Registration for Winter/Spring now open!

Take a Class or Join a Group

Thank you for your interest in the Adult Education Classes at Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. All classes are free and open to the public, though some may require purchased materials. Some class sizes are limited, so registration is encouraged from committed participants, even where marked “preferred”.

Drop-in Poetry Workship

Facilitator:  Fran Scott

Dates and Time | Second Tuesday, each month | 6:30 – 8:00 pm | Virtual Group

Description | All levels of experience are welcome.  This is a safe group to explore writing poetry in response to a prompt. You don’t need to worry about form or poetic terms.  You even have poetic license to turn the prompt into something that works for you!

Workshops are independent of each other so feel free to come to any session.  Each session will include some discussion about the prompt (which may be based on a theme or a type of poem),  time for individual writing, and sharing of your poem, if you choose.  

Materials | Something to write on and something to write with. 

Enrollment | No registration required. Drop-ins welcome.

Mining of Ores for Minerals and the Environmental Impact

Facilitator:  Dan Bacon
Date and Time:  Friday, February 17, 6:30 pm-8:30 pm,  in person at BUUF

Description:  Dan will present mining information as well as his experiences after ten years as the water control specialist at New Jersey Metals and Minerals. This will include videos of present mining practices as well as discussion about the environmental effects of the mining industry.  He will discuss how necessary the mining industry is and any alternatives as to the necessity of mines for the procurement of raw materials.

Materials: none

Enrollment | Registration  preferred.  Drop ins welcome.  Limited to 25

The Habits of White Supremacy, A Learning Circle

Facilitator:  Rev. Sara LaWall & Timothy Ellis, Ministerial Intern

Dates and Time | First Thursday, 11/3, 12/1, 1/5, 2/2, 3/2, 4/6, & 5/4 | 6:00 – 8:00 pm | Hybrid Group

Description | Rev. Sara and Timothy are leading a monthly learning circle on the habits of White Supremacy culture. Each month we will look at a trait or habit such as perfectionism, fear of conflict, or defensiveness. Using Tema Okun’s “Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture” we’ll look at both the individual characteristics and how they show up in our own lives and work, as well as their antidotes.

White Supremacy Culture is a set of internalized behaviors and attitudes that maintain the financial, cultural, and societal power of white people. These habits create disconnection, hierarchy, and separation between people and between communities. This societal structure prevents solidarity, connection, and mutual liberation.

Our first meeting will be Thursday, Nov. 3rd, 6-8pm inperson at the fellowship. We will continue to meet the first Thursday of every month through the program year in a hybrid format. 

Materials | Something to write on and something to write with. For more information check out  https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/

Enrollment | Registration and regular attendance is preferred; but drop-ins are welcome.

The Lost Apple Project

Facilitator:  George Raino
Date and time: Wednesdays, 10 am-11:30 am, February 22, March 1, March 8,  in person at BUUF

Description:  A three week program with discussion of the varieties of apples that have been lost over time.  This course is an overview of preserving our cultivars of apple trees, history of apple cultivation in the U.S., uses, a  shift to commercial propagation, why old cultivars are still relevant, and the future, including citizen involvement. If there is interest, an additional session on grafting could be held outdoors.

Materials: no materials needed

Enrollment: Preregistration required.  Limit 25.

Philosophy of Religion.  Leaves and Weaves: Working with your Former Religion

Facilitator:  Tom Neale
Date and time: Monday, 7:00 –  8:30 pm. March 13, 20, 27, and April 3, on ZOOM

Description:  Explore your relation to the world of religion in four sessions.

Session One: Elements of religion, its roots, concepts, and common terms.

Session Two: Revisit the religion of your former allegiance. This will be a session of sharing and deconstructing and observing how we got here to BUUF.

Session Three: “Basketweaving for the Soul”, gathering the scattered threads of the past to weave in the 8 Principles of Unitarian Universalism and the Buddhist 8-fold Path.

Session Four: Introduction to the Middle Path of Buddhism, training in meditation, and a map to less suffering and enlightenment.

There will be a subcurrent of references to the Philosophy of Rock and Roll with such artists as The Doors, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Laurie Anderson, Stevie Wonder, and others.  Be prepared to share your religious experiences, ask questions, and be open to expanded consciousness.

Materials: no materials needed

Enrollment: Preregistration is preferred

Embracing the End of Life (Going with Grace)

Description:  Explore your relation to the world of religion in four sessions.

Facilitator: Rev. Sara LaWall

Date and Time: Tuesdays, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, March 14 – April 18, in-person at BUUF and on ZOOM

Death Doula, Alua Arthus poses the question: “What must I do to be at peace with myself so that I may live presently and die gracefully?” Discover your answers with Rev. Sara as we explore facing end of life decisions and care for ourselves and our loved ones. Rev. Sara will be drawing upon her coursework in Alua Arthur’s end of life training program. https://goingwithgrace.com/about-alua/

The class will be highly interactive and creative with opportunities for journaling, art making, discussion, meditation and more. This class will be both in-person and available on Zoom.

Topics include: Imagining your own death and memorial service, conscious dying, end of life decisions and the art of medicine, leaving your legacy, the grieving process. This class fits beautifully with several others being offered on related topics.

Materials needed: writing materials

Enrollment: Registration preferred, drop-ins welcome

Fierce Consciousness: Surviving the Sorrows of Earth and Self

Facilitator: Trish McCarthy with author, Trebbe Johnson

Date and Time: Monday, March 27, 7 pm-9 pm, in person at BUUF

Description: When grief and anxiety beat us down, the struggle to cope can feel like it’s crushing us even more. To meet big challenges, we need to develop fierce consciousness. In her new book Trebbe Johnson reveals 34 practices that are smart, tough, sassy, and surprising. They offer guidance not only for surviving challenges to our personal lives and our ailing planet, but also engaging with them in ways that give new meaning and beauty to daily experience.

Materials: Fierce Consciousness: Surviving the Sorrows of Earth and Self, may be available at Rediscovered Books

Enrollment: Maximum 25. Registration preferred, drop-ins welcome

Registration for Winter/Spring 2023 now open! Take a Class or Join a Group