world. Click here to view the service in full Use the  45:34  time stamp in the description to jump to Reverend Lara's Sermon]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/awakening-to-love-january-18-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6973bb13affc20191ac4e661</guid><category><![CDATA[Rev Lara]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[Awakening Wonder]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:17:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_98a399c0c9d04843a1923c5ea2d96dbe~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[We Are Stardust: A Cosmic Theology of Awe and Wonder - January 11, 2026 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[Grounded in science and spirit, this service invites us to consider our place in an ever-unfolding universe - and the wonder that awakens us to belonging. Click here to view the service in full Use the 44:10  time stamp in the description to jump to Reverend Lara's Sermon]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/we-are-stardust-a-cosmic-theology-of-awe-and-wonder-january-11-2026-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">696a90914240a10d7a7e5f86</guid><category><![CDATA[Interconnected Web of Life]]></category><category><![CDATA[Social Justice Sundays]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rev Lara]]></category><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[Awakening Wonder]]></category><category><![CDATA[Search for Truth and Meaning]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:27:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_afacbff60bed41fe89db0c022ad74e0e~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Awakening to Wonder - January 4, 2026 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[We have a basic need for awe wired into our brains and bodies, so finding awe is easy if we just take a moment and wonder. All of us, no matter our background, can find our own meaningful path to awe. How awesome is that?! Click here to view the service in full Use the 33:25  time stamp in the description to jump to our guest speaker's Reflection.]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/awakening-to-wonder-january-4-2026-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69616c96448b5a633f0ead4a</guid><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[Guest Speakers]]></category><category><![CDATA[2026]]></category><category><![CDATA[Awakening Wonder]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 21:04:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_8a1f5fb50f2648b2a86654dc006447f7~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sacred Fire: Reflection, Release and Renewal - December 28 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[With the marking of the Winter Solstice on the 21st, we have begun another circle around the sun together. This Sunday we’ll participate in a fire communion/ or burning bowl ritual to center ourselves, seal our intentions, and leave behind what we wish, as we move into the New Year, as individuals and in community. Click here to watch the service in full Use the 29:13 time stamp to jump to Lay Chaplain Lisa Boulay's Reflection]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/sacred-fire-reflection-release-and-renewal-december-28-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695afdc0564ad52a9595d854</guid><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><category><![CDATA[UU Traditions]]></category><category><![CDATA[Guest Speakers]]></category><category><![CDATA[2025]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[Communities of Care]]></category><category><![CDATA[Lay Chaplains' Reflections]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 23:56:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_91b8bd54c5f449f7aa8b550e71da4ec6~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Silent Night, Holy Night - December 25 LATE Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[A contemplative, candle-lit service of readings and carols. No time stamps for this service. We invite you to enjoy the whole thing. Click here to watch the service in full]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/silent-night-holy-night-december-25-late-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695afd00b5397a67af495e2c</guid><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><category><![CDATA[UU Traditions]]></category><category><![CDATA[Holiday Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[2025]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rev Lara]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 23:53:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_6404f437eae544f2bf9afde02115bb2c~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Night the World Waited: Lights of Hope - December 25 EARLY Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[A lively, kid-friendly service full of story and song! No time stamps for this service. We invite you enjoy the whole thing. Click here to watch the service in full]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/the-night-the-world-waited-lights-of-hope-december-25-early-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695afbb4564ad52a9595d37c</guid><category><![CDATA[UU Traditions]]></category><category><![CDATA[Holiday Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[Communities of Care]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[2025]]></category><category><![CDATA[Guest Speakers]]></category><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 23:50:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_80ddba4d7a8e45a19bfa068c635ace39~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Darkest Day - December 21 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[Merry and Blessed Yule to all! Hail the Sacred and Embracing Dark! Hail the Invincible Sun! There can be no Spring without the Winter, no bloom without the seedtime, no Light without the Dark." ~ Cyndi Simpson This Sunday, we'll celebrate the Solstice and the longest night, with a FirstU tradition - our annual Solstice Spiral - and honour the pause-point of the Solstice with an exploration of the gentle dark and the need for quiet rest. Click HERE to watch the service in full Use the 31:48...]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/the-darkest-day-december-21-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695afa5d564ad52a9595d058</guid><category><![CDATA[2025]]></category><category><![CDATA[Communities of Care]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rev Lara]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 23:42:33 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_195d66896184465996f9fb7410568c21~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Helping Hands: Our Mitten Tree Service - December 14 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[This Sunday, we'll share a UU tradition: Mitten Tree Sunday! Join us as we decorate our tree with winter woolies that will help neighbours in need stay warm this winter, and live our UU Values of Justice, Equity, and Generosity. Click HERE to watch the service in full Use the 47:46 timestamp in the video description to jump to "The Mitten Tree" story and decorating our tree!]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/helping-hands-our-mitten-tree-service-december-14-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695af545db38cd5b6e66628b</guid><category><![CDATA[UU Traditions]]></category><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><category><![CDATA[Inherent Worth and Dignity]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><category><![CDATA[Communities of Care]]></category><category><![CDATA[2025]]></category><category><![CDATA[Guest Speakers]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 23:32:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_b3ff472bafd14278b556a32c3cd63a95~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Building a Caring Community -December 7 Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA["To provide care in our communities together, we need to feel with those who need care and then we need to put that feeling into action." ~ Ilara Stefaniuk-Gaudet This Sunday, we'll explore how we can build caring communities at FirstU and beyond. Use this embedded link  OR click on the image below to watch the service in full Use the 46:02 timestamp in the video description to jump to Reverend Lara's Reflection]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/building-a-caring-community-december-7-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">693c84d442832d49aeba7586</guid><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rev Lara]]></category><category><![CDATA[2025]]></category><category><![CDATA[Communities of Care]]></category><category><![CDATA[Congregational Focus 2025]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 12 Dec 2025 21:14:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1c8b06_656b4e5a88e94f8d9d6ffb17da63a215~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_940,h_788,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Grandmothers: Pillars of Their Communities - November 30 World AIDS Day Sunday Service]]></title><description><![CDATA[This Sunday, members of the Unitarian GoGos, and guest speaker Robin Scobie, will share some stories about their experiences and our learnings while visiting grandmothers and community-led partner organizations of the Stephen Lewis Foundation in May, 2025. The trip was a life changing event for the sixteen grandmothers and grand-others from across Canada and the six Stephen Lewis Foundation staff members who participated together in this incredible two-week journey to Eswatini and South...]]></description><link>https://www.firstunitarianottawa.ca/post/grandmothers-pillars-of-their-communities-november-30-world-aids-day-sunday-service</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6935e6ad21dbaf583f8cb7ee</guid><category><![CDATA[Social Justice Sundays]]></category><category><![CDATA[Guest Speakers]]></category><category><![CDATA[Inherent Worth and Dignity]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Kinds of Families]]></category><category><![CDATA[Learning from Our Ancestors]]></category><category><![CDATA[2025]]></category><category><![CDATA[All Services]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 07 Dec 2025 20:43:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH_1-cJ274U" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>uuoffice2</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>