The First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa
.png)
.png)
Friday, September 11, 2026
We acknowledge that our campus is located on traditional, unceded and unsurrendered Algonquin Anishinaabeg Territory, and that the work of reconciliation is a responsibility of our congregation, and all Canadians.
Sunday, September 13, 2026
In-Person and Online
Starts at 10:30am
%20(1).png)
Gathering at the Well - Ingathering and Water Ceremony
Reverend Lara Cowtan
Join in this multi-generational service as we begin our program year with
a UU Water Ceremony. Please bring a small amount of sacred water
(by your own definition) to share in our ritual.
Each month, we share our undesignated offertory 50/50 with a community partner.
Click here to learn more about this month's partner.
.png)
Children's Religious Exploration
This Sunday, our UU Kids will be upstairs in Worship Hall for our multigenerational Ingathering Service!
Bring a small amount of water that is special to you and your family to share during our Water Ceremony!
Sundays, September 20 and 27: Join us for whole group “Welcome to RE” activities. Our new thematic RE program “Woven Faith” will start on Sunday, October 4th.
Welcome Back Barbecue!
Join us for a Welcome Back barbecue after our Ingathering service on September 13! Bring a salad or a dessert to share.
Settled Minister Discernment Process
Key dates to share your thoughts and hopes as we discern whether to call Rev. Lara as our settled long-term minister:
-
September 10 - Launch of online Discernment Survey
-
September 15 - Congregational Consultation over Zoom at 7:00pm. Click here to join
-
September 20 - In Person Congregational Consultation, at 12:30pm, in the NOW Room
-
September 27 - Hybrid Fire Side Chat with Rev. Lara, at 12:30pm, in Worship Hall and online
-
October 18 - Special Congregational Meeting on whether to call Rev Lara as our settled long-term Minister will take place after the service
As part of our ongoing discernment about whether to call Rev. Lara Cowtan as our Settled Minister, the Settled Minister Discernment Task Force is inviting members of the congregation to share their perspectives.
The survey is brief and provides an opportunity to indicate where you are in your discernment, as well as to share any questions, hopes or considerations you would like the Task Force to hear. Please take a few minutes to participate by clicking here.
Thank you for adding your voice to this important congregational conversation.
Your Discernment Task Force:
Lisa Boulay, Alex Campbell, Ally Hobson, Erin Keene, and Lee Rose
.png)
Featured Volunteer Opportunity
Help Make Our Sundays Run Smoothly
Each Sunday morning, it takes a team of about ten volunteers to run our service. Volunteers act as Worship Associates, sing in the choirs, sell books and do other fundraising. We need people to help with coffee hour, operate the elevator, support our children’s programming, and act as greeters. There's a place for everyone and we'd love to have you join us. If interested, please contact Lisa S.
%20(1).png)
FirstU's Caring Team
We are all interconnected, interdependent and minister to each other in many ways.
Caring Contacts are monthly volunteers who receive phone calls and emails when you wish to alert us to a need, a grief or a concern, or have a joy to celebrate. They prepare cards to be signed on Sundays, and try to ensure no one is forgotten, connecting people with appropriate help when requested.
Caring Contacts for September
Margaret DeCorte - Email - 613-722-1424
Carmen Contreras - Email - 613-565-3613
Caring Visitors are specially trained and certified FirstU Members, available to provide spiritual care and deep listening for those who seek support during a transition or challenging time. Visits can be by phone/zoom, a walk, in a coffee shop, in home, hospital, hospice, or wherever is comfortable.
Caring Visitors: caringvisitors@firstunitarianottawa.ca
_png%20(1).png)
Read All About It
Become a FirstU Member
Have you been engaging for at least three months with FirstU? Do you have questions about the membership process and benefits? Do you want to vote at our upcoming congregational meetings? If so, the Welcome and Membership team would love to chat with you. Please drop a line to welcome@firstunitarianottawa.ca or stop by the Welcome Table on a Sunday.
Save the Date! Holtom Lecture with The Honourable Bob Rae
Mark your calendars. This year's Holtom Lecture will be held on Tuesday, November 3 at 7:30pm, in Worship Hall, and will feature the Honourable Bob Rae speaking on the subject "What is the Direction for Canada post DAVOS?"
Find FirstU on Social Media
Did you know that FirstU has a facebook page AND an instagram account? Click the embedded links to give us a follow, and help spread the word about events happening at FirstU.
Public Service Announcement: Microsoft Publisher to be Discontinued!
If you have any documents in this format, please note that support for it will end on October 1. To keep your documents accessible, you’ll need to convert them to another format.
A Facebook Group for Congregants
Unlike FirstU's facebook page, the community group is for social interaction, not church business. If you're looking for a place to share memes, thoughts, and personal milestones with fellow FirstU congregants, consider joining the FirstU Ottawa Community Group on Facebook.
After-Service Conversations Return
Interested in sharing some of your insights from the morning's service and hearing what others think about it? Our weekly after-service conversations are back again beginning next Sunday, September 20th. Grab some food from Mia's Indian Cuisine (cash preferred) in Fellowship Hall, then join us in the Lounge (near the office) for a good conversation. Coffee will be available.
