60 Faith Formation Experiences in 2023

Note: The following list contains 60 faith formation experiences offered in 2023. Please note that some of these offerings may have limited availability or have been cancelled due to lack of enrollment. For more information or to register for an offering, please contact Caroline Heins, RE Assistant at reassistant@uucharlottesville.org.

AFD Offerings updated as of September 15, 2023

Transforming Hearts: Trans Inclusion In Congregations

REGISTER HERE

The UU Congregation of Charlottesville is a Welcoming Congregation that remains on the journey to full inclusion. This six-session course is for those who want to increase their knowledge and skills in terms of trans identity and how to create congregations that are fully inclusive and affirming of the full breadth of gender diversity.

Facilitators: Rev. Tim Temerson and Circe Strauss

Circe Strauss is a well-known leader and activist in the LGBTQ+ community, both in Charlottesville and statewide. Circe is also a member of UUCville.

Rev. Tim is a cisgender, male-identified religious leader who is on a journey of learning and growing.

Dates and Time: Oct 24, Oct 31, Nov 7, Nov 14, Nov 21, Nov 28 dual-platform in the Social Hall and online. 6:30 – 8:00 PM

Fee: no fee

Minimum # participants: 12

REGISTER HERE

UUCville Creativity Salon

REGISTER HERE

A monthly and on-going gathering of creatives working in any medium or field, amateur or professional, who will share their experience and their projects. We’ll build community and give each other mentoring and encouragement while exploring the spiritual dimension(s) of our mode of expression. We’ll display and comment on work-in-progress with a convivial collegiality. A social action component will be proposed and agreed upon to help us engage with the Charlottesville/Albemarle community. Childcare available on the playground.

Facilitator: Alan Kindler

Alan’s had too many jobs to mention, but he’s been dedicated to oil painting for the last eight years and is an Associate member of McGuffey Art Center as of January. He lived in Charlottesville between 1974 and 2003, then followed his spouse, Rev. Susan Karlson around the mid-Atlantic until their return last September.

See his work at www.kindlerstudio.com or in the sanctuary during September and October.

Dates: Third Sundays of each month 12:30 to 2:00 pm beginning September 17

Location: Lower Hall Kitchen — In-person only at UUCville

Fee: no cost

Questions? — afd@uucharlottesville.org

REGISTER HERE

Kundalini Yoga with Amy

REGISTER HERE

We will build body, mind, and spirit in a weekly kundalini yoga class, which includes a physical practice as well as a meditation in every ~1hour session. Kundalini yoga is the yoga of awareness, and we practice with our eyes closed. This way, you can truly center yourself for the week ahead. We will be centering and breathing deeply. Are you ready to build confidence, strength, and heart in your personal world? Yes?!?! Then register today and take a deep breath in!

Participants can use their own yoga mat, borrow one of the church’s yoga mat or use a chair for “chair yoga.”

Facilitator: Amy Epp

Amy received her Kundalini Yoga teacher training certification in New York City at Kundalini Yoga East approximately 7 years ago. Following graduation, she taught classes at 4 studios, then maintained an at-home personal practice once the pandemic began. Amy looks forward to teaching in-person at UUCville as part of the Adult Faith Development program.

Dates and Time: Fridays 10-11 AM

September 8 – December 15 (except November 24)

Location: Lower Hall Room 2

Fee: $10/per session to be donated to the church

Participants: 3 minimum, 25 maximum

REGISTER HERE

CANCELLED: Dream Diving

This AFD offering has been cancelled due to lack of enrollment. We hope to re-offer Dream Diving in the spring.

We will dive deep into the meaning of our dreams to find the hidden pearls that await us. Group dream work has a way of enhancing spiritual growth and adding meaning to our waking life.

Facilitators: Rev. Susan Karlson and Alan Kindler

Both Susan and Alan studied with the late Rev. Dr. Jeremy Taylor and are certified with the Marin Institute for Projective Dream Work. Susan used projective dream work in her clinical social work practice before entering the ministry. Alan’s been using what he’s learned through his dreams to inform his oil painting practice.

Dates and Times: October 1, 8, 15, and 22, November 5 and 12 — 12:45-2:30 PM

Minimum # of participants: 5

Fee: No course fee. recommended to have a notebook, pen and possibly relevant books to be suggested at the first session

Tai Chi for Health – Qigong/eight ways

Tai Chi Movements that facilitate body awareness to improve balance and flexibility and improve mood

Facilitators: Vicki & John Shackford

Vicki Shackford has studied and taught Tai Chi since 1980. She also teaches Hawaiian Swimming — using many of the same principles.

John Shackford has studied and taught Tai Chi since 1975. He also studies Process Philosophy and Whitehead.

Dates and Times: Every Wednesday, starting September 6 — 10:30 – 11:30 AM

Location: In person in the social hall or outdoors on the church grounds (weather permitting).

Fee: Donation accepted

Min/max number of participants: min – 4; max- 12

NO registration necessary, just show up to participate

Advanced Tai Chi

Advanced Tai Chi is for students who practice the Tai Chi form according to Chang man – Ching : A ‘Time in the Art’ with form and principles reviewed & practiced for self improvement

Facilitators: Vicki & John Shackford

Vicki Shackford has studied and taught Tai Chi since 1980. She also teaches Hawaiian Swimming — using many of the same principles.

John Shackford has studied and taught Tai Chi since 1975. He also studies Process Philosophy and Whitehead.

