2024-25 Adult Religious Education Prospectus

Here is a listing of Adult Religious Education offerings for the 2024-25 church year:

Registration

Online registration is available at the link above, or contact the office at 812-332-3695, office@uubloomington.org.

Creative Expressions: “Making Things” as Possible Paths to Spiritual, Psychological, and Emotional Growth

This class explores the creative process through drawing, painting, and collage using a variety of materials. Entering “creative flow” often involves a shift in consciousness from verbal thought and expression to non-verbal “thinking in images,” which may share some of the same characteristics as meditation or prayer. This class invites participants to experience themselves in new ways and open themselves to personal growth. No drawing or painting experience necessary. This time, the class will also include exploration of 'process painting' as described by Jenny Hahn in her book Creative Flow. Facilitated by Jeanne Myers. Meets in Fellowship Hall from 11am to 12:15pm on these Saturdays: October 12, November 2, November 16, November 23, and December 14. Open to 12 participants, ages 17+

Spirit in Practice

This class helps Unitarian Universalists develop regular disciplines, or practices, of the spirit—practices that help them connect with the sacred ground of their being, however they understand it. Topics of the ten hour-long workshops include personal and communal spiritual practices, practices undertaken with the mind and the body, and others that involve creativity and social justice engagement. All congregants ages 18 and older are welcome; childcare will be provided.

Facilitated by Linda Pickle and Daniel Reed. Meets 12:00 - 1:00pm on these Sundays: October 13 and 27; November 17; December 8; January 12 and 26; February 9 and 23; March 9 and 30. Participants may register for all workshops, or choose particular dates and topics. A more detailed prospectus is available by contacting Linda or Daniel.

Money Management for Young Adults

Join in a discussion about managing your money, including budgeting, saving and investing with your values, goals, and lifestyle in mind. Geared toward young adults, but open to all. Part of our emerging Lifespan UU Lifeskills program. Led by Andrew Appel. Note: Andrew is not a certified financial planner; he offers his perspectives as a person with a long-time interest in money management, but cannot give specific investment advice. Sunday, October 20, 12-1:30pm

A Journey through UU History

Have you ever wondered how the Unitarian Universalist church evolved? Where this way of doing church came from and who the leaders and founders of the Unitarian and Universalist movements in Europe and North America were? Come find out in this one-day workshop led by Stuart Yoak. Saturday, November 2, 10am - 2pm. Please register.

OWL (Our Whole Lives) for Adults

Over the course of 12 sessions, the Adult Our Whole Lives Program explores sexuality issues for adults of all ages using values, communication skills and spirituality as starting points. The OWL program helps participants build an understanding of healthy sexual relationships, affirm diversity and accept and affirm their own sexuality throughout their lives. Our Whole Lives presents sexuality as a good, creative force with enormous potential to enrich as well as to generate life. Facilitated by Abby Gitlitz and Matt Stonecipher. Meets on Monday evenings, 7-9pm: November 11, 18, 25, December 2, 9, 16, January 6, 13, 20 and 27, February 3, 17, 24, and March 3. Minimum 10 participants.

Dreamwork

Humans have shared personal dreams in community since ancient times. This 6 week group experience will consist of 2 hour sessions where we come together to share dreams using a method developed at the Haden Institute (hadeninstitute.com). We will review a Jungian approach to dream work, explore ways to recall and value our own dreams and create a safe container of confidentiality and trust for dream sharing. Our dreams come in service to wholeness and healing. By sharing personal dreams in a trusted group, insights can be gained for all group members. There is an opportunity for participants to explore the collective wisdom of a personal dream. While only the dreamer can really know what their dream means to them, we will be asking ourselves "What does this dream have to say to me about my own journey to wholeness?" The dreamer often gains new insights and possibly "aha" moments of recognition of new meaning of their dream. Facilitated by Mary Mahern. Meets on Monday evenings, 6:30 - 8:30pm: September 30, October 7, 14, 21, 28, November 4. Participants will be expected to commit to attend all meetings if possible. Attendance at the first meeting is required to participate. (Minimum 6 participants; maximum 8 participants)

Facing Death with Life

This program, written by the Rev. Kate Walker and Lee Ann Wester, facilitates a process of personal reflection, learning, and spiritual growth focused on the topic of death and dying. Drawing on a variety of contemporary religious and secular resources, it helps participants move from viewing death as an abstract concept to developing a personal recognition of its meaning in their lives. Facilitated by Stephanie Kimball. Meets on Monday evenings, 6:30 - 8:30pm, from March 24 through May 12.

