02/25/2026
MARCH at GRU. Join us at 10:30 a.m. for these thoughtful Sunday mornings of musings and music.
March 1, 2026. “The Question Is the Gift.” Rev. Jess & Janis Collins with music Jay Moore and Rosemarie Harris. Poet Denise Levertov writes: “You are given the questions of others as if they were answers to all you ask / Yes, perhaps this gift is your answer.” The annual Question Box service is an exercise in our cherished freedom of the pews as YOU choose the topics of the day for Jess to respond to extemporaneously.
March 8, 2026. “Marriage in Ontario.” Charlotte Innerd with music by Curtis Dueck and Tom Nagy. An archivist delves into a controversial marriage ceremony in a Universalist church in 1920. Come hear a little-known story about the early struggles that eventually set the stage for marriage equality in Ontario. [Don’t forget to change your clocks for this Time Change Weekend!]
March 15, 2026 "What's Love Got to Do with It?": Thoughts on How Best to Respond to the Ecological and Social Crises of Our Time. Dr. Stephen Scharper with Joyce Reesor and the Spirit of Life Choir directed by Rich Hrytzak. We are at the confluence of several major crises: climate change, threats to democracy, especially in the USA, and "culture rot," which celebrates greed, violence, and an overwhelming assault on human dignity. After briefly detailing each of these challenges, I hope to unpack the role of love and social compassion as a basis for a creative response.
March 22, 2026 “In Praise of Slow.” Brenda Moen. In his book In Praise of Slow, Carl Honoré says: “As… technology made it possible to do everything more quickly, hurry and haste seeped into every corner of life. People were expected to think faster, work faster, talk faster, read faster, write faster, eat faster, move faster.” Carl examines the costs of living at a fast pace and the benefits of living slow. He says, “Slow is the opposite: calm, careful, receptive, still, intuitive, unhurried, patient, reflective, quality-over-quantity. It is about making real and meaningful connections—with people, culture, work, food, everything.” In a time where there is so much pressure on us to be fast, embracing a slower pace - when we can - has many benefits for us and our world.
March 29, 2026. “Connect, Include & Engage.” Fauzia Mazhar of KW Muslim Women with Christa Van Daele. To be deeply connected, to be radically inclusive, and to be actively engaged are just three of our “Five Aspirations” as Canadian Unitarian Universalists. This morning we celebrate those heady aspirations with Fauzia Mazhar and the women of the Coalition of Muslim Women of KW. Respected in our community for their long time pioneering work in anti-oppression, we also explore our mutual commitment to building community beyond our own community, enacting our mutual relational strengths in the ongoing work of defending democracy.
April 5, 2026. “Rising to the Moment.” Rev. J.P. Rodela. On this Easter Sunday, the start of our annual stewardship drive, we consider how the message of the ancient Christian story calls us to respond to times of uncertainty.
April 12, 2026. “Interfaith Grand River.” Jay Moore and representatives from Interfaith Grand River return to GRU to share perspectives on faith and diversity. Founded in 2001, IGR brings the wisdom of our many traditions to bear on current issues affecting our community by promoting dialogue, encouraging interaction, and challenging intolerance.
