8th Principle: some examples of successes and �actions

2020 – spring 2024

Participation in various events, e.g.:� - PRIDE Hamilton� - Rainbow Week Rally in support of 2SLGBTQAI,�Fri., May 17, 6 pm,� Hamilton City Hall

Activisim

��Our Team has built a relationship with Indigenous housing provider Sacajawea, fundraising for them since 2016, attending their events & including them in ours. For the third time in eight years, our speaker for our National Housing Day service in 2023 was BIPOC.

Affordable Housing Team

����All groups focused on the�Article 2 values(the UUA review of our principles) which have an anti-oppression, anti-racist lens. Sessions are held both online and in-person, daytime and evening to accommodate all.

Chalice Groups, 2024

All children and youth registration forms have boxes to check off to indicate individual’s preferred pronouns.

Children &Youth Religious Exploration (CYRE)

All CYRE programming is presented with an 8th Principle, anti-racist lens to ensure, as the children recorded in their 2023-2024 covenant, �We listen to what everyone has to say, make space for other voices, and make sure everyone has a role in what is happening.�

CYRE

Puppet show recently delivered by the children at a worship service called� "EDI and the Seven Friends" focused on the addition of the 8th Principle and what that means.�EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion)

CYRE

Children have been exploring the Article 2 shared values using the "JETPIG fueled by Love" story written by Tim.

CYRE

JETPIG: Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence, Generosity, all surrounding Love.

There are over 30 recent publications gathered during the COVID shut-down. New recommendations and donations to help further our understandings of 8^th Principle issues are always welcome.

Church Library 8^th Principle Collection 

��An 8th Principle section was added to the Social Justice links that are provided in the weekly All Church Email. Topics and local events related to the 8^th Principle are featured and continually updated in this section.

Church Website 

��The March theme in 2024 was Climate Justice, looking at impacts of climate change on intergenerational fairness and on racialized and low income communities.

Climate Action

Included discussions of social justice and anti-racism inviting members of the social justice hub and Beverly Horton to facilitate the discussions on those days.

Coming of Age Program

2022-23

Approximately 20 congregants volunteer at the Centre every week, attempting to model the 8th Principle in action in their respective roles at the Centre.

Eva Rothwell Centre

Members designed a bookmark including the words of the 8th Principle and a question to reflect on as they read each month’s selection. Copies are available at the Visitor’s table in the sanctuary.

Food for Thought Book Club

Rev. Jamie and Tim Versteeg offered two study groups in 2023 (5 sessions each) one online, one in person, with 10-12 congregants in each session.

Frequently Asked White Questions

��Selection of music often reflects 8th Principle themes. One church service included Rachel's talk on "We Shall Overcome”.

Music Team

��DRUMM (Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries)

Provide Financial Support to DRUMM

Many special days are acknowledged in worship services & on our website; e.g.: �- Red Dress Day in May�- Pride Sunday in June�- Annual Orange Shirt Day Celebrations

Special Days of Recognition

- Annual Celebration of MLK Sunday in January�- Labour Day and Black History Service�- Disability Day of Mourning�- Trans Days of Visibility and Remembrance

Special Days of Recognition

Stories read during worship services continue to bring life to 8^th Principle themes.

Story for All Ages

We are looking at ways the congregation has addressed the 4th strategy in the 2021 Strategic Action Plan: To build greater diversity in our congregation through a combination of reflection, education, careful listening, compassion, and targeted action.

Strategic Action Committee

Karen Sandy, from the Six Nations Language Commission, invited a group of 21 people to Six Nations. Because we had adopted the 8th Principle, our Board approved the trip and made it “pay what you can”.

Trip to Six Nations, 2022

��Replaced the rainbow stripe on name tags with an inclusion stripe representing BIPOC and LGBTQ+. Pronouns are also printed on name tags to represent each person's choice.

Visitor and Congregant Engagement (VCE) 

��Rev. Victoria and Tim Versteeg offered online sessions from the original UUA course to about 20 of our own congregants and 10 from the Peterborough Fellowship�(incl. Rev. Julie Stoneberg).

Widening the Circle Study Group, 2020

��- Paula Cole Jones’ Workshop�- CB Beal’s Services & Webinars�- Bystanders Training�- Transforming Hearts Collective Curriculum

Workshops and Learnings 2023-24

Invited congregant, Vernon Nawagesic, to share personal memories and understandings of his Anishinabek culture at a meeting on March 6^th, 2024.

Zuumers and Boomers