Circles of Life
August 7 - August 13, 2021*
Hybrid Family Conference
August 7 - August 13, 2021*
Hybrid Family Conference
Description
Workshops
Conference Leadership
Pricing
Description
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Welcome to Circles of Life!
Formerly Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and Fun (UUFAF) Join us at the Beach as we celebrate, explore and navigate the ages and stages of our lives in our newly-named Circles of Life Conference. This year’s theme is IMAGINE and it empowers all we do.
We welcome people and families of all kinds—with and without kids, extended or not. We welcome teens, singles, elders, young adults and you—however you identify and define yourself! There’s a place for you in our circle as a first-time Ferry Beacher, or a sometimes-we-come Beacher, or even a we’re-still-here old-timer. Our week is a special time shared with others on the beautiful Southern Maine coastline. There’s time for laughter and reflection, long walks and quick swims, new friendships and family togetherness, marshmallows and sunrises. As a Circles conferee, you are welcome to participate as you choose. We hope that you come as you are, that you find what you need, and that you return home feeling a little richer for the magic and joy you’ve shared in our Circle at the Beach. This being 2021, aspects of our conference will be different due to COVID-19. While many of us may be vaccinated, it is unlikely that everyone will be. We anticipate the need for continued social distancing and masking. Consequently, we are very unlikely to have any large indoor gatherings, multi-family children’s groups, or group singing. As we can, we’ll make this a hybrid conference to reach those of you who cannot travel to Ferry Beach this year. The amazing Rev. Viola Abbitt is our Minister of the Week. She will lead our Sunday Service and our daily (20-minute) Morning Chapel services, as well as participating actively in the conference. UU Folk Musician and social justice activist Joe Jencks will also be present as COVID allows him to –either physically at the Beach or virtually. We will have many of our traditional programs, just reimagined—like our sand-castle contest on the Beach and dancing in the evening—maybe in the streets! Most of our workshops and programs will be conducted in smaller groups—perhaps “family pods” or other defined groups. We are asking everyone (yes, you!) to assist with programming this year. Use your wonderful and amazing IMAGINATION! Please offer to lead some (inter-generational) activity that can be shared with others: a Beach walk scavenger hunt, a morning run, an afternoon bike ride, kite-making, a craft of almost any sort, teaching a skill, a discussion on a topic that intrigues you, a service project… Some activities will be offered once; some may be offered as part of a round-robin, or each day at a specified time. We hope to include some off-campus trips to natural and cultural highlights as well. |
*Note that our conference ends on Friday morning this year. Fees are also structured to be significantly lower for the conference.
UUFAF—Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and Fun –has now joined the ranks of our other historical names (CVD and CBD). We have chosen our new name to more accurately reflect the nature of our welcoming and inclusive conference. We will continue to focus on our Unitarian Universalist heritage. Our goal of having FUN remains at the heart of our conference!
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Workshops
2021 workshop information not yet available.
2019 workshops are below for reference.
The Trickster and the Mystic: Guides and Compatriots in Troubled Times
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." --Howard Thurman
Welcome! You are hereby invited to join an inquisitive, often experiential, sometimes rollicking exploration of mystics and tricksters: sparking laughter, helping us navigate troubles, and unveiling possibilities for growth and creation.
Mystics and tricksters are everywhere. They’re in the Sources of Our Living Tradition and the woman standing beside us in the Post Office. Some, like characters from Aesop, we met as children. Others, like the artist Yayoi Kusame, are contemporaries and living forebears. How can we find and use their gifts, so generously present, yet sometimes so hard to access, to help us become more alive?
Embracing mystic and trickster modes can offer more insight facing end of life care, working for justice, loving our neighbors (no matter who they vote for), remaining generative, and nourishing that interdependent web in which we both struggle and shine. Here at Ferry Beach, with time and space to familiarize ourselves with our own inner mystics and tricksters, we’ll learn from people (actual and invented) ranging from Howard Thurman to Julian of Norwich, the Baal Shem Tov to Bob Dylan, and Anansi the Spider to Rumi, Ray Bradbury, Julio Cortazar, Octavia E. Butler, Kurt Vonnegut, Ashley Horan, James Alan MacPherson, Salvador Dali, Yayoi Kusama, Lucille Clifton, Stanley Kunitz, Linda Hogan, Emily Dickinson, Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Sandra Cisneros, and Baba Yaga. We'll illuminate their lives, words, and wisdom with strands of science and history.
