Programs for Adults and Families
Winter Spring 2015
Programs, Classes and Events for Spiritual Growth
and Community Fellowship
UNITARIAN SOCIETY OF HARTFORD Hartford, Connecticut 06015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover
Table of Contents
Mission Statement
Registration Information
Aging Mindfully
Authentic Connection and Communication - NVC Practice Group
Ballroom Dance
Community Events
Emei Quigong Internal Cultivation
Felting Class 3-D Creature or a Portrait of Your Pet
Friday Night Pizza and Movie
Great Decisions
Lunch Bunch
Meditation and Dharma Gathering
Meeting House Sing-A-Long
Small Group Ministry
Tai Chi and Seated Tai Chi
USH Book Club
UU, USH and You
Women’s Alliance Sunday Programs for All
!
!
MISSION
The Adult Programs Sub-Council strives to provide lectures, classes, workshops
and other offerings for continued spiritual growth, religious learning and
community fellowship. Programs are intended to be of broad appeal while
meeting the needs of particular groups where practical and appropriate.
The sponsors of these classes, programs and events affirm the Society’s antidiscriminatory position by offering them at a range of times and in accessible
locations, accommodating special needs as a standard practice and welcoming
individuals and families of all kinds.
Unitarian Society of Hartford
50 Bloomfield Avenue
Hartford, CT 06105
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 860-233-9897
!
Registration Information
1. Registration - Fill out completely the Program Registration Form. Forms may
be obtained on the Unitarian Society of Hartford website
(http://www.ushartford.com/) From the Spiritual Life menu, on the left side of the
home page, click on Adult and Family Programs) or at the Programs For Families
and Adults Table at Fellowship Hour. Please include all contact information
requested, the name of the program, and the start date. For Tai Chi registrants,
be sure to sign the liability release section of the form for these activities. Attach
check (payable to Unitarian Society of Hartford, or “USH”, with program title on
the memo line), or cash, or include your charge card number and expiration date
(Master Card, Visa, Discover or American Express) in the space provided.
Then:
bring your form(s) with attached payment to the Programs For Families and
Adults Table in Fellowship Hall during Fellowship Hour on Sundays; OR
call Janice Newton at 860-677-1121; OR email at janicecnewton(at
sign)gmail.com; OR
mail your completed registration form(s) and check –made out to USH, with the
course(s) name on the Memo line (no cash) to:
Janice Newton
3 Deborah Lane
Farmington, CT 06032
You may also register for programs by phone with a charge card (American
Express, Discover, Master Card or Visa); call the Office at 860-233-9897 before
3 PM.
Except for paying using a charge card, please do not call the Office to
register. Thank you!!
2. Fees - When fees are requested, they are listed. Those fees:
cover materials and/or outside facilitators specific to those programs;
allow us to offer other programs at little or no cost;
permit those with limited financial resources to participate in our programs;
help defray administrative and building overhead.
3. Cancellation - In case of the cancellation of an individual class due to
inclement weather or for any other reason, every effort will be made to contact
you. Please be sure to provide day and evening contact information on your
registration form. Call the office on weekdays before 3:00 PM or the contact
person for the latest information.
Programs are occasionally cancelled due to insufficient enrollment. In such
cases you will be notified, and your fee refunded. Please assume that all classes
will be held as scheduled unless you are otherwise notified.
4. Scholarship Fund - Consider including a donation to the scholarship fund
with your class fee payment. This donation helps pay for programs for those who
need assistance.
If you are unable to pay the full fee for a program but would like to participate,
please contact the office or the minister to discuss the availability of scholarship
assistance.
5. Accessibility - All programs are accessible for those with disabilities. If you
would like to discuss any special needs you may have, please indicate that on
the registration form by checking the appropriate box. Someone will be in contact
with you.
6. Questions and Comments - You may contact Janice Newton by phone (860677-1121) or email (janicecnewton(at sign)gmail.com), if no contact name is
specified for a program you are interested in. We welcome your questions as
well as any comments you may have about our programs. Please offer your
ideas for future programs.
7. Other programs at USH - USH offers other programs and activities that may
not be included in this catalog. If you are interested in Religious Education for
Children, please contact the Director of Religious Education directly
([email protected]). Other sub-councils and groups e.g. the Council on Social
Justice, the Unitarian Alliance Ministry to Women, etc. sponsor programs and
activities. Additional programs may be developed and announced at a later
date. For information on all of these other programs and activities, watch for
announcements in the weekly Enews, inquire at the Programs For Families and
Adults Table in Fellowship Hall during Fellowship Hour, or look on the bulletin
board in the lower lobby of the Meeting House.
