UU Wausau

Creativity Matters
2024-08-13 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-09-10 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-10-08 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-11-12 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-12-10 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-01-14 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-02-11 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Our Creativity Matters group helps community members engage in monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression.

It’s all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

Creativity Matters is a high school and adult group designed for everyone — no experience or artistic skill is required! Just bring a playful spirit and adventurous attitude.

Coffee & Upcycled Multi-Media Collage | Summer Art Hangout
2024-08-17 09:00 - 12:00 | WI
Upcycled multi-media collage — or the art of selecting, arranging, and combining diverse upcycled art elements into harmonious chaos — is an overlooked meditative and spiritual practice.

Join us for a slow morning of casual Coffee and Upcycled Multi-Media Collage on Saturday, August 17th, in the sun-filled atrium from 8am-1pm. As always, join our monthly group theme or work on anything that inspires you!

We are holding space for you to get creative.

Ditch your to-do list. Ignore the laundry. Shake off perfectionism. And create for the sake of creating — No rules. No judgement. No apologies.
Caylee Grey

This peaceful gathering is for artists, crafters, and creative beginners alike, and is open to adults and high school-aged youth.

We’ll provide examples, gentle guidance, and a few supplies to get you started. Participants are encouraged to bring materials from home to use or share for the day at the community resources table!

We’ll be breathing new life into old art—in other words, we’ll be cutting up and sharing each other’s old handmade art to make something new.

We encourage you to donate art to our community supplies table! Suggested items:

Painting on paper

Drawings from sketchbooks

Doodles from journals

Finished collages

Photographs

Kid’s school art

Art focused magazines

Artistic postcards

If you have art you’ve created sitting in a drawer, portfolio binder, or in a storage bin in the basement… consider giving it new life by offering it as a resource for others!

As always, this collage process is about upcycling pre-existing resources. No need to purchase anything new!

What to expect during this casual community art hangout:

8 am-9 am: Early Bird Community Set-up! Feel free to arrive at your convenience. We’ll be brewing coffee, putting out supplies, setting up tables, and art’ing together as people show up.

9 am-12 pm: Casual Coffee & CollageLet the creativity begin! We’ll officially start the art hangout at 9am. Connect with others (or enjoy creative solitude) as you work on your collage piece.

12 pm-1 pm: Community Clean-up! Return supplies and pick up your personal space. If your schedule and physical ability permit, volunteer to help put away tables, chairs, and community supplies!

Space is limited! Registration for this relaxing morning of community art is preferred (so we can prepare supplies & snacks), but drop-ins are welcome. RSVP below!

Save The Dates

Join us for all of our summer Casual Coffee & Collage art hangouts! Register today and add these dates to your calendar.

Sat, May 11th — Classic CollageSat, June 8th — Slow Stitch CollageSat, July 13th — Messy Zine CollageSat, Aug 17th — Mixed Media Collage

*Join our monthly theme or work on any creative project that inspires you!

Why the art of collage?

The art of collage allows you to tap into a meditative state. Collage becomes a mindful practice as the deliberate placement of diverse elements coming together in harmonious chaos.

Art is a transformative vehicle for spiritual or emotional exploration, offering a sacred space where one can transcend the mundane and connect with the profound.

This meditative process not only fosters a deep connection with one’s inner self but also provides a means for a collective sense of interconnectedness through shared experiences.

More Art Opportunities

Looking for additional opportunities for community art? Be sure to check out upcoming dates for our monthly Creative Matters group!

Eco Printing Art - Part II
2024-08-27 18:00 - 21:00 | WI
Art is the harvest of the soul, cultivated from the seeds of nature and the cycles of the seasons.
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Adults and Senior High youth have a second opportunity to join us for a special eco printing event. Eco Printing Art & Dinner – part II combines the beauty of nature, the joy of creative spiritual practices, and the delight of community and a shared meal.

You’ll learn how to harness the vibrant colors and intricate patterns found in leaves, flowers, and other botanical elements through eco printing, an art form that uses natural materials to create stunning prints on fabric and paper. We’ll be experimenting with processes that use steam & mordant and hammering/rolling. No prior experience or attendance at our first session is required – just bring your enthusiasm and a sense of wonder!