Each day’s talk will feature a different topic and will be followed by an experiential workshop that encourages engaging with that topic in a new way. Examples include Interplay, Theater of the Oppressed, Nonviolent/Compassionate Communication, the Blank Mask Game, and others TBD.
Workshop Leaders Bios Page
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." --Howard Thurman
Welcome! You are hereby invited to join an inquisitive, often experiential, sometimes rollicking exploration of mystics and tricksters: sparking laughter, helping us navigate troubles, and unveiling possibilities for growth and creation.
Mystics and tricksters are everywhere. They’re in the Sources of Our Living Tradition and the woman standing beside us in the Post Office. Some, like characters from Aesop, we met as children. Others, like the artist Yayoi Kusame, are contemporaries and living forebears. How can we find and use their gifts, so generously present, yet sometimes so hard to access, to help us become more alive?
Embracing mystic and trickster modes can offer more insight facing end of life care, working for justice, loving our neighbors (no matter who they vote for), remaining generative, and nourishing that interdependent web in which we both struggle and shine. Here at Ferry Beach, with time and space to familiarize ourselves with our own inner mystics and tricksters, we’ll learn from people (actual and invented) ranging from Howard Thurman to Julian of Norwich, the Baal Shem Tov to Bob Dylan, and Anansi the Spider to Rumi, Ray Bradbury, Julio Cortazar, Octavia E. Butler, Kurt Vonnegut, Ashley Horan, James Alan MacPherson, Salvador Dali, Yayoi Kusama, Lucille Clifton, Stanley Kunitz, Linda Hogan, Emily Dickinson, Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Sandra Cisneros, and Baba Yaga. We'll illuminate their lives, words, and wisdom with strands of science and history.
Each day’s talk will feature a different topic and will be followed by an experiential workshop that encourages engaging with that topic in a new way. Examples include Interplay, Theater of the Oppressed, Nonviolent/Compassionate Communication, the Blank Mask Game, and others TBD.
Workshop Leaders Bios Page
Life Stories: Yoga and Writing Workshop
Some stories are easier to tell than others. We each carry in our pockets, stories that we’ve cleaned and polished like shiny stones. Treasured stories we gladly share. As well, we also have stories buried deep within, resisting the urge to be told.
Yoga opens us to our deepest insights, while writing provides a vehicle to express this wisdom. Yoga helps us find our breath, while writing offers our breath a voice. Practicing yoga and creative writing together leads to awareness and inspiration that enables us to plumb our deepest truths, liberate our authentic voice.
Join poet Emily Falkowski and yogi master, Anne Falkowski for an inspirational week-long experience designed to change your life in healthy and potent ways.
Through a powerful mix of yoga and generative writing exercises, group sharing and lively conversation, we will use memoir, poetry and creative non-fiction to tell our stories. And we’ll practice yoga to better know our bodies and hearts in unexpected ways.
No experience necessary, just a willingness to explore.
Workshop Leaders Bios Page
Some stories are easier to tell than others. We each carry in our pockets, stories that we’ve cleaned and polished like shiny stones. Treasured stories we gladly share. As well, we also have stories buried deep within, resisting the urge to be told.
Yoga opens us to our deepest insights, while writing provides a vehicle to express this wisdom. Yoga helps us find our breath, while writing offers our breath a voice. Practicing yoga and creative writing together leads to awareness and inspiration that enables us to plumb our deepest truths, liberate our authentic voice.
Join poet Emily Falkowski and yogi master, Anne Falkowski for an inspirational week-long experience designed to change your life in healthy and potent ways.
Through a powerful mix of yoga and generative writing exercises, group sharing and lively conversation, we will use memoir, poetry and creative non-fiction to tell our stories. And we’ll practice yoga to better know our bodies and hearts in unexpected ways.
No experience necessary, just a willingness to explore.
