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Sunday 17 January |
“The Other G Word” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 10 January |
“The G Word” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 3 January |
“Ignite!” – Our Annual Fire Communion Service |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 27 December |
“The Year in Review” |
Lay
Chaplains Peter Brydon, Margaret Kohr, &
Margaret Rao |
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Thursday 24 December: 7:00pm |
“This Shining Night” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 20 December |
“The Light of Truth” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 13 December |
“The Fire of Commitment” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 6 December |
“The Glow of Love” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 29 November |
“The Warmth of Compassion ” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 22 November |
“The Urban Menace” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 15 November |
“Test of Faith” |
Angela Klassen, Director of Lifespan Religious
Education |
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Sunday 8 November |
“Unimagined Change or Delayed Journey”
Above Sermon in Streaming Audio |
Doug Buck |
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Sunday 1 November |
“What They Dreamed Be Ours to Do”
Above Sermon in Streaming Audio |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 25 October |
“Connecting the Dots”
United Nations Sunday
Above Sermon in Streaming Audio
Reflection by Elaine Harvey in Streaming Audio |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 18 October |
“For Giving and For Getting”
Above Sermon in Streaming Audio
Reading by Barbara Kingsolver |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 11 October |
“Giving Thanks for Small Miracles” Annual Bread Communion Service
Above Sermon
in Streaming Audio |
The Rev. Dr. Peter Hughes |
|
Sunday 4 October |
“It’s Up to Us!”
Above Sermon in Streaming Audio |
Kalvin Drake President of the Canadian Unitarian
Council |
|
Sunday 27 September |
“Why Bother?!”
Above Sermon in Streaming Audio |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 20 September |
“Text Appeal” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 13 September |
“In the Moment” – A Celebration of Water
Communion |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 6 September |
“Beyond Belief: Confessions of a Religious Naturalist” |
Michael Battenberg |
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Sunday 30 August |
“Is Faith Meant to be Kept?"
Above Sermon in Streaming Audio |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 23 August |
“Is There Unity in Our Diversity?” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 16 August |
“Is There Meaning in Suffering?” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 9 August |
“Is Happiness Our Aim?” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 2 August |
“Is All the World a Stage?” |
Tracey Erin Smith |
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Sunday 26 July |
“The Liberal Heart of Islam” |
Rev. John McCarthy |
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Sunday 19 July |
“Love and Intimacy in Community”
|
Rev. John McCarthy |
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Sunday 12 July |
“Fortune Favours the Brave”
|
Rev. John McCarthy |
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Sunday 5 July |
“Emerson in Our Lives” |
Rev. John McCarthy |
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Sunday 28 June |
“Born in Heresy” |
Dr. Marvin Anderson |
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Sunday 21 June |
“Pride & Prejudice” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 14 June |
“For Work That Is Real” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 7 June |
Flower Communion
A multigenerational celebration of spring and our
Partner Church. Bring a flower! |
|
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Sunday 31 May: 10:30 am |
“Phoenix Rising: Finding Renewal Within" |
Youth Led Worship |
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Sunday 24 May: 10:30 am |
“This I Believe” Coming of Age Sunday |
Coming of Age R.E. Group |
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Sunday 17 May: 10:30 am (AM only) |
“Refusing to Shame, Choosing to Claim” |
Dr. Marvin Anderson |
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Sunday 10 May: 10:30 am and 5:30 pm |
“A Wing and a Prayer” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 3 May: 10:30 am and 5:30 pm |
“Be the Voice of Hope” |
Dallas Bergen, Director of Music |
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Sunday 26 April, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“We Are the Change ” |
Robbie Brydon and Worship Team |
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Sunday 19 April 10:30 am and 5:30 pm |
"A Celebration of Earth Day " |
First Unitarian Green Team |
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Sunday 12 April 10:30 am and 5:30 pm |
“Our Saving Message ” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 5 April 10:30 am and 5:30 pm |
“What Makes for a Meaningful Day”
(Shawn will be in ministry with
children and youth ) |
Barb Wentworth |
