Karis Burkowski
HUMANIST OFFICIANT, LICENSED BY THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO

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As a school teacher, weaver, craft shop owner, regional supervisor in retail fashion, and author, I have enjoyed a variety of work experiences. I am the grandmother of six, in a blended family. Just for fun, I facilitated the production of a “Fifty-plus and Fabulous” calendar that raised $26,000 for HopeSpring Cancer Support Centre, and helped stage The Vagina Monologues, raising $13,000 for local women’s shelters.
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Mythologies, beliefs and rituals have always fascinated me. I have been a member of Interfaith Grand River since its inception in 2001 (just days after 9/11) and I am a Past-President of the Society of Freethinkers (SOFREE).  Having walked the El Camino de Santiago de Compostela in 2007, I know that the power of pilgrimage extends far beyond any religious connection.  Drawing on inspiration from each stage of my journey, I am delighted to be conducting weddings and other celebrations as a Humanist Officiant.

Contact Karis

An Accepting Outlook.
An Open Mind. ​
​A Love of Celebration!

Your wedding day is one of the most important milestones in your life. Together we can create a ceremony that reflects your personalities, your vision, and your expectations of the commitment you are making to one another.
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When the 2020 pandemic caused restrictions in wedding sizes, we built a pergola for elopements and micro-weddings.  After large weddings become possible again, these options will remain available.

Your Journey, Your Labyrinth

"A labyrinth is not a maze. A maze is a perplexing series of choices, often leading to dead ends and requiring backtracking. A labyrinth is a single pathway, leading inexorably (although it may not always feel that way) from the entrance to the goal.
 
Life’s journey is a labyrinth. You learn something with every step you take. You grow with every experience and every encounter with other people. Each twist and turn moves you closer to your self-actualization. And when you get there, when you reach the center, it is not the end. No indeed! From the centre of the labyrinth you have as far to go as you have already come. 
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You pause and reflect on your life, then start walking outward. You revisit all those twists and turns that made you who you are. You accept that even the things you thought of as 'mistakes' were part of the journey. And as you encounter others who are still walking toward their centre, you offer perspective and kindness and support. Give them a reassuring smile, or a hug, or just stop and let them pass."  – KARIS BURKOWSKI