Soul Matters Classes
Adult Religious Education Program 2025-2026: Opportunities for Growth and Exploration
The Adult Religious Education (ARE) program for the 2025-2026 academic year presents a diverse array of opportunities for individuals seeking to deepen their understanding, explore their spirituality, and connect with others within our community. Recognizing the varied schedules and interests of our participants, the program will feature monthly classes held on both Sundays and weeknights, allowing for greater accessibility. These sessions will employ a rotating format, ensuring a dynamic and engaging learning experience throughout the year. Participants can look forward to three distinct class types, each designed to foster growth in unique ways:
- Creativity Matters: This class offers a hands-on approach to exploring meaningful themes through various creative activities. Participants will have the opportunity to engage their imaginations and express their understanding through artistic mediums. This format encourages experiential learning and provides a space for personal reflection and connection to the subject matter in a non-traditional way.
- UU Writers: Designed as a smaller, more intimate group, UU Writers will focus on delving into selected themes through the power of writing. Participants will be encouraged to explore their thoughts, perspectives, and insights through various writing exercises and prompts. This class aims to cultivate self-expression, foster deeper engagement with the themes, and build a supportive community amongst those who share a passion for writing.
- Practice Matters: This small group will center around the exploration and practice of spiritual disciplines drawn from a wide spectrum of world religions. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about and engage in various practices, fostering a deeper understanding of different faith traditions and enriching their own spiritual lives. This class emphasizes experiential learning and the integration of spiritual practices into daily life.
While we warmly welcome drop-in participants who may be interested in attending individual sessions, we strongly encourage regular attendance within each chosen class. Consistent engagement allows for a more profound exploration of the themes, fosters stronger connections within the group, and contributes to a richer overall learning experience for all involved. We believe that this multifaceted program will offer something for everyone seeking to continue their religious and spiritual education in the coming year. Further details regarding the specific weeknight for classes and the schedule of themes for each class type will be released in the near future.
Small Groups
Deepening Your Spiritual Journey: Small Groups and Monthly Discussions
Embark on a meaningful exploration of your spirituality in the upcoming year through our revitalized Adult Religious Education program. At its core are intimate, monthly small groups meticulously designed to foster deep listening and cultivate the practice of Soul Matters spiritual discernment. These thoughtfully curated groups will gather twice each month at mutually convenient times determined by their members, providing a consistent and supportive environment for personal growth and shared reflection.
Complementing these ongoing small group experiences, we will also host a larger, inclusive drop-in discussion group centered on the same compelling topic each month. This gathering will take place on one Sunday and serves as an accessible point of entry for both dedicated small group participants and individuals curious to explore the monthly themes and gain insight into the small group dynamic. While we deeply value and encourage consistent engagement within the twice-monthly small groups to build strong connections and foster deeper exploration, the Sunday sessions are intentionally structured to accommodate flexible attendance, welcoming all who wish to participate as their schedules allow.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Soul Matters Classes
How can I become a Soul Matters Class Leader?
If you are interested in leading one of our “Soul Matters Classes,” please reach out to Nick. We will establish a rotation that fits leaders’ schedules. We could also have teams of leaders for each subject. You will be given each month’s curriculum a month in advance once Soul Matters releases them. Leaders will focus on one topic, moving from Sunday Teaching to Weeknight Teaching to having a month off.
How can I become a Soul Matters Class Leader?
If you would simply like to participate in these classes, there will be sign-ups every month. You can sign up for the classes and times that work for you. We will need at least four people signed up for each session by the week before it to run the class to respect the leaders’ time and effort put into planning the class. This schedule and registration process will be released in August.
