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Register for Fall Faith & Life Groups
September 19, 2024
Led by First Church members, Faith & Life Groups are designed to encourage meaningful connections through shared interests. Faith & Life Groups involve making a short-term commitment (a single session to several weeks, depending on the group) to something that might be delightful, deep, or even transformational. If you are looking for a way to dip your toes into the life of our church and stay connected outside of Sunday Worship, this is for you!
Please register by Friday, October 4!
Questions? Please reach out to Beth Spaulding or the leader of the group directly.
Care Group for the Caregivers
Leaders: Amy Matias and Stefanie Haug
Emails: amymatias.licsw@gmail.com; shaug007@gmail.com
Day/Time: TBD by the group
Are you supporting others and could use some support yourself? Caring for spouses, parents, and other aging loved ones is challenging on many levels. Come join us as we support each other through guided deep listening, prayer, connections, and some practical resource-sharing. Whether you’re managing health issues, navigating long-term care options, or balancing work and family responsibilities, we hope to offer encouragement, reduce isolation, and support you to care for your loved one and yourself. We anticipate the group will meet twice per month and we will send a survey out to registrants to determine the interests and needs of the group, as well as the group schedule and other logistics.
Exploring our Faith as Adults through the Confirmation Curriculum
Leaders: Meredith Quinn and Lindsey Baker
Emails: meredithmquinn@gmail.com; lindsey.e.baker@gmail.com
Day/Time: Sunday evenings, 7:00-8:00 pm
October 6 (in-person); October 20 & 27 and November 3 & 17 (via Zoom)
November 24 (in-person closing gathering)
(we understand that individuals may need to miss a session or two — that is fine)
Led by two moms whose kids were confirmed last year, this group will experience First Church’s confirmation curriculum as adults. Together, we’ll explore topics such as Jesus’s divine and human nature, ways of knowing God, the history of our denomination, and forgiveness and grace. We’ll have time to reflect on “the big questions” and share how we relate to our faith and these topics today.
Exploring Hope for Peace and Justice in the Holy Land
Since the vicious October 7 attacks in Israel and the unprecedented humanitarian disaster from Israel’s war in Gaza, along with increased crackdowns in the West Bank, how can Christians effectively engage in this issue? With cooperation and resources from Churches for Middle East Peace (cmep.org), we will have the opportunity to begin engagement through possible mediums such as readings, films, and/or guest speakers. While there will be some scheduled programming to get started, how we engage with this issue will be guided by the questions and interests of those who sign up. Examples may include questions such as: What work is already being done between Palestinians and Israelis to promote reconciliation? What do we need to know about the history before October 7 to understand today? How do we engage with those whose views are different from our own? How can we support our Jewish and Palestinian neighbors? How can First Church engage with the Israel-Palestine Conflict as witnesses to Christ’s peace—aware of power imbalances, but not falling into false binaries? Most importantly, what questions do you have that you would like the group to address? The group will meet 4-5 times in person at times convenient to the members, with the possibility of additional meetings if there is interest.
Tending our Spirits in a Time of Transition
Leader: Rev. Liz Williams
Email: lizandsimon@comcast.net
Day/Time: 7:00 – 8:00 pm Tuesdays, October 22 & 29; Wednesday, November 6, via Zoom
We are in a time of change and transition for our church, but you may also be experiencing transition in your life, in your experience of cultural upheaval, and in the ever-present, sometimes silent, exponential shifts in the global climate. These are changes we must face as a community of faith. To do so with resilience, realism, and compassion, we first need to tend our spirits. This group will lean into the reality of change and transition, while nurturing the spiritual practices that help us to express grief, gratitude, lament, and more, in order to face whatever lies ahead of us.
First Church’s History and Its Impact on Changes Ahead
Leader: Henry Gates
Email: hjgates@comcast.net
Day/Time: TBD by the participants
Given the changes and challenges ahead, we will reflect on First Church’s history as well as times of transition in the larger church. First Church has had eighteen ministers over 388 years. Does our history make the church, or the church make our history? A single pilot meeting will set the tone for a probable set of four meetings this winter season.