Views from These Pews
This Building Bust of Lotta Hitschmanova Copper Enamel Plates Meditation Garden Handicapped Access Chalice Unitarian House of Ottawa Rainbow Flag Memorial Panels	Reproduced from a brochure available in our worship hall. By Rev. Brian Kopke
	THIS BUILDING In March 1967 the newly completed church was first used for services. The building proved to be a winner not simply for the Unitarians. That spring, the Ottawa chapter of the Ontario Association of Architects awarded James B. Craig, the architect, second place in the annual design contest for this city.	Back to Top
Built of red cedar and concrete, the church is memorable for its exterior with gently rising roof culminating in a slender spire, and for the beauty of its interior design - from the curved wooden beams of the vault above to the broad expanse of windows behind the pulpit (with their views of the Ottawa River and the tree-clad Gatineau hills of Quebec). The architect has written: "There were fundamental reasons for the general planning. Because the site was low in relation to the [Ottawa River] Parkway, we placed the Worship Hall high on a podium created by the classroom block, so that it might enjoy the fine view across the river. The adjacent functions of fellowship, study and administration were then gathered under the sheltering arms of a wide-spreading roof. To give the building grace and unity, the ridges were then swept up into a towering spire which, although traditional in concept, is an expression of contemporary technology. Thirty years ago, it would not have been built this way." "To bring the congregation as close as possible to the minister, no seat in the Worship Hall, which holds 330, is more than 45 feet from the platform, and so that people when inside will feel they are still united with the outside world, we have left large glass areas looking on to this pleasant site. The entire building makes great use of western red cedar which imparts warmth and humility, and creates a subtle tie with the surroundings."
BUST OF LOTTA HITSCHMANOVA Don Saxon, then President of the Congregation, learned that Harold Pfeiffer had his original sculpture of Dr. Lotta Hitschmanova, founder of the Unitarian Service Committee (USC), in his basement. After a visit to Dr. Pfeiffer's, a bronze was commissioned and presented as a gift to the church on December 9, 1979 by Don and Renee Saxon and the sculptor. Dr Lotta (as she is known), was a refugee from Czechoslovakia during World War II, fleeing to Belgium, southern France and Portugal, before finally coming to Canada. She began to work on behalf of refugees with the Unitarian Service Committee in Boston. Three years after arriving in Canada, she founded the Unitarian Service Committee of Canada with the help of the people of the Ottawa Unitarian Congregation.		Back to Top
In recognition of her work she has received awards from various governments, and Canada has made her a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest award. Members of this Congregation are proud to have helped at the beginning and now to have her bust as a reminder of our present obligation to help those in need - a reminder each time we enter this building.
COPPER ENAMEL PLATES On the supporting beams at the front of Worship Hall are found 84 copper-enamel dishes made by Church School children under the direction of Anne Orton shortly after the church was built. She was teaching in the Church School at the time and brought her kiln and enamels to involve all the children. Anne describes it as "a way wherein each child could reach out in an embrace ... representing the love of all people". The plaques were placed on the wall, not as individual units, but as a complete work of art, for which Anne Orton was responsible.		Back to Top
As a result of this project, the children who took part have felt that they have roots in this church and since then have been able to return at any time and point to their contribution. The plates depict the ideas children had while they were encouraged to look up and around, seeing all things - sky, earth, water, people, and to reach out to them spiritually and physically. Truly a labour of love with much meaning, this work of art complements the view to the hills, breaking up the vertical thrust of the support beams and helping them to blend with the outside world.
