Wellspring
2016 – 2017 Session
Enrollment is now full – Check back in August 2017 for new session registration
After a Retreat on Sunday, September 11, 12:30 – 4 pm,
Wellspring groups will meet twice a month through June 2017.
Wellspring offers spiritual deepening within our Unitarian Universalist tradition—an opportunity for learning more about ourselves and our faith through a ten-month small group experience.
There are two different Wellspring curricula – Wellspring Sources, and new this year to First Unitarian Church of Des Moines – Wellspring Spiritual Practices.
The Five Components of Wellspring
- Spiritual practice – commitment to regular, intentional practice
- Spiritual direction – self-reflection with a guide
- Unitarian Universalist history and theology – reading, listening, reflecting
- Small group – participation in a community of seekers
- Faith in action – what we are called to do in the world
Expectations
During the ten-month program, participants will make every effort to:
- Attend small group sessions every other week and actively engage from both the head and the heart
- Commit to a daily spiritual practice and seek support if that becomes difficult
- Complete the readings and other assignments
Wellspring Sources is the prerequisite for all other years of UU Wellspring.
Goals
- To ground participants in Unitarian Universalism
- To develop the practice of deep listening and commitment to spiritual practice and spiritual direction
Curriculum
The curriculum provides information and opportunity for reflection around two key areas:
- Unitarian Universalist history and theology
- The “big questions” that are central to our Unitarian Universalist faith, including human nature, death, joy, and forgiveness
Available Classes for Wellspring Sources
- 1st & 3rd Wednesday Mornings 10 am – 12 Noon
- 1st & 3rd Thursday Evenings 6 – 8 pm
Wellspring Spiritual Practices
Goals
- To deepen participants’ spiritual practice
- To expose participants to other spiritual practices, both from our UU tradition and from other faith traditions
- To strengthen awareness of our own connection with the holy as a foundation for serving the needs of the world
Curriculum
The curriculum is built around four categories of spiritual practice:
- Building awareness as the head
- Cracking open the heart
- Expanding the sense of our whole body
- Extending our hands in service
Available Classes for Wellspring Spiritual Practices
- 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 6 – 8 pm
- 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 12 noon – 2 pm
If you have questions about the Wellspring program, contact Tracy Beck, DRE at dre@ucdsm.org or 244-8603 ext. 104.