Thursday CALM (Come and Let's Meditate)

Thursdays 12:15-12:45pm at Weird Church

All levels welcome to this 30 minute mid-day guided meditation practice.  No registration required for this drop-in, by donation offering. 

Through sharing the food and stories of our heritage, we grow in our ability to know and love one another.  All month we will be learning about and tasting dishes from different cultures and traditions around the world.

Weekly services: Sundays at 4 pm (they can be accessed online HERE - Zoom ID 810 1877 0234).

Our services are like church…but weird. Following monthly themes, we come together for about an hour for prayer, music, readings, reflection, and a time of discussion. There are no requirements or barriers to participating in Weird Church and all are truly welcome regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status etc.

Children and Youth are celebrated and welcomed (with all the wiggles and noise and love they bring along with them). Everyone gathers together for the start of the service and those who wish can join Nathan for programming downstairs after our initial gathering time. Like everything at Weird Church, this is an invitation not a requirement - children and youth are welcome to stay upstairs, and parents/guardians are welcome to join programming downstairs.

Thursday CALM (Come and Let's Meditate)

Thursdays 12:15-12:45pm at Weird Church

All levels welcome to this 30 minute mid-day guided meditation practice.  No registration required for this drop-in, by donation offering. 

Through sharing the food and stories of our heritage, we grow in our ability to know and love one another.  All month we will be learning about and tasting dishes from different cultures and traditions around the world.

Weekly services: Sundays at 4 pm (they can be accessed online HERE - Zoom ID 810 1877 0234).

Our services are like church…but weird. Following monthly themes, we come together for about an hour for prayer, music, readings, reflection, and a time of discussion. There are no requirements or barriers to participating in Weird Church and all are truly welcome regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status etc.

Children and Youth are celebrated and welcomed (with all the wiggles and noise and love they bring along with them). Everyone gathers together for the start of the service and those who wish can join Nathan for programming downstairs after our initial gathering time. Like everything at Weird Church, this is an invitation not a requirement - children and youth are welcome to stay upstairs, and parents/guardians are welcome to join programming downstairs.

Part walking meditation, part spiritual practice, full immersion in the forest.  Join us as we seek to find connection with the Divine while breathing in reciprocity with the trees.  Our journey will begin at the church and shift as we move towards and enter the forest. There will be times of guided breathing, space for prompted personal reflection and wondering, opportunities for letting go, and, of course, gratitude. Using guidance from the Celtic tradition, we will enter the forest and trust the wisdom of the woods.

Come with an attitude of experimentation, playfulness, and a readiness to connect. (weather appropriate attire is also very handy!). This experience does include some terrain that might be difficult for those with mobility issues. If you would like a recorded meditation, please contact Ingrid.

No preparation, no expectations, no pressure. All are welcome. 

Cost to participate: $0-$30 sliding scale to info@weirdchurchcumberland.com

Thursday CALM (Come and Let's Meditate)

Thursdays 12:15-12:45pm at Weird Church

All levels welcome to this 30 minute mid-day guided meditation practice.  No registration required for this drop-in, by donation offering. 

Through sharing the food and stories of our heritage, we grow in our ability to know and love one another.  All month we will be learning about and tasting dishes from different cultures and traditions around the world.

Weekly services: Sundays at 4 pm (they can be accessed online HERE - Zoom ID 810 1877 0234).

Our services are like church…but weird. Following monthly themes, we come together for about an hour for prayer, music, readings, reflection, and a time of discussion. There are no requirements or barriers to participating in Weird Church and all are truly welcome regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status etc.

Children and Youth are celebrated and welcomed (with all the wiggles and noise and love they bring along with them). Everyone gathers together for the start of the service and those who wish can join Nathan for programming downstairs after our initial gathering time. Like everything at Weird Church, this is an invitation not a requirement - children and youth are welcome to stay upstairs, and parents/guardians are welcome to join programming downstairs.

Join the Weird Church Youth Group for another round of indoor rock climbing at the Cumberland Recreation Centre. Registration and climbing waivers are required for this event so register by emailing nathan@weirdchurchcumberland.com with Youth name and Parent/Guardian contact information and Youth Leader Nathan will coordinate getting waivers signed.