8. Locations - All programs are held at the Meeting House unless otherwise
noted.
!
FILLED: SEE NEXT PAGE FOR SECOND SESSION.
AGING%MINDFULLY:%
CONSCIOUS%AGING%WORKSHOP%SERIES%
FACILITATOR:%Susan%Spaniol,%860C216C1391%
HOST:%Bruce%Robbins,%183%Kenyon%St,%Hartford,%860C233C8012%
TIMES:%Tuesdays,%7%to%9%pm,%March%10,%17,%24,%&%31,%April%7%&%14%
COST:%$60,%includes%119Cpage%workbook%and%USH%program%fee%%
%
Do%you%hope%to%develop%an%authentic%sense%of%purpose%and%calling%as%you%age?%%
Do%you%want%to%explore%your%hopes%and%fears%related%to%aging,%and%discover%
new%and%satisfying%ways%of%ripening%and%coming%alive?%
‘Conscious!Aging’!brings!awareness!and!attention!to!the!inevitable!passage!of!
time!as!we!age,!facilitating!a!personal!sense!of!meaning!and!purpose,!and!
sharing!of!your!wisdom!with!others.!This!workshop!is!based!on!the!program!
developed!by!the!IONS!Education!Program!of!the!Institute!of!Noetic!Science,!
where!Susan!is!trained!as!a!certified!workshop!leader.!She!holds!a!doctorate!in!
human!development!and!counseling,!and!has!been!a!Professor!at!Lesley!
University!and!Springfield!College.!
Each!workshop!focuses!on!listening!to!our!own!inner!wisdom!and!guidance,!
sharing!in!intimate!conversation!circles,!and!listening!to!the!collective!wisdom!of!
the!group.!
Workshops%are%designed%to%help%us:!
•
•
•
•
•
Discover!and!reflect!on!what!has!given!meaning!to!our!lives!and!how!that!can!
inform!our!intentions!for!our!aging!processes;!
Explore!unexamined,!selfJlimiting!beliefs!about!aging!in!order!to!make!better,!
more!conscious!choices!about!our!worldviews!on!aging;!
Develop!selfJcompassion!to!cope!more!effectively!with!change,!worries!and!
stress!associated!with!aging;!
Build!connections!by!understanding!our!shared!humanity!in!the!aging!
process;!
Reduce!fear!an!increase!acceptance!in!the!presence!of!death!and!dying!for!
ourselves!and!for!our!loved!ones.!
!
Specific%weekly%topics%are:%
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction!to!Conscious!Aging!
Life!Review!
SelfJCompassion!
Transformative!Practices!
Death!Makes!Life!Possible!
Creating!a!New!Vision!of!Aging!
SECOND%SESSION!!!%NOTE:%%Different%dates%and%venue%
AGING%MINDFULLY:%%
CONSCIOUS%AGING%WORKSHOP%SERIES%
FACILITATOR:%Susan%Spaniol,%860C216C1391%
Unitarian%Society%of%Hartford%Meeting%House%
TIMES:%Tuesdays,%7%to%9%pm,%%April%21CMay%26%
COST:%$60,%includes%119Cpage%workbook%and%USH%program%fee%%
%
Do%you%hope%to%develop%an%authentic%sense%of%purpose%and%calling%as%you%age?%%
Do%you%want%to%explore%your%hopes%and%fears%related%to%aging,%and%discover%
new%and%satisfying%ways%of%ripening%and%coming%alive?%
‘Conscious!Aging’!brings!awareness!and!attention!to!the!inevitable!passage!of!
time!as!we!age,!facilitating!a!personal!sense!of!meaning!and!purpose,!and!
sharing!of!your!wisdom!with!others.!This!workshop!is!based!on!the!program!
developed!by!the!IONS!Education!Program!of!the!Institute!of!Noetic!Science,!
where!Susan!is!trained!as!a!certified!workshop!leader.!She!holds!a!doctorate!in!
human!development!and!counseling,!and!has!been!a!Professor!at!Lesley!
University!and!Springfield!College.!
Each!workshop!focuses!on!listening!to!our!own!inner!wisdom!and!guidance,!
sharing!in!intimate!conversation!circles,!and!listening!to!the!collective!wisdom!of!
the!group.!
Workshops%are%designed%to%help%us:!
•
•
•
•
•
Discover!and!reflect!on!what!has!given!meaning!to!our!lives!and!how!that!can!
inform!our!intentions!for!our!aging!processes;!
Explore!unexamined,!selfJlimiting!beliefs!about!aging!in!order!to!make!better,!
more!conscious!choices!about!our!worldviews!on!aging;!
