50 Bloomfield Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105 Tel: (860) 233-9897 / FAX 233-1333 Email: firstunitarian@ushartford.com

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2010 Fall Courses Have a proposed program for next season? Download a form, print it and send it along. In the alternative, you may download the form in Microsoft Word and simply complete it and send it as an attachment. Registration Form to Download Looking for the movie list? Here it is. Jump to: Mission Statement 2010-2011 Registration Information Ember Days Friday Night Dinner and Movie Horse Trekking in Mongolia Meditation and Dharma Nonviolent Communication Practice Group Our Chosen Faith Seabury UUs Senexet House Women’s Retreat Small Dinner Parties Small Group Ministry Tai Chi The Art of Nourishment USH Book Club 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 anti-discriminatory 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: firstunitarian@ushartford.com Phone: 860-233-9897 2010-2011 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 pull-down menu, on the left side of the home page, click on Adult Programs) or at the Programs Table at Coffee 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 Table in Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hours on Sunday; OR call Janice Newton at 860-677-1121; 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 860-677-1121 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 (860-677-1121) or email (dcnewton(at sign)snet.net), 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 office or the Director of Religious Education directly (dre@ushartford.com). Other sub-councils and groups such as the Council on Social Justice, the Unitarian Alliance Ministry to Women, and others 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. at the Programs Table in Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour, or on the bulletin board in the front lobby of the Meeting House. 8. Locations - All programs are held at the Meeting House unless otherwise noted. Ember Days We continue celebrating Ember Days at USH in 2010-2011. These contemplative gatherings include spiritual exercises and time for personal introspection in silence. Historically, the early church set aside these four sets of three days each as a time to ruminate on the wondrous cycles of nature, and on the unique calling and giftedness of each of us as holy persons in religious community. Consider abstaining (fasting) from food, the newspaper, speaking, email, etc. as preparation for the sessions. Come to any or all of the gatherings. Rev. Jamestone will facilitate. Autumnal Equinox Session Dates/Times: Wednesday, September, 15th 12:00-2:00 PM Friday, September 17th 6:00-8:00 PM Saturday, September 18th 6:00-8:00 PM Winter Solstice Session Dates/Times: Wednesday, December 15th 12:00-2:00 PM Friday, December 17th 6:00-8:00 PM Saturday, December, 18th 6:00-8:00 PM No Registration Necessary - No Fee Friday Night Dinner/Movie Night Adult Programs Sub-Council  of the  Unitarian Society of Hartford presents ~  Friday Night Dinner and Movie  ~ October 2010 ~ June 2011 please make your reservations by Monday before Friday movie (helping hands for set-up always appreciated) 5:30 – beverages and popcorn 6:00 – dinner – catered or pizza movie, optional discussion October  8  - Catered Dinner $18 “Most Dangerous Man in America” “At age 79, Daniel Ellsberg is getting the last guffaw.” (2009) November  12  - Pizza $10  “Cinema Paradiso” “Still rapturous after all these years,…stands as one of the great films about movie love.”  (1988) December  10  - Catered Dinner $18  “Single Man” “A beautiful, heartbreaking, life-affirming film that’s as warm and funny as it is devastating.”  (2009) January  14  - Pizza $10 “Winter’s Bone” “…suspenseful crime drama and a pitiless portrait of a part of America that's usually ignored.” (2010).                     February  11 “Invictus” “...a polished, well-made, and unaffectedly inspiring motion picture about an inspiring individual and an inspiring victory.”  (2010) March  11  “The Secret in Their Eyes” “It's impossible not to get caught up in this epic tale of unresolved love and despair.” (2009) April  8 “Sneakers” “Excellent techno-thriller. Cool gadgets and a great gang of misfit spies.” (1992) May  13 “The Last Station” “Beautifully crafted, and sensationally well acted, it overflows with romance, heart and intelligence.”  (2009) June 10 “Tender Mercies” “An anti-Hollywood drama that glitters in its subdued form because it's a real gem.” (1983) (Thanks to RottenTomatoes and IMDb, sites where you can read more about these movies.) Please call 860-693-4269 for further information Horse Trekking In Mongolia With Anne and Betty We’ll share photos and stories from our two-week horse trek in northern Mongolia, traveling with a small group of fellow Appalachian Mountain Club members. Few travelers venture through the mountains on these ancient migration routes - still used to this day - to the Darhat Valley, just south of the Siberian border. It is here, miles from paved roads and cities, that the native nomads move about in the warmer months, living in gers (yurts), and grazing their herds of animals – sheep, goats, yaks, and horses - in a culture that goes back hundreds of years. These friendly, resourceful people were