Stittsville United Church (SUC) has appointed a new Spiritual SPARK Director, Julee Pauling, for weekday community outreach. “SPARK” stands for spirituality, progressive, affirmative, relevant, and knowledge, and refers to activities that feed people’s soul and need for spiritual meaning.
Our outreach activities around SPARKs are based on the idea that SUC is a community church, here to serve the spiritual needs of the community as it is, and, as well, to further build community and communities of practice around spiritual activities that enhance people’s lives. A spiritual activity can be any that allows one to be in the “flow,” to express thanks and gratitude for the world, to heal, to pray, to care for others, to develop in one’s relationship to the Divine, and so on.
Existing programming during the week is focused on Soul Time on Wednesdays, when we offer meditation, sound modalities, yoga, a spiritual inquiry book club, film, and discussion. There is also parent/child yoga on Friday mornings at 10:00 am followed by tea and conversation, and gentle yoga Thursday afternoons at 1:00 pm. Julee personally offers “Good Stuff Cafe” hours at two community cafes: The Grounds at 10:00 am on Tuesdays, and Main Street Cafe at 1:00 pm on Wednesdays, when she treats someone to a beverage and maybe a treat while engaging her guest in conversation. She will also whip you up a nice cappuccino at the church after 11:00 am on Sundays.
All of this programming is offered free of charge to the community, except for Paint Nite, for which there is a charge $25 to cover materials and a light catered lunch ($20 for students). Paint Nite is offered the first Monday each month and typically sells out.
Family Games Night and Community Brunch days are also a big hit.
For more information about Spiritual SPARKs, visit SUC’s Facebook page or webpage (suchurch.com), or drop by the church building at 6255 Fernbank Road. If you are interested in offering or participating in some way in an activity, or at a future event such as a weekend retreat, please get in touch with the church or with Julee directly (juleepauling@yahoo.com) to set up a meeting. You are also are welcome to come chat during a cafe hour to share your ideas.