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Humanist Happenings Keeping You Connected to Humanist Events
October 2025
Welcome to the October Edition of the Humanist Canada Newsletter!
This month, our vibrant community comes together through a featured event, new podcast episodes, and opportunities to connect with fellow Humanists both virtually and in person—inviting you to join engaging conversations and meaningful shared experiences.
As autumn unfolds and the Turning of the Seasons inspires reflection, we invite you to join us in celebrating the beauty of the natural world through art and ritual. You’ll discover compelling stories—Sarah Davis’s moving journey from a high-control religious background to secular community, and Stephanie’s heartfelt experience with healing, support, and resilience, shared in Episode 4 of our Choice Chat Podcast. These personal narratives remind us of the compassion and solidarity that define our movement.
Your voice guides us. Help shape Humanist Canada’s direction by taking our short survey: share what matters to you, rate our priorities, and suggest new ideas for the future. We also invite you to fill out a form to get connected with fellow Humanists in your city or area!
Pour nos membres francophones, inscrivez-vous à notre prochaine rencontre du club de lecture et rejoignez-nous lors des connexions humanistes hebdomadaires pour francophones. C’est l’occasion parfaite de partager, d’échanger et de tisser des liens avec d’autres Humanistes dans un cadre chaleureux et convivial.
Let’s keep the dialogue growing and the movement thriving. Continuons à faire grandir le dialogue et à dynamiser le mouvement.
The Humanist Canada Team
Rituals and Reflections | Fall Edition
📅 Sunday, October 5th 🕖 1:00 – 3:00 PM EDT
Join us for a special guided moment to pause and welcome the transition into fall. This online gathering invites you to reflect, connect, and celebrate the changing season with your community.
Celebrate autumn by bringing a fallen leaf, a marker, and an object that connects you to the season. Together, we will share reflections and creative expressions as we honor this time of balance and transformation.
If you wish to contribute your voice or creativity—through poetry, storytelling, music, or open mic sharing—please let us know. This is a wonderful chance to connect and celebrate the season’s spirit in community.
Free for Humanist Canada members—register through the Members Portal.
🎙️ The Voice of Canadian Humanism - Episode 6 : Indigenous Roundtable
In honor of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation observed on September 30th, we invite you to listen to Episode 6 of The Voice of Canadian Humanism to deepen your understanding and reflection on Indigenous issues in Canadian society.
This episode features a powerful conversation with Indigenous family lawyers Christina Ninham and Maureen Bulbrook. They discuss the ongoing unjust treatment faced by Indigenous Peoples in Canada, shedding light on systemic challenges and the urgent need for justice and reconciliation.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify and share to continue the dialogue.
Still Thinking About Your Will?
Leave A Legacy Gift.
Are you still considering what to include in your Will? By making a legacy gift to Humanist Canada, you’re helping ensure that the principles you value most continue to make a difference for generations to come.
There are two ways you can leave a gift to Humanist Canada in your Will:
Speak with your Lawyer or Notary
Use an online Will platform, like Epilogue
By including Humanist Canada in your Will, you can become a member of the Humanist Legacy Society—a community of supporters who have committed to leaving a lasting impact through their future gift.
For more information, reach out to us at legacy@humanistcanada.ca or visit our website.
Vous êtes humaniste, athée, agnostique, déiste, ou vous adhérez simplement à la libre pensée? Rejoignez-nous!
Le 22 septembre dernier, nos membres francophones se sont rencontrés pour discuter de leur dernière lecture: Les quatre accords toltèques, de Don Miguel Ruiz. C’était une occasion d'échanger des idées autour du plaisir de la lecture !
Participez à la prochaine rencontre!
La prochaine rencontre est planifiée pour le 20 octobre 2025. Nous discuterons l'œuvre de Marie de Hennezel, L'art de mourir.
Rejoignez le Club de Lecture Francophone de Humaniste Canada et faites grandir la communauté!
Looking to Meet Fellow Humanists in Your Area?