Develop!selfJcompassion!to!cope!more!effectively!with!change,!worries!and!
stress!associated!with!aging;!
Build!connections!by!understanding!our!shared!humanity!in!the!aging!
process;!
Reduce!fear!an!increase!acceptance!in!the!presence!of!death!and!dying!for!
ourselves!and!for!our!loved!ones.!
!
Specific%weekly%topics%are:%
1.!Introduction!to!Conscious!Aging!
2. Life!Review!
3. SelfJCompassion!
4. Transformative!Practices!
5. Death!Makes!Life!Possible!
6. Creating!a!New!Vision!of!Aging!
“Authentic Connection and Communication”, an NVC Practice Group
This NVC Practice group welcomes anyone who has taken an introduction class,
or read the book, Nonviolent Communication, A Language of Life, by Marshall
Rosenberg (or equivalent book introducing the elements of NVC).
The Practice group meets weekly from 7:15 - 9:00 PM, to enhance the
understanding and usage of the Nonviolent Communication components. By
“practicing” with each other using such activities as readings, exercises, humor,
and sharing personal experiences, our intention is to work together to improve
our authentic communication skills.
Contact person: Jan Bennett. Interested in joining this group? Please notify the
contact person prior to attending.
Dates: Wednesdays Time: 7:15-9:00 PM
Fee: None
Contact: Jan Bennett, 860-817-4900 or, chair2clinic(at sign)juno.com
!
BALLROOM DANCE
Next session: March 26 – May 28
COMMUNITY EVENTS
April 19 – Rev. Cathy and Heather Rion Starr Installation
June 14 – Annual Picnic
Email Qigong Internal Cultivation!
For achieving Harmony and Balance for the self, the earth,
humanity and the cosmos
The purpose of practicing/cultivating Qi Gong is to achieve balance
and healing in the body, the mind and the spirit.
• Qi is energy and thus, all life, all matter.
• Gong…refers to achievement through cultivation and practice
over time”
It is from this ongoing intention and ongoing practice that balance and
healing are achieved.
When one makes an intention for balancing and healing, that
intention becomes internal so that, as Grand Master Fu states:
“Internal cultivation is the practice of cultivating one’s heart and
body.”…
“The method and purpose of cultivating the heart and practicing with
the body is based on the natural, essential relationship between the
human and the universe as well as an understanding of the natural
unity of the self and nature.”
Taken from: Healing Arts of Emei Qigong, Fu Wei Zhong
(Grandmaster, Emei Qigong)
Tuesday evenings: 6:15 PM: Emei Qigong Beginning Learners; //
6:30 PM: Emei Qigong Cultivation; 7:15 PM: Emei Qigong Deeper
Learning and Understanding. Contact Diana Heymann (860-4610908).
Wednesday evenings, 4:45 PM: Emei Qigong Tutorial; 5:00 PM:
Emei Qigong Internal Cultivation (also Saturday & Sunday at 12:00
PM). Contact Diana Heymann (860-461-0908).
Make a 3-Dimensional Creature…or a Portrait of your Pet
Saturday, March 28, 10 AM—2 PM
Members of this class will learn to use soft forms of wool called roving and
batting, and a special barbed needle, to make either a three-dimensional of
something real or imaginary, or a two-dimensional portrait of a beloved pet.
Teacher Robin McCahill, who is a professional artist and a graduate of New
Haven’s Paier School of Art, will provide everything students will need for this
class, including tools and supplies. If you like, bring a photo to guide you. There
will be a small fee for those who would like additional supplies for later projects.
Bring a bag lunch
!
Teacher Robin McCahill with one of her creations
!
Student pet portrait
Date: Saturday, March 28
Time: 10 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Unitarian Society of Hartford Meeting House
Fee: $35
Contact: Diane Cadrain at 860 233-8766 or [email protected]
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9 PIZZA/MOVIE
"NEBRASKA"
"Nebraska", called by some "An American Masterpiece" and nominated for four
Academy Awards, will open the 2015 Dinner & Movie series on Friday, January
9. " When a father (Bruce Dern) and his adult son (Will Forte) embark on a
journey to claim a million-dollar prize, what begins as a fool’s errand becomes a
search for the road to redemption."*
You can watch the trailer here:
http://m.youtube.com/?v=YvW_DmfKfSk
From the New York Times review: "The characters in ‘Nebraska’ are at times
ridiculous. They're also warm, cruel, generous, selfish - in other words,
recognizably human."*
We'll meet for popcorn and socializing at 5:30, then pizza and salad at 6,
followed by movie at 7. This movie is just under 2 hours long. Early birds to help
set-up will be greatly appreciated.
