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Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship is fortunate to have three Lay Chaplains who will officiate at Rites of Passage such as weddings, memorial services and child dedication services. They can be reached through the LUF office at 807-344-5980.

Lay Chaplain Susan Tiura	Susan Tiura serves as a lecturer in English Literature at Lakehead University; Susan has chaired the Sunday Services Committee at Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship for 6 years, presiding over monthly meetings and co-ordinating Sunday services. "I enjoy ritual and see part of my function as directing meaningful rituals and constructing ceremony which reflects the poetic mind of individuals who request my services." Susan gives particular attention to mythological and poetic traditions, and she calls on these in working with you to enact your own stories and metaphors in the words of your ceremony.
Lay Chaplain David Belrose	It is a privilege to serve as a Lay Chaplain because of the opportunity to help people to create significant ceremonies and rituals to mark important times in their lives. Rites of passage are most meaningful when everyone involved can contribute to the event. I celebrate the diversity of humanity and have an interest in working with people to create meaningful rites of passage for couples and individuals. I find that each rite of passage helps to deepen my own spiritual awareness.
Lay Chaplain Rob Van Wyck	Rob has been a member of the Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship for 18 years and was chosen by its members to serve as a Lay Chaplain in late 2009. Words, ceremony and ritual are important to him for they speak to and of our needs and potential. As a musician and a retired teacher, he has the sensitivity, empathy and skills to provide a dignified and meaningful ceremony. He looks forward to helping people design the kind of service that they require.

You may wish to call on a Lay Chaplain for one of these services:

• Wedding
• Funeral
• Memorial Service
• Child Dedication
• Coming-Out Ceremony
• Other "Milestone" Ceremony

The Lay Chaplain will work with you to create a meaningful ceremony at the place of your choice. You can count on the Lay Chaplain to recognize your personal beliefs and wishes when you plan the ceremony together; to be sensitive to the needs of others who will be attending; and to reflect Unitarian principles which respect each person's values and convictions.
The charges for Lay Chaplaincy services in our congregation are as follows:

• Wedding: $250.00
• Rehearsal (one hour): $50.00
• Funeral or Memorial Service: $250.00
• Child Dedication: $125.00
• Other "Milestone Ceremonies" can be negotiated with the Lay Chaplain.
• Travel expenses of 40 cents per kilometre will be charged for meetings and ceremonies outside Thunder Bay.

You can download a copy of the Lay Chaplaincy brochurehere.

MEMORIAL PLANNING
Here at LUF we have available a series of planning materials to help us do the work of preparing for our own eventual deaths. The forms are available online and include “In case of life threatening illness or death”, “A celebration of your life: memorial service planning worksheet”, and “Personal history for obituary and eulogy”. These forms are also available from the LUF Administrator. The completed forms can be held in the LUF office for members, or in a safe place at home if you prefer. The Lay Chaplains plan to hold a Memorial Planning workshop in 2011, tentatively on February 19.