as much a part of the experience as the magnificent scenery they live in. Come travel with us to another world - it was truly the trip of a lifetime! Sunday October 31, 12:30 PM in Fellowship Hall. Bring your lunch, or buy soup, and stay for the show. Popcorn and lemonade will be provided. All are welcome. Sponsored by the Unitarian Alliance Ministry to Women 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 Time: 5:45-7:00 PM Contact: Jan Bennett 860-693-4479 chair_clinic@juno.com Nonviolent Communication Practice Group Wednesday night NVC Practice group welcomes anyone who has taken an introduction class, or read the book, Non-Violent 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, with the intention to enhance the understanding and implementation for the components of NVC. By “practicing” with each other using such activities as readings, exercises, and sharing personal experiences, the intention is to improve on our skills to incorporate NVC into our everyday lives. Facilitated by Jan Bennett. Interested in joining this group? Please contact the facilitator. Dates: Most Wednesdays, beginning September 22 - December 15, 2010 Time: 7:15-9:00 PM Fee: None Contact: Jan Bennett, 860-693-4479 or, chair_clinic(at sign)juno.com "Our Chosen Faith": Reflections and Dialogue on UUism Led by Rev. Jamestone on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, this ongoing class is open to all: members, friends, newcomers, and all who are curious, accepting, open, and in love with the idea of a never-ending spiritual journey worthy of our best. Come once, or come to all 16 gatherings! Feel free to drop in and try it out. Our class time will be an interactive dialogue with thoughtful and soul stirring exercises, based on your own questions and reactions to the authors’ perspectives in the book  A Chosen Faith. This book is available for purchase. (see below*)   You can count on every session, all year long, being uniquely rewarding because people in the room will actually be the “content” as we bring our serious and silly selves into connection. Your life could be changed by the heart and faith connections you’ll have an opportunity to make, should you choose to attend “Our Chosen Faith" reflections. A study guide to the specific sessions is listed below. Time:  7:00 PM Dates: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays (2010 - 2011): Sept. 22          Oct 13, 27           Nov 10                Dec 8, 22 Jan 12, 26 Feb 9, 23 Mar 9, 23 Apr 13, 2 7 May 11, 25 June 8: Potluck gathering                          * A Chosen Faith, by John A. Buehrens and Forrest Church, ($16) is available downstairs during coffee hour: it can be purchased at the Book Cart next to the Programs Table or call Janice Newton (860 - 677-1121).  You are invited to look through a copy at the Visitors’ Table.   Guide to “Our Chosen Faith” Sessions 2nd and 4th Wednesday evenings, 7:00 pm at USH Meeting House Led by Rev. BJ (Note: We will NOT meet the 4th Wednesday in November!) Visitors are welcome to drop in and try out a session. If you have the book, please try to read the chapters in advance of the class.   Session 1: (09/22/10, 01/12/11, 04/13/11)   Introduction and chapters 1 and 2 Awakenings and experiences   Session 2: (10/13/10, 01/26/11, 04/27/11) Chapters 3 and 4 Confronting structures of evil, including the sin of “sophisticated resignation” Session 3: (10/27/10, 02/09/11, 05/11/11) Chapters 5 and 6 Allowing ourselves to be changed by dialogue     Session 4: (11/10/10, 02/23/11, 05/25/11) Chapters 7 and 8 Naming our unwelcome neighbors, and other expectations which limit us Session 5:  (12/08/10 and 03/09/11) Chapters 9 and 10 Virtuous idolatries, where science and religion clash Session 6: (12/22/10 and 03/23/11) Chapters 11 and 12 Returning to the springs of faith, with nature as our guide  Seabury UUs UUs and their friends join BJ monthly, in the Hearthside Parlor at Seabury retirement community, for the 4th year in a row, for fun and fellowship, for reflection and connection, for studying our navels and the cosmos. If you are looking for good company, join us anytime! Dates: Second Fridays Time: 3:00-4:30 PM SENEXET Retreat for ALL womenfolk at USH - October 22-24, 2010 Escape your worldly pressures by joining other USH women at a Women’s R & R Retreat Weekend (Friday evening through Sunday morning) Be prepared for two days of rest, relaxation, and marvelous food at Senexet House, a comfortable Victorian era conference center, located in the woods in Woodstock CT. Kit Northup, renown for her delicious cooking, will prepare our meals. By popular request, a book discussion will take place on Saturday on the book Strength In What Remains. This book by Tracy Kidder is a testament to the power of will and friendship, and of the endurance of the soul. “With an anthropologist's eye and a novelist's pen, Pulitzer Prize-winning Kidder recounts the story of Deo, the Burundian former medical student turned American émigré at the center of this strikingly vivid story . . . . . Reading this book . . . enables one to walk in the footsteps of its singular subject and see worlds new and old afresh. This profoundly gripping, hopeful and crucial testament is a work of the utmost skill, sympathy and moral clarity." Publishers Weekly review The weekend will also include “favorite