This seems like a complicated schedule
It kind of is, but here is a sample schedule. We will share an updated schedule once registration opens in August. (Sunday Dates are set, the week night times and day are TBD)
September 14 (Sunday Morning) – Creativity Matters;
September 17 (Wednesday Evening)– UU Writers
No Practice Matters this month
October 12 (Sunday Morning) – UU Writers
October 15 (Wednesday Evening) – Practice Matters
No Creativity Matters this month
November 2 (Sunday Morning) – Practice Matters
November 5 (Wednesday Evening) – Creativity Matters
No UU Writers this month
December 7 (Sunday Morning) – Creativity Matters
Decemebr 10 (Wednesday Evening)– UU Writers
No Practice Matters this month
Small Groups
Small Groups sound similar to Covenant Groups. Are they?
Yes, they are born of a similar goal to connect individuals on a more intimate level and to connect with each other, delving deeper into our spiritual, social, and emotional lives.
Why change the name?
Besides our DRE’s need to constantly seek new dopamine hits by constantly rearranging the proverbial and literal furniture, “Small Groups” is a more culturally understood term for the type of groups these are. This is particularly helpful for the many new people who have joined our community. It is also a literal descriptor of the activity…a Small Group. And it is the terminology that the curriculum designers use. But if it helps, these can also be called Covenant Groups.
I would like to lead one of these groups.
We need about 3-5 leaders to take on leading a Small Group (or Covenant Group). We will meet a few times over the summer as a group to go over the process. We will then check in as a group with Nick and/or Sasha to see how the groups are going and how we can support each other. The curriculum is released six weeks before the month. Each group will meet twice a month based on the leader’s availability.
I would simply like to sign up to join a small group.
As with the Soul Matters Classes, small group registration will open in August. Please sign up for a day and time that works for you. Each month, advanced materials will be emailed to you as well as placed in the newsletter. It is encouraged that you look over that information to better engage with your group.
Can I be in a group with my friends?
We are not going to tell you when to sign up. If you would like to coordinate with your friends, then by all means, go for it. However, small groups work best with a diverse group of people. And we hope you get to know more members of the Fellowship.
If I join a small group now, will that be my small group forever?
The short answer is “No.” While small groups will stay together for the first part of the year, and we hope that you will make close bonds with people in your groups. We will reform groups in the new year we hope to mix them up. So the long answer is members of any small group can be your friends forever!
This all sounds good, but I don’t think it’s for me.
Again, we are not going to tell you what to do, but we will say that Small Groups are for everyone. Even if you already meet with a small group around a specific topic, spiritual practice, or cause, we think that these small groups are for all members of the Fellowship. Young and old, longtime members and new friends, can gain meaningful insights and relationships from this process. We strongly encourage that every member of the Fellowship join or lead a small group.
Other Classes
If I am doing the math correctly, there are only plans for two Sundays a month. What about the others?
The other Sundays will be open for other events. One Sunday a month (approximately) is designated a Community Sunday. On these Sundays, children and adults will remain in community following our multigenerational service. These Sundays will feature an enhanced Social Hour. Days like our Ingathering, Picnic, or Souper Sundays are great opportunities for Community Sundays. We may also utilize these days to have more focused discussions with our Open Questions, allowing all to participate (even our children). Other Sundays during the month will include Adult programs such as the Odyssey Project or other specialized activities.
I have an idea for a class not listed here.
We love that there is a long history of developing all sorts of classes at the Fellowship. There is a wonderful pool of intelligent and passionate people here. If you have an idea for a class you would like to lead, please reach out to Nick. He really wants to help make it happen. Classes can be a one-time class on Financial Planning or a two-month class on Meditation or a workshop on sustainable planting methods. We would love to share our talents with each other and encourage a spirit of learning.
Contact and Survey
We really want to hear from you. If you are interested in any of these programs or have suggestions for other classes, please fill out this survey. Or if you have questions, please contact our Director of Lifespan Religious Education, Nick Wallwork at [email protected].ocial Hour. Days like our Ingathering, Picnic or Souper Sundays are great opportunities for Community Sundays. We may also utilize these days to have more focused discussions with our Open Questions Allowing all to participate (even our children). Other Sundays during the month will include Adult programs such as the Odyssey Project or other specialized activities.
