New Multi-faith Services Starting Feb. 5, 2012

Are your spiritual needs being met by your current religious practices?

Do you question the relevance of certain religious observances when it comes to expressing your faith? Are you feeling “dogged by dogma”, even though you know some ancient traditions survive because they tap universal truths still relevant today?

If you and your family are interested in a path that features sincere, non-judgmental dialogue addressing spiritual life in the modern age, then look no farther – Universal Oneness United

Faith Canada will be offering non-traditional multi- faith services starting  February 5, 2012. Services will be held every first  and third Sunday at Trinity Church, 427 Bloor Street West at Spadina from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.

These services will include participation by the congregation and provide a forum for meaningful spiritual connection in a supportive setting.

We promote tolerance and understanding and also welcome all sexual orientations.

We will begin with a series of circles – for healing, for nature, for peace, and to honour those who have passed to the other side. Services will draw from a wide variety of ancient and modern spiritual scriptures and involve the congregation.

Each month we will feature a “Spiritual Leader of the Month” who will facilitate our understanding of the practice of spiritual living, with the

aim to improve our lives and contribute a positive influence in the world. Each presentation will be followed by a group discussion.

As well, every event will feature a “Children of the World” activity, designed to introduce children to world religions, ancient religions and new age spiritual principles in an age-appropriate format.

The interfaith path to spiritual living may be just what you need to revitalize your faith and put a fresh spark in your heart.

We embrace people of all faiths, and even those of no faith, certain that this journey will create more light in our world. Join us for our first service, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012 at 6 p.m.

Volunteers welcome.

For more information visit: www.uoufc.org

Phone: 416-929-LOVE (5683)

 

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GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP – on Monday Nov. 14, 2011 – CANCELLED

Due to unforeseen circumstances the Nov. 14, 2011 meeting is cancelled. Sorry for the inconvenience. Hope to see you next month.

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Newly Ordained Interfaith Minister: Rev. Alexandra Gellman

UOUFC is pleased to announce the addition of another ordained interfaith minister into its flock, Rev. Alexandra Gellman. Although newly ordained, she has been a long time volunteer and participant in UOUFC and brings a wealth of spiritual and healing knowledge to the ministry.

As a health practitioner, she aims to help as many people as possible to adopt healthy physical and mental habits. Her professional background as a Doctor of Natural Medicine and Homeopathy, Master Iridologist, Life Coach, Executive Strategic Coach and a Grief Facilitator, meshes perfectly with the mission of UOUFC to help individuals achieve greater spiritual awareness, and to help foster understanding, acceptance and peace in the world.

Those seeking healthy mind, healthy body, and healthy spirit, will find Rev. Alex is a truly inspiring facilitator. She is a valuable asset to the UOUFC community and we welcome her commitment and contribution.

 

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Rev. David Gellman, Keynote Speaker at Adam’s Day Celebration

You Are Codially Invited to Join us for the Adam’s Day Celebration.

As one of four key note speakers, Rev. David Gellman will give a short, inspirational talk relevant to all faiths, on how personal healing can help make the world a better place for all.

 

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Custom Wedding Ceremony Launches Another Happy Couple

Marriage is such an important and meaningful commitment, a truly life changing event, and that’s why we find it so gratifying to collaborate with and create for a couple a ceremony that reflects their ideals and expresses the depth of meaning of their relationship.

It was our recent pleasure to do just that and preside over the wedding ceremony – a joyous occasion when everything fell nicely into place and even the weather cooperated. The happy couple was kind enough to send this letter of appreciation and some pictures:

Dear David and Alex,

Thank you so much for our wonderful ceremony.  It really resonated with us, and set the tone for a fantastic celebration.  We felt at ease through the entire process – both in the lead up and on our big day, and loved that you worked with us to make it so personal and special. Many of our guests commented on how lovely and heartfelt the ceremony was …You truly helped make our day perfect and unforgettable.

 

With our sincerest thanks,

Damian and Tina

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Let Us Help You Realize the Wedding Ceremony of Your Dreams

Explore the full dimension of this major life event with a customized wedding ceremony.