	MEDITATION GARDEN The Meditation Garden has graced the island of greenery just west of the church building since 1992-3. In 1999 the gardens were expanded to include a sculpture, "Noble Bird," donated to the congregation by Bradley Ralph and the sculptor, Brodie Shearer. Paths now undulate through the space, twisting and turning to provide distinct areas of focus and privacy. The plantings, rich and lush, include many rare species. The natural stream and pond are lined with rocks and cat tails. Large limestone rocks edge berms at the southern edge of the gardens. The northern boundary is marked by two spruce trees planted by River Parkway Pre-School. The site is often visited by children from the school and residents of Unitarian House as well as mambers of the community attending events at the church. each spring a pair of mallards stops at the pond on its way north. Insect life ranges from skimmers to mud wasps and dragon flies. Frogs and gold fish are always present.	Back to Top
HANDICAPPED ACCESS Handicapped access to this building was long a concern of members of this Congregation. Many years ago, a "loop system" was installed to aid the hearing-impaired during Sunday services. Braille hymnals were also purchased and are available at the back of Worship Hall. Wheelchair access had long been a dream, and in 1985 the Congregation began to look more seriously at the possibility of providing such access to the upper and lower floors of the Church building, as well as a handicapped washroom. With the help of a grant from the Province of Ontario, this dream became a reality in September 1988. The project required substantial renovation and re-organization of the interior of the Church. In 1999 the Crafty Crafters accepted the donation of a quilt for a raffle to raise money to make the building even more accessable with assisted doors and new door handles which do not require a grip around a knob to open the door. We are committed to removing physical barriers to our building.		Back to Top
CHALICE The story of the origin of the Flaming Chalice eloquently illustrates one of the touchstones of our particular faith - sacrifice and zealous effort in bettering the plight of those less fortunate than ourselves. The Unitarian Service Committee (now the UUSC in Boston) came into being when a small group of Unitarians in 1939 decided that they had to give public witness to their convictions regarding human dignity. This witness manifested itself through the formation of an organization similar in dedication and principles to the American Friends Service Committee.		Back to Top
In dealing with refugees escaping the horrors of Nazi Germany from countless war-torn European nations, it was soon apparent that a seal of some type which would easily identify the USC was needed to bridge the language gulf. An Austrian refugee, Hans Deutsch, who lived in Paris until France was invaded in 1940, fled to Portugal and there joined the staff of the USC for a period of six months as Secretary and Assistant to Dr. Charles R. Joy, the Executive Director of the Unitarian Service Committee. Dr. Joy asked Deutsch - a musician, craftsman and artist - to design an appropriate emblem for the Committee. Thus, the flaming chalice was born - a symbol that is frequently recognized throughout the world as the emblem of Unitarian Universalists. The pewter chalice in this sanctuary was purchased from the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee in 1986 so that the adults of the church would have the same symbol in their worship as the children had in theirs for many years. Each Sunday the chalice is lit for the services of the adults and the children, reminding us of our obligation to care for other people in this world.
	UNITARIAN HOUSE OF OTTAWA In 1973, the Social Responsibility Committee of the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa anticipated over the next two or three decades a need for shelter and care for senior citizens in the community. The Congregation agreed that top priority should be given to an outreach programme that would culminate in the building and operation of a senior citizens' complex wherein graduated medical and social care could be provided within affordable accommodation for senior and handicapped citizens of the Ottawa- Carleton area.	Back to Top
To this end, in 1975 Unitarian House of Ottawa was incorporated under the Canada Corporations Act. At that time, all five members of the Board of Governors were members of the Congregation. The by-laws of the corporation made provision that all future Boards, regardless of size, would require that a majority of its members be voting members of the First Unitarian Congregation. At this time (1989), the Board has nine governors, seven of whom are members of this Congregation. After almost a decade of planning, acquiring additional property and making applications to various government offices, on March 27, 1983, a sod-turning ceremony was held on land leased from the Church. The lease immediately provided revenue of over one quarter of a million dollars to the Church. These funds were used to pay off the mortgage, to effect the necessary work of building the road and parking spaces, and to landscape the surrounding church property. Phase One of the Unitarian House project consists of 26 two-bedroom apartments, 42 one-bedroom apartments and 47 assisted living units in single and double rooms and suites. Six apartments have been specially designed for people confined to wheelchairs. In September 1986, a modification to two washrooms enhanced the facilities for the handicapped by the addition of a wheelchair shower stall and a whirlpool bath with a special Hoyer lift to raise and lower bathers into and out of the pool. In 1998 a large meeting room and several more assisted living units were added. In 1999 a new parking lot was carved out of land across the street from the front door of Unitarian House. The parking lot left standing the tall pines thus preserving the forested feel for many of the residents.
RAINBOW FLAG Certificates hanging in the west lobby and in Fellowship Hall certify that the congregation is an official Welcoming Congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. This means we make every effort to be welcoming to all people ragardless of sexual orientation, race, colour, creed, national origin, sex, or age. We fly the rainbow flag in our foyer, a sign of welcome to all. Between 1993 and 1998, the congregation launched a series of workshops to sensitize members about homophobia. The ministers have made gender, sexual orientation, and age inclusive changes in the language they use during worship. In 1998, when it came time for the congregation to vote as to whether or not it wanted to be known as a Welcoming Congregation, the vote was unanimous. Unitarian congregations have settled openly gay and lesbian ministers for well over 30 years.		Back to Top
MEMORIAL PANELS The original design for the Church called for an ornamental screen dividing the church seats from the cloak room. Due to cost pressures, this screen was not built. In 1972, Tom Dougherty volunteered to construct two panels as a divider. Mr. Talback provided the lumber, the truck, and workmen to put the finished panels into place. > That summer Tom went to work in his garage. He issued a plea to church members to save broken glass and as well took other bits of brightly coloured glass provided by other cooperative friends. Then he set in the shards of broken glass in a haphazard but pleasing fashion. There are circular emblems in the panels representing all the religions of the worlds. After some two months of work, the panels were completed and raised into place. > The Memorial Committee, under Tom's direction, undertook to place small plaques on the sides of these panels whenever an in memoriam donation was made - hence the name "Memorial Panels". To Tom these panels represented a proud gift of labour to the church he loved. They symbolized to him the beauty and binding force of friendships and family.		Back to Top

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