The UU Church of Olinda is a welcoming congregation
September 5th, 2014 . by William Baylis
You are welcome here!
You are welcome to attend our Sunday Services
April 3rd, 2014 . by William BaylisServices begin at 10:30 AM on Sundays and last about one hour. Children are invited to attend religious education classes during the service. Weather permitting, we meet every Sunday between Labour Day and the end of June and once a month in July and August. Services are usually followed by good tea, coffee, and conversation. Please see the monthly newsletter on this site for scheduled sermons, speakers, and musicians. We welcome atheists, agnostics, and theists, pagans, humanists, Christians, members of other religious faiths and from LGTBQ communities!
Special Concert with Jim Scott on Friday, June 29, 2018
June 21st, 2018 . by William BaylisJIM SCOTT IN CONCERT – 8 pm Friday June 29. Unitarian Universalist Church 2953 Olinda Side Rd. Ruthven ON
Let’s raise our voices and out spirits. Composer, guitarist Jim Scott leads songs of earth, peace, community, love and just fun. Come sing or just smile along. There’s a real call to activism – with Jim’s new get-out-the-vote song “The World Needs Your Voice,” his re-writing of James Durst’s anti-gun song, “What We Don’t Need” and his eco anthem “We Are the Earth” – plus many songs from his new album “Heart In Another Land.” In this time where the world seems more divided Jim invites everyone to celebrate our humanity. A life long UU with songs in our Hymnbooks (Gather the Spirit), Jim’s visited over 700 UU churches in 3 decades of travels. He played for years with the Paul Winter Consort and Jim’s enchanting manner and conviction moved folk legend Pete Seeger to call him “Some kind of magician.”
Jim Scott – UU Composer, Poet, Performer and Activist
Jim Scott has brought his contemporary and multicultural music to more than 700 UU Churches over three decades. His much loved “Gather the Spirit” and a number of others are included in the UU hymnbooks. Former Co-chair of the UU Ministry for the Earth, Jim was involved in creating the “Green Sanctuary” program. He was awarded a grant from the Fund for Unitarian Universalism to compile and arrange the Earth and Spirit Songbook, 110 songs of earth and peace, acclaimed as a great resource for worship and RE programs. Though often brought in as the “speaker,” Jim’s services are always very musical. Jim speaks with passion on ecology, justice and peace. His lyrical poetry and stories are calls to action, full of hope and gentle wit. With degrees from Eastman School of Music and Berklee College, Jim often works with choirs on his compositions and arrangements, inspiring singers to new levels of expression. As song-leader he lifts joyous participation from congregations.
Longtime member of the Paul Winter Consort, Jim co-wrote their celebrated “Missa Gaia/Earth Mass” and sang their signature song “Common Ground.” His eco-anthem “A Song for the Earth” was recorded at the United Nations. Jim has gone on to create an extensive body of work including PBS soundtracks, award winning choral works and seven CDs of original music. On his new CD “Gather the Spirit,” Jim is featured leading choral arrangements of his songs from the UU hymnbooks and other new creations. He’s taught courses at such prestigious schools as Oberlin College and been an Artist in Residence in many schools and universities.
Last Tea with the Minister! June 6 at 1:30 PM
June 2nd, 2018 . by William BaylisRev. Fran welcomes all to the last scheduled Tea with the Minister
at the Olinda Church, Wednesday 1:30-3 pm.
at the Olinda Church, Wednesday 1:30-3 pm.