Workshop Leaders Bios Page
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Afternoon Yoga
Anne has been teaching yoga since 1999 and has owned her own yoga studio in central CT since 2001. In addition to certifying yoga teachers, she has taught to thousands of different bodies and believes yoga is for everyone. Anne loves teaching at Ferry Beach where the ocean is the backdrop to the practice. She is a yoga teacher who knows how to "see" her students and gently guide them to make space in their bodies to bring about ease and change. Anne's interests in yoga include doing yoga in a way that transcends yoga "industry" and she teaches yoga as vehicle for understanding who we are and how to work with acceptance, change, and freedom in our everyday life. Workshop Leaders Bios Page |
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Ukulele Workshop
This session is open to ukulele players of all levels. We will work with beginners through intermediate or expert. Let’s try and get the playing level to the next level. We will play songs from Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Denver and many others. We will also go over a few old classics which will be basic and easy. I will supply the music for everyone which will be in the form of song lyrics along with the chords. Bring your ukulele ( the Beach does have a handful to loan out) music stand, tuner and a smile on your face and we’ll have fun playing music a couple of hours each day. During the session last year, we had about 12 ukulele players for the week and we had a blast. Workshop Leaders Bios Page |
Outdoor Games with Gymm Morey
Join Matt Falkowski, on the beach, on the lawn or in the grove for field games (corn hole, badminton, wiffle ball and many more). Each day will introduce a new game. Some you know, hopefully some that you don't. Games will be taught as both singles and 2 person play with more experienced players helping out those who are new.
All games will be played rain or shine. You’re on vacation - get your feet wet!!!
We will decide on a few games in which we will have tournaments later in the week. Anyone who knows the games will be allowed to participate in the tournaments.
This is a multi-generational casual workshop. Daily participation is not required.
Workshop Leaders Bios Page
Join Matt Falkowski, on the beach, on the lawn or in the grove for field games (corn hole, badminton, wiffle ball and many more). Each day will introduce a new game. Some you know, hopefully some that you don't. Games will be taught as both singles and 2 person play with more experienced players helping out those who are new.
All games will be played rain or shine. You’re on vacation - get your feet wet!!!
We will decide on a few games in which we will have tournaments later in the week. Anyone who knows the games will be allowed to participate in the tournaments.
This is a multi-generational casual workshop. Daily participation is not required.
Workshop Leaders Bios Page
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Red Tent "women's spirit circles"
During the week of August 4th, all people identifying as women are invited to join us as Ferry Beach creates our own Red Tent! Roberta Altamari, Ferry Beach’s Youth and Family Coordinator will lead the group gathered together in creating a circle that is welcoming, special, and empowering for each of us. What traditions do we have to come together as women to celebrate our significant transitions? Red Tents are an opportunity for women to come together to explore their spiritual and emotional needs, lovingly support each other, and celebrate their milestones. The wonderful thing about Red Tents is that they can be tailored and created to our group’s unique interests. You can learn more from this trailer for a documentary about Red Tents: https://youtu.be/SQijq5Swd7A Workshop Leaders Bios Page |
Bookarts at the Beach
Mary Randolph
This newly added workshop will provide ideas, inspiration and some basic bookbinding skills while creating several books utilizing different binding styles. Miniature books, handmade papers, decorative papers and inclusions for covers, content and closures will be incorporated. Each participant will create 3 to 5 take-home books. Join the fun!
Please note, there will be up to a $10/person fee associated with this workshop for supplies that you may take home with you at the end of the week. Please let the conference coordinator know if this presents a problem.
Workshop Leaders Bios Page
Mary Randolph
This newly added workshop will provide ideas, inspiration and some basic bookbinding skills while creating several books utilizing different binding styles. Miniature books, handmade papers, decorative papers and inclusions for covers, content and closures will be incorporated. Each participant will create 3 to 5 take-home books. Join the fun!
Please note, there will be up to a $10/person fee associated with this workshop for supplies that you may take home with you at the end of the week. Please let the conference coordinator know if this presents a problem.
Workshop Leaders Bios Page
Conference Leadership
Let the conference coordinator, Ann Barone, know if you are able to be part of this year’s coordinating committee or lead a workshop or activity. People of all ages are encouraged to contact her!