Please reserve ($10 each) by Tuesday, January 6. When reserving, be sure to
indicate your choice of meat or vegetable pizza topping. You may reserve at the
Programs Table during coffee hours (cash, check, or credit card) or call Janice
(leave a message) at 860-677-1121 (pay with cash or check at the movie). If you
have reserved but cannot attend, please call Nita by noon of movie day (leave a
message at 860-380-7062) so the pizza order can be adjusted.
*from movie website
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13 PIZZA/MOVIE - DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Dinner and Movie, Friday, February 13th Dallas Buyers Club - "Critics
Consensus: Dallas Buyers Club rests squarely on Matthew McConaughey's
scrawny shoulders, and he carries the burden gracefully with what might be a
career-best performance."
"What's remarkable about Dallas Buyers Club is its lack of sentimentality. The
movie, like its star, is all angles and elbows, earning its emotion through sheer
pragmatism."*
"The movie's often touching and very watchable, but what gets you past the
script's sincere calculation is the growing sense of rage toward a medicalindustrial complex that saw AIDS sufferers as guinea pigs and sources of profit."*
You can watch a trailer here. We'll meet for popcorn and socializing at 5:30 PM,
pizza and salad at 6, with movie at 7. Early birds to help with set up always
welcomed.
Please reserve ($10 each) by Tuesday, Feb 10. When reserving, be sure to
indicate your choice of meat or vegetable pizza topping. You may reserve
at the Programs Table during Sunday coffee hours (cash, check, or
credit card) or call Janice (leave a message at 860-677-1121) or pay
at the movie (cash or check).
If you have reserved but find you cannot attend, please call Nita by noon of
movie day (leave a message at 860-380-7062) so the pizza order can be
adjusted.
*from Rotten Tomatoes website
Rabbit-Proof Fence Showing March 13 - "Rabbit-Proof Fence",
adapted from a true story, will be shown in the USH Dinner & Movie
series.
"A movie of
adventure,
courage
and spirit,
revealing
the best
and worst
in human
nature and
introducing
terrific new
talent."
"Its portrait
of people who see themselves as decent, self-righteously trying to
eradicate another culture, has the impact of a swift, hard slap in the
face."*
"Rabbit-Proof Fence is visually stunning, well-acted film telling of the
racism by the British against the Aboriginal peoples of Australia in the
1930's. It's an emotional, heart-breaking journey enhanced by a
haunting and beautiful score by Peter Gabriel."*
We'll meet for popcorn and socializing at 5:30, then pizza and salad
at 6, followed by movie (96 minutes long) at 7. Early birds to set up
will be greatly appreciated.
Please reserve ($10 each) by Tuesday, March 10. When reserving,
be sure to indicate your choice of meat or vegetable pizza topping.
You may reserve at the Programs Table during coffee hours (cash,
check, or credit card) or call Janice at 860-677-1121. Just leave a
message and pay (cash or check) at the movie.
If you have reserved but cannot attend, please call Nita by noon of
movie day. Leave a message at 860-380-7062 so the pizza order
can be adjusted. *from reviews on Rotten Tomatoes website
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"- a Wes Anderson Film
Friday, April 10
". . . . the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting; a raging battle
for an enormous family fortune; a desperate chase on motorcycles, trains, sleds,
and skis; and the sweetest confection of a love affair - all against the backdrop of
a suddenly and dramatically changing continent."* This is the plot of this 2014
movie, "a tale within a tale within a tale."* A bit-off center, to be sure.
<image1.jpeg>
You may view a trailer at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fg5iWmQjwk
One noted reviewer wrote, "I would call "The Grand Budapest Hotel" major
whimsy. It's a confection with bite, featuring an ensemble led by the invaluable
Ralph Fiennes, here allowed to exercise his farceur's wiles."*
Wrote another, "The film's shaggy-dog, sort-of-whodunit yarn offers laughs and
energy that make this Anderson's most fun film since Rushmore."*
We'll gather at 5:30 PM on Friday, April 10, with popcorn and drinks, followed by
pizza and salad at 6 PM, movie at 7, with optional discussion afterwards. Early
birds to help with set-up are always welcome!
Order your pizza (please specify your choice of meat or veg topping) and reserve
your place ($10) at the Programs Table during Sunday Fellowship Hours or,
alternatively, call Janice at 860-677-1121 (leave a message) by Tuesday, April 7.
You can pay with cash, check, or credit card at the Programs Table; if paying at
the movie, use cash or check.
If you have reserved but find you cannot attend, please call Nita by noon of
movie day (leave a message at 860-380-7062) so the pizza order can be
adjusted.
