Registration for Winter/Spring ’24 now open!

Take a Class or Join a Group

Registration for Adult RE classes for Winter/Spring 2024 is open. 

Please take a look at the registration form and consider if one or more of our offerings is right for you. All classes are free and open to anyone, including non-BUUFers. 

The first class starts on Monday, 2/26/24, 6:30pm – 8:00 pm, in-person so do not delay!

Barbie

Facilitator: Nancy Harms

Dates and Time:  Mondays, 2/26, 3/4,  3/11, 6:30 – 8:00 pm In person (first session until 8:30 pm)

Description: Is Barbie the first true UU doll? In Greta Gerwig’s film, Barbie’s Hollywood odyssey begins when the music stops and she starts to question her existence (we’ve all been there). Every day is the day of your life in Barbie Land, but what comes next?  To find out, you can enroll in this 3-session class about materialism, free will, and the effect Barbie has had on our society (both the doll and the movie). 

Session 1: Watch the movie. 

Session 2: Watch the 60 Minutes interview of Greta Gerwig, Barbie’s director, and then discuss what worked in the film to emphasize what questions and concerns of feminism it gives us. How is it we look for answers? 

Session 3: Wrap up the discussion. When you think of Barbie, do you think of all the advances it made in the world of feminism? Why does Barbie think she has made strides in the women’s movement? “She’s done it all too, with a resume that includes fashion model, firefighter, engineer, surgeon, astronaut, rock star, summit diplomat, and presidential candidate. She has been made an African-American, Asian, and Hispanic. Her signature golden locks have sported every conceivable hairstyle from bubble cut to page boy. She’s one of the most intoxicating pop culture icons of the twentieth century.” (Adam Scher)
Others say Barbie is a positive influence who provided an alternative to the traditional gender roles of the 1950s, a point echoed by her creator.  “My whole philosophy of Barbie,” said Ruth Handler, “was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.”  “Whatever her fate, there’s no denying that Barbie has played a significant role as both a mirror and model of American culture.” (Adam Scher)

Cut Your Carbon Footprint and Save Time and Money

Facilitators: Jim Bigelow and Climate Action Team members

Dates and Time:  Mondays, 3/4 and 3/11, (third session to be decided), 6:30 – 8:00 pm, hybrid in-person and ZOOM

Description: BUUF has committed to lowering its carbon footprint as a congregation, as part of our commitment to Principle 7, respect for the interdependent web of all existence. This workshop encourages members to broaden that commitment at their household level by learning what comprises their household’s carbon footprint and making choices about how they will reduce it.  We’ll learn why climate change is a challenge for our evolutionary brains, discover what motivates us to act, and apply techniques to increase our ability to act. One way is to celebrate successes!

Session 1: What Comprises My Footprint?    In class, we’ll look at how households contribute  to America’s carbon footprint, and what comprises that footprint. We’ll review a carbon calculator to find your current baseline carbon footprint. Between sessions 1 & 2, you’ll use the Carbon Calculator to find your household’s current carbon footprint.

Session 2: What Steps Will I Take, and With Whom?  We’ll share what we’ve learned from the carbon calculator about our opportunities to reduce. We’ll talk about ways to reduce each of the “pie slices” comprising your footprint. You’ll decide what you can act on, and create support and accountability (such as a Carbon Buddy) to strengthen your ability to act.

Session 3: Celebrating our Successes and Learning!  (class will decide date)  We’ll meet to share what we’ve accomplished and learned, to grow our ability to build upon that learning for our own action, and to encourage others to do the same; to scale it up. We can decide whether and how to continue for maximum positive effect in lowering our overall carbon emissions.

Materials:    Links to optional reading material will be shared before class.

Enrollment:  Class size limited to 15.  Registration  preferred.

Enneagram 2.0 – Continuing the Journey

Facilitator: Rev. Sara LaWall

Dates and time: Thursdays, 7:00 – 8:30pm on 3/14, 3/28 (Tentative), 4/4, 4/11, 4/25, 5/2

                              and Saturday 5/4 from 11:00am – 12:30pm, Mostly ZOOM only

A note about the schedule: Rev. Sara is traveling a lot and scheduling weekly meetings is impossible. These dates listed are the best possible dates. We’ll discuss the full schedule at our first session, which will be ZOOM only.

