Small Groups
Practicing Our Faith Series and Small Groups
Looking for ways to become a more thoughtful, more grounded, and better informed practitioner of faith? This fall First Church will embark on a community-wide study of Practicing Our Faith, a book edited by Dorothy Bass, starting with a 10 am hour series in September led by Mary Luti and Dan Smith. The book explores twelve central Christian practices – shared activities that address fundamental human need and that, woven together, form a distinctly Christian way of life. The book’s contributors, including our own Stephanie Paulsell, explore each practice in depth by placing it in its own historical and biblical context, re-examining its relevance for our times, and showing how it gives the depth and meaning to daily life. The twelve practices are:
* Honoring the Body
* Hospitality
* Household Economics
* Saying Yes/Saying No
* Keeping Sabbath
* Testimony
* Discernment
* Shaping Communities
* Forgiveness
* Healing
* Dying Well
* Singing Our Lives
Practicing Our Faith Small Groups
How have you practiced your faith lately? Following on the above mentioned Practicing our Faith book study, we plan to launch several small groups in which participants will be invited to reflect on their daily lives in light of Christian faith practices. Our hope is that groups will meet roughly twice a month, once during our 10 o’clock hour on Sunday morning and then again in members' homes or at some other mutually convenient place and time. Ideally we will have enough hosts and facilitators to offer group meetings at a range of meeting times and places. The format of each group will include plenty of time for refreshments and fellowship and also for a guided check-in wherein participants will learn from shared experience ways of practicing our faith in daily life.
OTHER NEW SMALL GROUPS
Daughters of Abraham
A new group of the Daughters of Abraham is forming this September. If you are interested in learning more about this interfaith reading and discussion group or in joining the group please contact Anne Minton at amminton@comcast.net or at 617 354 0792. In order to keep some balance among Christians, Muslim and Jews, we may not be able to accept everyone who wants to join, but will make every effort to include you. If you know of Jewish or Muslim women who might like to join a Daughters group please ask them to contact Anne Minton. Thank you!
Spiritual Formation Group
A new spiritual formation group will be gathering in early 2008. Join a small group of folks who feel fready to experiment with, develop and deepern their spiritual practices. Our work will grow out of your experience and questions and will include topical discussions along with various meditation exercises and readings in Christian spirituality. If you are interested in participating in this new Spiritual Formation Group, please talk to Dan Smith, Minister of Christian Discipleship. The group will meet every other Wednesday evening (or at a time that proves best for all participants).
Men’s Breakfast Group
Gentle men, please mark your calendars for morning breakfasts on the second Saturday of every month from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. in the Hastings Room. Fellowship, conversation, coffee, food, some Bible reading and commentary, a bit of theology, maybe some ethics, some church issues and, ----- we’ll pray. Our first meeting will be October 13th.
