Adult Education
The Adult Education Program of the OUUC seeks to foster life-long learning and spiritual growth through a variety of classes, workshops, and events. Some specific purposes are to expand and deepen understanding of Unitarian Universalism, to facilitate the search for truth and meaning in all spheres of human knowledge, to explore the many sources of spirituality, and to promote sharing ideas and experiences among the participants.
Registration for classes, workshops, and events is open to anyone interested, including members and friends of OUUC and members of the larger community. If you would like a paper copy of this brochure mailed to you, please call the church office at 360-786-6383.
YOU CAN ALSO REGISTER ONLINE.
A single registration fee of $10 covers as many classes as you may wish to enroll in. Exceptions to this fee are noted in the class descriptions. The fee will be waived if it creates a hardship for you, if requested on the registration form. If you need a ride to a class, please call Sara Lewis (OUUC 360-786-6383); we will try to arrange a ride for you. On-site child care can also be arranged by calling Sara.
Unless otherwise noted, all class leaders are members of the OUUC community. They have put a lot of work into developing their course material (for free!) Please make every effort to attend all sessions of each class for which you have signed up or let the class leader know ahead of time if you can’t attend. Newcomers to OUUC can find classes of particular interest identified with a chalice logo.
The Adult Education Program is coordinated by the OUUC Adult Education Committee, whose current members are: Ruth Abad, Nancy Brickell, Tom Joldersma (Chair), Sara Lewis, Roger Nielsen, Ann Rockway, Bernie Steckler, and Billie Williams. The committee invites proposals and suggestions for future classes. Please direct proposals or inquiries to the Adult Education Committee, c/o the OUUC Office, or contact a committee member directly.
Download the Winter-Spring 2012 Program Guide (pdf).
Download the Winter/Spring 2102 mail-in registration form (pdf).
Adult Education Classes for the
Winter/Spring 2012 Semester
ADDICTION: THE SILENT DISEASE AMONG US
Date & Time: (Attend 1 session)
6:00 - 9:00 p.m. on Monday March 12
Leaders: Tess Schultze & Dave Verbon
Addiction impacts every one of us, either physically, emotionally, financially or spiritually. This three-hour seminar, part of the new OUUC Addiction Ministry, gives a clear layman’s explanation of all major aspects of addiction and its impact on our lives. Learn what addiction really is, how it truly affects our society and what a wide array of help there is for those who need it. Join us in discovering a new awareness of this silent, stunningly destructive disease.
Dave held executive marketing positions in Las Vegas in the hotel-casino industry. A career change came when he realized the impact his casino work was having on the lives of compulsive gamblers and their families. He and his wife Toni formed their own company, Help Yourself, Inc., to create programs on addiction education.
Tess has been clean and sober since 1988 and has continued to be active in the recovery community. For three years she moderated a 12 step support group for over 350 multi-addicted men and women around the world. A native Washingtonian, she has found the community of her heart at OUUC.
BEFRIENDING PRISONERS
Date: Saturday (1 session) January 21
Time: 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Place: OUUC
Leaders: Cynthia Lorch and Don Foran
Don Foran and Cynthia Lorch will present their experiences with inmates in nearby prisons. Don will share examples of prisoner responses to poetry writing workshops he brings to McNeil Island and other nearby Corrections Centers. He will invite class participants to discuss the reason he has titled many course offerings How Poetry Saves the World.
From Cynthia’s presentation you will learn about Prisoner Visitation and Support (PVS) which is supported by the UU Service Committee. PVS provides prisoner visits at Federal and military prisons nationwide and locally at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac and the Joint Base Lewis McCord prison. In addition to conversation about PVS we will watch a DVD about prisoner and visitor experiences with one another.
Don Foran, a former Jesuit priest, is an Evergreen State College professor. He writes poetry, teaches literature and philosophy and has been involved for decades in peace and justice work and nonviolent direct action education.
Cynthia Lorch is a “friend of OUUC“ and former member of Saltwater UU Church. She has worked as a social worker for a gazillion years. You may know her sisters and brother-in-law, Miriam Lorch, Nancy Curtiss and Denys Curtiss.
