Adult Faith Exploration
The Adult Faith Exploration Ministry helps us grow in faith no matter where we are in our lives, welcoming all with joy and offering programs and events that help to begin or expand our faith journeys. Our goal is to enhance the educational and spiritual life of adults in our congregation and community. Come explore with us!
Current/Upcoming Programs
Monthly 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.
Racial Justice: Talk, Learn, Act
Zoom discussions of Ibram X. Kendi’s “How to Be an Antiracist”
Early this November we held a 3-part discussion series about this timely and provocative book, which was our shared “FCC Reads” book over the summer. Led by Prof. Jerry Mechling, we explored many aspects of Kendi’s book and its possible implications for actions by our individual selves and our church. For more information, click here.
The Zoom series was the next phase of our church’s “Racial Justice: Talk, Learn, Act” effort, which kicked off last June with a well-attended, probing Zoom discussion on the topic of antiracism.
Keep an eye on this “Racial Justice” heading for future events and resources. You can find a comprehensive list (compiled this summer) of books, articles, websites, podcasts, poetry, and many other resources on the subject of antiracism, by clicking here.
This ongoing program is sponsored by the Outreach Ministry and the Adult Faith Exploration Ministry, with contributions from many others in our church community.
Recurring Programs
Tuesdays with Jesus (An annual Lenten program)
We gather on Tuesday evenings during Lent to practice Centering Prayer, eat soup together, and enjoy a series of Bible readings, readings from other texts, or presentations by lay members of our church about the relationship between their work and their faith.
The Three Abrahamic Religions (an ongoing series)
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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….
- From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians. During the fall of 2019, we continued our series on the Abrahamic religions with a look at our Christian roots. 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/.
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- Judaism: Date(s) to be determined.
Past Programs
Advent Bible Study on the Incarnation
Led by Rev. Will Burhans
This 4-week on-line study during the season of Advent 2020 invited us to take a deeper dive into the scriptures that reveal the story of the Incarnation of God, which we celebrate at Christmas. We explored the paradoxes that abound in the story of the incarnation — from the eternal entering time, to the divine becoming human, to power itself revealed in vulnerability; and we will learn more about what the Incarnation can mean for our everyday lives. What better time to take a deeper dive into the meaning of Christmas than at the end of this difficult and tumultuous year? More details …
For six weeks in January and February, 2020, we offered both an evening class and a daytime class called Introducing the New Testament. This was the latest in our very popular series of programs using the “Exploring the Bible” curriculum created by the Massachusetts Bible Society. For more information, click on this link
“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