Dates and Times: Every Wednesday, starting September 6 — 9:15 – 10:15 AM

Location: Online and in person in the social hall or outdoors on the church grounds (weather permitting). Also offered online via ZOOM. Contact Caroline for ZOOM link

Fee: Donation accepted

Min/max number of participants: min – 4; max- 12

NO registration necessary, just show up to participate

UUCVille Spirituality Book Group

(meets online only)

REGISTER HERE

The Women’s Spirituality Book Group meets once a month on ZOOM to discuss books chosen by consensus at a prior meeting. The WSBG does not meet in the summer, so there are 9 sessions for church year 2023-2024. Would you like to deepen your spiritual practice and nurture meaningful friendships? New members are always welcome in this group. Together we select, read and discuss a book each month of the church year.

Facilitators: Jeanine Braithwaite & Tammy Wilt

Jeanine has been a UU since her early twenties, and a member of UUCville since moving to Charlottesville in 2014. In her pre-retirement life, she worked for the World Bank and taught at UVa’s Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. At UUCville, Jeanine has been a Worship Weaver, a member of the Board of Trustees, and Treasurer. At other congregations, she has co-facilitated covenant groups, run fundraising activities, initiated and recruited coffee hour facilitators, and taught RE.

Tammy has been a member of UUCville since April 2022. She works as a senior mortgage banker and has been In this Industry for over 20 years. Tammy has taken several of the classes offered by Rev Leia and Rev Tim and participated In numerous UUCville events and Is looking to co-facilitating the Book Group

Dates & Times: 1st Thursday of each month 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Location: Online via Zoom

Fee: Free but participants obtain their own books or online sources.

REGISTER HERE

Afro Flow Yoga

REGISTER HERE

Join instructor Katherine Jenkins Djom for Afro Flow Yoga, founded by Leslie Salmon-Jones & Jeff Jones, who invite you to “Join our circle for live classes and experience an embodied practice integrating dance movements from the African Diaspora with meditative yoga and healing music in a compassionate, non-judgmental, inclusive, and safe environment.” We’re working on arranging live drumming by local drummers for a few of our Flows this fall.

Facilitator: Katherine Jenkins Djom

Katherine Jenkins Djom is an antiracist educator, certified yoga teacher, and long-time practitioner of Afro Flow Yoga who is completing her Afro Flow Yoga Teacher Training this spring.

Dates & Times: Thursdays from 6-7:30pm: September 21, October 19, November 2, November 9

Location: Lower Hall main church building in room 2

Fee: Donations welcome

Number of participants: 4 minimum, 25 maximum

REGISTER HERE

An Invitation for a UU Christian Revival In DC this October: October 6-7 IN DC

All are invited to join The Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship for a UU Christian Revival weekend held on Oct 6-7, 2023, at the Universalist National Memorial Church in Washington, DC. This will be a time of fellowship, dinner, worship, singing, study, conversation, ritual, and celebration! All programming elements that can be multiplatform will be available for online participation.

The Theme: Singing of Honor and Glory: “Then l heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all that is in them, singing, ‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’” – Revelation 5:13

Please visit the UU Christian Revival website to learn more and register.

A Survey of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures

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This overview will do a broad sweep of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. These ancient stories are layered with history and meaning. This course is an introduction to communities who told the stories and the communities who put them into writing. This course will explore the many diverse facets of these scriptures while also exploring their context. Who told these stories? Who was the audience? What was going on in their community that made these stories important? How did the community use them to guide their lives?

Facilitator: Michele Townsend Grove

Michele is an Interim Unitarian Universalist Religious Educator who has served Unitarian Universalism since 2003. Prior to this, she was a Christian educator in the United Methodist Tradition for 15 years. Michele received her Master’s of Theological Studies (MTS) in 2001 and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) from Wesley Theological Seminary in 2019. Both of these degrees provided a place to explore her passion for the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. She currently lives in Galena, Illinois with her husband, Andy and high-school aged daughter Helena. In her quiet time, she is gardening and caring for her 4 dogs.

Dates & Times: October 10, 17 and 24 from 6:00 – 7:00 PM

Location: Online via ZOOM (register for ZOOM Link)

Fee: $25 per person facilitator fee

Number of participants: 8 minimum

REGISTER HERE

Women’s Friendship Group

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Would you like to meet new people, make friends, and develop stronger connections? We offer a variety of opportunities to connect with each other. Most meetings are held hybrid with an in-person meeting in the UUCville social hall and a live Zoom component. Some meetings are out and about such as movies, sports events, and bonfires. All are welcome! Come join us!

Dates & Times: Typically we meet on a Wednesday or Thursday evening at 7pm however the date and time can change depending on the meeting event.

Location: We offer a mix of both in person and online opportunities.

Registration: To be added to the email list for this group contact WomensFriendship@UUCharlottesville.org. New participants may join at any time.

Fee: None

REGISTER HERE

Tuesday Evening Buddhist Meditation

Whether you are curious about meditation or have been a meditation practitioner for decades, you are welcome at our regular Tuesday evening meeting of the Insight Meditation Community. We begin with a 30-40 minute guided meditation followed by a “dharma” talk (Buddhist teaching) that addresses different facets of meditation practice including how to bring the heart of meditation into our daily lives.

Our evenings end promptly at 8:30pm. Tuesday meetings are attended by approximately 50-60 people.

Location: We are now meeting both in person and on Zoom. We welcome you to join us in person at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 717 Rugby Road in Charlottesville.

Facilitator: Insight Meditation Community

Dates and Times: Tuesdays 5:30 – 8:30 PM

Participants: 50-60 people

Fee: free