Spiritual Enrichment for Adults

Spiritual Enrichment for Adults

Unitarian Church North offers adult religious education classes of one to thirteen weeks in duration on various topics. If you are interested in learning more about these, email or call the church and we will provide you with information. We hope you take this opportunity to explore new horizons within a warm and caring community.

The purpose of our Adult Religious Education program is to nurture and stimulate the religious and personal growth of the adult church community and the community at large by offering a varied and cohesive program within the context of the larger Unitarian Universalist tradition and principles.

Programming comes from a variety of sources: minister; Unitarian Universalist Association curricula; committee; and interested individuals with a passion to share. We strive to recruit experienced and knowledgeable adult facilitators for all classes and offerings. It is our goal to present meaningful Adult Religious Education programming for people at all levels of commitment to Unitarian Universalism as well as at different stages and milestones in their lives.

For more information, please contact our church office at 262-375-3890 or info@ucnorth.org.

Registration and Donation

Pre-registration is generally required for classes through a sign-up sheet in the sign up notebook in the north lobby or by calling the church office. A small fee or donation is suggested ($4 per class, or $10 for classes with three or more sessions).

Classes

This year the theme for all Adult Spiritual Enrichment offerings is Interrelationships--within our self, with others, and with the natural and spiritual world. All classes will be held in the Emerson Room from 7-8:30 pm unless otherwise noted. Please sign up in the Adult Spiritual Enrichment binder in the lobby or at Coffee in the Middle (downstairs between services). For more information, contact Judy Milbranth or the church office at 262-375-3890 or info@ucnorth.org.

Members and friends of UCN are welcome to give ideas and help plan for the 2011-12 church year.

Contact the church office at 262-375-3890 or info@ucnorth.org if you’d like to see certain topics offered, work with a small committee to plan offerings, or volunteer to give a class.

Path to Membership

Sunday May 6, 1pm-3:30 pm
Saturday, May 12 (1-3 pm); and
Sunday May 20, (5-7:30 pm)

Calling all prospective members, visitors and seekers!

If you have been visiting, are considering joining, and would like more information about UCN, we are having a Path to Membership class in May. If you are already a member and have not taken the class, you are also welcome.

This will be a three-part class on Sunday, May 6 (1-3:30 pm), Saturday, May 12 (1-3 pm) and Sunday, May 20 (5-7:30 pm). We are doing Saturday for the second class so everyone can celebrate Mother’s Day on May 13.

We will cover the spiritual paths that got us here, history of UU/UCN, leadership at UCN and we’ll end with a potluck. Please sign up in the Adult SE book either downstairs during coffee-in-the-middle, in the lobby, or contact the office.

Childcare is provided if requested. Please indicate this when you sign up. There is no charge for this course.

Questions? Contact Jeanne Durnford or the church office at 262-375-3890 or info@ucnorth.org. A sign up sheet is available at the church’s Visitor Table in the north lobby.

We look forward to getting acquainted with you!

Conflict Transformation Training

Saturday, April 14

Whether in the home, school, community, church or workplace, conflict is an inevitable part of life. Having the skills to function effectively in emotionally intense, conflicted situations is important for all of us, especially those of us who are leaders. Join Rev. Julie and Rev. Joyce on Saturday, April 14 for a day of training. The training will equip people for working in various conflicted situations.

Writer’s Group - New Dates and Room

Wednesdays, Jan. 18 & Feb. 8, 7-8:30 pm, James Reeb Room on the lower level
and Thursday, Mar. 8, & Wednesday, Mar. 28, 7-8:30 pm, also in James Reeb

Participants will continue reading and giving feedback to writers. Additional meetings will be scheduled for spring at a later time.

Writing is often considered a key to unlocking our unconscious mind and a release for stress as we open our awareness to all within and around us. The power of the group will encourage our writing as we share what we write, learn revision techniques, and listen to and critique others with interest and caring. Trust and confidentiality are essential. For the first meeting, please bring a notebook and a color photo of a memorable place or scene in nature. It can be anywhere--outside your window, in your yard, at the top of a mountain. We will begin here.

