For more information about the offerings listed below, contact Jesse Greist, Director of Lifespan Religious Education, at jesse.greist@usnh.org

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Spirit Dance with D’Arcy Jeffrey

Next Spirit Dance: Sunday, March 24, 2024 from 12-12:30 in the Sanctuary.

D’Arcy Jeffery, a new member at USNH, will be hosting Spirit Dance several times this year. In Spirit Dance, participants will be encouraged to move in any way the spirit moves them. All ages, all activity levels will be encouraged – It’s all dance! D’Arcy may give some guidance as to movements you can do, but mostly it will be up to you! If you have questions, or a song suggestion for a future dance event, please contact D’Arcy through are@usnh.org.  

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Healthy Eating, Healthy Living

Cooking Class and Lecture Series 

April 10, 11am-1pm in the Social Hall and Kitchen at USNH 

Registration is required. Sign up here

In this series, participants will explore the evidence behind lifestyle choices that can help us to prevent, treat, and even reverse chronic diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and chronic inflammatory processes.  The final session on April 10 will focus on diabetes prevention and treatment
 
This session is combined with an optional cooking class (11-11:45am). Supplies for the cooking class will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own “instant pot”.
 
The presentation (11:45am-1pm) can be attended in person or viewed virtually. 
A light lunch will be served.  
 
This series is free for USNH members. For non-members, the cost will be $10 per person. 
 
Dr. Garg is a board-certified physician in both emergency medicine and lifestyle medicine. She has been practicing for the past 12 years. She recently opened her own practice called Lifestyle and Family Medicine (LFM).

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Adult Neighboring Faiths Class

October 2023-June 2024

Sign up for this class by clicking here.  

This year, Ellen Greist and Gayle Walter are offering this homegrown curriculum in which participants will learn about the many faith communities in Southern Connecticut and visit their houses of worship to help “build bridges” of understanding. 

In-class sessions will be held on the first Sunday of each month from October to June. Field visits (to as many CONECT congregations as possible) will be dependent on the schedule of each host congregation.  As we would like to attend a service or ritual gathering, visits to Christian churches will be on Sunday mornings; Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Sikh gatherings may occur on other days and times.

Upcoming visits in 2024 include an Historically Black Church, a Hindu Temple, a Sikh Gurudwara and a mosque.

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Birds in Religions and Romantic Reform

A Book Discussion with Petra Gardella and Laurence Krute, co-authors of Wings of the Gods

Sunday, April 28, 12-1:30pm in the USNH Library 

Birds have a larger place in religions than any other non-human animal.  They feature in many creation stories, including those of India, Israel,  Finland, and the Hopi and Haudenosaunee of America. More than symbols,  birds gained divine status by guiding humans to water and food, replanting  forests after ice ages and fires, and living with humans in farms and cities.  Peter (Petra) Gardella and Laurence Krute argue that Romantic poets and  artists began a religion of nature that sees birds as equal inhabitants of  Earth. They hope that in this new religion, the beauty and wonder of birds can inspire belief in God and direct human efforts to save the world.

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An open writers’ group – Meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month online from 7 – 8:30 pm   Share, listen and discuss original works of poetry and prose inspired by the 2023-2024 USNH monthly worship themes.  Facilitated by Dir. Lifespan Religious Education, Jesse Greist.  

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Adult Religious Education Discussion Circle

On the last Sunday of each month after worship (12-1:30pm) in room 209

Discussions will focus on our monthly worship themes, but may flow beyond them as well.  Facilitated by Maggie Goodwin, Marc Eisenberg, Karen Swanson, Kathleen Haskins and others.

 

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The USNH Anti-Racism Team/8th Principle Working Group

Meetings are the 1st Wednesday of the month from 7-8:30pm on zoom

Some of our goals for 2023-24 include (but are not limited to):

  • working with the Town of Hamden on the Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships initiative.
  • lead book discussions and workshops such as the locally based The Other Side of Prospect;
  • implement elements of the Widening the Circle anti-racism/anti-oppression report at USNH
  • Educate the community about disability rights 
  • Identify and work to resolve local cases of Environmental Racism.
  • co-develop worship with Rev. Stephen Kendrick in February 2024. 

Join us for these important meetings and help us move into the new year in meaningful, impactful ways!

The USNH Anti-Racism/8th principle Team meets monthly to discuss and support race equity programs such as the Waverly partnership, ongoing education initiatives, and anti-racist USNH worship, such as the services highlighted below:

The  8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism answers the call of Black, Indigenous and other People Of Color (BIPOC) for a new UU principle rooted in the essential work of anti-racism, anti-oppression and the dismantling of White Supremacy culture in ourselves and our institutions.  USNH took most of 2021 to consider and talk through what adapting this new principle would mean for us and for the community.  We are overjoyed to share that the 8th principle was officially adopted at USNH’s December, 2021 congregational meeting.  Now the real work begins!  The 8th Principle Working Group has joined forces with the Anti-Racism Team and have shifted focus to educating and integrating the 8th principle into all aspects of congregational life at USNH.  The groups meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 7-8:30PM. For more information about the group, write to 8thprinciple@usnh.org.


 

Committee Meetings

Adult Religious Education Committee meetings are held monthly on the second Monday, 7-8:30pm at USNH or online – All are welcome!

  • To join this committee, write to are@usnh.org.  

What Moves Us

The Adult Religious Education Committee strives to create a learning environment that motivates our Unitarian Universalist congregation to grow spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and socially for our good and that of the wider community.

The Adult Religious Education Committee provides opportunities for spiritual growth, fostering connections and commitment to USNH and Unitarian Universalism and developing the foundations for action for justice through a variety of classes, courses, and one-time events.

The Goals & Objectives of the USNH Adult Religious Education Committee are…

  • Partnering with other groups within our congregation to create intentional spaces for sharing and growing our knowledge about spiritual issues, social issues and UU identity.
  • Inviting participation in these intentional spaces by individuals & organizations in the wider New Haven community so as to encourage a social justice and interfaith (including no faith) spiritual discourse among USNH members and those beyond our congregation.
  • Fostering open dialogue and discourse, in these spaces with these participants, to encourage the reflection portion of a praxis  – striving towards greater & more effective action on social justice and interfaith (including no faith) spiritual issues.