Rev. David Gellman and Rev. Alex Gellman will work with you to tailor a ceremony that reflects your beliefs and values, your heritage, your unique spiritual outlook, and truly expresses the deep bond you share with your partner. This personalized and thorough approach assures you and your guests of a memorable, meaningful event.

All couples, of all faiths or no faith, including same sex are welcome.

Weddings can be performed in any location. We also offer blessings rituals for your new born, the sick, your home and to honour significant changes in your life.

A copy of the text of your ceremony will be beautifully bound and decorated for you to cherish.

For a truly blessed celebration have an interfaith minister preside over your next significant event.

Testemonial from Cathy and Max, Toronto, Ontario:“The ceremony that David created for us was truly the highlight of our wedding.  By listening, observing, and asking questions, he was able to capture not only the essence of our relationship, but our outlook on love, life, marriage, and the universe. We were both moved to tears upon reading through the ceremony and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house on the day of the wedding… We loved David’s inclusion of so many different spiritual traditions from all over the world, his quotations of beautiful poetry and prose, and his exploration of the 1.11 ascension…Our vows truly encapsulated our love for one another, and our zest for life. Above all, we felt that the ceremony was unique, eloquent, beautiful and perfectly “us”.”

For more details and rates, go to: http://www.uoufc.org/weddings.html

The amounts listed  are suggested donations for services offered. No couple will  be turned away for lack of funds.

All couples will be provided with all services they need to build towards a happy, solid  marriage.

 

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Coming Soon: Grief Sessions for Loss Of Pet

Pet Lovers are Mourners Too

While our grief sessions can help all grieving individuals at any stage in the grief process, the perceived pain of someone who has lost a pet can seem less than the pain of someone who has lost a close relative or spouse or perhaps endured a divorce. But pain is pain, and it is neither healthy nor helpful to trivialize it.

Pet owners may find themselves flummoxed at the overwhelming sadness they experience after the loss of a pet. We must consider though, that If the pet had a long life, its passing can signify the passing of an era: a 17 year old cat that as a kitten, was given as a gift to a five year old child who is now grown and graduated from university.

Or if the pet had a short life – consider the untimely death of a young golden retriever, a family pet in its prime – that can highlight just how fleeting existence on this earth can be and send the message: take nothing for granted. There’s also the struggle to cope with the effect a pet’s death can have on young children.

Pets give unconditional love, hours of amusement and companionship, and trust us implicitly. Someone who has never had a pet may not understand the depth of feeling that can exist within this basic relationship.

Coming this autumn we will be launching this new grief support series for pet owners in Toronto. Check back at the blogs at www.uoufc.org for details.

If you are interested please email us and we will keep you posted as plans come together

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SELF HELP GROUPS NOW UNDERWAY FOR CANDIDA SUFFERERS AND GRIEF SUPPORT

NEW PARTICIPANTS WELCOME!
Candida outbreaks are a common and aggravating condition that afflicts many people, often on a recurring basis. Candida can be managed through a holistic approach but the cost is of seeing a practitioner is prohibitive for some. That’s why I made an effort to clear space in my calendar to host a free self help group, and the response to the first meeting this month has been most gratifying. After just one meeting I’ve received emails from several attendees reporting a positive shift in their health from using strategies they learned at the meeting. Candida self help groups are held on a monthly basis with an open invitation to all. Please contact me for dates and location.
Besides the candida group, I also hosted a grief support group where I introduced a new approach to coping by having all the participants complete a Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test.
This is a famous personality assessment tool that reveals:
o How an individual perceives the world
o How an individual makes decisions
o How an individual like to organize their time
o Where an individual gets their energy
Members of the group were pleased to learn how each personality style has specific needs to heal grief. Overall the evening was a great success – and very revealing, with many ‘”ah-ha” moments shared among the participants.
Meyers Briggs is an excellent tool for mediation, career counseling, and grief therapy; It can facilitate your decision making process, help you connect to your strengths to optimize your potential, and further identify your areas of opportunity.
Gain insight into the working of your personality by contacting us for your own personal assessment

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GRIEF SUPPORT TORONTO – SPRING 2011

This grief program to be held in Toronto is a two part series that focuses on meditation and mindfulness. Here are dates and details:

Location: St. Pauls United Church, 427 Bloor Street West, Toronto (near Spadina and Bloor on the south west corner beside Metro)

Part One: MEDITATION TO HEAL GRIEF AND TRAUMA – Thursday, May 19, 2011, 7 pm to 8:30 pm

Join us for the Universal Oneness Spiritual Center’s Meditation Series. This two part series in Mindfulness and Meditation explores Buddhist concepts that can help you access a peaceful, easy feeling, no matter what is happening in the world around you.