Are you interested in meeting other Humanists in your city for engaging in-person activities, lively conversations, and meaningful community events?
Whether you’re new to Humanist Canada or have been part of the movement for years, there’s something special about coming together face-to-face with people who share your values and curiosity.
Humanist Canada can help to spark and nurture connections—be it for book discussions, social gatherings, advocacy projects, or exploring local cultural events.
If you’re interested in creating or joining a local circle of Humanists, let us know by completing the form below, and we’ll help you connect with others who are eager to build friendships, challenge ideas, and make a positive impact—right where you are.
Personal stories are at the heart of what we do because they remind us that behind every policy, debate, or headline is a real person navigating complex decisions and emotions. By sharing lived experiences, we move beyond abstract arguments and invite empathy, understanding, and connection. These stories challenge stigma, build solidarity, and help listeners see reproductive rights not just as political issues, but as deeply human ones.
In this fourth episode of our Choice Chat Podcast, Stephanie shares her thoughts and emotions on having an abortion after 3 children. She challenges the binary pro-life/pro-choice vision on birth termination, the political and abstract perception of the issue, while reminding that behind them, real individual and family lives are at play. She explores the complexity of human choices, emotions and psyche, and reflects on the pain of rejection and the relief of support of those around her. Her message is one centered around compassion and love, especially towards oneself.
🎧 Listen to the whole episode on Spotify or on our Website and share to engage a conversation.
Recovering from Religion: A Moving and Inspiring Life Testimony of a Humanist Liberated from a High-Control Religious Environment
In her article “Bridging the Gap between Religious Trauma and Secular Community”, RfR volunteer Sarah Davis takes us into her journey from a young girl in a high-control religious environment in the US ‘Bible Belt’, to a Recovering from Religion (RfR) support groups volunteer.
The article explores religious trauma, the slow and thorny process of healing, and the need for a sense of community among ex-religious cohorts in the transitional process.
Facing doubts or challenges after leaving your faith? Recovering from Religion connects individuals with peer and professional support to help navigate questions, uncertainty, and change.
📢 Connection Humaniste
Rencontres hebdomadaires en français
📅 Chaque mardi | 🕖 19h00 - 20h00 HNE
Nous sommes heureux d’annoncer le lancement de « Connection humaniste - Rencontres hebdomadaires » !
🌐 Rejoignez-nous en ligne pour : ✔ Connecter en français avec d’autres humanistes ✔ Rester au courant des dernières nouvelles ✔ Partager vos préoccupations et vos accomplissements ✔ Ou simplement nous dire à quoi vous pensez ces temps-ci
📍 Nos discussions ont lieu chaque mardi, de 19h00 à 20h00 HNE.
📌 Cet événement s'adresse aux membres d'Humanist Canada seulement.
Humanist Canada values the voices and insights of its members, and your input is essential to shaping our future together. We invite you to fill out a brief survey to help us better understand the priorities and mandates that matter most to our community. By sharing your perspective, you’ll help guide our direction, ensuring we champion the issues that resonate with you.
Please take a moment to rate the importance of each focus area or mandate listed in the survey below. If there are other topics or initiatives you believe deserve attention, don’t hesitate to suggest them. Your thoughtful feedback will help build a stronger, more responsive Humanist movement—one that truly reflects the collective vision of its members.
Local member gatherings are informal meetings of humanists - a simple idea with big results.
Liking What You See?
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For just $50 a year, you can become a Humanist Canada member and unlock all the events, perks, and warm fuzzy feelings of supporting humanist values across the country.
Keep track of all our upcoming events and meeting times in one convenient place. There’s always something exciting happening—be sure to stay in the loop!
We value your membership, volunteer efforts, and financial support. Together, we’re fostering a vibrant community, advancing Humanist values, and creating meaningful change.
If you’d like to make an impact, consider making a donation today. Your support helps us sustain our programs, expand our reach, and grow our shared vision for a better future.