Buddhism - East, West and Today

Presented by Andy Agacki, a member of First Unitarian Society, a recent Sunday Service speaker, and a Buddhist minister whose interest in Buddhism was fostered by former UCN minister Rev. James Ford.

Please join me for a journey through Buddhism, sitting from time to time, some storytelling, Koans, maybe even a Mantra or two! If you have a Zafu (meditation cushion) you are welcome to bring it, but it’s not necessary, since it’s not about that!

Written material will be provided by email after each class for all registrants. It is strongly encouraged that you attend all three classes.

Jan. 24: East. History of Buddhism up to the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. There will be maps, lineage charts, etc. The first class will deal with the Buddhism of the East: its history, culture(s), its spread and decline and what we can learn from the 'old' traditions.

Feb. 7: West. Buddhism in the West (since the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893).Covering the various types of Dharma in the West, differences from the past, and where the Dharma seems to be headed (far from the Dharma1Ending (Degenerate) Age?).

Feb. 21: Today. Buddhism (old and new) in Daily Life. Some of the topics touched upon (from a 'modern' context) will be ethics, ecology, politics and stress. Can I still be, say, Christian or Jewish, and a Buddhist? What makes me a 'Buddhist,' anyway?

Classes are held on Tuesdays from 7-8:30 pm in the Emerson Room. Fee for the series of 3 classes is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Please sign up in the Adult SE binder in the north lobby.

Exploring Mandalas

Dec. 13, Jan. 10 and Jan. 31, Feb 28, 7-8:30 p.m., Emerson Room

The fourth class on Exploring Mandalas will meet on February 28 in the Emerson Room, 7-8:30 pm. Please bring a notebook and colored pencils, thin markers, or crayons with you. An additional meeting may be scheduled at this time. Please register in the white Adult Spiritual Enrichment binder and fill out a registration sheet if you have not done so yet.

A mandala is an ancient pattern of intricate geometric shapes within a circle, commonly used for introspection about ourselves, the world, and the cosmos. It dates back to the Tantric Buddhist tradition of Tibet. “Mandala” is a Sanskrit word meaning “circle,” and by focusing on the elaborate symbolic images within the circle, we can remove ourselves from the outer world and into deeper consciousness.

Mandalas are known for taking our minds away from current problems and restoring health and inner peace. We will use photographs and meditations from Natural Mandalas and coloring pages from Mandalas of the Celts to explore the world of mandalas. Books are not required. This class is open to senior youth and adults.

Green Living Discussion Course Begins

Save Money and Energy and Improve the Quality of Your Life!

With the Green Living Handbook as our guide, we will look at topics such as reducing your solid waste, water efficiency, energy efficiency, transportation efficiency, eco -wise consuming, and empowering others. Within the supportive environment of an “eco-team”, the book and discussion will prompt us to think about practical, concrete, and very doable steps we can all consider instituting in our daily lives.

The individual sessions include reducing your solid waste, water efficiency, energy efficiency, transportation efficiency, eco-wise consuming, and empowering others.

The dates have been set. We will meet from 6:30pm to 8:30pm every first and third Monday of the month from February through May 7th (February 6, 20; March 5, 19; April 2, 16; May 7). We will meet in the Emerson Room at UCN.

The only cost of the course is the book. You must purchase the book before the first class on February 6. Next Chapter Bookstore in Mequon is able to order these books for purchase ($14.95). You may place an order today to pick up January 26th or later. Or, you can order online at: http://www.empowermentinstitute.net/glh/index.html or amazon.com.

More information about the Green Living Handbook and how the discussion course is designed to work can be found at: http://www.empowermentinstitute.net/glh/index.html If you didn’t make the organizing session and want to participate in the sessions, contact Jenny Elsner or the church office.