2024 Adult Faith Development Offerings
For questions or assistance with Registration, please contact Caroline Heins, RE Assistant at reassistant@uucharlottesville.org
AFD Offerings updated as of March 18, 2024
UUCville Creativity Salon
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 through Spring
Location: Lower Hall Kitchen — In-person only at UUCville
Fee: no cost
Questions? — afd@uucharlottesville.org
WomenSpirit: Women’s Spirituality and Ritual Group
The WomenSpirit group will gather 8 times a year, to celebrate the 8 Sabbats: the seasonal festivals comprising the Wheel of the Year.
Organizers: Christine Gresser, Bonnie Hansen, Lauren Doran
2024 Dates & Times: Feb. 2, Mar. 20, May 1, Jun. 20, Aug. 1, Sept. 22, Oct. 30, Dec. 19 from 6:30-8:30PM
Location: Lower Hall or outdoor labyrinth
Fee: free of charge
Number of participants: unlimited
No registration necessary, just show up to participate
Kundalini Yoga with Amy
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 through Spring
Location: Lower Hall Room 2
Fee: $10/per session to be donated to the church
Participants: 3 minimum, 25 maximum
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 10:30 – 11:30 AM through Spring
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. All ages and skill levels invited.
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 9:15 – 10:15 AM through spring
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)
The UUCville 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.
Afro Flow Yoga
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: Mondays 6:00 – 7:30PM
Location: Lower Hall main church building in room 2
Fee: Donations welcome
Number of participants: 4 minimum, 25 maximum
Women’s Friendship Group
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 joins 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
UPPS, or “oops!”
MONTHLY UU PARENTING SUPPORT
UUPS is a group of parents who gather after on the second Sunday of each month to support each other, swap advice, and discuss parenting topics like eating, technology, discipline, and more. The group will refer to the Mindful Parenting curriculum along with other readings, and we may be joined by facilitators on occasion.
Take advantage of the Second Hour Child Care and meet us in the Blue Room (upstairs) from 12:30-1:30 PM.
Location: “Blue Room” Upstairs in the main church building on the right side of the hallway
Facilitator: John Griffith or Liz Shoch
Dates and Times: Second Sunday of every month 12:30 – 1:30 PM
Participants: unlimited – anyone who identifies as a parent is welcome to just show up and join.
Fee: free of charge
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
PREVIOUS OFFERINGS:
— Cancelled — On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends In an Unapologetic World
A three- session course based on the 2023-24 UUA Common Read, On Repentance and Repair, by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg. We will explore frameworks and practices of accountability that can help us find a path to wholeness at the personal, community, and societal levels.
Facilitators: Rev. Tim Temerson
Rev. Tim serves as our congregation’s Lead Developmental Minister with a passion for teaching. His Adult Development courses are always popular and he enjoys creating opportunities for shared reflection and learning together.
Dates and Time: Tuesdays March 26, April 2, April 9 from 7:00 – 8:30PM
Location: Online via ZOOM
Fee: participants will need to purchase their own copy of On Repentance and Repair. If purchasing a book is a hardship, please let Rev. Tim know.
Minimum # participants: 12
A History of Racism in Charlottesville: A Journey Toward Understanding
The reading is open to all who care about racial dialogue in our town, and who are concerned about book banning and anti-wokism laws in 39 states. “In racial reconciliation terms, Charlottesville is Everytown, USA. This book directly challenges recent laws in 39 states restricting the teaching of true history. It refutes the foolishness of “anti-wokeism.” It calls for Community-Wide Acknowledgement of pain inflicted on Person of Color citizens and informs business, civic and other thought leaders toward socio-economic reevaluation and course correction. Until white-majority residents immerse themselves in the viewpoints of minority communities, public misunderstanding and dispute will be the outcome. Transforming a city’s inter-racial comprehensions requires trust-building and the broadest acceptance of hard facts.” Registration is encouraged, but Walk-in participants are welcome
Facilitators: Richard “Freeman” Hobcraft Allan III, Independent Scholar-VirginiaHumanities.org; Author; Researcher; Iconologist; Environmental Activist
Date and Time: Sunday, March 17, 2024 12:30 – 1:45
Location: In person in the Sanctuary and also Online via ZOOM (contact Rev. Tim Temerson for the link)
Fee: No Fee for the presentation, but copies of the books will be available for purchase at $10 each to benefit African American Teaching Fellows aatf
Minimum # participants: 12
Transforming Hearts: Trans Inclusion In Congregations
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
A Survey of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures
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 a 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
Circle Singing Workshop
Join us for sonic joy in this improvisational ensemble singing experience! Over two workshops on Saturday afternoons (Feb. 24 and Mar. 9, 3-5 p.m.), we will engage our bodies and our voices as we create music on the spot—no need to read music! By engaging our creative spirits, we will feel and hear our spontaneous ensemble compositions take shape. These workshops will allow all participants to develop deep listening skills, explore rhythms, understand polyrhythm, and have a splendid time!
Facilitator: Scott DeVeaux & Lori Derr
Scott DeVeaux is the Music Director at UU C’ville, as well as Prof. of Music at UVa. He is a jazz scholar whose works (The Birth of Bebop, Jazz) have won numerous awards, including the American Book Award.
Lori Derr has been involved with groove-driven spontaneous vocal group compositions via leader-led “Circle Singing”, as taught by Bobby McFerrin, and via Rhiannon’s co-led, co-created “Vocal River Forms”. Lori is thrilled to teach, lead and co-lead all levels of singers in these joyful improvisational musical experiences.
Dates & Times: Saturday, February 24; and Saturday, March 9 from3-5PM
Location: Sanctuary of UUCville
Fee: free of charge
Number of participants: unlimited
— Cancelled — Parables of the Christian New Testament
Christian parables are unique stories found in the Christian Gospels. The historic Jesus is credited with using these stories to teach and confront the injustices of his times. This 4-part class will look at the parables found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Since these parables are found in all 3 Gospels, participants will have the opportunity to hear them from the voice of 3 distinct authors. It is an opportunity to learn about these stories and the gospel authors who included them in their work.
Facilitator: Michele Townsend Grove
Michele is a 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.
For more information on Michele and the classes she offers, check out uubiblestudy.com
Dates & Times: Monday March 4-25 from 7:00 – 8:00 PM
Location: Online via ZOOM (register for ZOOM Link)
Fee: $25 per person facilitator fee
Number of participants: 8 minimum