What Programmes Do We Offer?
Social Responsibility
The Congregation at Guelph is actively involved in several social responsibility projects.Under the leadership of a committee we provide volunteers to staff the snack program at Tytler School, collect food for the Drop In Center and contribute to International programs such as the USC and Childhaven. Within the congregation we are working toward becoming a Green Sanctuary and provide speakers and information on current social issues. We are members of the local committee of Kairos (Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives) and are members of Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice. For information please contact Joan Rentoul at jorentoul@hotmail.com
Religious Education
The RE committee of the Congregation sees Religious Education as extending throughout our lifespan. At all ages Religious Education should provide a framework for looking at the world from a Unitarian perspective and should promote awareness of others and of social service. But it should also build friendships and community and should above all be enjoyable. Depending on demand and resources adult programmes are offered on weekday evenings.Children's programmes are provided every Sunday during the adult services. A teacher has been hired to provide programming based on a Unitarian curriculum for children up to 8 years of age. A teen helper is present to care for toddlers, and help with the other children and the setup and cleanup. The older pre-teen children are taught by volunteers from the congregation using Unitarian curricula. For teens we have received a grant from the Canadian Unitarian Council to support "Project Teen." A Youth/Adult Committee will develop youth-designed and youth-run inter-generational programs; connect with other congregations; provide continuous and regular programming; design a regular coming of age ritual marking the transition into the youth group. The Congregation has also sponsored, along with neighbouring congregations, the Our Whole Lives (OWL) curriculum for young teens. Volunteers from Guelph have coordinated and presented two offerings to date of the programme but it is hoped that members of other congregations will participate in future offerings as cohorts of children reach the appropriate age.
Chant Club
The Guelph Unitarians are pleased to provide a home for the Guelph Chant club. It meets the first Wednesday of every month at 7:45 pm and goes through an eclectic mix of chants from all the world's spiritual traditions---with a "world beat" groove. For more information, contact Dennis Gaumond: dgomo@golden.net
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