eUU for January 23, 2026
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Friday, January 23, 2026

A blue-green square ft the words "Click HERE to Read the eUU in your Browser + Rotate Your Phone for a Clearer View" in white text.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, January 25, 2026
In-Person and Online
Starts at 10:30am
 
A bubble of ice, etched with feathers of frost, and lit by the sun.
Everything is Holy Now
Rev Lara Cowtan

This Sunday, we lean into the practice of cultivating a sense of wonder and reverence for the world around us. 
Click HERE for Service and Events Information

New: 
Information about Your
Sunday Offering 

The offerings collected each Sunday help us to live into our values within this congregation and in supporting many good works beyond our walls by highlighting a community partner organization each month to share with. 
 
During the entire month of January, our Sunday collections, unless marked towards your pledge, will be split 50/50 with our community partner, the Ten Oaks Project.


 
Ten Oaks Project is a grassroots charitable organization working to support 2SLGBTQ+ (two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer) children, youth and families to thrive. Based in Ottawa, Ten Oaks was founded in 2004 and, after 20 years, continues to offer affirming and life-changing camp and community programming rooted in play. All youth deserve a supportive place where they can be their true and authentic selves, but for many 2SLGBTQ+ youth and families, inclusive spaces are hard to find. To help continue to deliver transformative experiences to our community, donate to Ten Oaks – so that all kids who need it have a safe space.
A circle of cartoon children listening to a story, flanked by a drawing of our Chalice on the left and an white snowflake on the right. They all appear against a background of snow-covered spruce trees.

Children's Religious Exploration


This Sunday, after Time for All Ages, we’ll head downstairs for the Our Unitarian Gifts program, where we’ll explore our values in fun and engaging ways. This week, we’re continuing with our theme of The Gifts of Generosity.
  • Ages 5 and under in the Rainbow Room (rm 4) with Rita
  • Ages 6-7 in the Chalice Room (rm 2) with Jodi
  • Ages 8+ in the Wonder Room (rm 14) with Susie
Please bring indoor shoes or slippers, as we’ll be asking the kids to leave their outdoor boots on the boot trays.
Kids are encouraged to keep a pair of indoor shoes/slippers in their RE Room for the next few months.
Click HERE for Children's Programming Information

Special Congregational Meeting

This Sunday, January 25, 12:30pm,
In person and on Zoom

A black ballot box with a ballot sticking out of it.We expect our Special Congregational Meeting, this Sunday, to be short, as its sole purpose is to approve a motion to authorize the mortgage or lien of the congregation's property, should it be needed to increase FirstU's equity in the new Aspire Riverview Homes project.

It will be available both in-person and on Zoom, although in case of serious inclement weather, the entire meeting may be conducted on Zoom. Voter registration (both in-person and online) will be from 12:00 – 12:30pm.

FirstU Members will be able to attend and vote both in person and via Zoom. Meeting material are available on the Members' Page of the FirstU website.

Important: Members and observers who wish to join online should register in advance to receive the Zoom link for the meeting HERE.
Please do not wait until meeting time to get your Zoom link, as you need to allow time to be registered to vote when you join online.

PROXY: If you are a member and are unable to attend the meeting in person or on Zoom, please submit a proxy. Proxy forms and instructions on completing your proxy can be found on the Members’ Page.  Proxies can be submitted:

  • By email to [email protected]
  • In person at the Congregational Office
  • Brought to registration at the Special Meeting in Worship Hall

Please submit proxies as soon as possible so that voter registration can proceed smoothly.

Please join us for this important meeting.

Featured Volunteer Opportunity


Back-Up Office Assistant Position
There is a need for three or four volunteers who would be able occasionally to cover the office reception desk when an Office Assistant is absent. The tasks would include: attendance from 10:00am to 3:00pm, answering the phone, directing or assisting people who come to the office and other duties. Training and familiarization will be provided. Contact [email protected] if interested.

