ADULT EDUCATION AND ACTIVITIES SPRING 2008 Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockville 100 Welsh Park Drive Rockville, MD 20850 301-762-7666 Email: office uucr@uucr.org Website: www/uucr/org
Adult Education and Activities Through the activities described in this pamphlet, UUCR offers a variety of programs to meet the intellectual, spiritual, emotional, community, and fun needs of our members, friends, and guests. We hope you ll join us at these programs. Would you like to be a part of the Adult Religious Education Committee? It takes a group to coordinate and publicize these programs. As you look through this booklet, you ll find a wide variety of programs and resources offered for any interest including spiritual needs, personal growth, and social justice. You can help make this happen by joining our Adult RE Committee. Talk to any of the members listed. Adult Religious Education Committee Members Ken Sandin, Chair Deborah Kahn, Director of Religious Education Marlene Berg James Cooney Ann Hope Scott Celia Young Committee meeting: Second Tuesday, 7p.m., in the Davies Fellowship Hall Registration Registration is ongoing throughout the year. There are five ways to register. 1. Find the sheets on the Lifespan Ed bulletin board in the lobby near Founders Hall. 2. Find the Adult RE sign-up table in the lobby on Sunday morning. 3. Call the church office and leave your name, phone, and program title and date. 4. Fill out the form on page 17 and return it to UUCR. 5. Find the registration form on the website. It s important to register because a program will be cancelled if fewer than five people register. Visit www.uucr.org for the latest news on programs and activities. Publication Credits Irene Eckstrand, desktop publisher Ginny Scher, production
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockville provides a liberal religious home in Montgomery County, welcoming all who share our journey to seek truth, meaning, fellowship, and wholeness with open hearts and minds. Using Unitarian Universalist values as our guide, we strive to Nurture intellectual, spiritual, and creative growth, Transform belief into action, Inspire insight and a sense of wonder through worship and religious education, Engage in social justice, community service, and global outreach.
Table of Contents Sunday Morning Meditation 1 Wonderful Wednesday Programs 2 Special Events Action Auction 3 Passover Seder 3 All-ages Potluck and Annual Congregational Meeting 3 Dramatic Performance 4 Service Potluck and Do-it Day 5 Power Tool Gang 5 Grounds Crew 5 Exploration PROGRAMS Spring Equinox Observance 6 Women and the Bible 6 Star Island 6 Second Life 7 Dream Groups 7 i
ONGOING GROUPS Small Group Ministries Program 8 Women s Spirituality Group 8 Men s Spirituality Group 8 Socrates Cafe 9 Book Group 9 Family Support Group 9 Social Justice Reproductive Choice and Religious Freedom 10 Peacemaking Film and Discussion: Encounter Point 10 Peacemaking Book Discussion: Unbowed by Wangari Maathai 11 Sunday Matinee Films 12 The Friendship Village Thirst Long Night s Journey Into Day Social Get-Togethers ONGOING ACTIVITIES Lunch Bunch 13 Noon Noshers 13 Dinners for Eight 13 Friendly Bridge 13 Crafts Group 14 Quilters 14 Walking Group 15 Drum Circle 15 Registration Form 17 ii
Sunday Morning Meditation The UUCR meditation group meets every Sunday morning before the worship service. We do two sitting meditations and two readings from mindfulness exercises. We are relaxed and easy going, and we start the day off in a peaceful, serene manner. It s worth getting up a bit early. Please join us any time you can. No need to sign up or commit. Just come to connect. Time: 9:15 a.m. 9:45 a.m. Place: Room 44 Leaders: Susan Nerlinger, 301-570-5219; Celia Young, (301) 294-9558; Mark Lewandoski, (301) 309-2988 1
Wonderful Wednesday Date Time Title Page March 19 7:30 p.m. Spring Equinox Celebration 6 March 26 7:30 p.m. Reproductive Choice and Religious Liberty April 2 7:30 p.m. Women and the Bible 6 10 April 9 7:30 p.m. Star Island 6 April 16 7:30 p.m. Second Life 7 April 23 7:30 p.m. Candace Ridington as Clara Schumann April 30 7:30 p.m. Dream Groups 7 4 May 7 7:30 p.m. Film and Discussion: Encounter Point 10 May 14 7:30 p.m. Book Discussion: Unbowed by Wangari Maathai 11 2
