DUE TO THE COVID 19 CRISIS WE ARE HAVING ONLINE MEETINGS ONLY.
PLEASE USE THE CONTACT INFORMATION TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO PARTICIPATE ONLINE.
UPDATE: NEW NEIGHBORING FAITHS SESSIONS FOR SUMMER 2020
These are UU faith-based workshops, classes, and practice groups that focus on deepening inner and outer spiritual connections and exploring how we live our lives as Unitarian Universalists. We have a wonderful schedule of programs already in the works.
Among our congregation, we have an abundance of people with gifts, knowledge, and a desire to inspire. Those of you with something that you wish to share are welcome to submit new proposals for the Fall session or talk with me about planning ahead to share an offering during the Winter or Spring sessions.
Programs may be offered one time, as multiple sessions, or ongoing. They can be run for a closed group of registered participants or open to everyone.
Contact Nate Pawelek, Director of Faith Formation
Nate Pawelek
(203) 227-7205 ext. 15
Neighboring Faiths program for Adults
Contact: Ravi Sankar
A year-long exploration of Religions of the World
Spend 3-4 weeks per religion to learn, understand and
experience diverse religious practices in our neighborhood.
Each faith module will be led and facilitated by one of our fellow church members.
Leaders who have volunteered:
Hinduism – Ravi Sankar
Judaism – Rainy Broomfield
Islam – Shahan Islam and Shanonda Nelson
Christianity – Tom Hearne
Religious Naturalism – Rev. Jim Francek
Buddhism – Nina Nagy and Bart Stuck
UU – Rev. John Morehouse
Each faith module consists of three distinct sessions:
- Learn about the religion or practice in a presentation by module leader. May include pre-reading for self-study
- Experience – “Field trips” to related houses of worship; discussion with practitioners; experience a service, prayer, meditation or retreat session.
- Reflect – Come back together as a group to discuss what we learnt, what we experienced and what moved us.
By studying these faith traditions, our eyes are opened to religious differences that can help us appreciate the unique beauty of each religion and also what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist.
Christianity – July 2020
- Session 1 Learn – July 10 – 7:00-9:00 PM – facilitated by Tom Hearne, Tom Croarkin and Jenna McPartland
- Session 2 Experience – July 17 – 7:00-9:00 PM – The Virtual Retreat is a facilitated session entitled “The Franciscan Journey and Wisdom Way of Peace”, and will be led by Rev. Br. Mark D’Alessio, a Franciscan friar, priest, spiritual director and chaplain. (Note: There is a $50 fee for the retreat)
- Session 2 Experience – July 18 – 9:00 AM-2:00 PM (continuing monastery experience)
- Session 3 Reflection – July 24 – 7:00-9:00 PM
You’ll find more information on the program and the amazing retreat HERE.
Please let us know if you plan on attending these sessions by contacting
Ravi Sankar or Tom Hearne.
Buddhism – August 28, September 4, 11, 2020
- Session 1 Learn: Introduction to Buddhism – Friday, August 28 – 7:00-9:00 PM – ZOOM Session (Free session)
- Session 2 Experience: Virtual Experience – Friday, September 4 – 7:00-9:00 PM – The Virtual Experience will be led by Geshe Dhargey of DNKL Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Redding CT. The Rev. Dhargey has suggested a small voluntary donation from the attendees. If you are interested in making a small donation (around $10), details on how to do that to come.
- Session 3 Reflection: Discussion – Friday, September 11 – 7:00-9:00 PM
Please let us know if you plan on attending these sessions by contacting
Ravi Sankar or Bart Stuck.
Is Mysticism Where Science, Art, and Religion Meet?
Wednesdays, 7:00−9:00 PM
Instructors: Dr. Bart Stuck, Applied Mathematician
Rev. Marjorie Partch, Jungian Astrologer
Special Guest Lecturer – Royce Froehlich, PhD, MDiv, LCSW,
Jungian analyst in private practice in New York City
C.G. Jung and Religion After the Death of God
April 7, 2021 – 7:00 PM
Dr. Froehlich is on the faculty of the C.G. Jung Institute of New York and The Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology. He holds graduate degrees from The European Graduate School, Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University, and the New School for Social Research.
The early pioneer of depth psychology, C.G. Jung, considered the study of religion to be indispensable in the psychotherapeutic treatment of individuals, especially in the second half of life. Jung was a master of finding common ground in the major spiritual traditions of the world and would interpret religious rituals and scripture into a psychologically oriented language suitable for contemporary readers to learn from, and wrestle with. We will engage his thoughts on the interconnectedness of mental health and religious practices, with the intention to broaden our horizons regarding the spiritual background of some of the general theoretical principles – and practical applications – of Jung’s “Analytical Psychology.”
To receive the link to attend, go to https://alephtalks.com and fill out the contact form.
For PDF, CLICK HERE
Religion and science are each at different respective crossroads today. Religion in the United States played a major role in everyday life and culture up to the Civil War and has been dropping in importance with the largest growing group in the United States today being those that profess no organized religion, while all major faiths have seen dropping numbers of congregants: materialism is ascendant. The global population today follows Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and hundreds upon hundreds of smaller sects including Unitarian Universalism: Science faces a fundamental crisis: after five hundred years of progress, it has become clear that only 5% of the universe consisting of matter/energy has been studied, while 27% of the universe consists of dark matter and 68% consists of dark energy, and there is a furious intellectual race to come up with ideas to reconcile observations with theory. Is there some possible linkage that would rejuvenate and link both science and religion?
Group discussions follow multimedia content on ancient concepts and cutting-edge theories, exploring:
- Religion is an increasingly irrelevant part of daily life, with growing numbers citing their religious affiliation as NONE.
- Spirituality is becoming equally insignificant, with materialism ascendant, and more people questioning the meaning of life.
- At the same time, Western science, after five hundred years, finds it has been studying five percent of the Universe.
Illustrative sources include The Tao of Physics and the 26-year correspondence between psychoanalyst C.G. Jung and physicist Wolfgang Pauli: Atom and Archetype.
For more information, CLICK HERE
To learn how to participate via Zoom, contact Bart Stuck.
Creating Theology Together
Saturdays from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
February 1, March 1 and April 4, 2020
Rev. John Morehouse
Creating Theology Together is a Fahs Collaborative publication
based on Rev. John’s Doctoral Thesis.
Grief Support Group
For anyone who has lost a loved one,
April 6 – May 11, 2020
from 700-8:30 PM in Rev. John’s office.
To register, or for inquiries, please contact Pat Francek or Chuck Harrington.
TUCWomen Spirit Circles
Wednesdays at 7:00 PM (East Wing)
September 25th-November 6th
Contact: Sudah Sankar
TUCWomen: Visionary Women
presented by: Janet Luongo
October 19th 6:00 pm
Addiction Recovery Ministry Presents
The Power of Now: study and support group
based on Eckhart Tolle’s book
every Wednesday 7 pm (Meeting House)
started September 4th
Contact: Jim Francek
Small Group Ministry
Fall open enrollment begins September 8th
Contact: Marie-Claire Bue
Sunday Meditation (in the Chapel)
9:00 AM through September 8th
10:00 AM starting September 15th
with Janet Luongo
Buddhist Practice Group
Every Monday 6:30-8:30 PM (Meeting House)
Contact: Nina Nagy