The Spiritual Growth and Community Center is an outreach program of the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson. We provide high-quality, inspirational programs, classes, and events to awaken peace, joy, love, compassion, personal growth, and creativity.  All programs are open to the community—people of all faiths, including atheists, can participate.

The Spiritual Growth and Community Center is made possible through the generous support of the members and friends of the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Winter/Spring 2025 Events

Pre-registration is appreciated but not required, unless specifically requested in the event descriptions below. The “donate” button below is provided for your convenience. We appreciate your support of our programming!

Meditation Group

Date/Time: 2nd and 4th Sundays at 9:15 a.m.

Cost: $5 donation suggested

Location: UCMH Alice Hart Room (Ground Floor)

We invite you to join us in gathering to sit in peace twice monthly on Sunday mornings. Whether you need a time of solace during a busy weekend, want to deepen your personal practice, or aim to join Sunday service with an uncluttered mind, you are welcome.

Meditation is a discipline that is integral to many spiritual traditions, religions, and secular mindfulness practices throughout the world and human history. Meditation comes in many forms, including as an act of prayer, accompanied by music, chanting, mantras, breathwork, or practiced simply in silence, and those who meditate regularly often find benefits of mental clarity and calmness from their practice. We will explore some of these variations on meditation and thoughtful contemplation.

Sessions will begin at 9:15 in the Alice Hart Room, downstairs at UCMH, and will include 25 minutes of meditation. No experience is necessary to join. 

SoulCollage® Who is Driving the Bus?

Date/Time: Saturday, May 10, 1-4pm

Facilitator: Nadine Lucas

Cost: $30: discounts and scholarships available via Nadine at nadineelucas@gmail.com.

Which part of you is driving the bus in your life? Is your Authentic Self in the driver’s seat, or a part that is burdened with sorrows, shame, or dark thoughts? SoulCollage® is a way to honor and get to know all your feelings and inner voices: the ones you like (joy and love) and the ones you try to push away. As Rumi says in The Guest House, “Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in. Welcome and entertain them all!” In this 3-hour workshop we will focus on what is going on inside of you and meet the inner family members of your psyche! Pre-registration is required. Cost: $3 For more information about SoulCollage, please visit: https://compassionbasedhealing.com/soulcollage-workshop/

Spirituality and Internal Family Systems (IFS)

An exploration of the core essence of being that exists within all of us

Date/Time: Wednesday, May 14 at 7:00 p.m.

Facilitator: Nadine Lucas (https://compassionbasedhealing.com)

Cost: $10 to cover the cost of the building and utilities

Location: UCMH Union Hall

Register at Meetup.com

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a therapy modality that incorporates a deeply spiritual dimension through its recognition of the “Self” – a core essence of being that exists beneath our various parts and subpersonalities. This Self is characterized by qualities such as compassion, curiosity, calmness, clarity, and connectedness, which IFS founder Richard Schwartz found to be universally present when people accessed their true, authentic nature. The spiritual aspect of IFS emerges from its view that this Self is not something we need to create or develop, but rather an inherent wisdom that exists naturally within all people, simply waiting to be uncovered and accessed.

IFS parallels many spiritual traditions in its recognition of a deeper consciousness beyond our everyday thinking mind. Similar to Buddhist concepts of Buddha nature or Hindu notions of atman, the Self in IFS represents an innate wholeness and wisdom that transcends our conditioned patterns and emotional wounds. The model suggests that connecting with Self energy can bring about not just psychological healing but also spiritual growth, as people experience their fundamental nature as loving, connected, and whole.

This group is NOT therapy but an exploration of how to connect with Self energy and live a Self-led life from a place of deep compassion. We will explore how the healing power of Self emerges naturally when we step back from our pain and suffering and access the inherent wisdom of the Self, allowing for spiritual transformation. The IFS model proposes that as we learn to lead more consistently from Self, we not only heal individually but contribute to collective healing in our communities and world, through our enhanced capacity for compassion, wisdom, and presence.
Parking is on Main Street or Church Street. Please enter the building from Church Street and follow signs to the event.
For more information contact Nadine at https://compassionbasedhealing.com/

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a model that recognizes a core “Self” – characterized by qualities such as compassion, curiosity, presence, and connectedness. IFS views this authentic Self as not something we need to create or develop, but rather an inherent wisdom that exists naturally within all people, simply waiting to be uncovered and accessed. The IFS model proposes that as we learn to lead more consistently from Self, we not only heal individually but contribute to collective healing in our communities and world, through our enhanced capacity for compassion, wisdom, and presence.

