Gather the Spirit
Spiritual Enrichment
COURSE and PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS
Small Group Ministry
- Covenant Groups
This program provides PUC members and friends with opportunities for connection with other members in Fellowship, community building, and spiritual exploration. Meeting twice a month and led by a trained facilitator, Small Group Ministry sessions are designed to generate growth-inspiring and introspective conversation in a small group setting. For more information contact Rev. Terri Masters, pastoralcare@pacificunitarian.org.
- Open Small Groups
Men's Ministry
Meets each Thursday evening from 7:00-9:00 PM in the Voyagers Room. Following a check-in, each meeting provides an opportunity to explore the joys and sorrows of being a man in the 21st Century. This is done through sharing of personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Contact Jeff Ordway or Gary Fletcher for more information or simply visit one of the Thursday evening meetings. A second group meets the third Monday of each month at Dick Grannoff's home from 7:00-9:00 PM. Contact Dick Grannoff for more information.
THEOLOGICAL ACADEMY
Rev. John offers a program to help us achieve a firm understanding of what our history teaches and the theology (theo = God, logy = study of) we share. Each of us has our own ultimate beliefs, or faith, which needs expression. The Theological Academy will be one way to group yourselves in an increasingly complex world.
The Theological Academy requires a commitment to take at least six short courses over the next two years. Two of those courses must be in UU history and polity, two courses in world religions, and two courses in theological and spiritual formation. The final course will be a credo writing workshop summarizing your theology. Those completing the Academy will receive a Certificate of Completion. You must register for these classes.
Theological Academy courses indicated below with [TA].
World Religions
- World Religions: History & Practice [TA]
History of Religion [TA]
Jesus: The Myth and the Man [TA]
Christianity through the Reformation [TA]
Buddhism [TA]
Introduction to Judaism and the Hebrew Bible [TA]
Our UU Faith Tradition
- Introduction to Unitarian Universalism and Pacific Unitarian Church
(orientation class)
Meets monthly on the 3rd Sunday of each month following the Service. Attendance is required for Church membership. Please contact membership@pacificunitarian.org if you are interested in attending. Childcare arrangements available with advance notice. - New UU
This is a MUST for people new to the congregation! At the end of the class we will recognize our newest members during the worship service and they will be invited to continue to meet as a group. This is a great way to learn about what we believe and then be a part of a small group ministry.
- UU History & Polity [TA]
UU History [TA]
Four-session introductory course on our history and polity.
The Free Church and its Pulpit [TA]
Unitarians of the West Coast [TA]
UU Spiritual Identity
- Theological Formation [TA]
Liberal Theology [TA]
This eight-session class covers the history, theories and modes of liberal theology. Registrants will be required to read two texts (available for purchase through the office), write weekly reflections and a final paper. Theologies to be considered are natural theism, religious humanism, liberal Christianity, Feminist and process theology.
Theology in the Public Square [TA]
Our Tapestry of Faith [TA]
Spiritual Practices
- Sunday Morning Forums
Additional opportunity for PUC members and friends to enhance their Sunday morning experience. Five different Sunday morning forum opportunities offered.
1st Sunday 9:30 a.m.: A UU exploration of our monthly theme
2nd Sunday 9:30 a.m.: A Humanist Perspective (Facilitated by Gary Fletcher)
3rd Sunday 9:30 a.m.: Spirituality and UU (Facilitated by Dee Masters)
4th Sunday 9:00 a.m.: 12 Months to a Compassionate Community - A reflection on The 12 Steps to a Compassionate Life
5th Sunday 9:30 a.m.: Choices in a Jar—Delightful Dilemmas (4/29/12, 7/29/12, 9/30/12 and 12/30/12) - Iseum of Isis Paedusis
The Iseum of Isis Paedusis provides seasonal ceremonies in the tradition of earth-based religions, including the cross-quarter festivals of Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, and Samhain/el Dia de los Muertos. PUC members are always invited to help plan, coordinate, and participate in these activities. Please contact Isis_Paedusis@hotmail.com for more information. - Meditation Circle
Led by Randy Goff in the PUC Hall weekly on Sundays 7 – 8 p.m. in Henriksen Hall. All meditations are different—some are silent, some are with sound, and some are guided. We combine all three elements: our meditation starts with an Om chant, sounded through our chakras and feels both cleansing and healing; the next section of meditation is the Presence Mediation, a visually guided meditation has the express purpose of bringing your attention to the here and now; the last section of meditation is the Tonglen, a guided meditation that provides a space to increase compassion for yourself, those you know and all sentient beings.
To be added to the meditation notification email list, send an email to denise@umeworks.com with your request.
- 12 Months to a More Compassionate Community (begins December 4, 2011)
All PUC members and friends are encouraged to embark on an all-church, in-depth examination and reflection of Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong for 2012. As part of an international effort to activate the Golden Rule globally, PUC will join groups around the world working to foster a greater understanding of compassion, and to promote the cultivation and practice of compassion in individual and community life.
TED prize-winner Karen Armstrong believes that while compassion is intrinsic in all human beings, each of us needs to work diligently to cultivate and expand our capacity for compassion. In Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life, Armstrong offers concrete ways of putting compassion into action in our everyday lives.
We will begin by viewing Karen's Ware Lecture at the 2011 UUA General Assembly on December 4 at 12:00. Reflection group will meet on the 4th Sunday of every month from 9 – 10:15am beginning January 22, 2012. There will be many ways to reflect and discuss the concepts in this book amongst ourselves and hopefully some ways to put our faith into action, as well. As Unitarian Universalists, we are in a prime position to affirm and promote these concepts in the greater community but we must "cultivate and expand" our own understanding of living a compassionate life before we can set out to create compassionate communities.
Check schedule or for more information. please email ARE@pacificunitarian.org or contact Kathy Rickey or Rev. John Morehouse.
- Spiritual Practices [TA]
Spiritual Practices [TA]
Check The View or web page for schedule of courses offered.