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Sunday 29 March, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“What Price Perfection?” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 22 March, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“Would I Shelter You? Would You Shelter Me?: A Conversation About
Sanctuary ” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 15 March 10:30 am |
"Fried Fish Last Night Dear?" Rev. House is a UU minister from Rochester
and a former Summer Minister at Toronto First. |
Rev. Peter House |
|
Sunday 15 March 5:30 pm |
Rev. Katherine Britain, minister of our neighbouring congregation,
St. Matthew’s United |
Rev. Katherine Britain |
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Sunday 8 March: |
The Unitarian ministers of Southern Ontario will be exchanging pulpits
this morning to honour the interdependence at the heart of our
congregational polity. Shawn will preach this morning in Peterborough and
return to preach the same sermon in Toronto in the evening. Rev. Kathy
Sage is minister of Kingston Unitarian Fellowship. |
|
|
Sunday 8 March: 10:30 am |
“Talking Our Walk” |
Rev. Kathy Sage |
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Sunday 8 March: 5:30 pm |
“Talking Our Walk” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday March 1: 10:30 am |
“Moving Boulders in an Age of Climate Change": Farming a Future in the
Hidden Himalayas” (Shawn will lead Children’s Chapel)
Dr. Walsh is
Executive Director, Unitarian Service Committee of Canada |
Dr. Susan Walsh |
|
Sunday 1 March : 5:30 pm |
“The Increasing Light," a simple Pagan ritual, facilitated by members of
Our Pagan Grove and Womynspirit. The theme will be Finding Hope in the
Cold Time. Join us for meditation, song, spiral dance and drumming. Bring
along your drums or other percussion instruments. |
Kate Chung |
|
Sunday 22 February, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“Explaining Our Faith With Three Words” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 15 February, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“Evolving Toward Enlightenment” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 8 February, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
"The Many Faces of Love" |
Beth Ann McFadden and Vicky Sanderson |
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Sunday 1 February, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“The Adventures of Reverend X” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 25 January, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“The Sacrament of Small Groups” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 18 January, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“Life Passages: Reflections on Life as a Lay Chaplain” |
Our Lay Chaplains |
|
Sunday 11 January, 10:30 am |
“Photography of the Spirit” |
Cameron Linton |
|
Sunday 11 January, 5:30 pm |
"To Act or Shut Down? An Exploration of Pain and Interdependence” |
Melina Bondy |
|
Sunday 4 January, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“Our Annual Fire Communion Service” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Wednesday 24 December, 7:00 pm |
“Sure On This Shining Night” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
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Sunday 28 December, 10:30 am |
“365 Days, How Do You Measure a Year?” |
Tracey Erin Smith |
|
Sunday 28 December, 5:30 pm |
“Enlightenment-Endarkenment: Reflections on
Gifts of the Light and
Gifts of the Dark”
All are invited to a Hanukkah potluck dinner
following the service |
Diane Bosman and Paul Bognar |
|
Sunday 21 December, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“Light in the Darkness”
Congregational holiday potluck after evening
service |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 14 December, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“Of Human Bondage” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 7 December, 10:30 am & 5:30 pm |
“Paradise Lost & Found” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 30 November
10:30 am &
5:30 pm |
“Unplugging the Holiday Machine” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 23 November
10:30 am &
5:30 pm |
“The Great Good Place” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 16 November
10:30 am &
5:30 pm |
“Honour System” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 9 November
10:30 am &
5:30 pm |
“Control Issues” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 2 November
10:30 am &
5:30 pm |
Part I: “Standing in our Choices”
Part II: Transforming the Impasse” |
Carol Wilson |
Sunday 26 October
10:30 am &
5:30 pm |
"The Family of All Souls"
Second annual celebration of Diade los
Muertos/Day of the Dead. All are invited to bring photographs of those who
have died for this poignant service to remember and honour our beloved
dead. |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 19 October
10:30 am &
5:30 pm |
"Change the World before the Other Guys Do"
We are joined by
longserving U.S. diplomat and new executive director of the Unitarian
Universalist United Nations Office for United Nations Sunday. |
Bruce Knotts |
Sunday 12 October
10:30 am &
5:30 pm |
"Leavened Living"
A celebration of Thanksgiving with our annual Bread
Communion service. A potluck Thanksgiving Dinner will follow the
evening service; bring a dish to share! |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 5 October
10:30 am &
5:30 pm |
"What Shall We Give the Children?"