book” sharing, yoga, hiking and games. Of course all this is optional so you can opt out if you truly want to rest, relax and do your own thing. Senexet can accommodate a maximum of 35, so register early. Two nights, with 5 meals will be $160. Adjustments can be made for one night or fewer meals. A list of optional pricing will be available by mid-September.This is a wonderful opportunity to renew old friendships and make new ones. A high rate of return “retreaters” speaks to its popularity. Small Dinner Parties - Fall dates: Oct. 16, Nov. 13, and Dec. 11. The purpose of these Dinner Parties is social camaraderie among new and old members of USH. Six to ten adults are randomly assigned in different groupings for each dinner. The host furnishes the entrée, beverage and bread. Guests are assigned to bring appetizers, salad, side dish or dessert. With advance notice, a substitute can be found if the registrant must miss a date. Also, we will try to accommodate anyone who is handicapped. Not everyone can host, but we do need hosts, so participants whose homes can seat six may be asked to host one dinner. Registrations will be taken in Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour on September 12th , 19th , and 26th . Dates: Oct.16th, Nov. 13th, and Dec. 11th Fee: $2.00 per household for paper/mailing expenses. Registration Deadline: September 26! Small Group Ministry for Fall 2010 The success of SGM continues for good reason! Get to know other members and friends better while discussing spiritual and life topics openly and in depth. Share insights you have gained and concerns you have been struggling with, and explore the spiritual dimension to your life in a non-judgmental atmosphere. Groups of 7-10 people follow a common format at each meeting: check-in, chalice lighting, reading on a meaningful topic, questions and sharing of personal experiences following a covenant of close listening and right relationship, and closing reading. Groups are scheduled for different days of the week in various locations and at different times, and normally meet 8 times. Interested persons are encouraged to identify accessibility concerns (including assisted listening devices or allergies) to Mike Roy so we can address these concerns to the best of our ability. Pre-registration is required. Participants are notified of details before sessions begin. Register on Sunday or by calling Janice Newton at 860-677-1121 or e-mailing Janice at dcnewton(at sign)snet.net. These 7 new groups will begin in October 2010; start dates are listed. Start Dates/Locations: 1. Monday evenings (7:00-9:00 PM), October 18, USH Meeting House Facilitators Marye Gail Harrison and Diane Cadrain, Host TBA This special offering is a Creativity-Based SGM. Come and explore your personal connection between your creative self and your spiritual self. Using the 8-week SGM format of practicing right relationship in a sacred space, this group will tap into the creative spirit with 4 arts and crafts experiences, rotated with 4 more traditional meetings for reflection and discussion. This group will be a nice follow-up for those who have participated in The Artist’s Way program. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. Materials fee of $5.00 per person. 2. Tuesday evenings (7:00-9:00 PM), October 19, Bloomfield Facilitator Martha Bradley, Hosts Kayla and Earl Costenoble 3. Tuesday evenings (7:00-9:00 PM), October 19, Farmington Facilitator Mike Roy, Hosts Janice and David Newton 4. Wednesday evenings (7:00-9:00 PM), October 20, Hartford Facilitator Reverend Barbara Jamestone, Host Carol Davidson This SGM will focus its readings and reflections on “faith.” Newcomers to SGM (or to the Meeting House) are especially welcome! 5. Thursday afternoons (1:00-3:00 PM), October 21, USH Meeting House Facilitator RE Director Gail Syring, Host TBA 6. Thursday evenings (7:00-9:00 PM), October 14, USH Meeting House Facilitator Julie Smith, Host Deb Nardi This SGM is an LGBT affinity group, with straight and supportive friends welcome. 7. Friday evenings (5:30-8:00 PM), October 15, USH Meeting House Facilitator David Principe, Host TBA This Family-Friendly group is open to everyone, but will especially accommodate adult members and friends with younger children. Format changes are: • Dinner of pizza and salad (or pot-luck) for adults and kids, costs shared by all • USH provides childcare at no charge • Dinner from 5:30-6:30 pm; SGM from 6:30-8:00 pm • Meet on Friday evening (no school next day!) We welcome participation by parents, whether single or partnered. Both spouses or partners can choose to participate, or just one spouse or partner may participate. Fee none (except $5.00 materials fee for Creativity SGM) Contact Mike Roy, 860 561-4061, Michaelroy25@comcast.net <mailto:Michaelroy25@comcast.net> Tai Chi Tai Chi is an ancient form of Chinese exercise. It is a type of moving meditation that teaches the classic principles of Relaxation, Emptiness and Fullness, Evenness and Slowness, Balance, Rooting and Sinking, Coordination and Centering, Breathing and Chi and Concentration. We live in a world where nothing is enough and constant demands leave us frustrated and exhausted. Tai Chi not only offers asylum from this lifestyle, but a learning experience that teaches strategies for taking care of ourselves in the midst of it all. Do something good for yourself. The extraordinary health benefits of this ancient art form continue to be revealed to us. Curious? Visit us for one class and see what you think. Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Dates: 8-week sessions, Wednesdays Time: Beginners’ Tai Chi 5:00-6:00 PM Ongoing Tai Chi 5:00-6:00 PM Fee: $50/session Contact: Ginny Hedrick, 860-677-9272, ctginfarm@comcast.net for information and dates The Art of Nourishment Join us for 9 insightful weeks in an exploration of one’s relationship with food. What is food? We are nourished by more than grains and vegetables. We hunger for play, laughter, touch, and human connection, yet so many of us have difficulty in serving up a dish of love and instead turn to a bowl of ice cream. For one hour every Friday, from September 17th to November 19th, we will bring up provocative insights into our food imprints and food culture. Come as you are and cultivate more acceptance and love for who you are as a whole. This group encourages awareness, acceptance, and evolution in our relationship with food, however one may define it. (David’s Den, 10:30-11:30 am, beginning 9/17/10) Facilitated by BJ and Juliet Kapsis USH Book Club - The USH Book Club will begin on Tuesday, October 12 from 7 - 8:30 PM at the home of Jean and Richard Groothuis, 58 Hitchcock Lane, Avon. We will discuss Major Pettigrew”s Last Stand and organizational issues. At this meeting, participants will choose the dates for future meetings. The Book Club is intended to foster communication and community. Meetings will  be held monthly in members’ homes or at the Church. Anyone with accessibility concerns should make them known so that they can be met. Light refreshments will be provided by the hosts. Please let us know if you plan to attend the first meeting, as space will be limited. Ideally, book discussions will be held each month through June, with the option to hold further meetings in the summer, if desired. Reading a longer classic over the summer has worked for other book clubs. Books will be suggested by participants from both new and old titles, fiction and non-fiction. No philosophical bent is suggested for the books, but, hopefully, good discussions of significant topics will result. The proposer of a book selected would serve as facilitator to pose questions/ provide background. Outside contributors, such as authors, could be a possibility. First two books : Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand-- Helen Simonson In her witty and wise debut novel, newcomer Helen Simonson introduces the unforgettable character of the widower Major Ernest Pettigrew.  The Major epitomizes the Englishman with the "stiff upper lip," who clings to traditional values and has tried (in vain) to pass these along to his yuppie son, Roger. The story centers around Pettigrew's fight to keep his greedy relatives (including his son) from selling a valuable family heirloom--a pair of hunting rifles that symbolizes much of what he stands for, or at least what he thinks he does. The embattled hero discovers an unexpected ally and source of consolation in his neighbor, the Pakistani shopkeeper Jasmina Ali. On the surface, Pettigrew and Ali's backgrounds and life experiences couldn't be more different, but they find that they have the most important things in common. This wry, yet optimistic comedy of manners with a romantic twist will appeal to grown-up readers of both sexes. Kudos to Helen Simonson, who distinguishes herself with Major Pettigrew's Last Stand as a writer with the narrative range, stylistic chops, and poise of a veteran. Outcasts United-- Warren St. John St. John (Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer) builds on his 2007 New York Times article about the Fugees, a soccer program for boys from families of refugees from war-torn nations who have been resettled in the town of Clarkston, Ga., 13 miles east of Atlanta. Led by the founder and coach Luma Mufleh, a strong-willed, Jordanian woman who turned her back on a privileged past to stay in America after attending Smith College, the three youth teams are a conglomeration of players from Africa, the Balkans and the Middle East. The challenges they face are many, including an ongoing fight against city hall for a field on which to play, and getting by with subpar equipment. Their biggest challenge, however, is the difficulty immigrants face in learning the ways of a strange land and living with the memories of tragedy (some players had lost a parent to violence or imprisonment). In spite of it all, the Fugees compete admirably with mostly white, better-funded suburban teams. Other suggestions, for the participants to consider, for future discussion: Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel American Lion - Jon Meacham The Lacuna - Barbara Kingsolver Nautical Chart - Arturo Perez-Reverte Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck A Death in the Family - James Agee Freedom - Jonathan Franzen The Secret Life of Bees - Susan Monk Kidd Ender’s Game - Orson Scott Card The Stranger - Albert Camus Please contact us by phone or e-mail if you plan to attend on Oct. 12 or if you have any comments or suggestions. Jean and Richard Groothuis 860-678-1030 Rgroopofus(at symbol)comcast.net

Let us know of any comments, errors and corrections - thanks (revised 9/13/10)