Exploring My Faith

The central way to explore faith is through worship services on Sunday mornings. Instead of rote rituals, our worship challenges us to sustain our relationship with God to serve the greater good of God’s world. Learn more about what you might expect to see and experience in worship HERE.

From September through May, we have adult education after worship.  We call it Search and Discovery.  They are usually one time sessions, but occasionally we will have a small series.  For instance, in the fall we will have a two part session on a new book being prepared by one of our members, Dr. Tony Alumkal, called Paranoid Science.  We will also have a few weeks devoted to upcoming ballot issues.  And one focused on American Indian issues, led by members who were on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in June.

We have a Lenten series every year, a study following worship on Sunday mornings and a Wednesday evening group that includes a light supper.  In 2010, the Sunday group held a Sacred Conversation on Death and Dying.  The Wednesday group followed a book called 40 Day Journey with Maya Angelou.  In 2008 we followed the book Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson; in 2009 we discussed What Matters to You? Matters to Us. For participants, these gatherings are an exploration of personal faith and spirituality.

On occasion, the pastor hosts a series of coffeehouse conversations around the Park Hill and Stapleton areas. For a schedule, send an email. This is a wonderful opportunity for first-time seekers to explore faith outside the walls of a church building.

We offer various book study or other kinds of series throughout the year as often as possible, sometimes led by the minister or members of the congregation.  A recent book study focused on The Last Week by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan.

We also enjoy joint educational series with members of Temple Micah. A recent study focused on fundamentalism in Christianity and Judaism, led by the pastor and rabbi.  The pastor and rabbi also have a joint sermon once a year called our “Down the Hall Dialogues” where they answer each other’s questions and engage conversation with the congregations.  The pastor attends the Temple Micah service and the rabbi attends the church service.  In 2010, a joint Yom HaShoah service (Holocaust Remembrance Day) was held on Sunday, April 11 at 10 am.

We will have a joint Mitzvah Day service on October 31st - and a three part series taught by the Pastor and the Rabbi will take place on the first three Wednesdays in November at 7 pm, entitled "Spiritual, But Not Religious."

Click here to learn more about Temple Michah.

The church also maintains an active library for your use. To see the titles in our library, click here.

 

          We have such busy lives that sometimes adding a weekly study to our schedule is too much stress to be worth it. So, we offer periodic one day retreats that provide a concentrated time of spiritual growth and reflection.  The 2009 spring retreat was called Open Heart, Open Mind, and Open Will, led by Rev. Melinda Townsend. 

          Every year in August we hold an all-church retreat at our UCC camp called LaForet near Colorado Springs. The retreat is a combination of fellowship, fun, reflection, and worship. Nothing too serious, lots of “down time,” but with time for the exploration of deeper meaning, as well. There you can walk the Labyrinth, sit in the woods, pray in the chapel, or take a nap between meals with church friends.

          A work trip might not sound like a retreat, but a week away to do something meaningful for others is one of the best ways to grow spiritually – especially in a place where we can do nothing but be open to what is coming next. A group of adults and youth will be returning to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for a week of work, study, cultural immersion, and community building, June 4-10, 2011. Let us know if you would be interested.  The registration deadline for the 2011 trip is September 30, 2010.  It costs $400 for all food, lodging, travel, and building materials used in work projects. 

         To learn more about the group we work with at Pine Ridge, visit www.re-member.org

 

A group of women meet every 2nd and 4th Tuesday morning at 11:30 for meditation and conversation – a place of deep sharing. It is not your grandmother’s Ladies Fellowship.

A Men’s Support Group meets twice a month on Thursday evenings at 7:45 pm, except in the summer. It is a unique group of men honestly sharing the real stuff of their lives. It’s not a head-trip meeting but a meeting of hearts and souls united in support.

We have gatherings for members and friends of the church who are in the Generation Gap – from 20-40, with or without children, in or not in a relationship. It is a time to develop friendships and share common concerns.

Friends and members of the church who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender get together for fellowship a few times each year.

From time to time collections of interested persons attend a play, movie or concert, and then meet later for conversations on how the presentation has touched their souls.

We love to eat together! Every year we randomly assign those who want to participate in our Circle Suppers. Every month or so a group of 8 will gather in a members home to share a meal and conversation, and then every year, move to a different group. It’s a great way to meet new people and develop deeper and longer lasting relationships.

One of the best ways to grow in our spiritual lives is simply getting our hands dirty and joining with others to make a difference in the world. We do a lot of that – from serving meals to the homeless, gleaning in the fields, participating in a protest march, staffing a booth at the LGBT Pride Festival, and many other things. Get Involved!