We’ll provide dinner, brief tutorials, and materials to get you started, but participants are also invited to bring materials from home to use or share.

Suggested Items:

Leaves (especially those rich in tannins): blackberry, maple, oak, birch, alder, sumac, walnut, eucalyptus, rose, ferns

Flowers: catmint, marigolds, coreopsis, calendula, pansies, rose, rudbeckia, violets, daisies, petunias, dandelions

Kitchen Scraps: Onion peels, carrot tops, cabbage leaves

Rubber gloves

Registration for our Eco Printing Event is required. Please contact our Director of Religious Education with any questions or dietary restrictions.

Creativity Matters • Invitation
2024-09-10 19:00 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Something within us knows us better than we know ourselves. It knows what is right for us. It speaks by silently withdrawing energy from things that are not for us. It doesn’t care about our comfort; it cares about our growth. James Hollis

Invitation

September’s Creativity Matters theme is “invitation.” As we start our year of Creativity Matters sessions, we’ll explore how we can invite creativity back into our lives when our creative juices have run low, and how our creativity can invite us to get to know our complex feelings – positive, negative, and otherwise.

Projects of the Month

We will have supplies for Project Option A, B, and D from the monthly Creativity Matters packet*

Jumpstart your creativity with a pocket-sized beauty collection

Invite imperfection into your creativity with “ugly” art

Explore the invitation of aging with a modality of your choosing

*Don’t have a copy of this month’s Creativity Matters guide? Sign up to be part of the mailing list or reach out to our Director of Religious Education for a copy!

What is Creativity Matters?

Our Creativity Matters drop-in group helps community members engage in monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression.

It’s all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

Creativity Matters is a high school and adult group designed for everyone — no experience or artistic skill is required! Just bring a playful spirit and adventurous attitude.

Creativity Matters • Deep Listening
2024-10-08 19:00 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Deep Listening

October’s Creativity Matters theme is “deep listening.”

At this meetup, we’ll explore how our creativity speaks to us and how our creativity can be sparked when we take the time to listen deeply to our inner voices and the world around us.

Project of the Month

We will have supplies for Project Option A, C, and G from the monthly Creativity Matters packet*

Creating a visual composition from the sounds around you

Draw (paint, sculpt, etc.) your emotions

Create a labyrinth

*Don’t have a copy of this month’s Creativity Matters guide? Sign up to be part of the mailing list or reach out to our Director of Religious Education for a copy!

What is Creativty Matters?

Our Creativity Matters group helps community members engage in monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression.

It’s all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

Creativity Matters is a high school and adult group designed for everyone — no experience or artistic skill is required! Just bring a playful spirit and adventurous attitude.

Creativity Matters • Repair
2024-11-12 19:00 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Repair

November’s Creativity Matters theme is “repair.” Join us as we explore how creativity can help us heal and uncover beauty in what may seem broken. Through reflection and art, we’ll discover the power of repair in our lives and the world around us.

Projects of the month

We will have supplies for Project Option C, D, and G from the monthly Creativity Matters packet*

Torn Paper Collage

Visible Mending (bring your clothing items)

Slow & Patterned Drawing

*Don’t have a copy of this month’s Creativity Matters guide? Sign up to be part of the mailing list or reach out to our Director of Religious Education for a copy!

What is Creativity Matters?

Our Creativity Matters group helps community members engage in monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression. It’s all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

Creativity Matters is a high school and adult group designed for everyone — no experience or artistic skill is required! Just bring a playful spirit and adventurous attitude.

Coffee & Reassembled Collage
2024-11-23 08:00 - 13:00 | WI
Take a breather before the holiday rush and join us for our final Coffee & Collage meetup of 2024! Reassembled Collage—the art of disassembling and reassembling an image in a new way—is more than just a creative exercise. It’s a meditative practice that mirrors the cycles of order, disorder, and reorder in our own lives, inviting us to find beauty and meaning in transformation.