Description:  Join Rev. Sara and fellow BUUFers to dive deeper into Enneagram work as a spiritual path to greater self-awareness, compassion, and growth. Explore centers (dominant & repressed), stances, the three instincts and more. This class is for those who have begun exploring Enneagram and know their number. We will not be diving into how to know your number, we will assume you know it and have done some reading, exploration, learning (even if minimally). 

This class will weave in teachings from the local Enneagram Workshop happening March 8 & 9, “Deepening Self and Other Awareness Using the Enneagram as a Guide,” with Sandra Smith. Participation in the workshop is not required to join this class, but it will be referenced and used for inspiration.

Materials:   none

Enrollment: Registration required.

Bridging the Gap: Talking with Family and Friends about Unitarian Universalism

Facilitator: Debra Smith

Dates and Time:  Thursdays, 6:30 – 8:00 pm, 3/14, 4/11, 5/9, 6/13, in person (ZOOM may be available)

Description: For those who have left more traditional forms of Christian worship, it can be hard to explain UUism to family and other beloveds.  Questions such as, “What DO you believe?” and “If you no longer believe in God, why go to church?” may leave us grasping for words.  This gathering will give you an opportunity to learn from each other how you are navigating what is, for some, fraught terrain.  We may decide to read chapters or articles to help us on our learning journeys.

Materials: None required.

Enrollment:  Registration  preferred.  Drop ins welcome.

A Celtic Pilgrimage with John O’Donohue

Facilitator: Tom Neale

Date and Time:  Sunday, 3/17, 5 pm, In person

Description:  View a 50 minute video of the west of Ireland with Philosopher/Poet John O’Donohue.  We will have maps of Ireland. Tell stories. Drink Irish tea or Guinness. Eat Irish snacks.

Materials: none

Enrollment:  Registration  preferred.  Drop ins welcome.

A Long Strange Trip

Facilitators: Jay Wechselberger and Nancy Harms

Dates and Time:  Mondays,  3/25, 4/1, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 6:30 – 8:00 pm, in person

Description: Are you new to Unitarian Universalism,  took the “Inquirers” classes,  and now would like a more in-depth understanding of the history of UUs?  Or, maybe you have been a UU for ages but never got a chance to really study our history. 

Long Strange Trip is a six-part video series by Ron Cordes that explores the history of Unitarian and Universalist thought and practice from the early, liberal strands in faith at the beginning of the Christian era to what we know today as Unitarian Universalism.  This program comes from the UUA.

Jay and Nancy will show the videos and lead a discussion afterwards.

Materials: none

Enrollment:  Registration  preferred.  Class limited to 18.

Introduction to Financial Planning

Facilitator: Andrew Burton, Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and BUUF Choir member

Dates and Time:  Thursday May 9, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, in person

Description:  Young or old, everyone can benefit from a financial plan.  This class is designed to help people start the thought process.   We will discuss the Five Pillars of Financial Planning:

• Estate Planning
• Risk Management
• Retirement Income
• Investments
• Taxes

Materials: none needed

Enrollment: Registration preferred, drop ins welcome.

Book Study – An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States

Facilitator: Miriam Woito

Dates and Time:  Tuesdays,  3/26, 4/9, 4/23, 5/14, 5/28, 6/11, 6/25, 7-9 pm, ZOOM only

Description:  The Saltwater UU Racial Justice Team invites you to join a book study of An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States (Youth Edition) by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortez. The 7 2-hour sessions will begin March 26th and meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of April, May, and June. At 6PM(PT).

In seven sessions we will:

·        Trace the history of colonization from the Indigenous perspective.

·        Learn to think more critically and completely about our own history

·        Support one another as we work through the stories presented in the book

·        Share our responses and reactions to learning the history

·        Explore how to support Indigenous led campaigns to expand sovereignty and self determination

·        Share ideas about building relationships with Indigenous peoples and communities

In addition to reading the book, you will be asked to do personal journaling and research. Worksheets and suggested resources will be provided for each session. The depth of your study will be up to you.

If you have taken or plan to take the Wrestling with the Truth of Colonization course this will complement and deepen your work.

Materials:  An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States (Youth Edition) by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortez, available through a local independent bookstore.

Enrollment: Registration required to receive the ZOOM link through Saltwater UU Church. Please register by March 23 to ensure receiving the link.  Questions? Please contact Miriam Woito at  miriamwoito@gmail.com or 208-890-6074.

Registration for Winter/Spring 2024 now open! Take a Class or Join a Group