Adult Faith Exploration
The Adult Faith Exploration Ministry helps you grow in faith no matter where you are on your life’s journey. We welcome all with joy and offer programs and events that help you begin or expand your faith journey. Our goal is to enhance the educational and spiritual life of adults in our congregation and community. Come explore with us!
Current/Upcoming Programs
FCCW on Racial Justice: Talk, Learn, Act
Update from Zoom Meeting — and FCCW Reads June 25, 2020
Thank you to the approximately 40 people who joined our kickoff “Racial Justice: Talk, Learn, Act” session last week. Reverend Judy Arnold spoke about the UCC’s historical role in abolitionism and its continuing role in advancing racial justice, and we offered reflections on resources that we read and watched. We also shared initial ideas on how FCCW can combat racism and protect human dignity. We encourage you to read this summary (link to attachment) of the discussion.
This is just a starting point for this critical conversation, and we look forward to continuing our dialogue. In the meantime, we invite the entire congregation to join in a collective FCCW Reads activity. The recommended book is “How to be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi. Over the summer, we hope you will read it, think about it, and consider joining in some follow up discussions in the fall. More details to come.
With gratitude,
Adult Faith Exploration Ministry
Karen Roberts (co-chair), Laurie Roby (co-chair), Judy Arnold, Sarah Gallop, Anne Hoenicke, and Andy McKinley
Outreach Ministry
Betsy Goodell (co-chair), Janet Vaughn (co-chair), Laura Bailey, Patricia Brady, Will Burhans, Julia Daggett, Leonore Eforo, Sarah Girotti, Lisa Loughlin, and Lauren Seibold
Bible Study
Second Wednesday of the month, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Contact Judy Arnold for more information.
Led by Reverend Judy Arnold, Associate Pastor, this informal group studies and discusses a different piece of scripture each time, looking at the historical, political, and religious factors. What does ancient scripture have to tell us about ourselves and the world we live in today? We seek to discover what God desires for each individually.
Seasonal programs, such as Summer Bible Study and Lent-related events, will be listed here closer to when they occur.
Past Programs
Tuesdays with Jesus
For our Lenten series “Tuesdays with Jesus” we have been practicing Centering Prayer, eating soup together, and reading from Parker Palmer’s “On The Brink of Everything”. We won’t be meeting in person for the rest of the month but want to encourage you to join us on Zoom at 6:30 pm for the Centering Prayer time and/or 7 pm for the reading of chapter 3. You can download Zoom and join us. Judy and Will will read and then we’ll have a time for some discussion. Go HERE to join in on our virtual Tuesdays with Jesus on Tuesday night at 6:30 or 7 pm.
Introduction to the New Testament
Winter of 2020
- Tuesdays Jan 14, 21, 28 and Feb 4, 11, 18
- Day Time Class – 11:30 AM-1 PM, led by Rev. Will Burhans
- Evening Class – 6:30 PM-8 PM, led by Rev. Judy Arnold
For six weeks, we offered both an evening class and a day time class of the Introducing the New Testament Bible study series that has been quite popular. The same six lessons were taught at both classes. …Read more
From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians
September 29, 2019
Presented by The Adult Faith Exploration Ministry
On four Sundays this past fall, we continued our series about the three Abrahamic religions – Christianity, Judaism, and Islam – with a look at our Christian roots via Frontline’s TV series, “From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians.” The four one-hour segments explored the life of Jesus, his death, and the men and women whose faith (and often martyrdom) created the religion we now know as Christianity. Sessions were followed by a half-hour discussion period. You can still watch the series online beginning with this link to the first segment: https://www.pbs.org/video/jesus-christ-first-christians-part-one-uosmze/.
Islam: The First Steps
After worship on March 3, 2019, we held the first in our series about the three religions that share Abraham as an ancestor – Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. We began with an introduction to Islam through videos addressing history, beliefs, and practices. Read More….
“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” Screening
On Sunday afternoon, February 10, 2019, we viewed this popular, poignant documentary about Fred Rogers and his long-running show, “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” and had a brief discussion period afterwards.
SpeakOUT Boston
SpeakOUT Boston came to our church in October 2018. SpeakOUT Boston is the nation’s oldest LGBTQIA speakers’ bureau and features a panel of speakers sharing their personal stories. This program supplemented our recently concluded program, “Transgender Awareness and Understanding” Read More…
Introduction to the Old Testament
In September 2018 we conducted a six week, small group Bible study, using the Massachusetts Bible Society’s Exploring the Bible series Introducing the Old Testament. Read more
Additional Resources from Past Programs
- Frontline Series Resource List (participating scholars and authors
- Death Over Dinner description and materials (part of the “Death & Dying” series)
- Death & Dying Resources
- Civility Workshop Resources
- Civility Workshop Handout