*from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb websites
GREAT%DECISIONS%2015%
%
GREAT DECISIONS 2015 TOPICS
We're pleased to announce the topics for Great Decisions 2015! The titles and
topics are as follows:
• Russia and the Near Abroad
• Privacy in the Digital Age
• Sectarianism in the Middle East
• India Changes Course
• U.S. Policy Toward Africa
• Syria's Refugee Crisis
• Human Trafficking in the 21st Century
• Brazil's Metamorphosis
%
Great!Decisions!will!meet!at!9:15!AM!in!Servetus!on!the!2nd!and!4th!
Sundays!of!the!month!February!to!May.!!The!first!session!will!be!Sunday,!
February!8.!!!
Please!sign!up!at!the!Programs!Table.!!Books!are!available!during!
Fellowship!Hour!at!the!Programs!Table!in!Fellowship!Hall.!
Fee!–!includes!book!and!registration!fee!J!!$25!
Fee!J!without!book!J!$5!
For!more!information!contact:[email protected]!
LUNCH BUNCH
For the 2014-15 year the Lunch Bunch will meet at La Trattoria in Canton at 12
noon. LaTrattoria is on Route 44. In addition to lunch, there will be a speaker.
We will continue our series “Who Am I?” You will be able to order off the menu.
Separate checks will be provided. There is convenient parking. We will meet on
the third Tuesday of the month September through June (except December)
~ 9/16, 10/21, 11/18, 12/16 (at USH Meeting House), 1/20, 2/17, 3/17, 4/21,
5/19, 6/16. There will be a potluck picnic scheduled at the Meeting House in July
or August.
Reservations are necessary!
If you wish to attend you must see, call (860/677-1121) or email
(janicecnewton(at sign)gmail.com) Janice Newton by the second Wednesday
of the month.
Meditation and Dharma Gathering
Join us on any Wednesday night to participate in sitting meditation, walking
meditation and contemplation of Buddhist teachings (Dharma) presented by
various well known teachers such as Pema Chodron, Jack Kornfield, Thich Nhat
Hahn, Sharon Saltzberg and Joseph Goldstein, among others. This is an
opportunity to sit together as a community (Sangha) in silent or guided
meditation, softening our hearts and minds as we listen together to the audio
presentations. The ongoing framework for this gathering encourages you to “drop
in” when your schedule can allow for it and join us in this exploration.
“…from this practice….We become part of a lineage of people who, against
enormous odds, have stayed open to great difficulties and painful situations and
transformed them into the path of awakening… the lineage of gentle warriorship.”
~ Pema Chodron, from Start Where You Are
Dates:
Wednesdays, ongoing - Cancelled only if the Meeting House is
closed because of challenging weather.
Time:
5:45-7:00 PM
Contact: Jan Bennett 860-817-4900
chair2clinic(at sign)juno.com
!
!
MEETING HOUSE SING-A-LONG
What is a Meetinghouse Sing-Along? - Maggie Green, Fred Louis and Ed
Savage are offering an opportunity to USH and Greater Hartford families,
singers, song-writers and audience members to join in song once a month,
starting on September 13, 2014 from 2 to 5 PM. This is a “drop in and do your
thing” kind of event. We'll put some chairs in a circle and take turns singing or
playing, with those who know the tune or words joining in as they wish. Ukuleles
are encouraged ! You can come early or come late, whatever fits your family
schedule. Let's just have some musical fun!
For information, contact: Maggie Greene – turtlepoem(at sign)yahoo.com
or Ed Savage - esavage15(at sign)att.net
Second Saturdays of the month 2:00 - 5:00 PM
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SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
The!first!time!that!I!came!to!USH!was!the!summer!of!2008.!!For!personal!
reasons,!I!had!left!the!faith!community!where!I!had!been!an!active!
member!for!35!years.!!I!was!grieving!the!loss!of!the!community!that!had!
been!an!important!part!of!my!life!for!all!those!years.!!That!Fall,!I!signed!
up!for!my!first!SGM!(that’s!Small!Group!Ministry).!!I!wasn’t!entirely!sure!
what!to!expect!but!now,!6!years!and!many!SGMs!later,!I!can!safely!say!
that!I!was!not!disappointed.!
Many!of!you!have!been!a!part!of!an!SGM,!so!you!know!of!what!I!speak.!!
Some!of!you!might!be!new!to!USH!and!are!wondering!exactly!what!I!am!
talking!about.!
SGM!is:!
• A!small!group!of!people!who!meet!on!a!weekly!or!biJweekly!basis!
to!consider!a!selected!reading!and!some!thoughtJprovoking!
questions!related!to!it!
