After
almost 20 years of service to the community, and to better reflect the wide
range of educational topics offered to the community, the current board of
directors has renamed the life-long learning center. The new name, “Uplands Lifelong Learning Institute,” or ULLI, is in keeping with
similar organizations across the country who strive to facilitate learning
throughout the lifespan of individuals, encouraging the intellectually curious
well into their later years. Shalom
Center has made such learning opportunities affordable and accessible to our
area residents and enjoys a proud history of bringing celebrated speakers to
the Uplands and Cumberland County vicinity.
The
original Shalom Center was formed in the year 2000, by a group led by Ted
Braun. The goal was to establish an
educational “Chautauqua-like” organization promoting life-long learning for the
residents of Pleasant Hill and the greater Cumberland Plateau area. Shalom’s “Statement of Purpose” included the
following:
The Shalom Center for Continuing
Education is a non-profit educational center whose purpose is to provide
opportunities for holistic education in areas of social, economics, cultural,
ecological, ethical, and theological importance on behalf of shalom (wholeness,
health, and peace).
Through
conferences, workshops, forums, retreats, institutes, and courses the Shalom
Center seeks to engage those in Pleasant Hill and beyond in learning process
that is lifelong, inclusive, imaginative, and celebrative, recognizing the
integrity of creation and the unity of its inhabitants.”
Despite
the overall positive tone of the word “Shalom,” it has often been perceived as
strictly a religious term, giving some people the impression that we are a
religious group, or that we only present religiously focused programs. In fact,
a wide range of topics have been covered, including music, activists/martyrs,
war and peace, church and state, faith into action, domestic violence, trauma
healing, homophobia, sustainable agriculture, care of the earth, Native
American perspectives, and interfaith issues. Over the past year, we’ve offered
topics regarding East Tennessee involvement in the Civil War, Peace Corps
volunteer experiences around the world, environmental policy issues, as well as
spiritual and religious topics. Many regionally and nationally renowned
speakers and authors have graciously agreed to present on a variety of
subjects, with several committed to this year’s schedule.
Two Spring
Short Courses are starting soon:
Understanding American Identity: Divided and/or United with Mark Canfield beginning Friday Feb 22 (10-11:30, Rm 1 Pleasant Hill Community Church)
Bridge for Fun (and good for your brain too!) with Pat Harley beginning Friday Mar 1 (1:30-3:30).
More information and a registration form for these two classes are available using the Spring 2019 Short Courses tab above. We hope to see you there!
Other
short courses beginning later include two shorter courses with Ed Olson, (Apr 2-Apr 23) and Spirituality of Difference (April 30-May
14). Both will be Tuesday 10-11:30 in Rm 1 of PHCC. Also, we expect to offer a course on short stories this semester. More info and
registration forms for these courses will be available shortly.
Confirmed
program for 2019 include:
- Friday March 15 6:30 pm Native Tennessee- Indians in the pre-contact and colonial period
- Saturday March 16 (:30 am): Birth of a (Cherokee) Nation: the trail to the Trail of Tears
Dara Gell with The Innocence Project (May 10-11),
Carl McColman, Professed Lay Cistercian, writer, soul friend, storyteller, and retreat leader, on Spirituality, (Oct 18-19)
John Siewert, Professor of Art and Art History at the College of Wooster, on current and continuing debates about Confederate Monuments and Public Art (summer, date TBA).
We
are in the process of finalizing an offering on defining and describing one’s Legacy, with Sabina Coronado.
Programs will continue to be held at Adshead Hall at Uplands Village, 86A Church Drive, Pleasant Hill, TN
Information about upcoming events can be accessed using the tabs above.
Information about upcoming events can be accessed using the tabs above.