Special Events Action Auction One of UUCR s major all-community fundraisers, the Auction is a gala affair, with music, good food, and lots of wonderful items, including theater and restaurant certificates, to bid on. While most items are bid on, there is also a variety of fixed priced items. Fill your social calendar for the year with dinners, walking tours, and vacations with new and old friends from UUCR. Date: April 8 Time: 5:30-9:30 p.m. Contacts: Pat Einhorn, (301) 869-4457, 5einhorn@comcast.net Jane Klag, (301) 476-7470, jklag@comcast.net Passover Seder A joyous family worship and feast, with stories, recitations, songs, and traditional foods. Everyone is welcome. Sign-ups begin the end of March. Date: April 20 Time: 5-8 p.m. Contact: Adam and Cassandra Heifitz, (301) 990-6289, Heifitz3337@comcast.net All-ages Potluck and Annual Congregational Meeting Following a traditional tasty Potluck at 5pm, we convene our Annual Congregational Meeting at 6pm. The main purpose of this meeting is to conduct elections for vacancies on the Board of Trustees, Comprehensive Plan Committee and Nominating Committee. We will also be voting on recommended changes to the church Bylaws. Date: May 18 Time: 5-8 p.m. Contact: Jill Asman, 301-340-9243, jillasman@comcast.net 3
Dramatic Performance "The Very Air I Breathe: A Visit with Clara Schumann" Candace Ridington adds a new figure to her repertoire with her dramatic portrayal of l9th century pianist Clara Schumann, wife of composer Robert Schumann, mother of seven children, and devoted friend of Johannes Brahms. Although Clara performed on stage to adoring audiences from age nine on, her life was also marked by tragedies which tested her courage. But nothing dimmed her love of music which sustained her life above all else. You will enjoy meeting Clara Schumann. Date: April 23 Time: 7:30-9:00p.m., Presenter: Candace Ridington 4
Service Do-it Day (Stewardship Sunday) and Potluck On Do-It-Day, we gather as a community to spruce up our grounds by weeding, mulching, trimming, picking up downed tree limbs, planting annuals, etc. to welcome spring. There are also indoor jobs such as washing windows, kitchen cleanup, etc. There are jobs for all ages and we fortify ourselves with a potluck lunch before getting to work. Date: May 4 Time: 11:15 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Contact: Mary Lanigan, (301) 926-8405, malanigan1@earthlink.net Power Tool Gang We often enjoy a cookout lunch break when we (of various levels of skill, but a uniformly high level of dedication) gather to paint, repair, and replace to help maintain the buildings. You are welcome to join us. Date: As needed, with notices in Quest Contact: Jay LaMarche, 301-762-7872, vjlamarche@verizon.net to be added to the email list. Grounds Crew Like the preceding group, we gather as needed to weed and trim to improve the appearance of the grounds, and thus we work seasonally. Date: Contact: As needed, with notices in Quest Sue Hedges, 301-385-7709, s.hedges@comcast.net 5
Exploration PROGRAMS Spring Equinox Observance This year the vernal equinox occurs at 1:48 a.m., three days before Easter. The day will be equal parts light and dark, a perfect time to open ourselves to the arrival of spring as an opportunity for growth and renewal. Join us for an outdoor service (weather permitting) led by our intern minister, Stephen Sinclair, followed by fellowship. Please bring a savory snack, a sweet, or a beverage to share. Date: March 19 Time: 7:30 p.m. 9:00p.m. Leader: Stephen Sinclair, Intern Minister Women and the Bible Women and the Bible? But the Bible is so sexist! The discussion will focus on dispelling this myth by exploring studies women biblical scholars have conducted over the past several decades. Scholars have retrieved lost and ignored traditions about women, studied women s lives in various cultures and historical periods in which the Bible was written, looked honestly at the harm done to women by these traditions, and have worked to expose the message of justice and hope that can be carried by them. Date: April 2 Time: 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Speaker: Dr. Sharon Ringe, Professor of New Testament, Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C. Star Island Learn about Star Island, a hotel and conference center off the coast of New Hampshire affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ. Week-long conferences include the Arts, Natural History, Religious Education, International Affairs, Science and Religion, as well as six family conferences and three conferences for youth. UUCR members will 6