Come and experience the peace that comes with slowing down and creating something new from what once was on Saturday, November 23, in the sun-filled atrium from 8 am – 1 pm. As always, join our monthly group theme or work on anything that inspires you!

This peaceful gathering is for artists, crafters, and creative beginners alike, and is open to adults and high school-aged youth.

We’ll provide examples, gentle guidance, and supplies to get you started. Participants may bring materials and tools from home too.

Suggested items:

Old magazines and books

Photographs

Daily calendar quotes

Greeting cards

Artistic postcards

Circle and square punches

What to expect during this casual community art hangout:

8 am-9 am: Early Bird Community Set-up! Feel free to arrive at your convenience. We’ll be brewing coffee, putting out supplies, setting up tables, and art’ing together as people show up.

9 am-12 pm: Casual Coffee & Collage Let the creativity begin! We’ll officially start the art hangout at 9am. Connect with others (or enjoy creative solitude) as you work on your collage piece.

12 pm-1 pm: Community Clean-up!Return supplies and pick up your personal space. If your schedule and physical ability permit, volunteer to help put away tables, chairs, and community supplies!

Registration for this relaxing morning of community art is preferred (so we can prepare supplies & snacks), but drop-ins are welcome. RSVP below!

Creativity Matters • Presence
2024-12-10 19:00 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Presence

December’s Creativity Matters theme is “Presence.” Together, we’ll explore how creating art can ground us in the present moment and deepen our connection to what we find holy, divine, or sacred in this world.

Projects of the Month

We will have supplies for Project Option A, D, and F from the monthly Creativity Matters packet*

Collage What Pulls You into the Present Moment: Create a collage as a tribute to all the things that draw you into the present moment, using both words and images

Continuous Line Drawing: Is an artistic technique where an image is created using a single, unbroken line. Try out this mindfulness art technique to find calm and grounding.

Draw or Paint What Winter Feels Like: Use your choice of drawing or painting tools to create a piece that captures your winter or holiday season feelings, focusing on textures, colors, or shapes that express the essence of this time.

*Don’t have a copy of this month’s Creativity Matters guide? Sign up to be part of the mailing list or reach out to our Director of Religious Education for a copy!

What is Creativity Matters?

Our Creativity Matters group helps community members engage in monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression.

It’s all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

Creativity Matters is a high school and adult group designed for everyone — no experience or artistic skill is required! Just bring a playful spirit and adventurous attitude.

Creativity Matters • Story
2025-01-14 19:00 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Story

January’s Creativity Matters theme is “Story.” Together, we’ll explore how art can help us tell and understand our stories.

Projects of the Month

We will have supplies for Project Option B and E from the monthly Creativity Matters packet*

Where You’re From Collage – Use the framework from George Ella Lyon’s poem Where I’m From as inspiration to create a collage to tell your story.

Wise Words Through Your Favorite Modality – Choose your favorite quote from this month’s “Wise Words” and use your preferred creative medium to explore the art of storytelling.

Upcycled Book Art – Use old books as your canvas, fold, cut, paint, collage, or sculpt to create something new and beautiful. Be sure to incorporate the words or story from the pages as part of your design—whether by highlighting a phrase, creating a visual narrative, or letting the text guide your artistic process.

*Don’t have a copy of this month’s Creativity Matters guide? Sign up to be part of the mailing list or reach out to our Director of Religious Education for a copy!

What is Creativity Matters?

Our Creativity Matters group helps community members engage in monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression.

It’s all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

Creativity Matters is a high school and adult group designed for everyone — no experience or artistic skill is required! Just bring a playful spirit and adventurous attitude.

Creativity Matters Saturday
2025-01-25 09:00 - 12:00 | WI
As Lent approaches, we’re preparing a Lenten Reflection Book for our congregation, and we warmly invite your contributions. To spark your creativity and support your process, join us for a special Saturday Creativity Matters session on January 25 at 9:00 AM!

This session is a relaxed and welcoming space for adults and youth looking to explore themes of reflection, renewal, and spiritual growth through art, poetry, prayers, or meditations. Whether you’re working on a submission, creating for personal reflection, or simply want to express yourself without a specific goal, this is a perfect opportunity. No artistic experience is needed—just bring your ideas and an open heart.

