Unitarian Church of Montreal

Upcoming Worship Services

All services begin at 10:30, except where noted below.
Child care available.

January 29
Lighthouse or Clubhouse? Which Are We?
Rev. Carole Martignacco, Sabbatical Minister
Music: Sandra Hunt, piano, and the Parts in Peace Choir

February 5
Is Winning Everything?
Rev. Carole Martignacco
Guest Musicians: Jean Seguin and Denis Barsalo

February 12
Make/Believe
Rod Solano Quesnel
Music: Sandra Hunt, Children’s Choir

February 19
Langues, spiritualités et religions (Language,
Spirituality and Religion)
Hannelore Poncelet, Rev. Carole Martignacco,
and a sermon by Richard Gendron (in French).
Music: Sandra Hunt, piano; Louise Halperin,
piano; Parts in Peace Choir and guest soloists,
Genevieve Demers, soprano, and Marie-France
Boisvert, viola. See page 2 for details.

February 26
What Is Your Calling?
Rev. Carole Martignacco
Music: Sandra Hunt

Lay Chaplaincy Sunday

Reflection by Nicoline Guerrier, 14 February 2010 

Late last year, during the noisy crush of coffee hour in the Phoenix Hall next door, two visitors to one of our Sunday Services asked me, shouting over the din: “What is it that has kept you committed to this church and Unitarian Universalism all these years?”  I found myself excitedly telling them about our Lay Chaplaincy program, and the way in which for me, Lay Chaplaincy is the clearest example of the unique possibilities offered by our movement.

Across Generations

For generations, ritual and ceremonies have marked life’s profound transitions. To affirm a vow of love, to welcome a child into the world, to mourn a death or celebrate a life well lived – these are all rites of passage that hold a place of care and honour in our Unitarian Universalist tradition.  

We offer rites of passage that:

• Respond to individuals who have an important life event to organize

• Create person-centered rituals and celebrations

• Meet the needs of people from differing faith traditions, or from non-church backgrounds, or where one or both parties have been divorced

• Provide same-sex weddings, because we believe that rites of passage should be available to all

 

Our Lay Chaplains

Our Lay Chaplains Nicoline Guerrier, Ann Beer and Shoshanna Green are specially trained to perform all rites of passage  including: 

• weddings 

• rededication of vows  

• child dedications 

• memorial services. 

Nicoline, Ann and Shoshanna are members of our congregation, and are legally authorized by the province of Quebec to perform weddings.

Rev. Diane Rollert performs rites of passage for our congregation.

Our Approach

While ensuring that the basic legal elements of the ceremony are in place, we work with the couple or family involved to create a unique and memorable event reflecting personal needs, tastes and backgrounds, as well as the liberal religious traditions of Unitarianism. 

Locations 

We are ready to perform ceremonies at locations that are meaningful to the participants: lakeside, private home or country chalet; garden; curling rink or mountaintop.

At the Unitarian Church of Montreal, our large sanctuary (seating up to 190 guests with the doors closed or as many as 300 guests with the doors open to our fellowship hall) or the more intimate Thomas Room  are available for rent and are suitable for any rite of passage.

If you would like more information about rites of passage services at the Unitarian Church of Montreal, please get in touch with the Church Office.