BONDS THAT MAKE US FREE:
Healing Our Relationships, Coming to Ourselves
Dates: Tuesdays (7 sessions) January 17, 24, 31; February 7, 21, 28; March 6
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leader: Chris Marquardt
Does your life seem to never go quite how you want it to? Relationships going in unproductive circles? Career never really taking off? Consumed by worries and stress? This course is a group discussion of C.Terry Warner’s book, Bonds That Make Us Free: Healing Our Relationships, Coming to Ourselves. (Check out the very positive reviews at Amazon,com. Used copies are available.)
The concepts in this book are very much in line with what we hear at OUUC. Through personal stories in the book, we are invited to think ever more deeply about our own past and present, to recognize the ideas that put us in the way of our own happiness, and to develop ways of relating to others that can fill our personal and professional lives with deeper meaning and greater joy. Class participants are expected to read two chapters, about 42 pages (15 min./day), of the book for each class.
After two very thorough readings Chris Marquardt has found this book absolutely transformative in every area of his life. He looks forward to helping others understand and apply its principles to bring greater peace, joy, and even productivity to their own lives.
BOOK GROUP
Dates: (3rd Thursday of month) January 19, February 16, March 15, April 19, May 17
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Coordinator: Mary Anne Trause
Costs: Registration is free and not required. Purchase or borrow the books on your own.
Enjoy lively discussions and get to know other members and friends of OUUC by reading and discussing books together. For the past eight years the OUUC Book Group has read a mixture of fiction and nonfiction works, mostly contemporary, usually chosen from the participants’ recommendations. Members of the group volunteer to lead the discussion for a particular book. A list of books read in the past is available upon request.
Join us in January on the third Thursday of the month, 1/19/12, at OUUC at 7 pm, for a thought-provoking conversation about the book, The Warmth of Other Suns: An Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Pulitzer prize winning author Isabel Wilkerson. The New Yorker describes it as “a narrative nonfiction, lyrical and tragic and fatalist,“ which chronicles one of the great stories of American history: the decades-long migration of (six million!) black citizens who fled the south for northern and western cities, in search of a better life. Other books for the new year will be: Passage to Juneau: A Sea and Its Meaning by travel writer Jonathan Raban (February); Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibbs (March); The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway (April); and Tinkers, which won the Pulitzer prize, by Paul Harding (May). For September of next year, we will read Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner.
All are welcome to come for any book they wish to read and discuss, whether it be one or all.
Mary Anne Trause is a psychologist with a private practice in Olympia.
A CHOSEN FAITH
Dates: Tuesdays (3 sessions) January 24, 31 and February 7
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leaders: The Reverend Arthur Vaeni
In this class The Reverend Arthur Vaeni will lead a discussion of the book, A Chosen Faith by Forrest Church. These discussions will be helpful for anyone who wants either to begin learning about Unitarian Universalism or to deepen understanding of this tradition and its meaning. As UU minister, The Reverend Marilyn Sewell says in one of the book’s blurbs: “Only a free faith, a chosen faith, offers the kind of engagement that wakes us up to ourselves and makes us willing to risk what we have for what we could become. This splendid book invites us to consider just such a faith.” You may find it helpful to have read the whole book before we begin. The first session will cover chapters one through four. The book is available at the city library or can be purchased online from the UUA Bookstore for $16.00. Arthur may have an extra copy to lend.
The Reverend Arthur Vaeni is Minister of the OUUC.
A COURSE IN MIRACLES
Dates: Wednesdays (4 sessions) March 7, 14, 21, 28
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leader: Tess Schulze
The often misunderstood A Course in Miracles offers a framework of seeing the world that can enhance relationships and bring more love into our lives. You need not believe in God; however you will need a tolerance for Christian terminology. The book is not required. This class is not a study group. It will help decode the terminology to get at the practical application of the concepts in our lives from a spiritual and psychological perspective.
Tess Schulze is a student of Michael Mirdad, an international expert on A Course in Miracles. For the last eight years, she has applied the principles of the course to her daily life.
CREATING AN ENDOWMENT
Dates: Tuesday (1 session) March 20
Time: 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leader: Katharine Bauer
This class will be led by local attorney Katharine Bauer. She will focus on things you can do in your will to best provide for those you leave, including the distribution of your securities and other identified assets . She will also talk about charitable giving and other ideas you might want to consider in planning your estate.
Katharine is a principal Member of Bjorgen Bauer Pitman Bauer, PLLC, where her legal practice emphasizes estate planning, trusts, probate, elder law, guardianship and various tax issues. She has also published articles on probate and estate planning. Katharine received her law degree, with honors, in 1992 from the University of Puget Sound Law School. She also has a master’s degree in environmental sciences and a bachelor’s degree in medical technology.