Participants are encouraged to bring any favorite art supplies or materials. We’ll also have a variety of supplies on hand, including fabric and paper for collage, paints, and drawing tools, as well as seasonal readings, quotes, and other inspiring prompts to help kickstart your creativity.

Whether you’re looking for fresh inspiration, a supportive community, or a quiet space to focus, Creativity Matters offers the perfect setting to bring your visions to life.

Submissions for the Lenten Reflection Book are encouraged but entirely optional.

For more information, contact Jes. Let your creativity illuminate this sacred season!

Dinners for 9
2025-02-07 18:00 - 21:00, 2025-02-08 18:00 - 21:00, 2025-02-16 18:00 - 21:00, 2025-02-22 18:00 - 21:00 | WI
Join us for Dinners for 9, an evening of a shared meal and thoughtful dialogue designed specifically for adults to connect, beyond surface-level socializing and small talk. Each gathering brings together nine people to enjoy delicious food and small group conversation, offering a wonderful opportunity to nourish both body and soul.

Winter Dinner for 9 Dates:

Friday, February 7 at 6 pm. Theme: Joy.

Saturday, February 8 at 6 pm. Theme: Wonder.

Sunday, February 16 at 6 pm. Theme: Calm.

Saturday, February 22 at 6 pm. Theme: Love.*

*Feb. 22 dinner open to adults and their teens

Registration is required.

Sign Up Here

Creativity Matters • Inclusion
2025-02-11 19:00 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Inclusion

February’s Creativity Matters theme is “Inclusion.” Together, we’ll explore how art and creativity can create spaces where we feel seen, valued, and connected. We’ll also reflect on how they can help us heal from experiences of exclusion and inspire us to extend belonging to others.

Projects of the Month

We will have supplies for Project Options A, B, and C from the monthly Creativity Matters packet*

Celebrating the Shape, Size, and Color of You – Create an abstract shape that symbolically captures something essential about who you are and then fill it with colors and additional abstract shapes that symbolize additional aspects of yourself.

Labels that Left You Excluded and Included – Print the labels you have and others have applied to you, stick them into a pattern or onto something that brings the story of your labels to life

Misfit Collage – Inspired by the work of David Lock, use his torn collage technique to explore the feeling of inclusion and exclusion by normative and societally-standard images of mainstream magazines.

*Don’t have a copy of this month’s Creativity Matters guide? Sign up to be part of the mailing list or reach out to our Director of Religious Education for a copy!

What is Creativity Matters?

Our Creativity Matters group invites community members to engage with monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression.

Here, intuition and imagination take the lead—not just logic and reflection. Think of it as letting your right brain dance with your left!

A drop-in group designed for high schoolers and adults, Creativity Matters is open to everyone—no artistic experience or skill required. Just bring a playful spirit and a sense of adventure!

Coffee & Collage
2025-03-01 08:00 - 13:00 | WI
Distilling the Essence of Lent

Join us for a slow morning of casual Coffee and Collage on Saturday, March 1st, in the sun-filled atrium from 8am-1pm. As always, join our monthly group theme or work on anything that inspires you!

This month’s theme, inspired by Lent, invites us to shed what is unnecessary to uncover what is most essential. Through the art of collage, you’ll start with a busy, cluttered design representing life’s distractions, then gradually refine it to reveal a central image, word, or symbol that captures what matters most to you this season.

Perfect for artists, crafters, and creative beginners alike, this gathering is open to adults and high school-aged youth. All you need to bring is your creativity and a willingness to explore.

What to Bring:

We’ll provide examples, gentle guidance, and a few supplies to get you started. Participants are also encouraged to bring materials from home to use or share for the day at the community resources table! Suggested items include:

Old magazines, books, and newspapers

Photographs to integrate

Daily calendar quotes

Old or blank greeting cards

Poetry books for inspiration

Preferred markers or water-based paints

Old artwork you’d like to upcycle

Textured items: thread, netting from oranges, etc.

