Life Enrichment Classes and Activities
We value education as a life-long process. Our Life Enrichment Committee, chaired by Lisa Albea, sponsors courses, single-session events and interest groups for variety of topics of interest to Unitarian Universalists of all ages, including:
- Book Table: Swap and Buy
- Book Discussion Group
- Information Forum for Visitors
- Knit UUs Together
- Men's Discussion Group
- SUUNDAE (Sunday UUs Need and Deserve Adult Enrichment)
- Various Classes and Workshops
For courses requiring registration, place your name and phone number on the sign-up sheet in the church lobby or call the church office at 945-8109. All events will take place at the church unless otherwise noted. Some workshops are appropriate for and welcome youth; check with the leaders of a particular workshop with regard to age-limits.
Information Forum for Visitors
All visitors and their families are invited to learn more about our congregation and Unitarian Universalism on the third Sunday of each month downstairs in the Volker Room from 11:55 a.m. and until approximately 12:30 p.m., following coffee hour that day. Information Forums are facilitated by our Minister, Rev. William Leggett; our Director of Religious Education, and a representative from our Adult Enrichment Committee. We'll respond to your questions about our free faith tradition, and suggest ways in which you may become involved and connected. Please come join us! No RSVP's necessary!
Pia Sen taught us Indian Classical Dance
Sunday Mornings: SUUNDAE
SUUNDAE (Sunday UUs Need and Deserve Adult Enrichment) forums are held most Sundays from 9:00 to 9:45 A.M in room 114 (Middle School Room). We'll have presentations and discussions on various topics, led by members and friends of our church. Everyone is invited to attend and no sign-up is required. If you have programming ideas for SUUNDAEs, please contact
Courtney Echols.
March 30, Marion Fintel will lead a discussion on environmental justice. The focus will come from two articles: “In Search of Justice” from the book Sustainable Planet , edited by J. B. Schor and B. Taylor. The other selection is “Covenant IX: Assuring Environmental Justice For All” from Tavis Smiley's Covenant with Black America.
Unless otherwise planned, the SUUNDAE is open forum.
Classes
Delight Mom on Mother's Day with flowers you arranged yourself!
When: May 10 (the Saturday before Mother's day) from 9 AM until noon.
Where: Church sanctuary
Details: The class will include
- flower harvesting, conditioning and purchasing
- working with floral foam and other supports
- design concepts--line and form, colors, etc
- demonstration
- make your own arrangement
- clean up (everyone please pitch in!)
The class will be open to adults and to children 8 and older with accompanying adult (at no extra charge unless the adult wants to participate, too) if the child is under 16.
Cost: $5 for church members, $10 for non-members, plus $20 materials fee unless you want to bring your own. (Net proceeds help fund the flower committee.)
To Register: Sign-up in the sanctuary in the Life Enrichment notebook.
Future classes and workshops:
UU 101 and 201 Classes
For those wishing to know more about UUism, how the denomination functions and more about our own church here in Birmingham. Call Angela Pruitt to register.
Time: TBA
Facilitators: TBA
Groups
Book Discussion Group:
Starting this summer, the Book Discussion group will no longer meet every month at a set time. Instead, we will take suggestions from members and friends of the church for particular books we may want to discuss. Given sufficient interest, we will then schedule a time that book will be discussed and publicize it. Those who have a suggestion for a particular book to be discussed, along with a commitment to attend that discussion, should contact Marion Fintel.
Books Discussed have included:
Close Range by Annie Proulx (includes the short story
"Brokeback Mountain")
24 Years of Housework and the Place is Still a Mess: My Life
in Politics by Pat Schroeder
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
1776 by David McCullough
The Alchemist by Paul Coehlo
Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
Book Table: Swap and Buy
Do you have a book that you no longer want, but would love to share with someone who would really appreciate it? The Adult Programming subcommittee of the SEEC will sponsor a book swap each month to coincide with first Sunday lunch, beginning July 1. A Book Swap Table will be set up in the rear of the sanctuary and people wishing to donate books and magazines may simply set them on the table. Those who see a book or magazine they would like to read can then take and keep it (the table will be self-serve). After lunch, whatever is left on the table will be packed up and brought out again the following month. After a period of time, books that haven't been selected will be donated to the Friends of the Homewood Library bookstore and magazines will be recycled. So have a look through your bookshelves and see what you would like to share, and bring them each first Sunday!
The UUA Book Table will still be available periodically, where you may purchase UUA publications. For more information, you may contact Marion Fintel or Lisa Albea.Books from the UUA Bookstore will be available for sale before and after services on dates announced in advance by email and on the website. The Book Table now carries 74 different titles, and includes books on simple living, spiritual practice, social justice, and parenting, as well as books for children. The Book Table gives members and friends the opportunity to examine first and then purchase books from the UUA Book Store, without leaving Birmingham or having to pay for shipping charges.
Knit UUs Together:
Did you ever wonder why so many UUs knit during the service? It's a Zen thing; busy hands, still mind. Join us on fourth Wednesdays of each month and get that Zen feeling too. UUs of all ages and genders are invited to bring your knitting or handy-craft project and sit in peace from 6:30-8:00 in the Middle School Room downstairs. Child care is provided.
In January Kristin Laus Hunt taught beginning knitting. In February Chauma Smith will teach beginning crochet. If you have any ideas for March let Holly Hilton know.
Ladies Lunch Bunch:
This ladies-only group meets at church on the second Thursday of each month. Bring a lunch and join us if you can!
Men's Discussion Group:
This ongoing group is designed to offer community of thoughts and feelings among men. Participants explore various aspects of culture, politics, ethics, spirituality, personal histories and experiences. The group has open membership and is available to all men seeking exploration, growth and sense of connectedness with others.
Time: Every Thursday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 P.M. from September through May.
No sign-up is necessary.
Every Thursday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 P.M. in the Pickett Room
Facilitators: Rotating
No sign-up is necessary. Please send discussion topic suggestions to Bob Taylor.
Other Programs
Monthly Brown-Bag Lunches With The Minister
To Be Announced Each Month--12:00 Noon till 1:00 or 1:30 PM.
Everyone Welcome!
You are invited to join the minister and other members and friends for a lively conversation each month. Bring your lunch, suggestions, questions, and curiosity to the round table as we break bread together and discuss issues of interest.
The Mountain offers many workshops and programs of interest to UUs of all ages. In particular:
Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham
A member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association
Location: 4300 Hampton Heights Drive · Birmingham, Alabama · 35209 · U.S.A
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 19786 · Birmingham, AL 35219
Phone: (205) 945-8109 · Fax: (205) 945-8111
E-mail: office@uucbham.org
Copyright © 2006-2008 Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham
All Rights Reserved.