CREATING A “THIS I BELIEVE” SERVICE
Dates: Tuesdays (5 sessions) April 3, 17 & 24, May 1 & 8
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leaders: The Reverend Arthur Vaeni
During several Sunday services, particularly in the summer, members and friends of the congregation have an opportunity to help lead worship in which they share some of the grounding beliefs of their lives. These are beliefs that derive from their understanding of the nature of life and thereby inform their way of being human. This spring our minister will offer a program to help those interested in preparing for the possibility of offering a “This I Believe“ service. This program will have four or five depending on the number of participants. This class is open only to OUUC members and friends.
The Reverend Arthur Vaeni is Minister of the OUUC.
DREAMS DO COME TRUE
Dates: Mondays (3 sessions) January 16, 23 and 30
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Place: OUUC
Leader: Anatha Attar
Every journey deserves a little stardust. This class will bring magic to any tentative, fragile dream. Each class will cover one of the three phases needed to bring our dreams to fruition. The first is learning new ways to feel good about ourselves and our lives in the present moment. The next steps are exploring our values and possibilities, and thirdly, growing and nurturing a plan for reaching our goal.
Anatha Attar has a Master of Arts in counseling from St. Martin’s University. She is a personal coach in private practice. Her passion is helping people make their dreams come true.
FAITH LIKE A RIVER
Dates: Wednesdays (4 sessions) February 1, 8, 15, 22
Time: 9:00 a.m. – noon
Place: OUUC
Facilitator: Sara Lewis
Faith Like a River explores the dynamic course of Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist (UU) history—the people, ideas, and movements that have shaped our faith heritage. It invites participants to place themselves into our history and consider its legacies. What lessons do the stories of our history teach that can help us live more faithfully in the present? What lessons do they offer to be lived into the future? In four sessions we will explore an overview of Unitarian Universalist history, place it in context with world history, look at the Unitarian and the Universalist traditions, and finally examine the merger that brought these two rivers together into one faith.
Sara Lewis is Director of Religious Education for OUUC.
GET ORGANIZED:
Principles For A Clutter-Free Life
Dates: Wednesdays (2 sessions) February 1 and 8
Time: 7:00 to 9:00
Place: OUUC
Leader: Gail Gosney Wrede
Back by popular demand! This class will introduce principles of organization, examine why we keep “stuff,“ explore the benefits of clearing out stuff, look at issues of keepsakes, heirlooms, etc. and work on ways to reduce our footprint on earth. Class members will have assignments to practice what we discuss in class.
Gail is an inveterate organizer who likes it! Yes, she even organizes her spice drawer. She likes living in spaces that are open, clean and pretty - a clear reaction to growing up with four siblings in a small house.
THE HUMAN SIDE OF US IMMIGRATION POLICY
Date: Tuesday (1 session) March 20
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Facilitator: Frances Tanaka
The class is for those who have read the UU Common Read Book, The Death of Josseline: Immigration Stories from the Arizona Borderlands by Margaret Regan and wish to discuss it with a group and/or for those planning to attend the UU General Assembly in Phoenix in June where the moral aspects of US immigration policy will be a main theme. The book presents a series of intimate stories from immigrants, residents, activists, human rights workers, and border patrol employees. Through their stories, the book explores the ethical, moral, and spiritual challenges presented by the complex immigration issues on the border. The class will begin with the playing of “The Immigration Game,” which is a quick introduction to US immigration policy, followed by the discussion of the book. Class members will be provided with resources to continue their studies of the issues and learn how they could become more involved at a local and/or national level.
The church purchased several copies of the book that may be loaned out for those preparing for the class. Contact Frances Tanaka at yftanaka@cco.net or (360)570-0102 if you’d like to borrow one.
Frances Tanaka is a retired English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher who coordinated and taught in the ESL program at Centralia College for 23 years. She has worked with immigrants and refugees from 35 different countries and has been privileged to hear hundreds of personal immigration stories over the years.
