UU Wellspring Programs

All participants in longer programs take Sources or Love at the Center: UU Values and Covenants first, then it is recommended you take Deep Questions,Spiritual Practices or Faithful Actions next. Reserve the Seeker Series, Spiritual Ancestors and Sacred Arts, for Year 3 if possible. UU Wellspring Reads (Sacred Earth, Creating Meaning and Crises of Life) and the Proposed Article II Program is for anyone, whether or not they have taken Sources. The Youth and Young Adult programs are LOVE: YEA! (10 Sessions), Sources (8 Sessions) and Creating Meaning (6 Sessions) for cohorts of youth or emerging young adults.

Foundation: UU Wellspring Sources

All Year Long Programs Begin with Sources and Love at the Center. Your congregational membership will include access to both Sources and Love at the Center, so you can offer one, or both, as the first in your congregation’s offering of yearlong UU Wellspring programs. Congregational Membership is based on size. (Under 300 members: $300 | 201-600 members: $600 | 601 or more members: $900) NOTE: Advanced Add-On Congregational Length Programs and the Seeker Series are 8-10 months long and are $200 each. Can be Purchased After Membership.

Provide Sources as an introduction to UU Wellspring and the UU Sources. Included with your Congregational Membership, which is based on size.

A transformational church year long program to explore the values and covenants within the context of your personal experience, your local community, identity cohorts and the world. Included with your congregational membership.

C

Congregational Year Long Programs:

Prerequisite Sources or Love at the Center: UU Values and Covenants for all congregational year long programs.

Deep Questions is the follow up to Sources and focusses on the UU Principles. A great second year program. Sources is the Prerequisite.

Spiritual Practices deepens the dive into a sustainable spiritual life. Sources is the Prerequisite.

Faithful Actions sustains justice work by deepening our connection to our faith. Sources is the Prerequisite.

C

Advanced Seeker Series: Congregational Year Length

The seeker series includes opportunities to go beyond the resources provided in each session for individuals to find inspiration.

Standalone UU Wellspring Programs

All Shorter Programs Below are standalone and range between 4, 6, and 8 sessions. Note: All shorter Programs are $150. All standalone programs have no Sources prerequisite and no membership requirement.

Consider for your GA Delegates, Board Members, and other Congregational Leaders. 4-session, 90 minutes each to explore, rather than react to, the proposed Article II. More info here.

Sacred Earth

Sacred Earth is the first program in the UU Wellspring Reads series. Focused on our deep connections with nature and our UU faith, these companion books engage us in the work–Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer with excerpts from The Sustainable Soul by Rebecca James Harking.

Creating Meaning

Creating Meaning is the second 6-session program in this series. There is no book to buy, but a journal (online or hard copy), and a few generally easily found materials are used. This is a hands-on, playful program that can be used with youth through adults and is particularly well-suited for those who explore spirituality with more hands-on activities.

Crises of Life

Crises of Life will be available Mid-Summer 2023 and delves into the challenges of life and how our faith can sustain us. Based on the book Take What You Need: Life Lessons After Losing Everything by UU Wellspring Founder, Rev. Jen Crow.

Sources and Spiritual Practices

Sources and Spiritual Practices is the first Youth and Young adult programs begin with an eight-session program based on exploring Unitarian Universalism by learing spiritual practices related to the UU Sources.

Creating Meaning

Creating Meaning is a 6-session program in both the Youth and Young Adult series and the UU Wellspring Reads series. There is no book to buy, but a journal (online or hard copy), and a few generally easily found materials are used. This is a hands-on, playful program that can be used with youth through adults and is particularly well-suited for those who explore spirituality with more hands-on activities.

Love: YEA!

LOVE: YEA! is a 10-session program in both the Youth and Emerging Young Adult series. Explore the values and covenant statements of our faith through embodied experience and storytelling along with deep listening, check in and multimedia including poetry, music and short clips that illustrate and explore living into our covenantal faith witht developmentally focussed activities.

What is UU Wellspring?

Overview

Participants in UU Wellspring find spiritual transformation as they explore the historical and theological roots of Unitarian Universalism, reflect on their own spiritual understandings, and engage in spiritual practice. To read about the specific programs, scroll to the bottom of this page.

UU Wellspring provides unique small group programs of various lengths offered online or in person in Unitarian Universalist settings. The twice a month, 2-hour sessions offer participants an opportunity for spiritual deepening that leads to more joyful living, increased congregational leadership, and faithful justice making in their lives and in their communities.

Also offered are 6, 8, and 10 session programs for youth and emerging young adults and a series of six session programs called UU Wellspring Reads, which is a series of sessions devoted to a book or two on a topic, combined with additional readings and videos.

UU Wellspring gives spiritual power to UU communities that will sustain and strengthen UU identity and justice work.

The program achieves this through 5 essential components:

Small group connections
Daily spiritual practices
Spiritual direction
Deeper knowledge of UU history and theology
Putting UU faith into action

Who Is UU Wellspring For?

Are you looking for deeply engaging, heart-opening experiences to build your UU Identity and deepen your UU faith?

You may have participated in entry level or shorter-term programming and you are ready to explore your spirituality in a covenanted small group community.

Lay leaders and religious leaders alike find
UU Wellspring to be the experience that sustains their work for justice, brings joy to their lives, and inspires work in their Unitarian Universalist communities.

Youth in UU Wellspring congregations will soon be able to participate in an 8-week program beginning in the winter of 2021 due to a generous grant from the Unitarian Sunday School Society.

What Can I Expect During the Program?

Practice (Daily): For the duration of the program, each participant chooses and commits to a spiritual practice to follow every day.

Spiritual Companionship (1x a Month): Each participant sees a spiritual companion outside of the sessions to process even more deeply what is coming up for them in UU Wellspring and in their daily lives.
Small Group Community (2x a Month): Regular attendance in the sessions develops sacred spaces that create a container to hold our learning and experiences.
Resources (2x a Month): The facilitator sends links to short readings, video clips and other resources before each session. Participants commit to spending 1-3 hours reading and reflecting in journals in the two-week period between sessions.
Transformation (As Called): In each session, the questions move participants from head to heart to invite transformation of our thoughts and experiences into faithful action.

How Can I Start a Program?

If you would like to begin a UU Wellspring group in your congregation, simply contact Director@UUWellspring.org. We will guide you through establishing a UU Wellspring program in your unique congregation or group setting. We will also alert you to the first steps and facilitator training.
Congregational groups are led by local volunteer or religious professionals.

How Can I Join a Program as an Individual?

Individuals may join an online group with Unitarian Universalists from across the continent.
Programs for Individuals are led by experienced UU Wellspring religious professionals.
Both congregational and individual programs have proven very successful and follow a similar program. You can expect sacred space, deep listening, spiritual practices, and spiritual companioning in both congregational and the individual programs.
Use the enroll button to enroll in the individual programs offered at this time.

Sign Up for UU Wellspring's Newsletter

Enter your name and email in the sign-up form to subscribe to UU Wellspring's monthly newsletter. Receive the latest news on new programs, availability of current programs, and heart-opening writings from UU Wellspring staff and friends!