• At!times,!your!response!can!be!quite!personal!and!might!even!
cause!you!to!reflect!and!remember!things!that!you!hadn’t!thought!
about!in!a!while!
• It!is!NOT!a!discussion!group,!meaning!that!no!one!replies!back!to!
what!you!said!–!the!group!just!listens.!!Listens!hard!and!deeply.!!
Maybe!it!should!be!called!SLGM!–!Small!Listening!Group!Ministry.!!
So,!you!can!feel!safe!to!share!deep!and!meaningful!thoughts.!
• What!if!you!don’t!feel!like!responding!to!a!particular!question?!!
You!can!pass.!
• Each!member!of!the!group!is!bound!by!a!covenant,!which!states!
that!what!is!shared!in!the!group,!stays!in!the!group.!
• In!Small!Group!Ministry,!you!get!to!know!others!in!a!very!personal!
and!meaningful!way.!!You!might!even!get!to!know!yourself!better.!
!
There!are!many!ways!to!be!involved!in!the!USH!community.!!Being!a!
part!of!an!SGM!is,!in!my!opinion,!one!of!the!most!meaningful!ways!to!
connect!with!others.!!Below!are!the!details!of!3!groups!starting!soon.!!
There!is!a!familyJfriendly!group,!an!evening!and!a!daytime!group.!!Be!
engaged.!!Be!involved.!!Be!an!SGMer!!!Ginny%Allen%
!
A Family-Friendly SGM will be held on Friday nights (dates below)
from 6-8:30 PM. Participants will chip in to have a pizza or other
similar dinner from 6-7 PM. The adults will then move into the SGM
from 7-8:30. Childcare will be provided, at no charge, during this
time. The dates have been set based on other activities at USH.
There are 6 sessions instead of the usual 8, so a commitment to
these dates is important. The dates are: Jan. 30, Feb 20 and 27,
March 20 and 27, April 3. Facilitated by Ginny Allen.
Monday evenings, 7-9 PM facilitated by Fred Louis. Will meet in
Newington. Start date: February 23.
Tuesday afternoons, 1:30-3:30 facilitated by Barbara Fraher. Will
meet at USH. Start date: March 3.
!
!
!
There!is!a!$5!registration!fee.!
Register at the Programs Table or by contacting Janice Newton (860677-1121 or janicecnewton(at sign)gmail.com)
For additional information contact: Facilitator or Esther McKone –
estmckone(at sign)aol.com or Bill Shoemaker - wshoemaker17(at
sign)comcast.net
Tai Chi
!
Tai Chi is a martial art based on the flow of Chi (Life Force).
It is often described as moving meditation that promotes
physical wellness, balance and self-discipline. It consists of a
series of several postures that, when joined together, make
up a form that enhances the flow of Chi throughout the mind
and body.
USH is offering classes in Tai Chi under the instruction of Master
Steve Luckingham on Wed. evenings starting at 5:00PM.
Participants are welcome for all or any part of the 1.5 hours their
schedules allow. To realize the full benefit of the instruction
students are encouraged to participate in all classes for the
duration of the class.
Classes will be scheduled as follows:
*TaiChi - All Levels- Beginners Welcome – Warm-Ups- PosturesForms 5:00-6:30PM
*The emphasis in each class may vary depending on students’ needs
at the discretion of Master Luckingham.
Classes are held in 8 week sessions. Fee is $80.00 per 8 week
session.
For questions please contact Ginny Hedrick at 860-677-9272.
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SEATED%TAI%CHI:!!For!those!seeking!peace!and!tranquility!and!the!benefits!of!gentle!
exercise!
for!the!body!and!mind,!read!on…!
!We!will!be!offering!a!Seated%Tai%Chi!class!on!Wednesday!afternoons!from!2:00J
3:00!PM.!beginning!
on!Jan.!21,!2015.!
Seated!Tai!Chi!involves!gentle!movement!of!the!arms,!hands!neck,!and!torso,!to!the!
extent!that!one!is!able,!while!seated.!
You!will!enjoy!the!benefits!of!low!impact!exercise.!
Classes!will!be!held!at!the!Meeting!House!in!Fellowship!Hall.!!
The!class!instructor!will!be!Sifu!Stephen!“Lucky”!Luckingham.!
Lucky!has!been!studying,!practicing!and!mastering!the!Martial!Arts!since!the!age!of!
five!years.!
Classes!run!in!8!week!sessions!at!$80.00!per!session!(includes!the!registration!fee).!