Meet at the Rec Centre for 5:15pm.

*Weird Church Youth Group (WCYG) is an inclusive and non-religious 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPOC safe space for young people between the ages of 12 - 18 years old.

Thursday CALM (Come and Let's Meditate)

Thursdays 12:15-12:45pm at Weird Church

All levels welcome to this 30 minute mid-day guided meditation practice.  No registration required for this drop-in, by donation offering. 

Hope is the belief that there is a bigger story of God’s work in the world, and all of us are a part of the unfolding story of love. It is a story about the future, that God is pulling us toward something beautiful. Spiritual people are hopeful people, so we are committed to the idea that God is still working, even when we can’t see it clearly. With the Divine, beautiful things are still possible even in the midst of our tears, pain, and suffering. Because it is through those tears that we see Love at work in the world.  This is how we live in the already-not-yet.

Join us as we look for the ways we can expand our capacity for courage, love, and honesty—while discovering divine moments with God. (and stay for food afterwards)

Weekly services: Sundays at 4 pm (they can be accessed online HERE - Zoom ID 810 1877 0234).

Our services are like church…but weird. Following monthly themes, we come together for about an hour for prayer, music, readings, reflection, and a time of discussion. There are no requirements or barriers to participating in Weird Church and all are truly welcome regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status etc.

Children and Youth are celebrated and welcomed (with all the wiggles and noise and love they bring along with them). Everyone gathers together for the start of the service and those who wish can join Nathan for programming downstairs after our initial gathering time. Like everything at Weird Church, this is an invitation not a requirement - children and youth are welcome to stay upstairs, and parents/guardians are welcome to join programming downstairs.

A simple sunrise meditation to celebrate hope and new life, listening - in new ways - to the Christian story of Easter. Bundle up and join us around the fire for a short service of song, prayer, reflection and blessing. (followed by a cold water dip for those brave souls who care for a cleanse!). Online available through the Sunday Service Zoom Link at the top of the web page.

Marine Drive Picnic Area in Royston (39 Marine Drive, just down from Royston Roasting).

Join Weird Church and the L’Arche community in this gentle, meditative service of in-between.  Just as a seed is planted and waits in the dark before sprouting, we too sit in sacred darkness sometimes.

Through simple, repetitive, chant-style music, prayer, candle lighting, and spacious silence, this hour of contemplation is an invitation to rest in the darkness knowing that we are never outside of the presence of God.

Good Friday Service 10:30am

For those who are searching for a more traditional Good Friday service with the theology and ethos of the United Church of Canada (the denomination that holds Weird Church) we are invited to join with folks at St. George’s United Church in Courtenay.

Got questions? Feel free to email us at info@weirdchurchcumberland.com

Weird Church is coming for dinner!

We have been invited to join Comox Valley Presbyterian Church for a Maundy Thursday Soup and Service.
You may recognize their Minister Rev. Jenn Geddes who is a good friend of Ingrid :)

The simple service will include a light soup and bun meal, and service of prayers, hymns and Communion.

Questions about the event? Please contact us info@weirdchurchcumberland.com or CVPC at comoxpc@gmail.com

CVPC is an Affirming Community committed to action and reconciliation and full inclusion of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. You can read about that HERE.

Thursday CALM (Come and Let's Meditate)

Thursdays 12:15-12:45pm at Weird Church

All levels welcome to this 30 minute mid-day guided meditation practice.  No registration required for this drop-in, by donation offering. 

Using the book “Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day” by Kate Bowler as our guide, we will meet weekly on Mondays at 7pm on Zoom through the six weeks of Lent.

For some folks, this will be an untangling of old ideas about what Lent is and how it is possible to honour the time. For others it will be a first entry into something new and unfamiliar. For others still it will be part of the annual rhythm of life.

This book and the context of the six meetings is explicitly Christian, but (as with all things Weird Church) those who participate do not have to claim that or any tradition. There are many ways to encounter the Divine and this is one pathway.

Books are available through your local bookstore or online retailer and registration for the group is below.

