First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh

  605 Morewood Avenue
  Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2999
  412-621-8008

Lifespan Faith Development

Adult Faith Development - Path to Spiritual Growth

The Path to Spiritual Growth provides several different ways for church members and friends to seek deeper religious understanding.

Covenant Group Orientation

> Saturday, March 31, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Approximately one hundred and sixty members and friends of First Unitarian Church currently participate in seventeen different covenant groups. These groups provide a way for people to build relationships with one another and to pursue their own personal spiritual growth. We strongly encourage everyone in our religious community to become part of a covenant group, and the best way to do this is to attend the Covenant Group Orientation. Please the Program Guide for a more complete description of our covenant group program.

The course will be led by the Rev. Robin L. Zucker and members of the Covenant Group Advisory Committee.

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Unitarian Universalism Core Curriculum:
How Unitarianism Became Unitarianism

> Four Thursdays, 7:30 - 9:15 p.m. - February 23, March 1, 8, & 15

We will explore three sermons which have had tremendous influence on the development of Unitarian Universalism: William Ellery Channing’s sermon “Unitarian Christianity” (1819); Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Divinity School Address” (1838); and Theodore Parker’s sermon “The Transient and Permanent in Christianity” (1841). These sermons appear in the book Three Prophets of Unitarian Universalism: Channing, Emerson, and Parker, edited by Conrad Wright. Copies will be available after church at the Adult Faith Development table in the Undercroft Gallery and in the church office. Those attending this course should obtain the book and read the introductory essay prior to the first class. Leader for this course is Joel Gilbertson-White.

I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams,
and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success
unexpected in common hours.
~Henry David Thoreau

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Unitarian Universalism Core Curriculum:
Lunch with the Transcendentalists

> Eight Mondays, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m. - April 9, 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21, & June 4

“We will walk on our own feet; we will work with our own hands; we will speak
our own minds...A nation of men (sic) will for the first time exist, because each
believes himself inspired by the Divine Soul which also inspires all men.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let’s have lunch with the Transcendentalists! This series of brown bag gatherings with the Rev. Robin Landerman Zucker will offer the opportunity to get acquainted with the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller, through the “Spiritual Guides”series by Unitarian Universalist minister Barry Andrews. Handouts of all readings and reflective questions will be provided in advance. Attend any or all! Drop ins welcome!

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Unitarian Universalism Core Curriculum:
Faith without certainty

> Four Tuesdays, 7:30 - 9:15 p.m. - March 27, April 3, 10 & 17

This course is based on the book Faith Without Certainty (Skinner House, 2005) by Unitarian Universalist theologian and minister Paul Rasor. Participants will learn how Unitarian Universalism fits into the larger story of liberal theology. Participants will also explore some of the current growth struggles in which Unitarian Universalism is now engaged such as how we respond to liberation theology and how we can become more antiracist. Copies of Faith Without Certainty will be available after church at the Adult Faith Development table in the Undercroft Gallery and in the church office. Those attending this course should obtain the book and read the first few chapters prior to the first class. Leader for this course is Joel Gilbertson-White.br>

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Resources for a Contemplative Season:
Ash Wednesday Vespers and Soup

> Wednesday, February 22 - Soup at 6:00 p.m., Vespers at 7:00 p.m.

Enter into the contemplative season of Lent with a warming soup meal and reflective Unitarian Universalist vespers service of music, readings and meditations, led by Rev. Robin Landerman Zucker and members of the congregation.

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Resources for a Contemplative Season:
Simply Pray

> Saturday, February 25, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Based on the book, Simply Pray (Skinner House, 2005) by Unitarian Universalist minister Erik Walker Wikstrom, this Saturday morning workshop teaches a simple and unique modern spiritual practice with an inclusive understanding of the sacred and deep roots in all of the world religions. Using prayer beads (which will be made in class) and other centering techniques, participants will develop a contemplative language free of any specific religious expression that can be molded to the user's own spiritual needs and imagery. $5 materials fee (payable to instructor). Handouts will be provided. Leader for this course is the Rev. Robin Landerman Zucker.

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> Friday, March 16, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 17, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

A refreshing and energizing retreat of sweat, spirit, and self-discovery for the women of First Unitarian Church. We’ll get out of the grip and into the flow with gentle yoga, creative arts, writing, reflection and sharing, play, a labyrinth walk at Chatham University (weather permitting), and a sampling of spiritual growth exercises from Robin’s “Flowingforce” program. The retreat will be held at First Unitarian Church, starting with dinner at 6:00 PM on Friday, March 16 and ending at 4:00 PM on Saturday, March 17. Mark your calendars! Additional details to follow. Led by the Rev. Robin Landerman Zucker. Cost is $30 per person. Maximum enrollment of 50 people.

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The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

> Six Tuesdays, 7:30 - 9:15 p.m. - February 21, March 6, 20, April 3, 17 & May 1

Do you yearn to write? paint? dance? cook? become more inspired and creative in your daily life? Using Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity as our text, this course will help us reach our goals by guiding us as we confront our own doubts and fears and by providing concrete techniques to overcome our perceived limitations. We will meet every other Tuesday evening, covering the twelve chapters of The Artist's Way in six sessions. Please bring a notebook! Led by Mary Schinhofen.

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The Historical Jesus

This adult faith development course will give participants an opportunity to view and discuss a series of thirty-minute video presentations from the Great Courses series. They offer this description of these video presentations: “What can we know about the Jesus of history? Who was Jesus of Nazareth and what was he like? For millennia, people and groups of varying convictions have pondered this question and done their best to answer it.

‘The Historical Jesus,’ an insightful and illuminating 24-lecture course, reveals the possible answers that recent historical evidence can answer. The lecturer is Bart Ehrman, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and author of more than twenty books, including Misquoting Jesus, God’s Problem, and Jesus, Interrupted. Using the Gospels as his primary source, Ehrman explores the available historical evidence about Jesus, Judaism, and apocalyptic movements in Jesus’ time. Filled with thought-provoking issues, this course is a scholarly and historical reconstruction of Jesus’ fascinating life, words, deeds, and legacy.”

This course will be offered in the winter and spring of 2012.