share their photos and experiences there. Date: April 9 Time: 7:30-9:00p.m. Speakers: Roald Schrack, Jim Blue, and Laura Huff Second Life Eric Burch will introduce us to Second Life, a 3-D internet virtual world entirely created by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by millions of Residents from around the globe. Eric will talk about how Second Life works and will describe the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Second Life, which has almost 700 members worldwide, including more than 100 real-life UUs, several UU ministers, and some UUCR members. A picture of the UU virtual sanctuary appears in the Fall 2007 issue of the UU World magazine. Eric s presentation to us will be a dress rehearsal for the same presentation he and others will give at the UUA General Assembly in June 2008. Date: April 16 Time: 7:30-9:00 p,m, Speaker: Eric Burch Dream Groups Members of the UUCR Dream Group will lead a workshop to introduce participants to a way to work with their nightly dreams, using the method Unitarian Universalist minister Jeremy Taylor introduced in his books, Dream Work and When People Fly and Water Runs Uphill. We'll explore one or more dreams offered by attendees to illustrate how the dream group works. At the end of the evening, you'll be able to better work with your own dreams; and you may choose to join the existing dream group on a trial basis or even to start another dream group. Date: April 30 Time: 7:30-9:00 p.m, Presenter: The UUCR Dream Group 7
ONGOING GROUPS Small Group Ministries Program Join a Small Group Ministries group to increase your connection to the congregation, deepen your spiritual search, and expand your community. Led by trained facilitators, each group of up to ten people meets in an environment that fosters trust and nonjudgmental listening. Meeting once or twice a month, these dedicated groups explore topics that often result in meaningful experiences and spiritual growth. Groups may choose topics from a substantial list; occasionally groups develop their own topics. Topics we have covered in the past include: forgiveness, friendship, mindfulness, living though loss, service, joy, taking a stand, and what we love. Call/email: Fran Lowe, (301) 840-9666 fglowe@aol.com or Celia Young, (301) 294-9558 For more information see: http://www.uucr.org/smallgroup/ index.html Women s Spirituality Group The Women s Spirituality Group deals with whatever is important to us. We delve into the connection with our deepest self and personhood. We explore our unformed that is forming as we share on our spiritual paths. Thus our creativity, work, word, ideas, and self join in the spirit of life with each other. This is an open group. Date: Monthly, first and third Saturday Time: 11 a.m. 1 p.m., Room 44 Leader: Jewell Golden, (301) 762-6360 Men s Spirituality Group The Men's Spirituality Group discusses topics of common interest to the group, bringing to the conversation our individual perspectives as men. Date: Monthly, second and fourth Tuesday Time: 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Contact: Bill Hurlbut, (301) 774-4620 8
Socrates Café This group provides an opportunity for conducting a free and responsible search for truth and meaning in a respectful atmosphere. The café welcomes both UUCR members and friends and those from the wider community. Date Monthly, fourth Saturday Time 7:00 p.m. 9 p.m. Contact Kyle Hedges, (301) 294-9456, s.hedges@comcast.net Book Group The book club meets monthly at the church and is open to all members of the UUCR community who enjoy reading. Fiction and non-fiction books are selected based on recommendations by book club participants. Information on book selections is published in advance of the meeting in Quest, the church newsletter. The book club also sponsors an annual poetry reading and potluck dinner that is held at a member's home. Date: Monthly except August, third Friday Time: 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Contact: Carolyn Pooley, (301) 279-0490 Family Support Group The family support group is an ongoing peer-led group of members and friends of the UUCR community who are dealing with issues related to caregiving, bereavement, and other loss. Date: Monthly, second Thursday Time: 2-4 p.m. Place: Room 44 Contact: Sue Van Lenten, (301) 424-9297, suevanlenten@comcast.net; Niki Davis, (301) 762-4219, niki.davis@hmp.net 9