KNITTING AT THE UU
Dates: Thursdays (9 sessions) February 2, 16, March 1, 15, April 5, 19, May 3, 17, June 7
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leader: Anita McIntosh
This is a continuation of the knitting class that has been meeting since 2008. It is for anyone wanting to learn the art of knitting as well as for experienced knitters who want to share their talents and stories of learning to knit with others. This year the class will consider knitting projects that could be donated to community organizations and/or individuals who may be in need of the comfort of a shawl, scarf, gloves, slippers, etc. The skill of crocheting can also be explored by interested attendees.
Anita McIntosh has been knitting for ten years and considers it another form of meditation that calms the mind and soothes the spirit.
ME AND MY LEVEL HEAD:
The Body’s Response To Stimuli
Dates: Mondays (2 sessions) February 6, 13
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leader: Stephen Kepics
Have you ever wondered whether a particular food or supplement is good for you or not? Have you ever had an intuition but were not sure whether to follow it? Your thinking mind cannot provide the answers to these and many other important questions. Your body, however, has the answers and will gladly share the information with you (without muscle testing). Come and learn this simple, elegant technique along with many of its useful applications for health and well being.
After a long career as a chiropractor in California, Stephen Kepics is a newcomer to Olympia. His work now focuses on energetic and emotional healing specializing in family constellations.
NAVIGATING THE OUUC CONGREGATION
Date: Wednesday (1 session) February 1
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leader: Gretchen Faulstich
Whether you’re a long-time member or a newcomer, finding your way around - who does what and where and when can sometimes be challenging. Come to this one-session class to learn who is in charge of what?, do I need permission to start a new ___ ?, how do I reserve a room?, do I need an invitation to attend a committee meeting?, can I post a notice in the Commons?, where is the Lost and Found?, etc. Gretchen will have assistance from long-timers who have the answers to all of your questions.
Gretchen came to OUUC in May, 2011 from the First UU church in Columbus, Ohio, where she was actively involved in many aspects of leadership, including leadership development. She is adapting for OUUC the Navigating the Congregation class taught there.
THE NEW ENGLANDTRANSCENDENTALISTS:
Book Discussion
Dates: Thursdays March 8th, 22nd and April 5th
Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon
Place: OUUC
Leaders: The Reverend Carol McKinley and Ruth Abad
Books: Emerson: The Mind on Fire by Robert Richardson: Univ. of CA Press, 1995 and The Concord Quartet: Alcott, Emerson, Hawthorne and Thoreau and the Friendship That Freed the American Mind by Samuel Schriener: John Wiley, 2006.
In this class we will read and discuss books about the lives of New England Transcendentalists. Discussion will focus on their philosophy, influence on the Transcendentalist movement and its implications for our lives today.
Class 1 (March 8th) read chapters 1-54 (short chapters) in Emerson: The Mind on Fire
Class 2 (March 22nd) read the remainder of Emerson: The Mind on Fire
Class 3 (April 5th) read The Concord Quartet
The books are available at the publiclibrary, local book stores or on line. The OUUC library has limited copies. To borrow one contact Sara Lewis dre@olyuu.org.
The Reverend Carol McKinley is an affiliated community minister with OUUC. Ruth Abad is a member of theOUUC Adult Education Committee.
OUUC – THE PATH TO MEMBERSHIP
Introduction to OUUC
Dates: a one-hour single-session introduction offered the 3rd Sunday of each month
Time: 10:45 a.m.
Place: OUUC
Leaders: Diana Finch
Learn more about Unitarian Universalism and about this congregation. Sessions last about an hour with opportunity for questions and answers. Childcare is available.
Membership Class
Dates: Saturdays, January 14, 21
Time: 9:00 a.m. – noon
Place: OUUC
Facilitators: Church leaders
Cost: No registration fee
This class provides potential members a chance to learn about
Unitarian Universalism, the benefits and responsibilities of
membership, and the specifics of how OUUC is governed and
operated. You will meet the minister, a board member and
other leaders in this informational and interactive class. You
will also get to know other members of the congregation and
others considering membership. All are welcome. There is no
pressure to commit to joining, but attendance at this class is a
prerequisite to membership. Those who were UUs elsewhere
may meet with the minister in lieu of class participation to
become a member. Childcare is available by arrangement.
Diana Finch is past chair of the Membership Committee of OUUC. Other church leaders will represent various committees and programs at OUUC.
THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION
Dates: Tuesdays (3 sessions) May 15, 22 and 29
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leaders: The Reverend Arthur Vaeni
In her book, Principles of Meditation, Christina Feldman writes: “Meditation is inherently experiential…Meditation is not a new belief system to be adopted nor a collection of information to be absorbed…Meditation introduces us to the life of our mind, body and feelings – on a moment to moment level we increasingly see clearly the ways we affect our world and the ways we are affected by it.” Although it is not essential to read Ms. Feldman’s book before the first session, Principles will be the basis for our exploration of meditation. Sitting and walking meditation will feature prominently in all three sessions.
The Reverend Arthur Vaeni is Minister of the OUUC.
PREPARING FOR A DISASTER
Date: Saturday (1 session) February 18
Time: 9:00 a.m. – noon
Place; OUUC
Leader: Julie Rodwell
Back by popular demand. This workshop organizes what you need to do to prepare for a disaster into twelve monthly activities. The Plan for a Year format is used by the State of Washington and Thurston County. It will give practical tips on shelter, food, water, light, communication, and other steps to prepare for storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other disasters. There will be lively presentations, discussions, displays and visual aids to help you get up to speed quickly.
Julie Rodwell will lead this class on behalf of the OUUC Disaster Preparedness Committee. Julie is trained in the National Incident Management System (NIMS) used by government agencies for disaster preparedness; she has been working on this issue for her family and colleagues for 25 years. A published author, she tapped OUUC Disaster Committee, federal, state and local materials to create a 45-page workbook describing the issues, activities and supply lists relevant to the year-long plan. This book will be provided to you at the workshop. Please bring a three-ring binder.
SCIENCE OUTSIDE THE BOX
Dates: Mondays (3 sessions) May 7, 14, 21
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leader: Tom Joldersma
Why is it that the study of (indeed, even interest in) certain phenomena carries an associated stigma? I learned early in my career as a physicist (already as a college and grad school student) not to bring certain topics into our discussions. The penalty for doing so was ridicule. Among these topics were clairvoyance, precognition, telekinesis, and the Big Daddy of them all – UFOs. This course will look at these and other forbidden topics from a scientific point of view. Is there any factual evidence to support their existence or do they belong in the category of science fantasy? This is a vital question since such evidence would imply the need for a revolution in our present scientific theories. I believe that a free and responsible search for truth must include science.
The first session will look at some recent UFO case studies and will examine the nature of the taboo surrounding such study. The second session will view the film Something Unknown Is Doing We Know Not What… We will then discuss the validity of the claims in the film for the existence of psychic phenomena and look at the paradigm shift required if we accept such claims. The final session will view the video Seven Experiments That Could Change the World by Dr. Rupert Sheldrake. We will then look at do-it-yourself experiments and undertake one of the experiments: the sense of being stared at. All are welcome, especially those who are skeptical of science outside the box.
Tom Joldersma holds a PhD degree in elementary particle physics.
SIGNS, SYMBOLS AND SYMBOLISM IN VISUAL ART
Dates: Thursdays (3 sessions) April 12, 19, 26
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leader: Ron Hinson
This course explores ways to determine meaning in the visual arts through a discussion of how meanings may be embodied in images and form. The art work will be viewed in slide form and will include representational, abstract and nonobjective art from different cultures and periods of time. Various approaches to “knowing“ and “comprehending“ will be applied, leaving open the question of viability. No prior experience in the study of visual art is assumed. There will inevitably be some overlap of concepts discussed in other studies led by the instructor.
Ron Hinson is a member of OUUC and is a studio artist. He taught studio art, the history of art and humanities on the college level for many years, and in recent years has taught several classes in visual arts for the Adult Education program at OUUC.
STUDENTS OF THE DHARMA
Dates: Thursdays (8 sessions) (January 26 - March 15)
Time: 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leader: Bill Arensmeyer
This class will engage you in a study of the Dharma (the law of existence..., the way), as set forth in the teachings of the Buddha (The Enlightened One.) A wide variety of sources will be explored. You need not be a Buddhist to attend.
Bill Arensmeyer,a member of this congregation since 1973 (38 years ago!), has served as the first minister of OUUC. He is a practicing Buddhist who started the meditation group about five years ago. Now part of the woodwork, Bill is Caretaker of this place and is loving it!
TRAVEL THAT TRANSFORMS LIVES
Dates: Mondays (3 sessions) February 20, 27 March 5
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Facilitator: Billie Williams
Our congregation continues to explore exciting travel options that enrich our lives and deepen our connections with people from all parts of the world.
