James will share his own story in an effort to challenge the stigma that exists around mental health issues.

James Gasparini is a Peer Support Specialist who is employed at Ontario Shores, Centre for Mental Health Sciences.  He is a passionate advocate for people receiving mental health services.

Our second principle is to affirm and promote “justice, equity and compassion in human relations.”  Through out history, Unitarian Universalists have been dedicated to social reform, from abolition to suffrage to LGBTQ rights to environmental activism.  Today we’ll consider why our tradition takes justice seriously.

Rev. Fiona Heath is our half-time consulting minister.

The story of Esther and the Jewish holiday, Purim, will be the focus of Ric’s message. Timing, gifts, resources and effective relationships all play important roles in the story and in our own lives today.  In the dialogue, your own perspectives and questions will add to the collective understanding of the Purim holiday and the diverse learnings for each of us.

The irreverent Ric Jones received a Master’s from Oklahoma State University focusing on cross-cultural communication and a Master of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago.  Ric is a certified Healthy Congregations / Organizational facilitator and has completed both the basic and advanced clinics in Emotional Process in Family Systems.  If you are an ‘outside of the box’ leader, you will enjoy the “ministry” that Ric provides from his own independent perspective.

Adversity often gives us a chance for new life lessons and learning opportunities. This morning David will be talking about wisdom culled from a variety of sources: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and Buddhism. Themes will relate to relaxation, meditation, and especially on the choices we make in interpreting our world. David is especially interested how information from very different sources complements each other.

David Seale is a charter member of the UUCD and currently serves on the Worship Committee as well as providing music at many of our Sunday Services.  He has worked as a social worker for 30 years.  Most of his career has been at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences.