At BUF, we believe that there is always room for exploring, questioning and learning. Our lifelong learning programs for adults has included study groups on the Bhagavad-Gita, Buddhism, the Bible, and theology as well as many other opportunities to challenge perceptions and expand knowledge bases. Opportunities for spiritual growth in Chalice Circles are a part of our Small Group Ministry.

Adult Religious Education Calendar 2024-25

WINTER

December              Grief Group led by Tom Nicholas

1 session: Sunday, December 8. Noon to 2:00.

This discussion format workshop is primarily designed for people who have lost a loved one—recently or not. Participants will have opportunities to talk about their own experience of grief and what they found to be helpful in dealing with it. Register here.

January                 Our Encounters with Aging: Hindsight, Insight, Humor and Hope led by Kathryn Allen

4 Sessions: Sundays, January 5 – 26, 12:15 – 2:00 pm, BUF Flex Room (Top Floor)

The sessions on aging will focus on a variety of topics related to living the last chapters of life, such as definitions of aging, tasks of aging, how to deal with challenges such as loss and loneliness, and how to embrace the gifts of aging such as wisdom, courage, and authenticity. The main thrust will be the inner lived experiences of the participants, but not on personal illnesses. Bits of humor and poetry will be woven in along the way. Register here. 

February/March     Pathways for Young Parents led by Ellen Berning and Gayle Tilles

3-4 sessions: Dates TBD

This Pathways workshop will be held during church, so parents of young children can attend while their children are taken care of. Learn about the UU tradition in relationship with your peers!

February                BLM Programming                      TBA

SPRING

March                    UU Theology II led by Natalie Johnson

5 sessions: Sundays, March 2 – 30, 12:15 – 1:45 pm, Flex Room (Top Floor)

UU Theology II examines the development of Unitarian Universalism during the late 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Among other topics, we will explore the move away from Christianity and toward humanism, the merger of the two denominations, and such UU theologies as earth-centered, humanist, process, and social gospel. While picking up where UU Theology I ended, the course is stand-alone and intended for anyone interested in understanding our Unitarian Universalist dynamic, ever-developing beliefs. Register here.

April                      Newcomer Pathways to BUF      1 day                  Felice Davis

April                      Before the Scramble: A Scottish Missionary’s Story by Rod Haynes

4 Sessions: Sundays, April 6-27, 12:15 – 1:15 pm, BUF Flex Room (Top Floor)

Before the Scramble: A Scottish Missionary’s Story by Rod Haynes tells the untold tale of James Sutherland, an ordinary man in the late 19th century, caught between two worlds, who was dedicated to serving God in a time and place rife with danger. Contemporary Unitarian theology will be presented to compare and contrast the evangelistic efforts of missionaries like Sutherland. Participants will receive a copy of the book free of charge before the first class.

Annual Women’s Retreat

Each Spring, BUF women have the opportunity to attend a weekend retreat where they engage in social interaction, learning and self-exploration, and spiritual enhancement.