News & Views

The deadline for our newsletter, THE SALTSHAKER, is this weekend. Submit your articles about your committee, upcoming activities, report on past events, summer vacations, news and views. Our publisher, Terry Repol and editor, Andrea Rowan are anxious to hear from you. Please copy both of them on your submissions.

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The 2009 Annual Report is now available on line. Being conscious of our environment and making wise use of our resources there will not be a distribution of printed reports. There will be a limited number of printed versions available upon request from the office. So relax, read all the interesting reports highlighting the activities of the past year. Bring any comments or questions to the Congregational Meeting on Tuesday, June 22.

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I wanted to take this opportunity to thank several people on the AV team.  Their efforts in the month of May allowed the service to go smoothly and ensured we had a recording to post to our websites!

Thanks Kathleen, Gerald, Jane, Florence, Cathi and Joanne.   And thanks to Hal who keeps us all on track!

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While in Brisbane, I was honoured to give the homily and preside at the Eucharist at St. Mary's in Exile with rebel priest, Peter Kennedy.  Here, Peter Kirkwood of Eureka Street, posts his interview with Kennedy and a reflection on his first year outside the embrace of the Catholic church.

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The following note was sent to the webmaster@westhill.net address. It is reproduced here with John's permission.

Dear Dana

Please extend my personal feelings of gratitude and appreciation for releasing Gretta to travel to Australia. I met Gretta in the Brisbane section of her tour. Perhaps not so strangely, Gretta did not say anything that was all that unfamiliar but confirmed much of my own theological thinking. As Gretta stresses, relationships, cultivated and maintained by bonds of love, are the threads upon which humanity is suspended.

This time with Gretta was precious for my own walk in the Progressive Christian tradition and I am indebted to you, and your community, for allowing Gretta the time away.

May the wind fill the sails,
May the spark become the flame,
May the light dispel all darkness.

In gratitude and love,

John Ford

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Dick Gross writes an article on the Common Dreams, Kind of Christianity an atheist could believe in!, conference and gets it! (Well, most of it -- I think he thinks I believe in all the different things "god" means which, of course, would be somewhat crazy making!) And he loved Scott's music which, as we all know, holds our most inspirational moments.

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This amazing buyers guide will help you determine whether the companies you support also support the people you support.  Put together by the Human Rights Campaign foundation in the States, an organization working toward achieving and maintaining rights for LGBTQ people across some of the most homophobic regions in North America, the guide indicates that despite tragic choices on the part of state legislatures, a very positive response to equality has been seen throughout the business sector.  But it's interesting to know that BestBuy scores 100% on the Corporate Equality Index whereas RadioShack only scores 40%.  Or that Dell is another shining example of support for the LGBTQ community, but Acer slumps way back at 58% on the CEI.

Take a look at the Buyer's Guide and make your choices as positive as possible.

The Human Rights Campaign Buyers Guide for 2010

Here's the criteria used to make the assessements, HRC's Corporate Equality Index

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As a signatory on the Earth Charter, we support the principles and aims it will be presenting at the Climate Change conference in Copenhagen in a few weeks. ECI brings together elements of climate change challenges that are often missed when discussions take place.  It isn't just science that will save the planet. Economics and justice play a huge role in creating a sustainable world.

If you'd like to participate in the youtube competition and show your support for the Earth Charter, click on this link, then "vote" in the top band across the video. When option boxes appear to the right, type ecinternational in the lower one. They have suggested we vote for the "Club of Rome" video by clicking on the thumbs up button, though you really should make sure you watch the other one, too. (Nothing happens to show you've voted but it's safer not to vote twice and potentially get ECI disqualified.)

"Youtoo" CAN make a difference!

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It 's a great big pat on the back for the many presenters at the Explore the Elements conference last week who were from West Hill United! Participants were over the moon about the calibre of the presentations and the challenging perspectives they encountered during the weekend long conference held at the Crowne Plaza in Don Mills.  Leadership was provided by

Trisha Bower walked participants through the grief process associated with the loss of foundational religious belief systems

John DiPede, who offered a workshop on Values-based community

Debbie Ellis led a workshop on Progressive Personalities

Scott Kearns who offered two workshops, one on language and one on the roots of progressive Christianity

Janice Meighan took on the challenge of engaging participant on the value of symbols and ritual in progressive community

Dana Wilson-Li touched on all the messiness that leading a congregation through change can be

It was a deeply rewarding opportunity for me to see others inspired by the gifts members of this community had to offer!  Thank you to each of you for making the conference such a success!!

 

 

 

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A great big THANK YOU to Dana for stepping up when a need identified itself and  not only shopping for the new equipment needed to replace the video camera that was stolen recently, but also for figuring out the complicated technology, making it an easier system to use and for posting the PODCAST AND WEBCAST.

Yay Dana!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

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