Adult Religious Education - General Information

You may want to visit these pages, as well:
Current Course list
Adult Course Catalog
Children's Religious Education

One of the most interesting aspects of our fellowship is the broad array of talents we have. Some of us weave, some use computers, some think great thoughts, some travel, some write beautiful poetry, some garden; we all have gifts. We would like to invite everyone in the fellowship to share their skills, talents, and knowledge, whether for a one-time class or even more.

ARE stands for Adult Religious Education, with the emphasis on Education. Some of the courses which have been offered include classic films, symphony appreciation, current affairs, UU History, etc. Classes are held in daytimes, evenings and weekends in Modesto and elsewhere, and are cheaper than a bargain movie - what a deal!

Our ARE program offers classes in seven different categories of religious life. We try to provide at least one experience in most of the categories each year:

Life Events
Occasions for the religious. Birth, Coming of Age, Marriage and Partnership, Choice of Work, Retiring, Death. There are life events that provide us with opportunities for reflection and transformation. Study focuses on one or more of these events, helping us to glean the wisdom embedded in them.

Life Challenges
Disabilities, Ill Health, Ageism, Mental Illness, War, Poverty, Divorce, Loneliness. Life offers challenges that can be a central learning in our religious life. These studies would focus on any one or more of these as challenges that encourage us to learn from this part of living.

Religious Diciplines
As doors to transformation, Wisdom, Literature, Community, Justice, Work, Prayer and Meditation, Worship and Celebration and many other activities are religious disciplines that offer us a disciplined path to religious understanding and experience. Our focus of study would be to seek out the transforming qualities of these activities and to undertake any one of t hese.

Religious Studies
Information that enriches our faith. Religious History, World Religions, UU History and Theology. These studies focus on information about religious communities, individuals, and activities.

Emotional and Intellectual Development
Focuses on activities specifically designed for educational and personal growth. Dream Groups, Explorations of Nature, Women's and Men's Groups, Writing, Art, Dance, Music, World and Community Issues. These activities help us to develop personal skills and a body of experience that enrich our religious life.

Social Justice and Ethics
Focuses on action and transformation of our world. These activities are directed toward learning and understanding actions that embody our religious values as we set out to change the world. Here we undertake more than gathering information about an area of our concern; we set out to make a change and to be conscious of our religious values.

Ministry
The skills of service for our Fellowship, Preaching, Worship, Pastoral Care, Building Community, Denominational Outreach, Community Outreach. These studies focus on the skills and the areas of a particular concern to the ministry of our Fellowship. They are designed to help us share in the work of ministry.

Through our religious education program we seek to enhance each spiritual journey. We seek to discover how we can be united with life in all its expressions - In living and dying, courage and fear, pleasure and pain, in the outer world of circumstances and the inner world of thought and feelings - so that in union with life we may find inner peace.

Our Religious Education Program is designed to help each person unite with life wisely and harmoniously.

Why we exist:
Growth is the natural, healthy state of beings. When we cease to question and explore, we cease to grow.

What we offer:
Our program provides a variety of opportunities for its adult participants, ranging from those classes traditionally considered "religious" to those traditionally considered "secular".

How we operate:
We have a committee of committed adults who meet regularly. If you would like to initiate a class or topic, please contact a committee member.

When and Where:
We normally hold classes at the church, but some classes meet elsewhwre, such as Fellowship Members' homes.

Cost:
Costs vary, but are nominal due to our commitment to growth and learning.