What Moves Us: Unitarian Universalist Theology

Explores the life experiences of historic and contemporary Unitarian Universalist theologians, inviting consideration of theological questions that moved each of them. Co-facilitated by Stuart Yoak and Stephanie Kimball. Times and dates TBD

Owning Your Religious Past

The majority of Unitarian Universalists come into this tradition from other religions. Some bring with them angry and unresolved feelings about experiences in other religious institutions, while others have warm memories. Some move easily into an identity as a Unitarian Universalist; others experience a traumatic estrangement from family and from the center of their culture. This workshop provides some simple tools through which people may re-examine and retrieve positive aspects of past religious connections, and begin to let go of others. Facilitated by Stephanie Kimball. Dates TBD.

UU National Novel Writing Month Group

From the National Novel Writing Month website (NaNoWriMo.org): “National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1 hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with a first draft. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave as novelists.” Whether you consider yourself a writer (yet) or not, join us this November for camaraderie and support! We’ll provide a daily writing prompt, and once a week we’ll have a space to write (and snack) together. Hosted by Stephanie Kimball. Sign up to receive daily writing prompts and to be notified of group writing times. For more information, see this page.

Death Cafe

Everybody dies. Yet we do not talk about it. Therefore, we periodically host a Death Cafe: a chance to be together to eat cake and talk about death. Why? We know that talking about death to the point that we normalize it as a part of life helps reduce anxiety about our own death and the death of loved ones – and helps us live more fully.

Death Cafe was started by Swiss sociologist and anthropologist Bernard Crettaz who organized the first Cafe Mortel in 2004. Since then, Death Cafes have been held all over the world, some on a monthly basis, some online, all with the same intent: to normalize the undoubtedly normal fact of our own mortality.

It’s important to note that Death Cafe is NOT counseling, nor is it a grief support group. It is simply a place to talk, and listen, about our thoughts and feelings around death.

Meets 3:00 - 5:00pm on October 27, December 8, February 2, April 20, and June 1. Please register to help us prepare well.

Indigenous Studies Working Group

Join with others who are interested in the history as well as present-day situation of the people on whose ancestral homeland our church was built. This is a self-paced exploration of books, videos, websites, museums, and more -- with each participant taking on only what his/her time and energy will allow. Regular discussions will enable us to explore together and learn from each other, as we continue on our journeys to understand our past, seek justice, and build right relations.

Times, dates, frequency, and location of meetings will be determined by the participants during the month of September, and may evolve over time.

Building the World We Dream About for Young Adults

Specifically tailored to the experiences of young adults, this program cultivates knowledge, skills, and capacity to address issues related to race, ethnicity, and cultural identity.

Please contact Stephanie Kimball if you are interested in learning more about this program.

UUA Common Read: Authentic Selves

The 2024-25 UU Common Read is Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families (Skinner House, 2023).

Through interviews and photo portraits, the subjects of this book invite readers into their real lives--their revelations, challenges, joys, and networks of support. From the foreword by transgender activist Jazz Jennings and her mom and fellow activist, Jeanette Jennings, through the resources offered at the book's end, this Common Read invites UU groups to explore the nature of living authentically and the ways connections among us help us thrive.

As the book ends, Peggy Gillespie, who conducted the interviews, writes, "...the journey of self-discovery continues for the participants and for you, the readers. Whether you are trans and/or nonbinary, questioning your identity, have trans and nonbinary loved ones, or perhaps all of the above, please remember always that you are not alone. In every moment of your lives there are opportunities to strengthen your pride and acceptance of all people, including yourselves."

Please contact Stephanie Kimball if you are interested in learning more about this program.