Adult Sunday Forums at BUF we’re originally designed to provide an opportunity for BUF members that were not comfortable with the more traditional and formal worship services, to gather and connect. In the last few years, the forums have evolved into adult educational opportunities covering a wide variety of topics and speakers. They take place nearly every Sunday between mid-September to mid-June, from 9:15 – 10:15 am, just before the worship service (at 10:30), in the Conference Room. Forums are not typically held on Sundays close to Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve.
First Sunday of every month.
The first Sunday of the month is currently reserved for speakers from local organizations who will be recipients of our Social and Environmental Justice Committee (SEJC). In April and May of each year, our SEJC solicits and selects those organizations that will be the recipient for a given month throughout the church year. The idea is the recipients get the opportunity to talk about the issues that they are addressing so the congregation understands what they’re giving money to when the collection is taken up on the second Sunday of every month. It also gives the congregation and members from the greater community to learn, in more detail, the issues of the day and the challenges those issues pose. Some of these issues include food justice, domestic violence, women and family services, youth services, Native American issues, environment and environmental justice, reproductive rights, poverty and more.
Third Sunday of every month.
The third Sunday of every month is currently reserved for speakers involved in dealing with environmental or Earth topics. This Sunday gives the congregation and members from the greater community the opportunity to learn, in more detail, the environmental issues of the day and the challenges those issues pose. Some of these issues include local water challenges, GMO and organic food issues, earth-based spirituality, fossil fuel project impacts, wildlife conservation, land conservation and use and more.
Quarterly.
One Sunday in each quarter is currently reserved for our partner Community to Community, to educate the congregation on the issues that they are working on. Topics include eco-feminism, domestic fair trade, migrant farmworker rights, women’s and families health and nutrition, racial profiling, social forum movements and more.
Remaining Sundays.
The remaining Sundays of the month invite a variety of local community members to talk on a wide range of topics including different perspectives on career choices, religion, music, art, health, ethics, local history and more.
Suggestions for potential speakers are always welcome. Current forum coordinators include Bob Keller, Coral Dudek and Deb Cruz (dwcruz@comcast.net)