For%questions%please%contact%Ginny%Hedrick%at%860C677C9272.%
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THE USH BOOK CLUB - The goals of the Book Club are:
(1) to foster communication and community, as do our other small
church groups,
(2) to read fiction and non-fiction that raise issues of interest to
Unitarian Universalists (recognizing that any and all issues are
generally interesting to UUs!)
As with any continuing organization, consistent active participation
from a core of members are essential to the success of the group; i.e.
regular members of the Book Club should attend meetings, read the
book selected, recommend books for general reading or for a future
meeting and notify the host of the next meeting if they are unable to
attend. Of course we welcome individuals who want to “try out” our
sessions or are attracted by a particular book.
Meetings are generally held between 7 and 8:30 pm on the third
Thursday of each month, in the church library, with hosts on a
rotating basis to provide light refreshments.
At the beginning of each session, it has been our custom to share
and discuss poetry of interest to a participant.
In our discussions we employ the rules for small group meetings as
much as possible with the goal being to patiently hear everyone who
wishes to share thoughts and to have as many participate as
possible.
Attendees select books for future reading and suggestions are always
welcome. We seek to read fiction and non-fiction books that are
generally available -- usually books that have been issued in
paperback and therefore can be easily found in libraries. Generally,
the proposer of a book selected serves as facilitator to pose
questions/provide background.
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USH Book Club Sept 2014- June 2015 Scheduled Reads
Oct 2 A Tale for the Time Being-- Ruth Ozeki
an absorbing novel is an extended meditation on writing, time, and people in
time.Ozeki's treatment of time and its vagaries and mystery permeates the
book and leaves one ever guessing about what is truth and what is fiction,
what is life and what is death
Nov 6 My Antonia-- Willa Cather
100 years after it was written, it remains a wonderful exploration of many
current American themes - the dignity of hard work, the challenge of
immigration, the challenge of women to demand their place on Main St. in
business, in the farm fields and on the dance floor, the class distinctions of
city vs country - all wrapped within a coming of age story
Dec 4 Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation-- Cokie
Roberts
an intimate and illuminating look at the fervently patriotic and passionate
women whose tireless pursuits on behalf of their families–and their country–
proved just as crucial to the forging of a new nation as the rebellion that
established it.
Jan 8 Raising My Rainbow:Adventures in Raising a Fabulous,
Gender Creative Son-- Lori Duron-a frank, heartfelt, and brutally funny account of the author and her
family's adventures of distress and happiness raising a gendercreative son. Whereas her older son, Chase, is a Lego-loving,
sports-playing boy's boy, her younger son, C.J., would much rather
twirl around in a pink sparkly tutu, with a Disney Princess in each
hand while singing Lady Gag's 'Paparazzi.'" Duron's
blog, RaisingMyRainbow.com. is the first 'Mommy Blog' to chronicle
raising a gender-creative child and has nearly 400,000 readers in
more than 150 countries.
Feb 5 The Snow Child -- Epwom Ivey
Eowyn Ivey, suggests that if you face winter head-on — as do the childless
homesteaders, Mabel and Jack, in this story about life on our northernmost
frontier in the 1920s — you may find more hope after sadness than you had
ever imagined.
Mar 5 Corelli’s Mandolin: A Novel-- Louis De Bernieres
is not in the least a simple love story. It is a portrait of a fiercely proud and
independent little community rebelling in what small ways it can. It is a
snapshot of the horrors endured by the men in combat during the Second
World War. It is a damning commentary on the grandiose lack of sense
among the leaders who would mold the world to fit their petty desires.
Apr 2 Invention of Wings -- Sue Monk Kidd
Inspired by the true story of early-nineteenth-century abolitionist and
suffragist Sarah Grimké, Kidd paints a moving portrait of two women
inextricably linked by the horrors of slavery. Sarah, daughter of a wealthy
South Carolina plantation owner, exhibits an independent spirit and strong
belief in the equality of all. Thwarted from her dreams of becoming a
lawyer, she struggles throughout life to find an outlet for her convictions.
Handful, a slave in the Grimké household, displays a sharp intellect and
brave, rebellious disposition. She maintains a compliant exterior, while
planning for a brighter future.
May 7 Lost in Shangri-La-: A True Story of Sirvival, Adventure, and
the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II -- Mitchell
Zuckoff
In 1945, near the end of the war, an American plane crashes in a hidden
jungle valley in New Guinea inhabited by Stone Age cannibals. 21
Americans die in the crash, but three injured survivors soon find themselves
stumbling through the jungle without food, nursing terrible wounds and
trying to elude Japanese snipers known to be holding out in the mountains....
June 4 Open ??? (potluck?