This program will be customized to suit our audience with a focus on using meditation to clear grief and trauma. We recognize that this can be a challenge, but with our guidance you can learn how to access the pathway to inner peace, anytime. This first session will teach you to create your own power center, which you will use to work from in the next two workshops.

Part Two – MINDFULNESS and MEDITATION – Thursday, June 16, 2011, 7 pm to 8:30 pm

Be sure to join us for spiritual fellowship in the second part of this series. This program will build on the foundation provided in the first session. Using the power center you have constructed as your basis, you will learn how to boost your self-esteem and confidence. You will also discover how to use mindfulness and meditation to improve the quality of your energy, sleep and health.

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Burlington Grief Support Program for Spring/Summer 2011

Our grief support group offers emotional support to all who have experienced a significant loss in their lives.

Grief is a natural, healthy reaction but often manifests itself in a bewildering cluster of emotions. These emotions can be confusing and intensify the distress suffered through loss. Also, because we live in a culture that tends not to support overt expressions of grief we need reminding that the act of grieving shows that we care and it is not a sign of weakness.

Grief can be sparked by all kinds of different losses besides the obvious one of death. Divorce, illness, bankruptcy, loss of dreams and loss of a pet, loss of a job, loss of self or loss of a loved one to addictions, can all provoke profound grief.

Our events are designed to meet the needs of grieving people. We offer:

  • Empathy
  • Community support
  • Education that grief is a healthy response to a loss
  • The opportunity to be with somebody who has been there
  • Personalized strategies

Our program is completed funded by donations from our congregation. Nobody will be turned away due to lack of a donation. All donations will receive a receipt providing we have the full name, address and phone number of the individual. Income tax receipts are issued for donations over $20.

– The group will meet once a month on a Sunday in the months of May and June and July.

Location: 247 Linwood Crescent, Burlington L7L 4A2

Phone: 905-639-LOVE (5683)

Here are the dates and details of each session in Burlington. Please join us for any or all meetings.

SEASON OF NUMBNESS - Sun. May 29, 2011, 4 pm to 5:30 pm

Did you know that the symptoms of your grief can carry on for many years after the actual loss? You may be experiencing shock, lack of concentration, crying for no reason, or apathy, fatigue, depression, decline in health or insomnia. You may be experiencing nothing at all and feel quite odd about that. Your feelings of numbness could even be interpreted as a sign of strength.

Whatever you are experiencing in the aftermath of loss can be addressed as a first step to healing. Healing will also be facilitated by the personal insight you’ll gain about yourself through the UOUFC spiritual Assessment .

SEASON OF DISORIENTATION, YEARNING and CONFRONTATION - Sun. June 26, 2011, 4 pm to 5:30 pm

You may find yourself feeling explosive with emotions of anger, sadness, anxiety and confusion. Impatience and irritability are with you all of the time. Remember that what you are experiencing is a healthy response to grief, but getting help now will greatly facilitate your journey.

We invite you to join us for an exploration of how to cope during this difficult stage. By referencing your UOUFC spiritual assessment we can help tailor a personal approach for you, based on individual needs.

SEASON OF ADJUSTMENT, RECONCILIATION and RECORGANIZATION – Sun. July 17, 2011, 4 pm to 5:30 pm

As every snowflake is unique, similarly every grief journey is unique. How has your life changed in light of the loss? What changes have you had to make to adapt to your loss?

Season of adjustment is the precursor to your new life. You learn to live with your loss as you reinvest your energy in people, ideas and new things.


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