Spiritual Growth

Spiritual Growth

At First Christian Church, we aim to engage the spirit without disconnecting the mind. Beyond worship, we offer many opportunities for spiritual growth.

Sunday School Spiritual Growth Groups
Christian Women's Fellowship Ecumenical Book Group

News and Upcoming Events

Summer Bible Studies
Our Sabbatical Interim Minister, Rev. John Autry, will be leading Bible Study this summer. In June and July, we will study the Letter to the Philippians. In August, we will study the Book of James. We meet in the Fellowship Hall at 9:30 each Sunday morning. Everyone, junior high and up, is welcome. Child care is available.

Sunday School

Adult Study ~ Our Adult Study is for all people high school and older. We gather each Sunday at 9:30 am in the Fellowship Hall for discussion of the Bible and other aspects of our faith. The topics change seasonally.

Children's Class ~ During the Sunday School hour, children are invited to learn about Bible stories, do crafts and play under the guidance of Casie Sanders, our nursery attendant.

Pre-School Class ~ During the worship service, toddlers are invited to a Pre-School Class for Bible stories and playtime. Teachers Lori Hays and Brooke Sparks are committed to providing a place of Christian nurture and growth for our children. As with all Children's Ministries, volunteers in this program are screened through our Safe Church policies. We are considering moving to the Children Worship and Wonder curriculum soon. (Infants have their own space in the Nursery.)

Children's Church ~ Children ten and under are invited to move to Children's Church after the Children's Time during our Sunday morning worship service. This class is led by a rotation of volunteers and uses the "One Room Sunday School" curriculum.

Spiritual Growth Groups

The Spiritual Formation Coordinating Team encourages members to find a small group in which they can commit to deepening their spirituality. At any given time, certain groups are meeting, and others are in formation. Some are open to new members at all times, and others incorporate new members as they start new studies. If you have an idea for a new group, please contact Pastor Rebecca.

Singing Prayer Group ~ This group is for anyone who likes to sing. We meet most Wednesday nights at 6:00 in the choir room at the church. We share prayer concerns, explore different types of music, learn about new ways to pray using music. This group occasionally serves as a choir for our worship services and may also serve as song leaders for our Thank God On Friday Services. All singers (and other musicians) are invited to join us! -- This group is currently not meeting. If you are interested, please contact Pastor Rebecca.

Novels as Spiritual Insight ~ This group, facilitated by Anne Phillips, examines the spirituality found in novels, sometimes using the "Popular Insights" series from Chalice Press. Previously they have read "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini, "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant, "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson, and "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," by Mitch Alblom. Other novels in the series include "The Da Vinci Code," and "The Secret Lives of Bees." They are open to new members each time they start a new book. They will be discussing "The Education of Little Tree" this spring. Contact Anne Phillips for more information.

Praying the Psalms Group ~ This group studies the Psalms as a biblical model for open, honest relationship with God. Members take turns leading sessions by examining the Psalm of the day and then leading a time of personal sharing and mutual prayer. They meet approximately twice a month on Mondays at 5:30 pm. For information about joining, contact facilitator Marie Bittle. New members are always welcome. This group is on summer break until August 25th.

Christian Women's Fellowship
The Christian Women's Fellowship (CWF) meets once a month for study, worship and fellowship. All women are invited. Most months, the meetings are held in members' homes in the evening. Quarterly, the meeting is held in the Church's Fellowship Hall on a Sunday afternoon. The CWF considers service to others one of the most important spiritual disciplines. A summary of their service projects can be found on the Mission Outreach page.

Ecumenical Book Group
       The Ecumenical Book Group meets for about 12 weeks each fall and spring. Each session focuses on one book, usually covering one chapter each week. This group involves people from First Christian and other local congregations, including Presbyterians, Baptists, Episcopalians, Catholics, Methodists, and those of no denomination. Pastor Rebecca leads the discussions.
       Past books have included "Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith" by Kathleen Norris, "Practicing our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People" edited by Dorothy Bass, "God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible" by Adam Nicholson, "Brother to a Dragonfly" by Will Campbell, "The Heart of Christianity: How We Can Be Passionate Believers Today" by Marcus Borg, "No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam" by Reza Aslan, "The Gospel According to America" by David Dark, "The Irresistable Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical" by Shane Claiborne, "The Language of God" by Francis Collins, and "The Lemon Tree" by Sandy Tolan.
        Our book for Fall 2008 will be "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder. Watch for ordering information in August.