UUFSMA: Great Blooming Community

At this week’s service, The Rev. Debra Faulk of the Unitarian Church of Calgary leads a Flower Communion and explores the place and value of ritual in our lives.

Created by Czechoslovakian Unitarian minister Norbert Capek in the wake of World War I, the Flower Communion is a deep and meaningful annual ritual that celebrates and affirms natural beauty, hope, human uniqueness, diversity, and community
In this ceremony, everyone in the congregation brings and places a flower on the altar or in a shared vase. The congregation and minister bless the flowers, and they’re redistributed. Each person brings home a different flower than the one they brought. If you are unable to get a flower or forget to bring one, there will be extra flowers at the door.

Rev. Faulk will relate the rich history of this ceremony and its creator. The primary function of established rituals is to help create a firm sense of group identity, cohesion, and belonging. Humans use rituals to create social bonds and to nourish interpersonal relationships. Social rituals have formed a part of human culture for tens of thousands of years.

In the psychological context, ritual can provide a touchstone for health, well being, and self care. Ritual is a cultural phenomenon that requires attention and sensitivity.

Rev. Faulk holds a BA in Psychology and Anthropology from the University of Victoria and a Masters of Divinity from Vancouver School of Theology. She has served as a chaplain at Vancouver General Hospital, Director of Religious Education in Victoria, and as Parish Minister to congregations in British Columbia and Ontario She is now in her ninth year as Minister of the Unitarian Church ofCalgary.
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She is a member of the UU Ministers Association’s Collegial Development Team. This past summer she participated in a pilgrimage to Transylvania for the 450th anniversary of the Diet of Torda, said to be the first recorded document of religious freedom. Her greatest passions are inter-faith dialogue and action, building community of all ages and perspectives, addressing issues of equity, and protecting the environment. Her two adult children and five grandchildren were born, raised, and still live on the west coast of Canada.

For more information about the UUFSMA, including our Children’s Religious Education program, Social Action outreach, weekly discussion groups, social activities and Care Team, join us any Sunday at 10:30 AM at the Hotel La Aldea or check out our website at www.uufsma.org.