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Register for a Fall Faith & Life Group
September 24, 2025
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 10!
After registering, you will be contacted by the leader.
Questions? Please reach out to Beth Spaulding or the leader of the group directly.
Caring for the Caregivers
Leaders: Amy Matias, Stefanie Haug
Emails: amymatias.licsw@gmail.com; shaug007@gmail.com
Day/Time: alternate Mondays, 6:00-7:15 p.m., beginning in October
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.
Reflecting on Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus by Elaine Pagels
Leader: Martha Mueller Cook
Email: marthamuellercook@gmail.com
Day/Time: Thursdays at 7:00 pm via Zoom
In a series of 6 sessions, this group will engage in conversation about Dr. Pagels’s latest book, as described in an excerpt from her introduction: “Was Jesus an actual person, or a fictional one? What do we, or can we, know about him, historically speaking? And how do we know what we think we know; what sources are available? How has our sense of who he was—or is—changed over time, and through different cultures?”
Dr. Pagels is the Harrington Spear Paine Foundation Professor of Religion at Princeton University. Her bestselling book The Gnostic Gospels, published in 1979, won both the National Book Critics Circle Award and the National Book Award.
Rooted Resilience: Grounding and Growing with Nature-Informed Practices
Leader: Stefanie Haug
Email: shaug007@gmail.com
Day/Time: In person; TBD by the participants
This group will gather for 5 weeks at First Church to explore how spirituality, nature, and meditation can support us through challenging times. It will explore a range of embodied and reflective practices, including nature-informed meditation; tap into the benefits of being outdoors; offer readings from the Bible and other sources of wisdom; and share experiences and reflections.
Walking the Camino de Santiago
Leaders: Jan Jeffers Lo and Johanna Wendelin
Emails: janjeflo@gmail.com; Johanna_D_Wendelin@yahoo.com
Day/Time: In person and on Zoom, with a November date TBD
The First Church community is invited to join Jan Jeffers Lo and Johanna Wendelin as they recount their recent pilgrimages on the Camino de Santiago, as well as answer questions for those who might be interested in journeying for themselves.