Adult Ed Classes 2024-2025

Artists' Corner

Facilitator: Rebecca Slentz
Date: Every third Tuesday of the month
Time: 10:00 am
Locations: RE area of the Fellowship

We create handmade items to sell during our Holiday Bazaar — please come join us!

Musical Activities for All Ages

Facilitator: Brenna Kupferman

UUFHC presents many opportunities for people of all ages to make music together!. If you sing or play an instrument, you are welcome to join in the music-making fun! We are always looking for new musicians and singers who can take part in services (solo or group), perform in concerts, and share music during social events. And all of these can be done either in-person or online, live or recorded! New Members are always welcome!

UUFHC House Band

Facilitator: Ami Silberman

The House Band Homemade Jam rehearses most weeks on Thursday night 7pm-9pm in the sanctuary. They participate in about one service per month, plus more extended concerts a couple times per year. All singers and instrumentalists are welcome!

OWLS Circle (Older Wiser Loving Souls)

Facilitator: J. Sue Henry
Dates for both groups: 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month
Time: UUFHC Sanctuary: 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Time: UUFHC Zoom: 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Exchange: $15 for the year

The topics focus on unique issues of those over the age of 55 years and their spiritual journey as an elder. This includes:

• the challenges and opportunities of aging;
• experiencing practices and processes that enhance intention and passion for life;
• sharing ways of serving the greater good in family, church and community.

This group has subdivided to better meet the needs of the members. The group is open to members and friends of UUFHC as well as the community. An individual may join at any time. Both groups will follow the same process and usually the same topic.

Qigong

Instructor: James (Marty) Martin
Dates: Wednesdays and Saturdays
Time: 9:00 am
Place: UUFHC Sanctuary
Exchange: $10 per month

Qigong is an ancient form of self-healing through gentle movement. It is a movement practice focused on health, longevity, stress management and mental clarity. Marty will be teaching the Hauxia Zhineng Qigong (Chi Lel) system, which was the world's largest medicine-less Qigong. The Chi Lel Qigong center in China had 180 different diseases and had a 95% success rate. James Martin (Marty) has been practicing Qigong for 30 years. He has taught Qigong in many different locales and will be teaching this beneficial healing practice at UUFHC.

Tai Chi is another ancient form of self-healing. Marty's Tai Chi emphasizes physical development, self-defense, aspects of meditation and breathing exercises. He will take you slowly through each movement which can be adjusted for each individual's ability. He'll draw on 60 years' experience in the martial arts.

Rock and/or Wood Painting Circle

Facilitator: Bee Hodshon
Date: Saturday, September 6. More dates to follow!
Time: 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Location: UUFHC
Exchange: $5 per person (to cover supplies)

Bee Hodson will lead us in painting hopeful and encouraging messages on river rocks and wood circle ornaments to leave by the Health and Hygiene Pantry near the back of our UUFHC parking lot. These rocks and wood circles will be offerings to those who visit the pantry. Visitors will be invited to take a rock or a wood circle home if they so choose. This is one more way that we can extend our love and good will beyond our UUFHC community and give ourselves an outlet to tap into our own creativity and joy at the same time.

One perk—you will get to take a rock or a wood circle you’ve painted home with you if you’d like to leave it somewhere in your own community or simply put in your garden!

Quarterly Labyrinth Walks

Facilitator: Beth Wood-Roig
Date: Sunday, September 7
Time: 10:30 am
Location: UUFHC
Exchange: Free

A labyrinth is an ancient form of a walking/moving meditation. It can be a metaphor for our own spiritual journey. A labyrinth is an excellent practice in both listening to and cultivating your inner knowing.

Join us once a quarter to walk the labyrinth in community here at UUFHC. Our lovely portable labyrinth was generously donated by Leigh Faunce.

Dates for the quarterly labyrinth walks will be announced throughout the year and updated here. Our first labyrinth walk will be on September 7, 2025, at 10:30 am, as part of a reflective, contemplative service that will take the place of the regular worship service that Sunday. Other dates TBD throughout the coming church year.

Restorative Sound Bath at UUFHC

Facilitator: Bess Hutt
Date: Friday, May 9
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: UUFHC Sanctuary
Exchange: Free event! Donation suggested if able & desired.
Registration required: 410-459-9935 | gaiasdaughterbess@gmail.com

The group will be guided into a gentle and restorative sound bath including instruments such as Native American style flutes, handpan, crystal and metal singing bowls, voice, frame drum, rainstick and more. After the sound bath, there will be time for integration, reflection and journaling, if desired, before we part ways.

Things to bring:

• Water bottle, if needed
• Journal, if desired
• Yoga mat/blanket/pillow for laying on the floor
• Anything else you need to feel comfortable
• An open heart

Please arrive a few minutes early to get settled and honor our start time.

Gaia's Daughter Reiki Circle

Facilitator: Bess Hutt, Reiki Master Teacher (RMT)
Dates: 3rd Fridays of the month
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Location: UUFHC Sanctuary
Exchange: Goodwill donation to instructor if able
Registration required / limit 10

Gaia's Daughter Reiki Circle at UUFHC is a free monthly healing practice, open to anyone, regardless of Reiki knowledge or experience!

About Reiki:
Reiki is a Japanese healing technique that promotes relaxation and stress reduction. In short, Reiki works by channeling energy through the practitioner's hands, promoting balance and harmony within the body, mind, and spirit. A Reiki Circle provides participants with a supportive space to experience this gentle and transformative energy.

Possible benefits for participants include: stress reduction and relaxation, increased energy and vitality, emotional and mental well-being, and enhanced overall sense of balance.

