Deepening Together

Half of the funds from the Unitarian Universalist Associations “Association Sunday” campaign in 2008 are earmarked to support “Lay Theological Education.”  According to the UUA’s website, the goal is to “fill the gap between the classes you might take on a weeknight at a typical congregation and the courses that divinity schools offer full-time students.”  This focus came out as a response to pleas from engaged and committed UU lay people for “deepening.”  
 
We have not applied for any of those funds, and likely won’t need to.  However, by collaborating with some of my colleagues, I’m pleased to be able to offer a number of high quality Adult Religious Education (ARE) experiences to KUUF members and friends.  
 
I’m experimenting with two different models. One you can see here.  Along with the ministers who serve our congregations on Bainbridge Island and in Port Townsend, I’ll be helping to facilitate a day long exploration of the theology of the late Rev. Dr. Forrest Church, one of the great UU luminaries of the 20th century.  We’ll offer the program at all three locations, and we are hoping for some cross pollination.
 
Then in March, the Rev. Dr. James Kubal-Komoto will be coming to KUUF in an Adult RE exchange.  I’ll teach a class at Saltwater (called “Praying from the Heart”) and James will teach “Sharing the Good News of Unitarian Universalism” at KUUF on March 7th.  Obviously, I’ll also offer “Praying from the Heart” at KUUF, but the exchange means that you will get two workshops for the ‘price’ (in planning time) of one.  These are in addition to the high-quality opportunity for growth and exploration - the workshop on Nonviolent Communication.  
 
If you are one of the UU laypeople who is yearning for “deepening,” I hope these workshops will satisfy.  I also hope that we might begin to get more ‘cross-pollination’ of ideas, and more cooperation among neighboring congregations.  We have a lot to offer one another.

Blessings, Liz