What to expect during this casual community art hangout:

8 am-9 am: Early Bird Community Set-up!Feel free to arrive at your convenience. We’ll be brewing coffee, putting out supplies, setting up tables, and art’ing together as people show up.

9 am-12 pm: Casual Coffee & CollageLet the creativity begin! We’ll officially start at 9am. Connect with others (or enjoy creative solitude) as you work on your collage piece.

12 pm-1 pm: Community Clean-up!Return supplies and pick up your personal space. If your schedule and physical ability permit, volunteer to help put away tables, chairs, and community supplies!

Creativity Matters
2025-03-11 19:00 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Trust

March’s Creativity Matters theme is “Trust.” This month, we’ll explore how trusting your creative instincts can help quiet self-doubt and navigate the inner voices that hold you back. Join us as we dive into the power of trusting yourself and your process!

Projects of the Month

We will have supplies for Project Options C, E, and G from the monthly Creativity Matters packet*

Trust Your Art to Another: Collaborate with a fellow participant to co-create a piece of art, trusting each other’s creativity.

Circles of Trust: Craft an artistic representation that symbolizes the trust in your relationships.

Make a Fake: Recreate a piece of artwork, adding your own creative twist, and trusting creativity is built on those who came before.

*Don’t have a copy of this month’s Creativity Matters guide? Sign up to be part of the mailing list or reach out to our Director of Religious Education for a copy!

What is Creativity Matters?

Our Creativity Matters group helps community members engage in monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression.

It’s all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

Creativity Matters is a high school and adult group designed for everyone — no experience or artistic skill is required! Just bring a playful spirit and adventurous attitude.

Creativity Matters
2025-04-08 19:00 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Joy

April’s Creativity Matters theme is “Joy.” This month, we’ll explore how creative practices can help us connect with and cultivate joy in our lives. Together, we’ll practice embracing joy through art and reflect on how joyful creativity enriches our emotional well-being, builds stronger connections, and invites more light into our daily lives. We hope you’ll join us in this exploration and discover new ways to bring more joy into your world!

Projects of the Month

We will have supplies for Project Options B, D, and F from the monthly Creativity Matters packet*

Joyful Words Collage – Find a selection of words that bring you joy – Buzz, Boom, Lollipop, Squeegee – and use them to create a joyful collage.

Creativity of Childhood Joy – Reconnect with joy through the creativity of your childhood with some of your favorite childhood mediums and art toys (fingerprinting, playdoh, construction paper, etc.)

Joy through Sumi-e – Also called black ink painting, is a Japanese meditative art form that invites the artist to connect with the energy and symbolism of what they paint. One of its central images, the orchid, embodies the joyful energy of summer, freedom, beauty, and peace. Try your hand at the orchid form with one of our tutorials or create your own joyful black ink masterpiece!

*Don’t have a copy of this month’s Creativity Matters guide? Sign up to be part of the mailing list or reach out to our Director of Religious Education for a copy!

What is Creativity Matters?

Our Creativity Matters group helps community members engage in monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression.

It’s all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

Creativity Matters is a high school and adult group designed for everyone — no experience or artistic skill is required! Just bring a playful spirit and adventurous attitude.

Learn. Practice. Share.
2025-05-04 18:30 - 20:00 | WI
A Three-Session Meditation & Mindfulness Community

In times of uncertainty – whether facing personal challenges, transitions, or the shifting landscape of our world – we can come together as a community to build resilience. Mindfulness and meditation offer powerful tools to navigate these moments with clarity and compassion.

In our first gathering, we’ll meet each other, share where we are in our meditation practice, and create a space of trust and support. We’ll explore how mindfulness is not just a seated practice, but a way to meet each moment with attention, kindness, and presence.

Each session will include a period of silent meditation with gentle guidance, followed by time to share your experience with fellow participants.

We have two more sessions ahead—see the dates below for details, and join us as we continue this journey together!