Social Justice Committee Meeting: First Tuesday, 7:30 9p.m., Room 44 Reproductive Choice and Religious Freedom Edd Doerr, President of Americans for Religious Liberty, will talk about the relationship between abortion rights and religious freedom, and he will examine the premises and positions of the anti-choice movement. Edd is a prolific author and lecturer. He served on the board of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice for 31 years and on the boards of NARAL Pro-Choice America and the ACLU of Maryland. An active UU since 1949, he is the author of Unitarian Universalist Association resolutions on religious liberty. Date: Wednesday, March 26 Time: 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Speaker Edd Doerr Peacemaking Film and Discussion: Encounter Point Encounter Point is a balanced look at perspectives from both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide and provides a rich foundation for discussion by our guest Tarek Abuata, a Palestinian American, a lawyer, and the founder of Love Thy Neighbor, an organization that promotes nonviolence in Palestine and Israel. Date: Wednesday, May 7 Time: 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Speaker Tarek Abuata 10
Peacemaking Book Discussion: Unbowed by Wangari Maathai. Unbowed is an autobiographical memoir by Wangari Muta Maathai, whose life exemplifies the power of nonviolent resistence in the causes of human rights and environmental justice in Africa, as the Coordinator of the Green Belt Movement, and as a member and Chairman of the National Council of Women in Kenya. Dr. Maathai received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for "her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace." She is an elected member of the Kenyan Parliament and served as Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources in the government of President Mwai Kibaki between January 2003 and November 2005. Date: Wednesday, May 14 Time: 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Discussion Leader: Pam Rasmusen 11
Sunday Matinee Film Series This social justice film and discussion series replaces the First Friday Freedom Film Program. The films will start at 3:00 p.m., and the discussions will follow. Founders Hall The Friendship Village (2002, 51 minutes) is an award-winning documentary about an international group of veterans who are building a village in Viet Nam for children with Agent-Orange-related disabilities. The village, founded by American veteran George Mizo, and built on a former rice paddy near Hanoi, is both a symbol of peace and reconciliation and a testament to the potential for all people to come to terms with the past, heal the wounds of war, and create a better world. The film follows George s experiences of war's horror and the personal transformation that led to the birth of his remarkable village. He and other veterans, working alongside the Vietnamese general responsible for killing George s entire platoon in 1968, attempt to mitigate the ongoing effects of the toxic herbicide sprayed during the war. The Vietnam Friendship Village has the potential to change not only the lives of the children who live in it and the men who build it, but all who come to understand its mission. Liliane Floge, board member of the U.S. committee of this international organization, will lead the discussion after the film. Date: March 16 Time: 3-5 p.m. Thirst A look at the global corporate drive to control and profit from our water--from bottles to tap. Date: April 20 Time: 3-5 p.m. Long Night's Journey into Day Documents South Africa's quest for restorative justice following four cases that come before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Date: May 18 Time: 3-5 p.m. 12