Schedule of Sessions:

February 19: Wilderness

February 26: The Limitless Love of God

March 4: Transformation (Not Perfection)

March 11: The Depths of Renewal

March 18: The Compassion of God

March 25: Truths & Trials

This schedule of themes will be following the Sunday Service of the same title.

Embracing hard-to-understand truths is difficult for so many reasons. Sometimes the truth is too painful, life-altering, ugly, or complicated—which is why heavy truths may need to be taken in small doses. Other times, as Bible teacher Beth Moore says, “Some truths are a young fruit”—they need time to ripen before they’re ready to be shared. . If you don’t know how to start this act of truth-receiving and truth-telling, it may help to find someone for whom this is a strength—they can act as truth-telling serum. These are the people who speak the truth so well and so honestly that it makes it easier for each of us to do the same, or say “me too!”

Week six of our six week journey through the theme “Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day”, seeking to untangle our cultural obsession with toxic positivity, finding language to embody our hopes and anxieties. This is a series for the rest of us—which is to say, the people who don’t have magical lives that always work out for the best. Every day can be an obstacle course and together we will develop our capacity to feel the breadth of our experiences. The better we are at identifying our highs and lows, the more resilient we become.

Join us as we look for the ways we can expand our capacity for courage, love, and honesty—while discovering divine moments with God.

Weekly services: Sundays at 4 pm (they can be accessed online HERE - Zoom ID 810 1877 0234).

Our services are like church…but weird. Following monthly themes, we come together for about an hour for prayer, music, readings, reflection, and a time of discussion. There are no requirements or barriers to participating in Weird Church and all are truly welcome regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status etc.

Children and Youth are celebrated and welcomed (with all the wiggles and noise and love they bring along with them). Everyone gathers together for the start of the service and those who wish can join Nathan for programming downstairs after our initial gathering time. Like everything at Weird Church, this is an invitation not a requirement - children and youth are welcome to stay upstairs, and parents/guardians are welcome to join programming downstairs.

Thursday CALM (Come and Let's Meditate)

Thursdays 12:15-12:45pm at Weird Church

All levels welcome to this 30 minute mid-day guided meditation practice.  No registration required for this drop-in, by donation offering. 

Using the book “Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day” by Kate Bowler as our guide, we will meet weekly on Mondays at 7pm on Zoom through the six weeks of Lent.

For some folks, this will be an untangling of old ideas about what Lent is and how it is possible to honour the time. For others it will be a first entry into something new and unfamiliar. For others still it will be part of the annual rhythm of life.

This book and the context of the six meetings is explicitly Christian, but (as with all things Weird Church) those who participate do not have to claim that or any tradition. There are many ways to encounter the Divine and this is one pathway.

Books are available through your local bookstore or online retailer and registration for the group is below.

Schedule of Sessions:

February 19: Wilderness

February 26: The Limitless Love of God

March 4: Transformation (Not Perfection)

March 11: The Depths of Renewal

March 18: The Compassion of God

March 25: Truths & Trials

This schedule of themes will be following the Sunday Service of the same title.

The word compassion literally means to suffer together—to share in someone else’s suffering. Compassion is rooted in generosity and community, making it difficult for those who are living with a mindset of scarcity and individualism. Compassion requires us to open up to feel the pain, the sorrow, the injustice being experienced by others. When we can barely handle our own troubles, it can be particularly difficult to step into the pain of others.

Compassion often requires holding the pain of others without trying to fix, solve, or rescue them (so little of pain can be solved). God is God, and not us. We are called to listen, to

feel, and to sit with, and to validate. When we realize that suffering and pain are common to us all and all there is we cannot fix, we might feel a bit humbled. But that humble, generous love is what transforms us, enabling true community.

Week five of our six week journey through the theme “Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day”, seeking to untangle our cultural obsession with toxic positivity, finding language to embody our hopes and anxieties. This is a series for the rest of us—which is to say, the people who don’t have magical lives that always work out for the best. Every day can be an obstacle course and together we will develop our capacity to feel the breadth of our experiences. The better we are at identifying our highs and lows, the more resilient we become.

Join us as we look for the ways we can expand our capacity for courage, love, and honesty—while discovering divine moments with God.