About Your Hosts

Lisa Stein is a recent addition to the UU Wausau community, having returned to Wausau in early 2023 after living in Madison for 34 years. She is grateful to have been welcomed by a fellow member and now attends with her son and his family, who are also new to the area. Lisa is a retired educator with a background in bringing mindfulness meditation and wellness practices to teachers, students, and school communities. She currently teaches a program called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

Jeanine Knapp moved to Wausau in 2020 and quickly became an active participant at UU Wausau, engaging in Soul Matters, social justice initiatives, and Drum Club. Jeanine has practiced meditation on and off since 2010, and she studies in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.

Learn. Practice. Share.
2025-05-11 18:30 - 20:00 | WI
A Three-Session Meditation & Mindfulness Community

In times of uncertainty – whether facing personal challenges, transitions, or the shifting landscape of our world – we can come together as a community to build resilience. Mindfulness and meditation offer powerful tools to navigate these moments with clarity and compassion.

In our second session, we’ll address the stress and anxiety that often accompany personal transitions and the external challenges we face. Together, we’ll explore strategies to recognize and reduce these feelings, learning techniques for greater peace of mind.

Each session will include a period of silent meditation with gentle guidance, followed by time to share your experience with fellow participants.

We have one more session ahead—see the details below, and join us as we continue this journey together!

**Note: We recognize this falls on Mother’s Day, and we’re open to adjusting the schedule based on feedback.

About Your Hosts

Lisa Stein is a recent addition to the UU Wausau community, having returned to Wausau in early 2023 after living in Madison for 34 years. She is grateful to have been welcomed by a fellow member and now attends with her son and his family, who are also new to the area. Lisa is a retired educator with a background in bringing mindfulness meditation and wellness practices to teachers, students, and school communities. She currently teaches a program called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

Jeanine Knapp moved to Wausau in 2020 and quickly became an active participant at UU Wausau, engaging in Soul Matters, social justice initiatives, and Drum Club. Jeanine has practiced meditation on and off since 2010, and she studies in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.

Creativity Matters
2025-05-13 19:00 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Imagination

May’s Creativity Matters theme is “Imagination.” Together, we’ll explore how imagination fuels our creativity by helping us dream up new ideas, experiment with artistic expression, and see the world through fresh eyes. Whether through painting, writing, movement, or making something entirely unexpected, we’ll tap into the playful and powerful ways imagination sparks creative expression.

Projects of the Month

We will have supplies for Project Options A and C from the monthly Creativity Matters packet* and for a “What if” collage project:

Put Your Head in the Clouds: Bring your own cloud pictures or pick from our collection. Use your favorite art materials to trace, add details, and color in the shapes or characters your imagination uncovers.

The Squiggle Game: Created by Donald Winnicott, this exercise invites you to draw a random squiggle and use your imagination and your favorite art supplies to turn it into something meaningful.

What If Collage: Choose or create a “What if…” prompt to spark your imagination, such as “What if the sky were made of dreams?” Next, explore our materials to craft a collage, adding your own details or drawings to bring your “What if” to life.

*Don’t have a copy of this month’s Creativity Matters guide? Sign up to be part of the mailing list or reach out to our Director of Religious Education for a copy!

What is Creativity Matters?

Our Creativity Matters group helps community members engage in monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression.

It’s all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

Creativity Matters is a high school and adult group designed for everyone — no experience or artistic skill is required! Just bring a playful spirit and adventurous attitude.

Learn. Practice. Share.
2025-05-18 18:30 - 20:00 | WI
A Three-Session Meditation & Mindfulness Community

In times of uncertainty – whether facing personal challenges, transitions, or the shifting landscape of our world – we can come together as a community to build resilience. Mindfulness and meditation offer powerful tools to navigate these moments with clarity and compassion.

For our final session, we’ll explore how loving-kindness meditation can become part of our daily lives. You may recognize its beautiful melody from our Sunday services—now, we’ll practice extending compassion to ourselves and others, deepening our sense of connection and care.

Each session will include a period of silent meditation with gentle guidance, followed by time to share your experience with fellow participants.