Our minister and DLRE trade places
as Shawn leads our children's chapel and Angela addresses the adult
congregation |
DLRE Angela Klassen |
Sunday 28 September
10:30 am &
5:30 pm |
"To Build Temples of the Heart"
A celebration of the work and
meaning of our Central America Project |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 21 September
10:30 am &
5:30 pm |
"Edifice Complex"
The Rededication of Sunderland Hall and
Reception of New Members |
Rev.Shawn Newton |
Sunday 14 September
10:30 am |
"Blame It On Our Youth"
A free and responsible search for our
congregation's “fountain of youth” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 7 September
10:30 am |
"Taking the Tide"
Intergenerational Ingathering and W ater
Communion |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 31 August
10:30 am |
Awaken the Ape Within |
Michael Battenberg |
Sunday 24 August
10:30 am |
"Service is Our Prayer" |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 17 August |
“The Quest for Truth Is Our Sacrament” |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 10 August |
"Love Is Our Doctrine" |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 3 August |
"To Be Famous, To Be Free" |
Rev. Jessica Purple Rodela |
|
Sunday 27 July |
"On Being Born Again and Again" |
Rev. Jessica Purple Rodela |
|
Sunday 20 July |
"Seven Ways of Seeing" |
Rev. Jessica Purple Rodela |
|
Sunday 13 July |
"Life , Liberty, and the (non)
Pursuit of Happiness” |
Rev. Jessica Purple Rodela |
|
Sunday 6 July |
"Stranger Territory" |
Rev. Jessica Purple Rodela |
|
Sunday 29 June |
"Proudly Riding Pride's Coattails"
Our summer minister (and newly-called minister of the Waterloo
congregation) begins her six weeks with us by leading our annual Pride
Day Service. |
Rev. Jessica Purple Rodela |
|
Sunday 22 June |
"Counting Time"
On this bittersweet day, we will bid adieu to our longtime Director of
Sunday Music, Peter Tiefenbach, as well as celebrate the enduring
commitment of our many wonderful volunteers who make Toronto First all
that it is. |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 15 June |
"A Life at the Improv "
A Father’s Day reflection on the many wonderful complications of
parenting and being parented. This service will also include a reception
of new members and a Bridging Ceremony for two who are graduating from
our youth group into adulthood. |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 8 June |
"Sweet, Impossible Blossom "
Our annual intergenerational Flower Communion service will also include
our farewell to our Interim DLRE, Renate Belzing. Bring flowers to share
in this beloved Unitarian spring ritual |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 1 June |
"My Grandmother's God, My Father's God & My God"
Rev. James Ishmael Ford will explore the use of traditional sacred
language by UUs. |
Rev. James Ishmael Ford |
|
Sunday 25 May |
"A Month of Sundays"
Having given 30+ sermons at Toronto First, Shawn offers some
reflections, in advance of our AGM on where we've been, where we're at,
and where we might be headed as a congregation. |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 18 May |
"What's Love Got To Do With It?
A Personal Journey to Green Action" Judy Vellend—Judy advances our
congregation's conversation about living our commitment to the
Interdependent Web. |
Judy Vellend |
|
Sunday 11 May |
"We Need One Another"
Teaming up with the Pastoral Care Team, Shawn offers a call to
strengthen the bonds of community by caring for one another "for better
or for worse. . . in sickness and in heath". |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 4 May |
"On Babies & Bath Water"
With some 90% of Unitarians coming from other faith traditions (or
none), a timely sermon on owning our religious past as a crucial step in
our development as happy, healthy Unitarians |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 27 April |
"Messages from the Animal Kingdom"
Animals, too, have a stake in the fate of the earth. Ilene
continues her creative exploration of the UU seventh principle |
Ilene Cummings |
|
Sunday 20 April |
"It's Not Easy Being Green" An
Earth Day celebration examining eco-spirituality versus ego-spirituality.