Weekly services: Sundays at 4 pm (they can be accessed online HERE - Zoom ID 810 1877 0234).

Our services are like church…but weird. Following monthly themes, we come together for about an hour for prayer, music, readings, reflection, and a time of discussion. There are no requirements or barriers to participating in Weird Church and all are truly welcome regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status etc.

Children and Youth are celebrated and welcomed (with all the wiggles and noise and love they bring along with them). Everyone gathers together for the start of the service and those who wish can join Nathan for programming downstairs after our initial gathering time. Like everything at Weird Church, this is an invitation not a requirement - children and youth are welcome to stay upstairs, and parents/guardians are welcome to join programming downstairs.

The Revolution’s Promise

A Collaboration between:
The Freedom Theatre (Jenin) & Artists on the Frontline

Written by: Zoe Lafferty

“The Revolution’s Promise” is a dramatic presentation written in November, 2022. It tells the story of the Jenin Freedom Theatre, located in Jenin Refugee Camp, West Bank, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Israel-Palestine. It also tells the personal stories of five Palestinian artists and three directors of cultural centres in the West Bank & Gaza.

**the presentation will be follow by a "talk back" community conversation with the presenters and information**

Each person who speaks was interviewed separately, without knowing who else was being interviewed for this project. Interviewees’ perspectives, thoughts & ideas are solely their own. Other text is from material available online.

This project is a fundraiser for The Freedom Theatre, who right now are working primarily with traumatized children in Jenin Refugee Camp, (population 15,000) using theatre and art to help them grapple with their current reality.

We are thrilled to note that The Freedom Theatre has been nominated for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.

Thank you for coming to our presentation.

All proceeds to benefit The Freedom Theatre (Jenin).
Please dig deep and give generously.

Let’s kick off the start of Spring Break with a freaking movie night! But not any movie night! A superhero themed movie night! Join us as we watch the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (that’s available on streaming platforms).

Annnnnnnnnnnnnd there will be prizes for the best superhero themed (Marvel or DC) cosplay. No joke! We got prizes! Snacks and beverages will be provided.

Open to all youth between the ages of 12-18 years of age. Located at the church.

Thursday CALM (Come and Let's Meditate)

Thursdays 12:15-12:45pm at Weird Church

All levels welcome to this 30 minute mid-day guided meditation practice.  No registration required for this drop-in, by donation offering. 

Using the book “Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day” by Kate Bowler as our guide, we will meet weekly on Mondays at 7pm on Zoom through the six weeks of Lent.

For some folks, this will be an untangling of old ideas about what Lent is and how it is possible to honour the time. For others it will be a first entry into something new and unfamiliar. For others still it will be part of the annual rhythm of life.

This book and the context of the six meetings is explicitly Christian, but (as with all things Weird Church) those who participate do not have to claim that or any tradition. There are many ways to encounter the Divine and this is one pathway.

Books are available through your local bookstore or online retailer and registration for the group is below.

Schedule of Sessions:

February 19: Wilderness

February 26: The Limitless Love of God

March 4: Transformation (Not Perfection)

March 11: The Depths of Renewal

March 18: The Compassion of God

March 25: Truths & Trials

This schedule of themes will be following the Sunday Service of the same title.

Renewal often begins in the depths. A seed covered with soil waits for the warmth of spring to bring it to life. Then, shoots burst through the seed’s hard shell and stretch up toward the sun, growing into something astonishingly huge, unrecognisable from a seedy point of view. The seed could never have imagined the plant it would become. And so too with us. We don’t have the power of regeneration. But God does. 

Week four of our six week journey through the theme “Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day”, seeking to untangle our cultural obsession with toxic positivity, finding language to embody our hopes and anxieties. This is a series for the rest of us—which is to say, the people who don’t have magical lives that always work out for the best. Every day can be an obstacle course and together we will develop our capacity to feel the breadth of our experiences. The better we are at identifying our highs and lows, the more resilient we become.

Join us as we look for the ways we can expand our capacity for courage, love, and honesty—while discovering divine moments with God.

Weekly services: Sundays at 4 pm (they can be accessed online HERE - Zoom ID 810 1877 0234).

