Dec 04 2024
Members and friends of UUFA can enjoy fellowship with one another in many lay-led activities throughout the month in addition to the adult religious education (RE) options listed here. Follow the week’s activities below, starting with Sunday.
On many weekdays and evenings, you can find groups of eight to twelve people gathering to enjoy getting to know one another and share ideas about a wide range of topics. Some topics are serious, and others just plain funny. SGM groups meet once or twice monthly, with group members taking turns facilitating the discussion. Most groups form by day-of-the-week availability; other groups are designated for families.
SGM registration is open twice each year. Contact the coordinators for more information. Listen to a member discuss their appreciation of SGM.
Community and conversation is held after the worship service as we gather and share each other’s company. We connect with others sharing our thoughts about the service, what is happening in the world in general, and our lives in particular. We enjoy snacks, talking, and participation in activities such as singing meditation, a writing group, or a social justice meeting. There is a playground for kids to enjoy. We are an active place and want everyone to feel comfortable, engaged, and part of the fellowship. We also host a virtual gathering after the Sunday service. Look for the link on the “View Services” page.
At the core of the Fellowship is a strong sense of community. When people are checking out the Fellowship, we hope they find various ways to connect. Getting connected with everyone at once, though, is hard, so when people become members, they become a part of a geographically situated Care Ring. The Care Rings are able to extend caring (rides or meals to a member in need, for instance) and social opportunities as folks move into the Fellowship community.
The Goddess Group, a circle of UUFA folx who identify as female, gathers monthly to study “Thealogy,” the feminine aspect of the Divine. During third Sunday afternoon gatherings, the group uses curricula designed by the UU Women’s Federation and other women-centered organizations and individuals to explore their inner goddess. They engage in ritual, conversation, sharing, and caring as a ministry to each other and others within the greater community. Contact the facilitators for more information and join the group on Realm/Connect to learn specifics about the gatherings and other activities.
The Alphabet Family invites UUFA folx who identify anywhere on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum to gather for fun and fellowship, usually on the fourth Sunday evening of every month. Contact the coordinators for more information.
Second Lookers offers men and women who have retired from jobs, but most certainly not from life, a monthly opportunity to gather for fellowship and fun. Older members and friends of the Fellowship gather to catch up with each other over brown bag lunches and then enjoy a program, often spoken, sometimes musical. Contact the office (706-546-7914, ext. 5) for more information or to give a presentation at a meeting.
Does anything at UUFA say ‘fellowship’ more strongly than gathering for music? Wednesday evenings the Palms of Fire Drum Circle practices at 5:30 and the Chalice Choir not long after at 7:00. With leadership from Music Director Amber Fetner, the two groups enjoy performing as they learn more about music. When possible, the groups share their music with community groups, representing the Fellowship at such events as the downtown Justice Fest and the Holiday Benevolence Market as well as making music with Bethel AME Church and the Athens-Clarke County Baha’is. Contact Amber to learn more.
Through the week, members and friends gather offsite to enjoy fellowship. A long-standing tradition at UUFA is the Wednesday Potluck gathering at 6 p.m. to socialize and 6:30 p.m. to eat. Members and friends get together for coffee hour off-site in the community on Tuesdays. Circle Supper Groups, which meet at members’ homes, set their schedules once groups form in the fall. Look for more information the UUFA News and on the calendar.
The All-UUFA Retreat at The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center in North Carolina is held every other year in the fall. Folks attending may participate in worship services, study and reflection, hikes, dancing, singing and other musical opportunities, making crafts, quiet time, and other forms of play. Plans are underway to offer a different location in alternating years. Stay tuned!