(Hint: one is sustainable, the other is not.) |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 13 April |
"Beauty Contest" In a world where
so much competes for our attention, true beauty is too often missed. This
morning, we'll "praise the sublime" with the 50 voices of the All Souls
Unitarian Youth Choir from Tulsa, Oklahoma |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 6 April |
"The Unitarian Genome Project" A
look at our liberal theological DNA as we celebrate our Partner Church in
Budapest with a Hungarian guest choir - and strudel to follow at Coffee
Hour |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 30 March |
“Do We Know How to Work Together?"
As in historical practice, 8 Ontario UU ministers and
congregations will exchange pulpits, sharing the same topic and readings.
Rev. Urbanski of First UU Congregation of Waterloo, will fill our pulpit,
while Shawn preaches at Don Heights |
Rev. Felicia Urbanski |
|
Sunday 23 March |
"Being the Resurrection" A
celebration of the many meanings of Easter |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 16 March: |
“Shopping for a Messiah" When the
palms are laid down and the guy passes by on the ass, do we cheer, jeer,
or stop our ears? A bystanders' guide to Palm Sunday |
Rev. Peter Hughes |
|
Sunday 9 March: |
"Natural Burial"
Have you thought about your final resting place? Natural
burials allow people to rest in nature as part of the interconnected web
of all existence |
Janet McCausland |
|
Sunday 2 March: |
"Are We There, Yet?"
Reflections on the status and achievements of women on
the eve of the 99th celebration of International Women's Day |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 24 February:
10:30 am |
“Only the Lonely” Thoughts on how to leverage the
loneliness that sometimes touches our lives. |
Rev. Shawn Newton |
Sunday 17 February
10:30 am |
“Simultaneous, Yet Different: The Prism of Our Faith”
As Unitarians, we are of one faith, but many beliefs. Under one roof,
we worship together. Let's celebrate our infinite ways of being human. |
Rev. Jessica Purple Rodela |
Sunday 10 February
10:30 am |
"Punctuated Equilibrium" On this "Evolution Sunday" we'll
celebrate the ever-unfolding ways our faith is shaped by science. |
Shawn Newton |
Sunday 3 February
10:30 am |
"Mercury in Retrograde" II've never met Murphy, but am well
acquainted with Murphy's Law, "if something can go wrong, it will." I
wonder how Murphy would reconcile the false romanticism often accompanying
religion when faced with disappointment? This morning we'll take a
light-hearted look at life's less than golden moments and explore the
Unitarian alternatives. |
Rev. Roger Peltier, Minister of the UU Church of Sarasota, Florida |
Sunday 3 February
4:00 pm: |
A celebration and Service of Installation of the Reverent Shawn Newton
as 23rd minister of Toronto First, with reception |
|
|
Sunday 27 January |
“Worthship”
Shawn Newton and the Worship Leader Team/ A worship service on the meaning
and art of Unitarian worship |
Shawn Newton |
|
Sunday 20 January |
“Beware of Safety”
Norma McPhee/ The harder we try to keep ourselves safe, the
more freedom and independence we stand to lose |
Norma McPhee |
|
Sunday 13 January |
Lay
Chaplains: Reaffirmation, Rededication and Tales from the Road
Our Lay Chaplains will be
reaffirmed by the congregation and will rededicate themselves to their
ministry. They will share with us some of their experiences over the last
year. |
|
|
Sunday 6 January |
“The Fire of Commitment”
The Rev. Shawn Newton/Intergenerational
service of reflection, ritual, and recommitment
to our highest values |
Shawn Newton |