Have you already completed the FirstU Volunteering survey? If not, please click the embedded link and add your information to the volunteering database: Participation Survey
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Chuck Shields, Volunteer Coordinator - [email protected]
In This Email
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Caring Contacts for January


Lisa Sharp - 613-608-8698
Karen Swinburne - 613-234-4305
David Hudson - 613-402-5744

We are all interconnected, interdependent and minister to each other in many ways. Our monthly Caring Contacts take your phone calls and emails when you wish to alert us to a need or a concern or have a joy to celebrate. We try to ensure no one is forgotten and that appropriate help is provided when requested.
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Read All About It!

Think Before You Print
As you’ve likely noticed, costs are rising across the board—and that includes keeping the FirstU supply closet stocked. Copy paper prices alone have increased by more than 40% since COVID, so we’re asking everyone to be mindful when printing at the office. To help reduce waste, please consider the following:
  • Adjust your margins: When formatting documents, choose narrow margins to fit more content on each page.
  • Tweak spacing and font size: Small changes here can significantly reduce page count. (We’ve all had that frustrating moment when page 2 prints with a single line on it!)
  • Print double-sided: Make good use of all that white space on the backs of pages, by choosing double-sided printing in Settings
  • Do a test print: A quick test page ensures everything looks right before printing in larger quantities.
Thank you for helping us use our resources wisely!

Our Whole Lives Facilitators Wanted
Have you heard about OWL?  It is our lifespan Sexuality Education program called Our Whole Lives. We are looking for someone to help facilitate our upcoming Kindergarten - Grade 1 curriculum. This would require an interview with Jodi and an online facilitator training in March. We will be offering the 8 week program from April to June. If you are interested and would like more information, please email Jodi.

Religious Exploration Volunteers Wanted
Our Religious Exploration for Children and Youth (RE) programs are growing, and we want you to grow with us! Please contact Jodi if you'd like to learn more about how you can support our UU Kids, and our RE Staff, by volunteering with us.

Environmental Action Group (EAG) Advocacy Reminder
Time to remind you of last month’s advocacy asking you to join the EAG in signing LeadNow’s petition in response to the memorandum of understanding between the governments of Canada and Alberta. It focuses on stopping a bitumen pipeline from Alberta to the BC coast which would threaten our oceans, wildlife, rivers, and forests, and has received no Indigenous consent. Linked to this same MOU is STAND.Earth’s petition calling for the upholding of the tanker ban to protect the BC Pacific coast from dangerous bitumen tankers. For further information, click here!

Aspire Riverview Homes Update
The loan program to increase our equity position in Aspire Riverview Homes is progressing well! Our 6-year term loans have been fully subscribed, and we are now accepting 11-year term loans only. These 11-year loans carry an interest rate of 4%, with a balloon payment at maturity. We are seeking to raise a total of $1.8 million from private and institutional investors. Minimum investment is $10,000. The program has already attracted private investment from outside the congregation, demonstrating strong external interest and confidence in the project.
Contact [email protected] for more information.

Thank You from Fall Fair
Fall Fair’s Silent Auction has a second side that you might not know about. Generous FirstU members and friends donate jewellery and art pieces that, thanks to discounts from local auction houses, we’re able to sell at auction for higher bids, some of which start as high as $1000. If you’d like to see some of these beautiful pieces, scroll through this Brooks & Palen auction and look at the items in lots 212-220, as well as 232 and 234. The upcoming February 5 Heffel auction will include, on our behalf, 'Sea Goddess Feeding her Young' by Inuk artist Sakiassie Ragee. These beautiful items may not be seen at Fall Fair, but we're grateful to all of you who donate them.

Online Journey Group
Join Amalilly for a new, online journey group on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. The next discussion runs from 6:30pm to 8:00pm, on January 25, on Zoom. Click here for the zoom link. To receive the materials, email Amalilly at [email protected].

After-Service Conversations Now Weekly!
Are you interested in sharing some of your insights about the morning's service, or perhaps hearing what others think about it?   Our after-service conversations will now be held every Sunday and we'd love to have you join us.  Grab some food in Fellowship Hall then join us in the Lounge (near the office) for a good conversation. Coffee will be available.
 