Overview of what participants can expect:

• Introduction: Short introduction of Reiki and a time to introduce ourselves.
• Guided Meditation: Brief meditation to create a relaxed & receptive atmosphere.
• Energy Healing: A few minutes will be spent channeling Reiki to each participant.
• Sharing: As time allows, we will share our experiences before closing.

Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing and bring a light snack if needed. Herbal tea will be provided.

Creativity Circle

Facilitators: Brenna Kupferman and Beth Wood-Roig
Dates: 2nd Monday of each month, starting Oct 14
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm Location: UUFHC Sanctuary

We begin with the premise that everyone is creative. We believe that each of us brings our own unique creativity into this world, whether through one of the more traditional creative arts or perhaps by the way we decorate our home, design a garden, cook a meal, raise a child, or facilitate a meeting. . . the possibilities are endless.

This year, we will be exploring Creativity, in all its various forms, and the ways creativity can encourage spiritual growth, together in a monthly circle group. We will meet on the 2nd Monday of each month, from 7 – 8:30pm at UUFHC to share with and learn from each other.

The format for our circle gatherings will be similar to the Soul Matters Sharing Circle. Participants will be given Creativity Matters packets that will help engage our monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression. It's all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

The project options include such things as: collage, storytelling, scrapbooking, sketching, photography, creative writing, watercolor painting, fabric arts, sculpture, movement, music, and more. Again, all projects are designed for everyone: no technical expertise or honed artistic skill required!

Gather to Groove

Facilitator: Beth Wood-Roig
Date: Begins Saturday, October 4, 2025
Time: 10:00 am
Place: UUFHC
Exchange: Free

For those who like to move it, move it to release some of the tension we all seem to be carrying around with us these days, we offer an opportunity to dance your cares away! We will play and move and dance while following along with the freewheeling style of some Body Groove videos. No dance experience necessary, and all body types welcome! Come as you are and relax, as we explore the different ways our bodies can express themselves through movement and play.

Journaling for Spiritual Growth

Facilitators: Cindy Curry and Beth Wood-Roig
Date: Begins October 7, 2024 and ends May 19, 2025
Time: 1st and 3rd Mondays, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Place: Meets on private ZOOM

Our focus this year will center around selected works of contemplative poets and writers, including Mary Oliver, John O’Donahue, David Whyte, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, Thich Nhat Han, and more. Each month, we will focus on the poetry and writings of a particular author or poet and listen deeply to the messages we each are receiving from the poems and writings. Our journaling practice will include reflective and responsive journaling as well as some creative journaling practices, such as found poems, dialogue journaling, character sketches, and more.

In the Journaling for Spiritual Growth group, we covenant to support each other as we share from our writing experience, listening kindly, without judgement or advice. We invite you to journey with us as we move ever more deeply along our individual spiritual paths together.

Soul Matters Sharing Circle

Facilitator: Sara Brinkerhoff and Laura Paligo
Dates: 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of the month
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm in the Board Room & via Zoom
Exchange: None

Soul Matters is a small group circle that follows the same theme of the month as the services. The first meeting of the month we focus on provided questions that particularly call to each of us. We share what we learn about ourselves. And we listen deeply, then share what gifts we gain from listening. We choose spiritual exercises to practice until our second meeting when we share what we gained from the exercises, again with deep listening and sharing appreciations of what we’ve heard.

We gather at 6:30 pm for chat and start the program at 6:45. For January and February, due to potential inclement weather, we are meeting on the church Zoom channel. Beginning in March again, we will meet in the Board room at the church.

New Members are always welcome!

UU Christian Fellowship

Facilitator: Steve Thompson
Dates: 2nd & 4th Wednesdays Time: 7:15 pm via Glenn Brown's Zoom

We welcome newcomers!

The UU Christian Fellowship is a group of moderate and liberal Christians who support UUFHC and find it to be a good environment to further their Christian faith. The group is led by Steve Thompson, who identifies himself as a Unitarian Christian.

Wait! Aren't Christians supposed to be Trinitarian?! Aren't they supposed to believe that Jesus is God, that God wrote a perfect Bible, that Jesus died to save people from their sins, and that only Christians go to heaven?! While many people do believe these things, and, sadly, they are the more vocal, there are many of us who reject these beliefs. Instead, we believe in a Christianity that is far more positive, loving, and inclusive. So how can we deviate from these beliefs that others consider to be fundamental and claim are based on the Bible? Answer: we don't wave the Bible around—we actually study it! Come to UUCF and see an enlightened understanding of God and Jesus.

This year UUCF will continue to study the Gospel of John.

• The Gospel of John Part 1
• The Gospel of John Part 2
• The Gospel of John Part 3
• The Gospel of John Part 4
• The Gospel of John Part 5
• The Gospel of John Part 6
• The Gospel of John Part 7
• The Gospel of John Part 8
• The Gospel of John Part 9
• The Gospel of John Part 10

Free Health and Wellness Programs at UUFHC

Diabetes Prevent T2
(National Diabetes Prevention Program)

Facilitators: Kathy Kraft or J. Sue Henry
Dates: 9/23, 10/7, 10/21, 11/18 12/16, 1/20/25, 2/17/25, 3/17/25 (Last Class)
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Location: UUFHC Sanctuary

This lifestyle change program uses education & group support to help you adopt a healthier routine which can prevent or delay the development of Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Self-Management: This 6-week program provides education, skills, & support to help you better manage your diabetes and improve overall health.

For registration and further information contact UM Upper Chesapeake Health 1-800-515-0044

. . . Retreats . . .

Within each of us there is a silence—a silence as vast as the universe. We are afraid of it. . . and we long for it. ~ Gunilla Norris

Please note: The 2025-2026 retreat programs will be posted soon—stay tuned!