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translations. We wander around in the story and find ourselves. It is a time of exploration—a place to bring doubts, questions and new ideas.
Studying the text communally also helps me prepare my sermons for Sunday. As I work on a sermon, I can hear in my mind the questions and concerns expressed by the Bible study members. I know this group makes my sermons more relevant.
Youth and Confirmation
We have amazing youth at First Church. I have loved working with and getting to know our confirmands. Their statements of faith were rich and deep. They served communion, did the readings, and showed the church that they were ready to be adult members.
God sent us an amazing leader, Liz Woolsey. She brought life back to our youth program. Unfortunately, her family is now being called somewhere new. But Liz has shown us what is possible. We have wonderful parents, mentors and youth leaders who will remain and work with us until God sends us someone else to lead this program. We’ll do our part with ads and interviews; God will do the rest.
Book Studies
In advent, we sat at round tables in Bailey Hall, talking about the holy family— who were forced to flee to Egypt after Jesus’ birth and become refugees. We discussed where our families came from. We told stories of our own migrations— whether across town, across states or across the world. We noticed the courage of our ancestors to brave a new world so that their children might be safe and have new life.
During Lent, we met for small group sessions where we watched DVD’s and talked about our own experiences of hearing God. We shared listening practices. And we grew closer as a community as we heard each other’s spiritual journeys.
Recently, we met for a short 4-week study discussing Hell—what is it, where is it, or is it not? The conversations have been interesting and enlightening. We have learned how little there is about hell in the biblical texts and how much the works of Dante and Milton have colored our beliefs. And we made room to disagree, to question, and to decide for ourselves what we believe.