Minister of the Week
Rev. Viola Abbitt is currently serving as the settled minister at Coastal Virginia Unitarian Universalists in Virginia Beach, VA. Before that she served as the half-time minister for two Unitarian Universalist congregations in New York State, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Poughkeepsie and the First Unitarian Society of Westchester. She was also the ministerial intern at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Greater Springfield in Massachusetts, while she was attending seminary at Meadville Lombard Theological School. Rev. Viola was a contributor to the liturgical materials for the Promise and the Practice of Our Faith Campaign in 2018 and served on the President Search Team for Meadville Lombard Theological School. She is currently a member of the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Association and the board of UU Wellspring. She has one adult son, Taylor, who is currently studying at Juilliard, and two rescue cats, Minerva and Cricket.
Musician of the Week
Joe Jencks is a 20-year veteran of the international folk circuit, an award-winning songwriter, and celebrated vocalist based in Chicago. Merging conservatory training with his Irish roots and working-class upbringing, Joe delivers engaged musical narratives filled with heart, soul, groove and grit. Having penned several #1 Folksongs including the ever-relevant Lady of The Harbor, Jencks is also co-founder of the harmony trio, Brother Sun. From Festivals like Falcon Ridge, Kerrville, Mariposa, and Old Songs, to venues like Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, Jencks has enthralled diverse audiences with his approachable style. Joe is noted for his unique merging of musical beauty, social consciousness, and spiritual exploration. Blending well-crafted instrumentals and vivid songwriting, Joe serves it all up with a lyric baritone voice that has the edgy richness of a good sea-salt caramel. https://joejencks.com
Rev. Viola Abbitt is currently serving as the settled minister at Coastal Virginia Unitarian Universalists in Virginia Beach, VA. Before that she served as the half-time minister for two Unitarian Universalist congregations in New York State, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Poughkeepsie and the First Unitarian Society of Westchester. She was also the ministerial intern at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Greater Springfield in Massachusetts, while she was attending seminary at Meadville Lombard Theological School. Rev. Viola was a contributor to the liturgical materials for the Promise and the Practice of Our Faith Campaign in 2018 and served on the President Search Team for Meadville Lombard Theological School. She is currently a member of the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Association and the board of UU Wellspring. She has one adult son, Taylor, who is currently studying at Juilliard, and two rescue cats, Minerva and Cricket.
Musician of the Week
Joe Jencks is a 20-year veteran of the international folk circuit, an award-winning songwriter, and celebrated vocalist based in Chicago. Merging conservatory training with his Irish roots and working-class upbringing, Joe delivers engaged musical narratives filled with heart, soul, groove and grit. Having penned several #1 Folksongs including the ever-relevant Lady of The Harbor, Jencks is also co-founder of the harmony trio, Brother Sun. From Festivals like Falcon Ridge, Kerrville, Mariposa, and Old Songs, to venues like Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, Jencks has enthralled diverse audiences with his approachable style. Joe is noted for his unique merging of musical beauty, social consciousness, and spiritual exploration. Blending well-crafted instrumentals and vivid songwriting, Joe serves it all up with a lyric baritone voice that has the edgy richness of a good sea-salt caramel. https://joejencks.com
Pricing
Pricing per Person |
Adult: $384.00 (Includes Conference Fees + Meals) Youth: $282.00 (Includes Conference Fees + Meals) Online Attendance Only: $25.00 Off-Site Daily Fee: $50.00 (Does not Include Meals) On-Site Daily Fee: $19.00 (On Campus and Not Registered for Programming) |
Lodging |
Lodging Prices Vary. See our Lodging Page for pricing information. |
Membership |
Membership must be paid to attend any Ferry Beach program and is due annually. Individual Membership: $30.00 Family Membership: $50.00 See our Membership Page to learn more and to purchase or renew a membership. |
Or Call 207-282-4489 x1 to Register by Phone
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Due to our financial situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferry Beach will not be able to provide the traditional account of support for our conference volunteers. If you are able to, please consider donating to help support a volunteer this summer and ensure your conference runs as smooth as you expect!
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Our mission at Ferry Beach is to awaken hearts to explore, grow and renew the spirit of universal love.
We work by creating programing and events in the areas of Arts & Culture, Education, Spirituality, Sustainability, Personal Growth and Justice & Action.
We work by creating programing and events in the areas of Arts & Culture, Education, Spirituality, Sustainability, Personal Growth and Justice & Action.