Jewellery for Fall Fair
Please drop off your donations of jewellery for the Fall Fair in the main office anytime. We are already collecting donations for sorting, repairing, and cleaning. So please bring your donations in sooner rather than later.
FirstU Children's Choir
Interested in our new FirstU Children's Choir for ages six and up? Children's choir will run on Wednesdays from 5:00pm-6:00pm, September 16 to December 2. Registration is $40. Full details and registration HERE. Contact Jenn with any questions or concerns!
News from the June and August Board Meetings
-
Refugee Sponsorships - the board approved FirstU sponsoring refugees under the Blended Visa Office - Referred Program, with the final selection of refugees to be made by the Refugee Support Action Group (RSAG)
-
Campus Development - Kindred Credit Union has approved a loan of $1.1 million to FirstU, to be used toward purchasing equity in Aspire and repaying personal loans made to purchase equity.
-
Org Chart - An updated FirstU organizational chart was approved, and has been posted on the Members' Page of the website, as well as in the lobby outside the church office.
-
Board committee appointments - Maury Prevost as liaison to the Generosity Committee (overseeing various fundraising / stewardship efforts) and the Nominations Committee; Chuck Triemstra as a member of the Governance Committee; Chuck Shields as a member of the Nominations Committee, pending approval at the Fall Congregational Meeting.
-
Property - Board approved using a portion of the $100K that FirstU will receive from Aspire towards urgent property projects. (The $100K is for the donation of a portion of our land near the Continental for use by the city for parkland).
For questions, contact president@firstunitarianottawa.ca.
Call to Action: Preventing Gender-Based Violence
Provided by the Men's Breakfast Group Compassion-to-Action Initiative
In 2023, Ottawa declared gender-based violence (GBV) an epidemic. Ottawa Police (OPS) recorded a 9 percent increase from 2025 to 2026 in calls related to intimate partner violence. By August 2026, OPS recorded sexual violations up 24 per cent over same period in 2025.
Ottawa has a community safety plan that calls for prevention of GBV. How can we get mayoral candidates to commit to adequate investment in evidence-based prevention with men and boys to achieve significant reductions in GBV by 2030?
%20(1).png)
Upcoming Events
Weekly Calendar
Please contact your regular group leader for meeting details. Contact info can be found on the congregation's calendar.
The link for Sunday Service can be found on our This Sunday page or on our YouTube Channel.
For inquiries or to join a group, email the office for information.
Friday, September 11
8:30am
Men's Breakfast Group
Saturday, September 12
9:00am
Worship Associate Team Retreat
Sunday, September 13
10:30am
Multigenerational Ingathering Service - Online and In-Person
11:30am
Congregational Barbecue
FirstU Food Cupboard is Open
Recurring Events - Topics and Schedule Changes
-
September 15 - Tuesday Tai Chi - 1:00pm - Fellowship Hall - Improve your health and balance. Join us weekly to practice Tai Chi. Led by Friends of Taoist Tai Chi, Ottawa.
-
September 16 - Drop-In Games Night - 6:30pm - Room 3 - Drop-In Games Night happens on the first and third Wednesday of the month.
-
September 16 - Online Group Meditation - Wednesday evenings, 7:00pm - Online - To receive the zoom link, contact adultlearning@firstunitarianottawa.ca in advance.
-
September 17 - Thursday Tai Chi - 10:00am - Fellowship Hall - Improve your health and balance. Join us weekly to practice Tai Chi. Led by Friends of Taoist Tai Chi, Ottawa.
-
September 17 - Virtual Discussion Circle - Every other Thursday at 1:30pm on zoom. Discussion circles are held biweekly, with a different topic each time. No pre-registration is required, just drop in. Click here to join. We look forward to seeing you! Contact Andrew with any questions. Our next topic is: "Oceans or Mountains? Why?"
-
September 18 - Drumming Spires - 11:00am on the third Friday of every month. Find your rhythm connection in this recreational community drum circle. Bring a small drum or improvised percussion instrument. No experience needed! Kids must be accompanied. For information, or to confirm attendance, please email fridayspires@mail.com.
-
September 21 - Virtual Trivia Night - 7:00pm on the third Monday of every month. Join us for our monthly Trivia Quiz! All you need is a pen or pencil, paper and your "thinking cap". Play alone or team up with friends! Contact Andrew with any questions. Click here to get the link.
-
September 22 – Journey Group – 2:00pm - Room 6 - Our Journey Group meets twice a month to discuss a monthly theme. September’s theme is “Beginning”. Additional groups will form based on demand for time, type, and frequency. Starting in October, the group will meet on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Contact Amalilly for more information.
-
September 24 - Thursday Evening Reading for Growth – 7:00pm on the fourth Thursday of the month. Contact Ken for the zoom link and our first book title of the year.
-
September 25 - Men's Breakfast Group - 8:30am - Fellowship Hall - Gentlemen are invited to join the Men's Breakfast Group on Friday September 25, for coffee, socializing, and breakfast, followed by an informative and engaging talk and ensuing discussion. Register no later than Monday, September 21 by clicking HERE and submitting this form.
