Sacred Texts Group Ken Read-Brown Second and fourth Thursday afternoons, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Each gathering includes time for meditation and conversation based on ancient scriptures. We are currently reading the Ta o Te ife earning Ching,andalsoselectionsfromananthologyofsacredtextstitled at Old Ship God Makes the Rivers to Flow,ed.EknathEaswaran.Newcomers Marty Saunders  – are warmly welcome. For information, and the Zoom link, contact LL Ken. In harmony with Unitarian Universalist principles and sources of inspiration, learning opportunities at Old Ship serve our community by encouraging spiritual H AVE AN IDEA? growth and the free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

Have an idea for a class or workshop you’d like to see or lead at Old Ship? Gatherings are via Zoom unless otherwise noted. Older youth may find many Contact the office (781-749-1679; offi[email protected]) or a member of these programs of interest and are encouraged and welcome to join. We of the Life Learning Committee, and we will help you make it happen! Com- ask participants to contribute $35 for the first course they attend each year mittee members are Ralph Brown, Rich Elliott, Claire Petrie, Elizabeth Torrey, (sliding scale according to need). There is no fee for drop-in ongoing groups, and Ken Read-Brown. or if otherwise noted. Watch the newsletter and website for changes. Con- tact information for course leaders is on last page. How to contact leaders and committee members A UTUMN Ralph Brown 781-385-7282 [email protected] Ivy Butterworth 781-749-3190 [email protected] Davalene Cooper 781-749-0790 [email protected] Climate Change Solutions Ken Read-Brown, Lisa Sawyer Diane Elliott 781-749-2248 [email protected] Four Wednesdays, Sept. 23 – Oct. 14, 7:00 p.m. Janice McPhillips 781-740-8782 [email protected] We’ll use the book Drawdown: The Most Comprehen- KenRead-Brown 781-749-1679 [email protected] sive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming Claire Petrie 617-472-8420 [email protected] (ed. by Paul Hawken) to explore the wealth of strate- Lisa Sawyer 781-783-3065 [email protected] gies and solutions to address climate change, including Elizabeth Torrey 781-749-0543 [email protected] energy use, agricultural practices, land use, building ef- Joan Wilson 617-947-4664 [email protected] ficiency, and more. To sign up and get the Zoom link, contact Ken. Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life Ken Read-Brown Four Wednesdays, Oct. 21 – Nov. 11, 7:00 p.m. The Biblical book of Ecclesiastes has seemed to some to be al- most heretical, given the writer’s expressions of doubt and dis- couragement; to others it has been a source of profound life wis- dom. Background reading for those interested includes When All You’ve Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough,byHaroldKushner.Tosignup and get the Zoom link, contact Ken. So You Want to Meditate Ken Read-Brown Saturday, Oct. 24, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Whether you are a long time meditator or wish to begin, this gath- ering will offer some basic instruction in meditation and in ’s passage meditation. There will be time for questions and conversation, and time to meditate. For the Zoom link, contact Ken.

Page4 2020–2021 LifeLearningatOldShip Life Learning at Old Ship 2020–2021 Page 1 W INTER/SPRING Crossing Time Poetry Circles Elizabeth Torrey At turnings of fall, winter and spring; Sep. 22, Dec. 20, March 19, 7 p.m. Are the Transcendentalists Still Relevant? Ken Read-Brown We begin our 24th year! Come join the ongoing poetry renaissance Four Wednesdays, March 10 – March 24, 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in America. Bring and read or speak a favorite poem – an opportunity Emerson has long been a sort of Unitarian saint, with his young to share and perhaps deepen our appreciation of poetry, and rein- friend Thoreau (though not a church-goer) close behind. Walt force our connection with the natural cycles of life. All welcome! Whitman, though not part of New England transcendentalist cir- Only be willing to search for poetry, / and there will be poetry. / My cles, was inspired by Emerson. Do these 19th century white men soul, a tiny speck, is my tutor. –YuanHei.ForinformationandtheZoomlink, still have worthwhile, even helpful, messages for us in the early contact Elizabeth. 21st century? All are invited to this exploration. Afternoon session only if enough interest. For more information and to sign up, contact Ken. Men’s Breakfast Ralph Brown, Rich Elliott Second Sunday mornings, 8:30 a.m. Spring Poetry: African American Poets Ken Read-Brown, An ongoing opportunity for men to get together in a Elizabeth Torrey safe, nurturing environment where we can speak freely Five Wednesdays, May 5 – June 2, 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and listen deeply to each other. We do this as a form of Our annual spring poetry class, held during National spiritual practice. We also seek to have fun together and Poetry month, will focus on the poetry of African Amer- rekindle our playful souls. For information and the Zoom icans. We will follow a chronological path, beginning link, contact Ralph Brown or Rich Elliott. with Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784). For more info and to sign up, contact Elizabeth or Ken. Women’s Breakfast Davalene Cooper, Janice McPhillips Fourth Sunday mornings, 8:30 a.m. 2020 – ONGOING GROUPS AND GATH E R I N G S –2021 Meeting monthly via Zoom, these virtual meetings are open to all Old Ship women. They give us an opportu- Anti-Racism Book Group Davalene Cooper nity to get to know each other better. We are looking Sundays, monthly, starting Sep. 20, 7:00 p.m. forward to seeing you! For questions and the Zoom link, Through fiction and non-fiction we will explore the history and re- contact Davalene Cooper or Janice McPhillips. ality of racism in America and how to better advocate for an more diverse, anti-racist future. The first two books, for September and Ceilidh (“kay-lee”) October, will be Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (fiction) and How To Be First Tuesday evenings, 7:00 p.m. An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (non-fiction). To join the group, Sharing of songs, stories, poems, and an old-fashioned good time. Bring an and get the Zoom link, or if you have questions, contact Davalene. instrument if you have one or just bring yourself to listen and maybe sing along. Everyone is welcome. Come anytime between 7 and 9:30. The Way of the Bodhisattva Ken Read-Brown First and third Sunday mornings, 8:30 a.m. Fiber Funship Joan Wilson, Diane Elliott Half an hour of sitting meditation, followed by an hour of conversation based Occasional gatherings on a Buddhist text. This year we will begin with the book Welcoming the Un- We gather to sew, craft, knit and enjoy each others’ welcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World by Pema Chodron. company. Our goal is to make items to sell at Merrie Newcomers warmly welcomed – no previous experience with Buddhism Market and May Breakfast, and we have lots of fun and needed. For information and the Zoom link, contact Ken. good conversation as we work together. New members and new project ideas are always welcome. Enthusiasm more important than experience, even though we may not be meeting often or at all in person. Contact Diane or Joan for more information.

Page2 2020–2021 LifeLearningatOldShip Life Learning at Old Ship 2020–2021 Page 3