-----please contact Richard Groothuis with any questions or comments!
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USH Bookclub..January 8th – 7:00 PM
Our meeting on January 8th will
be at the home of Jean and
Richard at 7:00 PM.
For the Winter months, at least,
we will be cozying up in
members' homes.
Please try and make meetings or
call when you cannot come, as
there is a real bonding that
occurs when we interact with
each other on an ongoing basis.
The meetings are wonderful ways to share books, ideas and our life
experiences.
RAISING MY RAINBOW-- LORI DURON
Raising My Rainbow is Lori Duron’s frank, heartfelt, and brutally
funny account of her and her family's adventures of distress and
happiness raising a gender-creative son. Whereas her older son,
Chase, is a Lego-loving, sports-playing boy's boy, her younger son,
C.J., would much rather twirl around in a pink sparkly tutu, with a
Disney Princess in each hand while singing Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi."
C.J. is gender variant or gender nonconforming, whichever you
prefer. Whatever the term, Lori has a boy who likes girl stuff—really
likes girl stuff. He floats on the gender-variation spectrum from supermacho-masculine on the left all the way to super-girly-feminine on the
right. He's not all pink and not all blue. He's a muddled mess or a
rainbow creation. Lori and her family choose to see the rainbow.
Written in Lori's uniquely witty and warm voice and launched by her
incredibly popular blog of the same name, Raising My Rainbow is the
unforgettable story of her wonderful family as they navigate the often
challenging but never dull privilege of raising a slightly effeminate,
possibly gay, totally fabulous son.
USH Book Club will meet on February 5 at 7:00 PM, at the
home of Jaen and Bob Andrews- 78 Grennan Rd, West
Hartford
The Snow Child-- Eowyn Ivey!
Does anyone really belong to you? If
you think of children or spouses in
this regard, The Snow Child will stop
you cold.
In her haunting, evocative debut
Eowyn Ivey stakes her claim on a
Russian fairy tale, daring the reader-and the characters--to be lulled into
thinking they know the ending. But,
as with the Alaskan wilderness,
there’s far more here than meets the eye. On the surface it’s
the story of a childless pioneer couple running from their East
Coast lives and struggling to survive in the harshest of climates
while also attempting to reconnect with each other; but it’s also
the story of the spring of hope that bubbles out of new
friendships, of the slow realization of love for a surrogate child,
of the ties between man and nature. Ivey spares no words in
describing the beauty and the danger of her native Alaska,
bringing the sheer magnitude of the wilderness alive on every
page. With the transparent prose of a fairy tale and descriptions
to put nature writing to shame, The Snow Child immerses
readers in a 1920s Alaska that will draw them back again and
again.
USH Book Club will meet Thursday March 5
at 7:00 PM at
Edith Savage's home - 2243 Albany Ave, West Hartford
Corelli’s Mandolin: A Novel-- Louis De Bernieres
Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres is not in the least a simple
love story. It is a portrait of a fiercely proud and independent little
community rebelling in what small ways it can. It is a snapshot of the
horrors endured by the men in combat during the Second World War.
It is a damning commentary on the grandiose lack of sense among
the leaders who would mold the world to fit their petty desires. And it
is a very good read.
Please RSVP to Edith Savage as to whether you will attend
USH Book Club April 9, 2015 at 1:00 PM at the USH Meeting
House
Invention of Wings -- Sue
Monk Kidd
Inspired by the true story of
early-nineteenth-century
abolitionist and suffragist Sarah
Grimké, Kidd paints a moving
portrait of two women
inextricably linked by the
horrors of slavery. Sarah,
daughter of a wealthy South
Carolina plantation owner,
exhibits an independent spirit
and strong belief in the equality
of all. Thwarted from her dreams
of becoming a lawyer, she
struggles throughout life to find
an outlet for her convictions.
Handful, a slave in the Grimké household, displays a sharp intellect and
brave, rebellious disposition. She maintains a compliant exterior, while
planning for a brighter future.
May 7, 5:30 PM in Servetus at
the USH Meeting House
Lost in Shangri-La-: A True
Story of Survival, Adventure,
and the Most Incredible Rescue
Mission of World War II -Mitchell Zuckoff
In 1945, near the end of the war,
an American plane crashes in a
hidden jungle valley in New
Guinea inhabited by Stone Age
cannibals. 21 Americans die in the
crash, but three injured survivors
soon find themselves stumbling
through the jungle without food, nursing terrible wounds and trying to elude
Japanese snipers known to be holding out in the mountains....
UU, USH AND YOU
WOMEN’S ALLIANCE PROGRAMS FOR ALL