The Adult Religious Education (ARE) Committee is planning and/or advertising multiple programs this fall to carry out its mission “to nurture each person’s spiritual journey – i.e., provide opportunities for faith development and personal growth.”
The Committee is starting a new “4th Mondays ARE Series” through which an evening program will be offered at the church on the 4th Monday of every month (except December). For fall we have arranged programs about women’s spirituality, non-violent communication, intergenerational story-telling and the UUA Common Read book. Please let us know what ideas you have for winter/spring!
The 4th Mondays ARE Series will begin on September 26 from 7-8 p.m. in the Children’s Chapel. The first event is entitled “Introduction to Women’s Spirituality & Intuitive Training” and will be led by Lee Wilschek, who says it can help you to “Awaken to your spiritual magnificence! Explore, remember, uncover your unique gifts through meditation, visualization, and shamanic journeying.” If you want to know more about this, contact Lee at spiritlea@gmail.com.
People may simply show up to the 4th Mondays ARE Series without registration unless needing child care at the church, in which case they should request it through Acting Director of Religious Education (DRE) Liza Earle-Centers (ucm.dre@gmail.com ) a week before the event.
This year, UCM will offer two different covenant groups: “Small Group Ministry (SGM)” and the new “Soul Matters Circle.”
The Small Group Ministry program is a wonderful way to meet new folks, and explore your own thoughts on issues of life and spirituality. Each group will meet twice a month and is led by members who are experienced facilitators. Contact Sue Stukey, coordinator, if you have questions: susan.stukey@gmail.com, or 223-4189. You can also sign up on Sundays during coffee hour in the vestry.
The Soul Matters Circle is a program designed to help you live more deeply into our monthly theme. Each month, participants engage in a spiritual exercise related to the theme and then ponder a question for deeper reflection. In our covenant-based circle, we share with one another where we are on our journey of living more deeply into the theme of the month. We will be experimenting with this program this year and will have one group co-facilitated by Rev. Joan Javier-Duval and Kathleen Bryant. The group will meet on the 3rd Wednesdays from 7-9pm beginning October 19. The group will be limited to 12 participants.
SGM and the Soul Matters Circle will both offer two four-month sessions. The first session is October-January. The Covenant Groups will each accept 10-12 participants and will then hold closed meetings until enrollment is opened up for the next 4 months (February-May).
We hope you will nurture your spiritual journey at UCM this year by participating in one of these enriching and enlivening offerings!