A month-at-a-glance calendar, titled "bi-weekly events" appears with several recurring events circled in red.Recurring Event Topics and Updates
  • Click HERE for a full list of our recurring events, plus zoom links for those that occur online.
  • January 30 – Friday Afternoon Reading for Growth – 1:30pm. Their book for January is The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. Contact Clea for the zoom link.
  • February 4 - Drop-In Euchre - 6:30pm in Fellowship Hall.
  • February 5 - Virtual Discussion Circle - 1:30pm on zoom. Click here to find the zoom link. This session's discussion topic is "The New World Order".
  • February 13 - The Men's Breakfast Group will meet at 8:00am in Fellowship Hall for breakfast and an engaging talk followed by a lively discussion. Register by Monday, February 9 by filling out this form. 
  • February 20 - Drumming Spires: Come find your rhythm connection in this recreational community drum circle, 11:00am on the third Friday of every month, in Fellowship Hall. Please bring a small drum, coffee canister or percussion instrument. No experience needed. Please accompany children who attend. For information and to RSVP, email: [email protected]
  • February 26 – Thursday Evening Reading for Growth – 7:00pm. Contact Ken for the latest book and the zoom link.
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Upcoming Events


Special Congregational Meeting
This Sunday, January 25 - 12:30pm
In Person (Worship Hall) and on Zoom
Members of the congregation will be able to participate and vote at this meeting both in person and via Zoom (register for the zoom link well in advance please). Meeting materials, proxy forms, and zoom registration are available on the Members' Page.


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 the website homepage or on our YouTube Page.
 
For inquiries or to join a group, email the office for information.

Friday, January 23
8:30
Men's Breakfast Group

Sunday, January 25
10:30am
Sunday Service - Online and In-Person
Kids' RE
11:30am
Hospitality Hour
Chalice Room Cafe
FirstU Food Cupboard is Open
11:45am
After-Service Discussion
12:00pm
Voting Registration opens for Special Congregational Meeting
12:30pm
Special Congregational Meeting (in person and online)

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A series of month-at-a-glance calendar pages

Save the Date


Women's Inclusive Pagan Circle - Imbolc Ritual
Monday, February 2 - 7:00pm
Fellowship Hall
$5 Suggested Donation
Trans women, cis women, and non-binary folks are invited to join us as we honour Brigid, the Irish triple-goddess of smithcraft, poetry, and healing, on her feast day, February 2nd. Bring finger foods to share after the ritual and anything seasonal you'd like to include on our altar. We gather at 7:00pm and start our rituals around 7:30pm. Participation is by donation ($5 suggested).

Empathy: The Superpower of Connection
Tuesday Feb. 3 - 7:00pm
Room 3
Empathy is key to creating strong relationships, reducing stress and enhancing emotional awareness.  Join us to learn basic empathic skills and to distinguish these from other seemingly supportive but non-empathic approaches. Learn more on the Adult Learning and Growth page, and contact [email protected] to register.

UU Pride Group Presents:
Pal-Entines Day
Sunday, February 8 - 12:30pm
Fellowship Hall
Join 2SLGBTQIA+ friends, their chosen family, and allies from the UU community after service for snacks and fun activities. No registration is required; kids are welcome to attend with caregivers (no childcare is available). Please feel free to bring your own favourite board game!
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Unitarian Universalist nUUs


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.

Canadian Unitarian Council
Information about upcoming CUC events can be found on their Events Page or by reading their latest Congregational Life newsletter. Check them out and consider ways you can engage with fellow UUs beyond the congregation.
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Click HERE to download a PDF copy of this week's eUU

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Sunday Announcement Submissions

If you would like an announcement made during the livestreamed Sunday Service, please send an email, by Friday at 10am, to [email protected].
Do allow for time in case there are questions with regard to the announcement. Also note that announcements may need to be edited
for length and that time-sensitive announcements may be prioritized.
 

Online Meetings

Email [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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
firstunitarianottawa.ca
[email protected] 
Email Copyright © 2026 First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, All rights reserved.

​30 Cleary Ave   K2A 4A1   
613-725-1066  
[email protected]
We acknowledge that our campus is located on traditional, unsurrendered
and unceded Algonquin Anishinaabeg Territory; and that the work
of reconciliation is a responsibility of our congregation, and of all Canadians. 
Our goal is to educate ourselves and all who have ears to hear,
to be of service to those who are at risk, and to advocate for justice.

Our Charitable Number: ​107387953 RR 0001

Find full contact information, maps and directions HERE
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