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Reading Schedule for “What We Talk About When We Talk About God”

          Welcome to the House Church Reading Groups at First Churches! We are meeting at 5 sites for 5 weeks during Lent to read and share about Rob Bell's "What We Talk About When We Talk About God."  You can find updates on the church website at firstchurches.org at the top of the page.  Just look under the Spiritual Growth menu and the "Small Groups" tab.  Feel free to share thoughts and comments as we go along.  (And don't worry about internet "trolls."  We moderate the forums.)  Enjoy the book and reading and sharing together! Week 1 - Starting February 23 Chapter 2 – Hum pages 1-20 Week 2 – Starting March 2 Chapter 2 – Open pages 21-80 Week 3 – Starting March 9 Chapters 3 & 4 Both and With   pages 81-126 Week 4 – [...]

By |2017-01-18T20:15:09-05:00February 18th, 2015|Small Groups|0 Comments
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PRAYER SHAWL KNITTING CIRCLE

New opportunity for Ministry in Action I invite interested social knitters to join me in a Prayer Shawl Knitting Circle. Prayer Shawls (also called Comfort Shawls) are homemade throws, each made in a spirit of love and blessing for the intended recipient. This meaningful activity, when shared, also offers a wonderful opportunity to get to know people on a different level, thereby contributing to building our beloved community. What particularly appeals to me about this ministry is how the creation of a prayer shawl is a spiritual practice for the maker. As I’ve experienced knitting, the rhythmic activity brings on a contemplative, even healing, mindset. The process of making a shawl -- using one’s hands and focused intentions, your own prayers and loving thoughts -- becomes gift not only for the one receiving the shawl, but for the knitter as [...]

By |2017-01-18T20:15:10-05:00February 2nd, 2015|Small Groups|0 Comments
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Lenten House Groups

Lenten House Church Groups Start This Month On Ash Wednesday, February 18, we will kick off house church discussion groups on Rob Bell’s book, “What We Talk About When We Talk About God.”  Amazon reviews describes the book below: Pastor Rob Bell explains why both culture and the church resist talking about God, and shows how we can reconnect with the God who is pulling us forward into a better future. Bell uses his characteristic evocative storytelling to challenge everything you think you know about God. What We Talk About When We Talk About God tackles the misconceptions about God and reveals how God is with us, for us, ahead of us, and how understanding this could change the entire course of our lives. So how can you get involved? Sign up in February for one of our 5-6 groups. [...]

By |2017-01-18T20:15:10-05:00February 2nd, 2015|Adult Education, Small Groups|0 Comments
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Monday Lunch Bible Study – “A New Kind of Christianity”

Monday Noon Bible Study: A New Kind of Christianity: Ten Questions That Are Transforming the Faith Begin the New Year by reading Brian McLaren’s thought provoking book along with the Monday Noon Bible Study. Beginning on Monday, January 12, we will be discussing each chapter. Books are available now at the church office or Second Hour for $11 thanks to Broadside books (pay what you can) and you may also get the Kindle version for under $10. I will also post questions on the church website if you would like to follow along and write comments even if you cannot participate at Monday noon. Here is a quick review of Brian McLaren’s book from Amazon:   “We are in the midst of a paradigm shift in the church. Not since the Reformation five centuries ago have so many Christians come [...]

By |2017-01-18T20:15:10-05:00January 21st, 2015|Adult Education, Small Groups|0 Comments
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Appealing or Appalling? Studying the Letters of the Apostle Paul

PAUL'S VISION ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUSBible Study Sundays @ 8:45 SUNDAYS @8:45 AM The letters of Paul (and his imitators) comprise half the New Testament.  These epistles are the earliest historical documents of Christianity and have been foundational in the spiritual lives of Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and Western Protestant Christianity.  Some scholars have claimed that we see Jesus through Paul.  These epistles have led to spiritual transformation, and also used to justify repression of women, slavery and exclusion of homosexuality.  And yet in Galations 3:28 he wrote "in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, but all are one in Christ Jesus." How do we make sense of this controversial figure?  What should his true role be in our understanding of the life of Jesus the Christ? We will explore the writings of Paul [...]

By |2017-01-18T20:15:19-05:00September 11th, 2014|Adult Education, Small Groups|0 Comments
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