East Shore Unitarian Church Mighty Choir: Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.
We learn and perform a variety of music from classical choral pieces to contemporary pop standards to movie themes to new Unitarian hymns – and so much more! Rehearsals are Thursday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 pm; the choir sings two Sundays per month with additional special services on various holidays. No audition is required, nor is any member expected to sing at every service. Ability to read music is helpful but not necessary – rehearsal tracks are provided for those who want them. Come see why so many in the choir say, ‘This is the most fun I have all week!’
The Humanist Discussion Group: Thursday, January 3, 7:30 p.m.
The topic this month will be “Minds, Souls, and Consciousness.” Here are some online readings: A very simple Humanist introduction. Wikipedia articles — read the introductions and any subsections that interest you:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind-body_problem
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consciousness
All are welcome. Contact John Thompson for more information.
Cooking with Amanda: Losing weight, Defeating diabetes: Wednesday, January 9, 7:00 p.m.
We’ll talk about what foods are most helpful in losing those extra pounds, and how the same foods can also reduce your insulin resistance and defeat Type II Diabetes. We’ll make some really simple starter meals to get you started on a new way of eating for the New Year. Amanda Strombom, President of Vegetarians of Washington, leads this class to support those interested in moving toward a plant-based diet.A nominal charge of $5 per class helps us cover costs. Register here.
Mindfulness and Presence in Communications: Monday, January 14, 7:00 p.m.
Being more mindful immediately improves the quality of your life, as well as the lives of those around you. Often people think you must meditate for hours a week, or have an intense practice, but not so! In this class you’ll learn some creative and immediately useful techniques to bring mindfulness into your life every day, with minimal effort.This monthly class, led by Brett Hill, is packed with information and practices gleaned from working with founders of mindful-based practices such as Hakomi, Loving Presence, and Matrix Leadership Workshops as well as years of experience as a meditation instructor and intuitive. Feel free to attend one or all.
Race and Identity Class Series: Sundays, Starting January 20, 9:00 a.m.
This once a month four part series will be led by ESUC Director of Lifelong Learning, Aisha Hauser. Aisha will lead participants in discussions about how race and identity shapes our experiences and our understanding of social justice issues. Versions of this workshop have been presented all over the country and will now be offered here at East Shore! Dates are January 20, February 17, March 17, and April 28. Register here.
African-American History IS American History: What You Probably Didn’t Learn in School: Tuesdays, January 22, February 5, 19, March 5, 19, 7:00 p.m.
This class is for anyone who wants to gain a fuller understanding of our nation’s past and how it affects present conditions. Classes can be attended separately but will build on each other. Each class will begin by exploring what we already know or think we know about the topic at hand. The teachers intend to lecture very little. We will use short readings and roles plays, consider motives and alternatives for the various actors at key turning points. Generally, each person will share a response in groups large and small. There will be ample time for comparisons between past events and current issues. Register here.
January 22: “The Invention of Whiteness”: Bacon’s Rebellion and colonial trade.
February 5: Enlightenment, Revolution, and slavery. What were they thinking?
February 19: Who really freed the slaves? Civil War and The Emancipation Proclamation.
March 5: When the Impossible was (almost) Possible: Reconstruction and Jim Crow
March 19: Institutional Racism in the 20th century.
Facilitators: Mike Radow, former history teacher, Mercer Island High School and Gray Pedersen, former history teacher, Lakeside High School
Why two white guys? A. We’ve both taught this material poorly and increasingly better over the years. B. White people can make a strong effort to do their “civic homework” rather than so often place the burden on people of color to explain.
Salsa, Soul and Spirit Leadership for a Multicultural Age: Wednesdays, January 23, 30 and February 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Salsa, Soul and Spirit Leadership for a Multicultural Age by Juana Bordas is a groundbreaking book. She illustrates the importance of collaborative leadership and uses as examples models from three cultures, African American, Native American and Latinx. Aisha Hauser will lead this three part series lifting up highlights from the book with opportunities for reflection and small group discussion. Register here.
Fourth Wednesday Book Club: Leonardo da Vinci: Wednesday, January 23, 7:30 p.m.
Please join us to discuss Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson on Wednesday, January 23 at 7:30 p.m. Based on thousands of pages from Leonardo da Vinci’s astonishing notebooks and new discoveries about his life and work, Walter Isaacson writes a narrative that connects his art to his science. He shows how Leonardo’s genius was based on skills we can improve in ourselves, such as passionate curiosity, careful observation, and an imagination so playful that it flirted with fantasy. He produced the two most famous paintings in history, The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. With a passion that sometimes became obsessive, he pursued innovative studies of anatomy, fossils, birds, the heart, flying machines, botany, geology, and weaponry. He explored the math of optics, showed how light rays strike the cornea, and produced illusions of changing perspectives in The Last Supper. His ability to stand at the crossroads of the humanities and the sciences, made iconic by his drawing of Vitruvian Man, made him history’s most creative genius. In Leonardo da Vinci, Isaacson describes how Leonardo’s delight at combining diverse passions remains the ultimate recipe for creativity. So, too, does his ease at being a bit of a misfit: illegitimate, gay, vegetarian, left-handed, easily distracted, and at times heretical. His life should remind us of the importance to be imaginative and, like talented rebels in any era, to think different.
A Taste of Seabeck: Saturday, January 26, 6:30 p.m.
A party organized by – and for members of – the UUC and East Shore Communities! We’re getting the two churches together to celebrate UU community and to share our mutual love of Seabeck: the UU Memorial Day Weekend retreat on the Hood Canal! If you’ve ever wanted to know more about it, meet your fellow congregants who go and/or just have some fun, you’ll want to save the date! All donations will go towards the East Shore Operating Fund that sponsors (among many other things!) our Seabeck Scholarships which help us make sure that any member who wants to come, can come! $15 suggested donation, register here.