June and Summer Services
May 22nd, 2018 . by William Baylis| Date | Speaker | Title | Musician(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 3 | Rev. Fran Dearman | Election Sermon Rev. Fran urges us all to exercise our right to vote in the provincial election on June 7.” | Lorie Lyons |
| June 10 | Rev. Fran Dearman | Summer is Coming: A Reflection on work and play and retirement. This is Rev. Fran’s last sermon at Olinda before she leaves for a well-earned retirement. She has certainly served us well, and we send her off with much love and our wish for great happiness and satisfaction in this next stage of her life! The service is to be followed by our annual church picnic. | Toni Janik |
| June 17 | Steve Brennan | It Takes a Child to Raise a Village. Brennan’s twist on a familiar saying is meant to reflect on fresh insights to Fathers’ Day | Baylis, Stone-Dabrowski |
| June 24 | Dr. Walter (Jake) Soderlund | Social Justice in an Era of Reactionary Populism Jake will present considerations especially relevant to current world politics. | Lorie Lyons |
| June 27 | Joyse Gilbert and others | Farewell Vespers | Bill Baylis, Ray Stone |
| July 22 | Rev. Derek Parry | Universalism, Love and Justice | Lorie Lyons |
| Aug. 5 | Ben Bernath | Seeking Spiritual Truth: The Roman Origins of Christianity | Bobbye and Bill Baylis |
| Sept. 9 | Rev. Rod Solano-Quesnel | Ingathering and Water Ceremony | Baylis-Stone-Koenig quartet |
May 2018 Sunday Services
April 23rd, 2018 . by William Baylis| Date | Speaker | Title | Musician(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 6 | Rev. Fran Dearman | Raven, Coyote, and other Tricksters Rev. Fran considers the philosophy of British writer, Alain de Botton, as expressed in his book, “Religion for Atheists: A non-believer’s guide to the uses of religion.” | Baylis-Stone Trio |
| May 13 | Rev. Meg Roberts Rev. Roberts is in her sixth year as quarter-time consulting minister with the Comox Valley Unitarian Fellowship and is doing a one-year consulting ministry as well with the First UU Fellowship of Nanaimo. She lives in Vancouver where she does a community ministry using creativity in spiritual exploration. As part of this work, she was in Theatre for Living’s forum play šxʷʔamət (home) looking at what true and honourable reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians looks like. It toured through BC and Alberta in January and February then had 9 sold-out performances at the Firehall Arts Centre in Vancouver. | Stories of Gratitude. How can gratitude transform our world? On this Mother’s Day when we think about those who have nurtured us from all walks of our lives, I want to share some stories about what makes me, and others, grateful about living. What has happened in your life for which you are grateful? And how did it affect the way you are in the world? | Lorie Lyons |
| May 20 | Rev. Derek Parry | Hopes and Hurdles | Baylis-Stone Trio |
| May 27 | Bill Baylis | Cosmic Connections In spite of huge separations in time and space, and in spite of the fact that information and influences cannot travel faster than light, we are connected to the cosmos, both materially and through quantum entanglement. | Toni Janik |
| June 3 | Rev. Fran Dearman | Summer is Coming: A Reflection on work and play and retirement | Lorie Lyons |
UUOlinda calls new minister!
April 22nd, 2018 . by William BaylisOn a unanimous vote shortly after noon on Earth Day, April 22, 2018, the congregation of the UU Church of Olinda approved the search committee’s recommendation that Reverend Rodrigo Solano Quesnel be called to the ministry of the church. Rev. Rod was reached by cell phone after the vote and has already agreed to accept. He will be accompanied to Olinda by his partner, Sarah Wert.
April 2018 Sunday Services
April 4th, 2018 . by William Baylis| Date | Speaker | Title | Musician(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 1 | Rev. Fran Dearman | Easter Sunday: Forgiveness and New Life | Baylis-Stone Trio |
| Apr. 8 | Rev. Fran Dearman | April Is Poetry Month | Lorie Lyons |
| Apr. 15 | Rev. Rod Solano-Quesnel | The Enduring Presence | Indian Village Quintet & Bill Baylis |
| Apr. 22 | Rev. Rod Solano-Quesnel | The Enduring Earth | Toni Janik |
| Apr. 29 | Rev. Fran Dearman | The Long View | Toni Janik |
| May 6 | Rev. Fran Dearman | Raven, Coyote, and other Tricksters Rev. Fran considers the philosophy of British writer, Alain de Botton, as expressed in his book, “Religion for Atheists: A non-believer’s guide to the uses of religion.” | Baylis-Stone Trio |