February 20: Journey to Afghanistan with Jody and Doug Mackey
In the meantime, the Mackeys suggest you take a look at any of the 141 short YouTube videos of these incredible Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers have produced: http://www.youtube.com/user/ourjourneytosmile#p/u.
Chero ney? Why not?
And why not love? add Douglas and Jody
February 27: Extraordinary Options for Adventurous Travelers
Jo Ann and Mikel Young will tell us about their years of work with Friendship Force, a nonprofit cultural exchange organization promoting friendship and goodwill through a program of home stay exchanges. More than 350 international and domestic Friendship Force clubs sponsor home-hosted exchange visits between clubs in various countries. In 2011 the Olympia club visited Brazil, Costa Rica and Panama and hosted clubs from Indonesia, New Zealand and Romania.
Sandra and Gary Worthington will give us information on Servas, a worldwide nonprofit network that they have used for close to 30 years to arrange no-cost home stays in all parts of the world. We will also hear about some of their most memorable home stays, from a Buddhist priest and his family in Japan, to Gandhian social activists in India, to a kibbutz family in Israel.
When Ann Rockway and Rich Kalman saw that the website of “couchsurfing.org“ proposed to “help create a better world, one couch at a time,“ they decided to give it a try, first couch surfing in Mexico, then hosting couch surfers in Olympia. Now they are sold on the idea. We will hear about their experiences and learn about this online community, which envisions a world where we all can explore and create meaningful connections with other people and places, enabling us to respond to diversity with curiosity, appreciation and respect.
After she retired from teaching, Gail Feagins decided that her vacation travel would include meaningful volunteer work with Global Volunteers, a non-profit network that provides the opportunity to live and work with local people on service projects, generally for one to three weeks, sometimes longer. She will tell us about the organization and relate some of her most interesting travel adventures.
March 5: Underground Railway Bike Tour - The South is Another Country
“In 10 days of riding,“ they say, “we also found the limits of our ability to ride in high heat and higher humidity. From a live radio broadcast of bluegrass from the Station Inn in Nashville, to the hallowed ground at Shiloh battlefield and Wounded Knee massacre sites, we found many good reasons to return to this peculiar land. We will share pictures and stories of the trip. And we will be back to the South.“
Billie Williams is a member of the Adult Education Committee of OUUC. She has facilitated several classes at OUUC on travel and led many international trips.
TURNING THE SHIP:
Becoming Champions to End Poverty
Dates: Thursdays (4 sessions) January 19, 26, February 2, 9
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Place: OUUC
Leaders: Nancy Curtiss
Our OUUC mission calls us to “work for peace, equality, a healthy earth, and an end to poverty”. In this class we will explore effective activism to accomplish our mission. But, how does one go about ending poverty? There is no mystery or lack of solutions to global poverty, there is only lack of political will.
The term “political will” refers to the commitment and actions of government, fueled by demands of its constituents. As citizens, knowing how to connect with up-to-the-minute policy research and legislative activity so that we can speak truth to power in appropriate, efficient and effective ways is not always readily apparent. We will attempt to close that gap.
This study has been created by RESULTS, a citizen lobbying organization, for faith communities such as OUUC. One of the goals of RESULTS is to empower individuals to have breakthroughs in exercising their personal and political power.
Nancy Curtiss has been a member at OUUC for 3 years having moved here from Arlington, WA where she had been active in the Evergreen UU Fellowship in Marysville for 40 years. She brings a depth of experience in social justice work and as an educator with Head Start, elementary grades 3 and 4, and high school counselor. Always an advocate, in retirement she has engaged more fully in the advocacy campaigns of RESULTS and the WA UU Voices. She hopes to continue developing her advocacy skills as her own supportive community builds theirs.
VOICE CLASS
Dates: Saturdays beginning January 7
Time: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Place: OUUC
Leader: Troy Arnold Fisher
Cost: Registration and fee are not required
During our hour and thirty minutes together we will work on posture, scientific theories of breathing and ear training, but that’s not all. We will sing a variety of songs, ranging from high to low, ballad to scat. We sing together, braving to sing duets and solos! It’s a chance to sing your heart out! Come and join the fun. All levels of talent are welcome.
Troy Arnold Fisher is OUUC Music Director. He is also the musical director of Capital Playhouse, Kids at Play and Kids in Koncert.