About Your Hosts

Lisa Stein is a recent addition to the UU Wausau community, having returned to Wausau in early 2023 after living in Madison for 34 years. She is grateful to have been welcomed by a fellow member and now attends with her son and his family, who are also new to the area. Lisa is a retired educator with a background in bringing mindfulness meditation and wellness practices to teachers, students, and school communities. She currently teaches a program called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

Jeanine Knapp moved to Wausau in 2020 and quickly became an active participant at UU Wausau, engaging in Soul Matters, social justice initiatives, and Drum Club. Jeanine has practiced meditation on and off since 2010, and she studies in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.

Learn. Practice. Share.
2025-06-01 18:30 - 20:00 | WI
Mindfulness/Meditation Community

A Drop-in Summer Series in a mindfulness/meditation community. Please join us.

In a world that often feels uncertain and overwhelming, the power of stillness, connection, and mindful presence becomes more important than ever.

You are warmly invited to join a supportive mindfulness and meditation community — a space to pause, breathe, and grow stronger together. Whether you’re new to meditation or have an existing practice, this is a welcoming circle for all who seek peace, clarity, and resilience.

Together, we will explore:

Guided meditations to calm the mind and center the spirit

Mindfulness practices to help navigate daily stress with compassion

Community sharing to remind us that we are not alone

This is not about perfection. It’s about showing up — for yourself and for each other — with kindness and intention.

Let’s meet in stillness and rise in strength

Where: First Universalist Unitarian Church of Wausau, 504 Grant St., Wausau, WI 54403

When: Sundays 6:30 – 8:00 pm, weekly

Who: Everyone is welcome, no experience necessary

What: Each 1.5 hour session is designed to include building of community, sharing/discussion on topic or theme, and practicing mindfulness with gentle movement and stillness

If this speaks to you, we would be honored to have you with us. Feel free to invite others who may benefit.

Your hosts are Lisa Stein and Jeanine Knapp

Lisa Stein is new to the UU Wausau community, having returned to Wausau early in 2023 after living in Madison for 34 years. She is grateful to have been invited to the UU by another member and now attends with her son and his family, who are also new to the area. Lisa is a retired educator who brought mindfulness meditation and wellness to teachers, students, and school communities. She teaches a meditation program called Mindful Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

Jeanine moved to Wausau in 2020 and has been a part of UU Wausau since that fall when Soul Matters groups met virtually; Jeanine was a Soul Matters group participant for 3 years. She participates in social justice activities and attends Margaret Jerz’s Drum Club. Jeanine has had an on/off meditation practice since 2010 and studies in the Tich Nhat Hahn tradition.

Creativity Matters
2025-06-03 19:00 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Freedom

June’s Creativity Matters theme is “Freedom.” Together, we’ll discover how freedom fuels creativity by opening the door to endless possibilities and true self-expression. Freedom encourages us to break boundaries, trust our unique voices, and create boldly, without fear or limits.

Please note: starting in June, Creativity Matters will be meeting on the first Tuesday of the month.

Project Options

We will have supplies for Project Options C, D, and E from the monthly Creativity Matters packet*:

Inner Critic: Get freedom from inner critic. It can be harsh and loud, but giving it a name and a face can help loosen its grip. Draw, paint, or collage your inner critic as a person. Give it a face, a name, imagine its size, clothes, and expression, and add word bubbles.

Four Values: Freedom isn’t just about fewer limits, it’s about staying true to what matters most. Choose your top four core values, find an object or person that represents each one, create or find an image of them, and hang them on a wall in your home.

Escape Decision Fatigue: From illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, this exercise uses simple rules to ease decision fatigue and invite creative flow. By giving up control, we shift from directing the process to collaborating with it. Sprinkle red chili flakes (or similar small items) onto a blank page. Let them fall naturally. Outline each flake where it lands, then enjoy the meditative practice of filling in the negative space with black ink.

*Don’t have a copy of this month’s Creativity Matters guide? Sign up to be part of the mailing list or reach out to our Director of Religious Education for a copy!

What is Creativity Matters?

Our Creativity Matters group helps community members engage in monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression.

It’s all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

Creativity Matters is a high school and adult group designed for everyone — no experience or artistic skill is required! Just bring a playful spirit and adventurous attitude.