Our services are like church…but weird. Following monthly themes, we come together for about an hour for prayer, music, readings, reflection, and a time of discussion. There are no requirements or barriers to participating in Weird Church and all are truly welcome regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status etc.

Children and Youth are celebrated and welcomed (with all the wiggles and noise and love they bring along with them). Everyone gathers together for the start of the service and those who wish can join Nathan for programming downstairs after our initial gathering time. Like everything at Weird Church, this is an invitation not a requirement - children and youth are welcome to stay upstairs, and parents/guardians are welcome to join programming downstairs.

Board games! Card games! Video games! WCYG is doing it all at the church, so come out and partake in the fun! Snacks and beverages provided.

Open to all youth between the ages of 12-18 years old. Located at the church.

Thursday CALM (Come and Let's Meditate)

Thursdays 12:15-12:45pm at Weird Church

All levels welcome to this 30 minute mid-day guided meditation practice.  No registration required for this drop-in, by donation offering. 

Using the book “Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day” by Kate Bowler as our guide, we will meet weekly on Mondays at 7pm on Zoom through the six weeks of Lent.

For some folks, this will be an untangling of old ideas about what Lent is and how it is possible to honour the time. For others it will be a first entry into something new and unfamiliar. For others still it will be part of the annual rhythm of life.

This book and the context of the six meetings is explicitly Christian, but (as with all things Weird Church) those who participate do not have to claim that or any tradition. There are many ways to encounter the Divine and this is one pathway.

Books are available through your local bookstore or online retailer and registration for the group is below.

Schedule of Sessions:

February 19: Wilderness

February 26: The Limitless Love of God

March 4: Transformation (Not Perfection)

March 11: The Depths of Renewal

March 18: The Compassion of God

March 25: Truths & Trials

This schedule of themes will be following the Sunday Service of the same title.

Perfection is impossible. And yet, we often find ourselves trying to live up to unattainable expectations set by ourselves, by others, or by culture. We see our need for perfection come out in the way we treat our bodies, our grades, our careers, our relationships, our families, our legacy, and even our places of worship and community. We try to keep up an impossible pace as we strive toward perfection, productivity, and accomplishments. So what if, instead of perfection, we started choosing to look for small gestures of hope and love that lead to transformation? The difference between perfection and transformation is the level of grace and acceptance we offer ourselves and others.

Week three of our six week journey through the theme “Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day”, seeking to untangle our cultural obsession with toxic positivity, finding language to embody our hopes and anxieties. This is a series for the rest of us—which is to say, the people who don’t have magical lives that always work out for the best. Every day can be an obstacle course and together we will develop our capacity to feel the breadth of our experiences. The better we are at identifying our highs and lows, the more resilient we become.

Join us as we look for the ways we can expand our capacity for courage, love, and honesty—while discovering divine moments with God.

Weekly services: Sundays at 4 pm (they can be accessed online HERE - Zoom ID 810 1877 0234).

Our services are like church…but weird. Following monthly themes, we come together for about an hour for prayer, music, readings, reflection, and a time of discussion. There are no requirements or barriers to participating in Weird Church and all are truly welcome regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status etc.

Children and Youth are celebrated and welcomed (with all the wiggles and noise and love they bring along with them). Everyone gathers together for the start of the service and those who wish can join Nathan for programming downstairs after our initial gathering time. Like everything at Weird Church, this is an invitation not a requirement - children and youth are welcome to stay upstairs, and parents/guardians are welcome to join programming downstairs.

Part walking meditation, part spiritual practice, full immersion in the forest.  Join us as we seek to find connection with the Divine while breathing in reciprocity with the trees.  Our journey will begin at the church and shift as we move towards and enter the forest. There will be times of guided breathing, space for prompted personal reflection and wondering, opportunities for letting go, and, of course, gratitude.

Come with an attitude of experimentation, playfulness, and a readiness to connect. (weather appropriate attire is also very handy!). This experience does include some terrain that might be difficult for those with mobility issues. If you would like a recorded meditation, please contact Ingrid.

No preparation, no expectations, no pressure. All are welcome. 

Cost to participate: $0-$30 sliding scale to info@weirdchurchcumberland.com