 Open Creativity Studio

Facilitated by: Elisa Abatsis and Jennifer Rambridge

Date/Time: Monthly on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays

Cost: $5/class suggested donation

Location: UCMH Union Hall

Is there something you’d like to create in the New Year? Give yourself the gift of dedicated time to work on your project in the company of fellow creatives. Bring your novel-in-progress, your half-knitted sweater, your blank canvas, your barely-started dissertation, your architectural blueprint, your nascent symphony, your coding project, or your business plan. Or just bring a desire to explore the possibilities. We provide coffee, a short nugget of creative inspiration, some rudimentary art supplies, and time-keeping so you can lose yourself in creative flow; you bring the mojo and a willingness to clean up after yourself at the end of the night.

Free Your Inner Artist Collab! If you don’t currently have a project in the works, no problem! Jen Rambridge will be on hand with materials and supplies that you can experiment with. (Additional $5 donation requested for materials)

This group is suitable for adults and mature teens.

Pub Theology

Facilitated by: Caitlin Eaton-Robb

Date/Time: Monthly on second Thursdays

Cost: $5 donation requested; BYOB/snacks/dinner

Location: UCMH Knight Room (or Courtyard if the weather is mild enough!)

We welcome atheists, agnostics, humanists, people of all faith traditions, and people who identify as “spiritual but not religious” to gather together to talk while enjoying drinks and other refreshments. Join us for deep, respectful, and reflective conversation with our community. Each month we will reflect on a different theme.

February: “Inclusion”

March: “Trust”

April: “Joy”

May: “Imagination”

June: “Freedom”

Feel free to join in the discussion or just come to listen. Please bring your own wine, beer, or nonalcoholic beverage, and dinner or a snack if you wish – there are a number of great restaurants right nearby!  You can also take out beer from our neighbors across the street at Medusa. Everyone is welcome to participate! Contact Caitlin Eaton-Robb with any questions.

New Age Spiritualist Collaborative

Facilitated by: Members of the Collaborative

Date/Time: Monthly on 4th Thursday

Cost: $5 donation requested for use of the space

Location: UCMH Union Hall

The New Age Spiritualist Collaborative is part of Spiritual Growth and Community Center at the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

We’ll be exploring modalities such as mediumship, divination, energy healing, and astrology with the aim of evolving consciousness by understanding our soul’s place in the Universe.

Each meeting will be led by a member of the collaborative, who will provide information on a topic followed by discussion and a practice session.

Meetings will generally be held in-person on fourth Thursday of every month at the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson, 80 Main Street, Hudson, MA, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Email: newagespiritualists@gmail.com.

Meetings are FREE, but we do request a $5 donation to UCMH for use of the building.

Please note that we are not a professional practice group (though professional practitioners are certainly welcome!).

Playing With Tarot Workshop

Date and Time: Fourth Fridays, every other month, 7:00 p.m.

Facilitator: Cynthia Menard

Cost: $5 for UCMH members, $10 for non-members

Join us for an every-other-month gathering in Hudson, MA where we ‘play’ with our tarot decks, ask tarot questions, and nerd out over tarot details and trivia.

These gatherings are not concerned with a card-by-card teaching of ‘how tarot works’. Rather, we play with our decks in fun and intuitive ways that build our unique understanding of the cards.

In our November gathering will explore and play with the court cards, and figure out why they’re such a challenge. We’ll practice reading for each other with a few new spreads, and play an I-Spy game with our decks. I hope you can join us!

Advance registration requested: email cynthia @ inkwoodhealing.com

This event repeats every other month on the 4th Friday of the month, alternating with the Spiritualist group. Questions? Email Cynthia at the above address!

FreeDrum

Facilitated by: Dave Curry
Dates: 1st Saturdays, December-April, 7-10 PM
Cost: $5 per adult, kids under 13 free
Location: UCMH Union Hall

FreeDrum is a night of high energy freestyle drumming and dancing that welcomes all ages and skill levels. The drumming kicks off at 7pm and we go full throttle until about 9:45 with a short break in the middle for snacks, announcements, socializing, and maybe a group photo. Near the end, we dial back the energy and cool down with softer, slower rhythms, perhaps some didge, flute, or toning to help get us grounded. Bring your drums and percussion instruments if you have them. some extra drums are available for borrowing. If you like, you’re welcome to bring snacks.

NOTE: FreeDrum is based on the “conscious gathering” concept that believes in being high on life without the need for mind-altering substances. During your time at FreeDrum we ask that your head is clear of drugs or alcohol. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Facilitator Bio: Dave Curry is the creator of Drums For One & All, which includes facilitating public events, giving workshops, teaching private lessons, giving live performances, and doing drum repairs. Dave has offered his popular FreeDrum event since 2001. He has taught drum classes at the Assabet school since 2009. Over the past 20 years, Dave has led 1000+ drumming events at schools, churches, colleges, retreat centers, and other institutions across New England.

Ongoing Events

Buddhist Book Club

We are hard at work preparing virtual and in person offerings for the upcoming season! Please check back for more information, or contact the office to receive notification via email:  administrator@ucmh.org