-
September 25 - Friday Afternoon Reading for Growth – 1:30pm on the last Friday of the month. will be discussing Second Suns, by David Relin, who spent a year with a Nepalese and an American eye surgeon as they cured blindness caused by cataracts in remote Himalayan villages. Contact Clea for the zoom link. New members are very welcome.
Need to check if a weekly, biweekly, or monthly event has been rescheduled? Click here, or check our month-at-a-glance calendar.
Looking for a new social group to join, or need to confirm a zoom link or locate a registration form? Click here for a full list of our recurring events, plus zoom links for those that occur online.
.png)
Unitarian Universalist nUUs
UUFO Presents: From the Fall of Kabul to the Fall of 2026 - The Evacuation and Settlement of High-risk Afghan Women
This Wednesday, September 16
7:00pm - 9:00pm
400 McArthur Ave in Vanier
Join special guests Shima Karimi and Laura Robinson to hear the story of evacuating high-risk women - those who worked for the rights of women, whose voices were courageously raised, and whose identities were frequently known by the Taliban - from Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul in August 2021.
2026 Mirth and Dignity Retreat: Moments of Joy and Moments of Peace
October 8-11
Crieff Hills Retreat Centre (Guelph, ON)
From $575 USD
Mirth & Dignity, the Canadian not-for-profit behind the wildly popular UU Hysterical Society, is holding a retreat this autumn in beautiful southern Ontario! Spend four days/three nights at the Crieff Hills retreat centre (just outside of Guelph, ON) laughing together, dedicating time to rest and recharging, and connecting with other UUs.
Some of your favourite Canadian UUs are going to be there: UUHS founder Liz James, song leader Wendy Luella Perkins, storyteller Katharine Childs, and animator Amber Dawn Bellemare will be leading the programming!! Full details and registration here.
Canadian Unitarian Council
Information about upcoming CUC events can be found on their Events Page. Check them out and consider ways you can engage with fellow UUs beyond the congregation.
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ottawa (UUFO)
Information about events and activities at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ottawa can be found by reading the latest UUFO Friday Notes.
.png)
News from Our Friends
Van Drivers for Unitarian House
Unitarian House needs volunteer drivers to ferry residents to and from grocery stops along Carling Avenue, between Sherbourne and Pinecrest, on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Arrive at UH to collect residents in the Unitarian House Van at 9am. Depart at 9:20am. Collect residents from the various drop-off points at 11:00am. If you have this two-hour window available on Tuesday or Thursday mornings, and would like to be social while helping our neighbours, this volunteer gig is for you. Contact Ryley at activities@unitarianhouse.ca for details!
Together for Nature Tour
This Tuesday, September 15
7:00pm (Doors at 6:30pm)
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (82 Kent St)
$30
Join Susan Aglukark, Terra Lightfoot, and representatives from Indigenous environmental protection organizations, on September 15, for an evening show to hear and learn from Indigenous artists, musicians and land protectors inspiring change. The Together for Nature Tour is an opportunity for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples to come together to raise our voices for nature and all our relations through story and song. Tickets available here.
Unitarian House Fall Clothing and Jewellery Sale
This Thursday, September 17
11:00am - 4:00pm
Founder's Room (20 Cleary)
Come choose from a wide selection of quality, gently used clothing donated by friends of Unitarian House as well as Reitman’s, Northern Reflections, Cleo and Ricki’s. All proceeds support Unitarian House Residents' Association. Unsold items will be distributed among local charities. Soup and sandwiches will be available for purchase at mid-day.
All sales are cash only.
Seniors' Climate Witness
September 19-24
This September 19–24, Climate Caravans from both coasts will converge in Ottawa for a week of public witness and nonviolent action as Parliament returns. This includes our UU friends from the Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice. They need your help and are looking for people to:
-
Billet travellers
-
Support or participate in nonviolent action
-
Help with outreach
-
Donate to make participation possible
Read more here and sign up to help OR contact Margaret L to offer a bed to a UU participant for 2-4 days. Make a new UU friend!
Submissions and Zoom Bookings
Sunday Announcement Submissions
If you would like an announcement made during the livestreamed Sunday Service, please send an email, by Wednesday at noon, to: boardannouncements@firstunitarianottawa.ca. Do allow for time in case there are questions with regard to the announcement. Also note that announcements longer than 50 words will be edited for length and that time-sensitive announcements may be prioritized.
Booking Online Meetings
Email zoominfo@firstunitarianottawa.ca to book a Zoom meeting and to find help with questions about how Zoom works. Standard requests will receive a reply within 24 hours. Please label urgent requests with 'Urgent' in the Subject line and someone will respond as soon as possible.
eUU Submissions
Submit your eUU messages for consideration to publications@firstunitarianottawa.ca no later than Wednesday at noon of the week you want your announcement or event to appear. Submissions may be edited for length.
60 words or fewer, please. Allison, our Communications Coordinator, works Thursdays and Fridays.
Our contact information:
30 Cleary Ave,
Ottawa, ON
K2A 4A1
613-725-1066