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Adult Faith Development Our children and youth have a fabulous education program. As adults, we deserve one too. We don’t top learning just because we finish childhood. We are learners throughout out lives. We can learn and grow with each sermon, each new hymn, each coffee hour conversation, even each fundraiser or committee meeting is a source of spiritual nurture when we allow it. We learn from each other constantly. Now, with your help, we can also participate in an intentional Adult RE class. One of the blessings of our creed free religion is its mandate that we find out own answers to life’s big questions. Our need for a deeper understanding of our world, more interpersonal connection around meaning filled subjects, and a place for the safe exploration of difficult subjects draws us into this faith community in the first place. Most of us come to church hoping to find something to sustain us, renew us, to strengthen us for the everyday work of living. We area diverse group and our immediate a faith needs reflect that. It is with this in mind that we have listened to the community and organized a fledgling adult ed plan. This is staff supported, but each of the classes being offered is the inspiration or request of individuals or groups of individuals within the congregation. There is intentionality in the efforts of those of use who have crafted it to make a balanced and accessible program that can appeal to folks various needs, resources, and interests. Classes range in intensity of topic, time commitment, duration and cost as well as subject matter and format. Some groups close after the first meeting and others remain open throughout. To remain welcoming to newcomers (and old-comers who are just now finding the time), the plan is to have something new “just starting” about every two weeks throughout the year. The first of these is Building the World We Dream About”. This curriculum deals with the issue of racism and how we can become a truly anti racist culturally diverse community. We have the honor to be chosen to field test this for the UUA and it promises to be transformational for those who are ready to engage in this most difficult of topics. BTWWDA is being compared to The Welcoming Congregation, the curriculum we did in the 80’s, that helped us address our hidden prejudices around sexual and gender diversity, allowing us to become the truly BGLTQ welcoming congregation we wanted to be. BTWWDA is 24 sessions long, to be presented in twelve, three hour meetings, alternate Wednesday evenings, over the course of the year. This is the longest course being offered this year and begins October 10th. The facilitators are Mara Pentlarge and Joe DelGizzi. Cost $20 Another class beginning in October is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. “Mindfulness is about being fully present to the mystery of our lives. This 8-week course offers the tools and training to accessing our own powerful inner resources to reduce stress in our lives and improve our well being.” This class is sponsored by the Kairos spiritual Life Center of Worcester will be taught here at UUCW by Raymond L. Demers, LCSW and Emily Ferrara. Class will be Monday nights, 6:30 – 9, Oct 22-Dec 10. For more information about this class, attend the Orientation Session on October 15, 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Cost $80.00 (includes $40.00 for 4 CD’s and materials.) Scholarship are are available by emailing Not everything is new. We have some excellent established adult enrichment activities to. Don’t forget the UU Humanists. This strong established and open group continues to meet monthly on the first Sunday of the month. Free. Contact Irv Wolfson for more information on future programs. Coming up on Oct. 28th, Vegan Cooking as Spiritual Practice. This young adult initiated affinity group will meet, explore and deepen their spiritual practice of veganism. Meeting in the kitchen, recipes and food stuffs in hand they will gather to cook and eat vegan communally on the fourth Sunday of the month from 5-7pm. Guest cooks each month. Cost is for your supplies plus $5 per meeting. Contact Perhaps you have a program you would like to offer or take. Or would like to help with the coordination of those that others present. Let me know. We will see what we can do. For more information or to register for these offerings contact the facilitators or Rev. Cheryl Leshay - CherylWhile driving over the recent speed bumps... The list of who signed up for Cakes for the Queen of Heaven got misplaced. Your name was on the list if Hannah Caruso called you before Thanksgiving to tell you that the start was delayed. If you received that call, your name was on the missing list. Since then several more people have signed up. So, the class is now fully subscribed, but we don't know exactly who is on the list. Confused yet? We are. We need to reconstruct that list so that we can get everyone the pre-meeting packet. Please contact Cheryl Leshay so that we can have a smooth start January 13.The students are finishing up the first half of their academic year with finals, papers, all nighters and fellowship. Most of the students will finish up their on campus meetings this week. CM will be on "winter break" until mid January. We send Hannah and McGhee off to study abroad. Bon Voyage and good studies! Campus ministry steering committee will meet this Sunday.marks the beginning of our January courses. At 5:30 Cakes for the Queen of Heaven, (revised) the course in feminist theaology will begin in the lounge. Pre-registration is necessary for all classes so that facilitators can effectively prepare and classes to not become unweildy in size. .At 6:00 Bible Study for Liberals will have it's initial meeting.We currently have several adult FD groups going. Bible Study for Liberals, facilitated by Rev. Aaron Payson meets second Sunday evenings and is an open group, accepting new members. Vegan Cooking as a Spiritual Practice is another monthly group that remains open to new members. The class has mastered vegan sushi rolls and a tofu curry in the past. February's guest chef is Lydia Proulx who will be teaching "vegan pot pie", March features the expertise of Jude Ayer who will teach "Chop Suey" and in April we have the culinary expertise of Sam Ganesen as guest chef. This class meets after second coffee hour each final Sunday of the month. In Ancient Times: Cakes for the Queen of Heaven (revised) completes its first five weeks this upcoming Sunday. A multi generational women’s group is forming out of this experience. If you are interested in being part of that, registration for Cakes for the Queen of Heaven-part 2 (un-revised) begins this Sunday, with classes starting March 2. Ongoing groups, the UUhumanists, an open group and BTWWDA (Building The World We Dream About) an anti racism course, continue as well. Each of these courses happened because someone in the congregation said "let's do this". If there is something you would like to see Adult FD do, contact Cheryl Leshay.Cakes for the Queen of Heaven Part 2 began on March 2 and still has room for more. We found the Old curriculum resources enlightening and heartening jumping off spaces for more contemporary exploration. The cake was good too. Our next session is March 16, 5:30-7:30. If you would still like to join us, sign up during coffee hour or contact Rev. Cheryl Leshay.test record 87 |
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