Social Get-Togethers Lunch Bunch The Monthly Lunch Bunch is in its fourteenth year, and newcomers are welcome along with members, friends, and family members who may be visiting. We meet at a variety of area restaurants. Date: Time: Contact: monthly noon Ralph Golden, 301-762-6360, goldenprospect2@comcast.net Noon Noshers Sponsored by the Caring Resources Committee, this group meets occasionally for a casual lunch and guest speaker or entertainment. Time: noon Contact: Barbara Neumann, 301-468-6125; Jo Wilson, 301-251-1821 Dinners for Eight Social dinners held monthly at different participants homes. Date: Time: Contact: Monthly, second Saturday arranged by host Jane Klag, 301-476-7470, jtklag@comcast.net Friendly Bridge The UUCR Friendly Bridge group focuses on learning to play bridge and on improving skills. All levels of players are welcome-- from beginner on up. We use "Party Bridge" rules. Hands are played up or down, depending upon the level of skill of those at the table. Cross talk is allowed to the extent that it helps the players understand the game they are playing or gain an understanding of bidding conventions. The focus of the group is to enjoy 13
playing. Competitive attitudes of play are discouraged. There are no set tables and we swap in and out of games. It is a fun afternoon, and we welcome any and all interested person. This activity is open to the public. Date: Time: Contact: Monthly, second Saturday 1:30 4:00 p.m. Lisa Reed, 301-217-90, reed_lisa@hotmail.com Maria Glasgow, 301-871-1432, glasgow36@aol.com Crafts Group An informal group that meets throughout the year for "Crafts, Coffee, and Conversation." We bring our knitting, crocheting, beading, watercolor projects, you name it. No artistic ability or special skills are required. Everyone is welcome and we try to keep some easy projects on hand. We go on field trips, have sessions devoted to teaching, occasionally celebrate each other s birthdays, and go out for lunch around the holidays. We have provided decorations for church events, and we sell our handmade creations at the Bizarre Bazaar. We are happy to have new members. Date: Weekly, Tuesday Time: 10:00 a.m. 12:00 noon Contact: Marge Holmes, 301-424-4523, mg.holmes@verizon.net Quilters The Quilters create one quilt a year to be raffled at the annual church bazaar. An offshoot of the quilting activity is the making of craft items that are sold as Christmas crafts at the bazaar. The existence of the quilting group provides the possibility for anyone who practices needlework to experience group participation in the making of a beautiful product while enjoying the warmth and support of friends who share an interest and meet together weekly. Date: Wednesday evenings (except mid-nov-dec) Time: 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Contacts: Louise Friedenberg, 301-762-0168, LCFried@aol.com; Margaret Chalkley, 301-424- 9139, mwchalkley@yahoo.com 14
Walking Group The UUCR WOFFers (Walking Outdoors for Fun and Friendship) is open to everyone in the church community. The WOFFers' main objective is to have fun and provide an opportunity for participants to get to know one another. Walks are planned and led by members. Walkers and leaders meet at the church parking lot and car pool to the location of the walk. Dates, times, and walk locations are published in Quest and at www.uucr.org. Morning walks are usually followed by lunch at a restaurant near the location of the walk. Dates: Fall and Spring as stated in Quest Meeting Location: UUCR Parking Lot Contact: Anne Hope Scott, 301-949-4306; Lana Cerny, 301-869-8105 Drum Circle The drum circle is a gathering where people come to express themselves together through rhythm. It can be just a few people or a large number. The drummers, who may have a wide range of skills, sit in a circle and play rhythms on drums and other percussion instruments. The circle is a jam session in which rhythms are improvised, and the music is created in the moment through cooperation and collaboration. A facilitator helps the group establish and guide rhythms. Sharing their spirit in the form of rhythm, the drummers seek a "groove" where everyone is attuned, and one powerful musical voice is created out of the many, when "the energy flows, time stops and we all evaporate." Everyone is welcome. Drums and other instruments are available. Date: Monthly, third Sunday in Founders Hall Time: 7:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m. Contact: Steve Einhorn, 202-530-4527 15
16 Notes
Registration Name Program Title and Date Phone Number Attending 17
UUCR 100 Welsh Park Drive Rockville, MD 20850 Phone: 301-762-7666 Web Site: http://www.uucr.org