Adults ~ Journeying together toward deeper faith, justice, and love for all

Journey of Faith

Our Journey of Faith program began in 2008 as part of the beginning of our congregation’s revitalization. This program combines adult Christian Education with opportunities to share our faith with others.  Over the years we have provided sessions such as book studies, video studies, invited speakers, ecological concerns, and presentations by our own members.  For a view of some of our past offerings, please click here.

Please consider joining us on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-7:30 as we explore questions of our faith!

AUGUST 2017

Wednesday August 2 | Sulfide Mining: Threat to Minnesota’s Clean Water and Moral Values | Paula Maccabee, Advocacy Director and Counsel for WaterLegacy, returns to St. Paul’s UCC’s Journey of Faith series with an update on copper-nickel mining in Minnesota. Proposed mines threaten three main watersheds—Lake Superior, the Boundary Waters, and the Mississippi River. Sulfide mining poses huge risks to clean water, climate change, human health, environmental justice, and sustainable rural economies in Minnesota. In fact, most of what we “know” about regulation of water pollution in Minnesota is wrong. Now, more than ever, values-based activism is needed to protect the state’s resources and communities.

Paula Maccabee has served as a public interest lawyer since 1981. For the past 8 years, she has served as Advocacy Director for WaterLegacy, an award-winning nonprofit formed to protect Minnesota’s clean waters and communities.

Wednesday August 9 | Medical Foster Homes for Veterans | The US Department of Veterans Affairs has a national mission to help veterans remain in the community, aging in place, even providing such care through the end of life. Medical foster homes provide an ongoing, caring, home-like setting for veterans while also supervising medical care and giving support for people who can no longer live alone. The VA in turn provides ongoing in-home education and support to the caregivers who share in giving individualized care to the veterans. Foster homes must meet state license requirements; monthly reimbursement is given specific to the individual care needs. Perhaps you know a veteran who would benefit from such a service, or maybe you would be interested in being a caregiver? If so, please join us to learn about this exciting service. Presenters join us from the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. Blaine Seibel is the Program Support Coordinator; Kathryn West, LICSW, and Traci Boser, LICSW, are the Veterans Medical Foster Home Coordinators. 

Wednesday August 16 | A Poem and a Podcast: Ways We Tend the Spirit | Where do you find spiritual sustenance? Are you an On Being fan? Do you start your day with a poem from poets.org or a meditation from Richard Rohr? Are you all about The Hand-maid's Tale, or do you prefer Nova—or Anne Lamott? With Lizabeth Bougie, we'll share some ways we tend the Spirit. Lizabeth Bougie is the Director of the Resource Center for Churches, a network of faith communities pooling their wisdom to equip leaders for vibrant ministry. The Center gathers the recommendations of its users to share outstanding web, video, print, and other resources for faith formation and all areas of church life. All are welcome.

ARC Retreat Center ~ Action, Reflection, Celebration

The ARC Retreat Center is located in a beautiful white pine forest just an hour north of the twin cities. ARC is “a retreat center operated by a residential community, rooted in Christian tradition, emphasizing the values of simplicity, justice and healing, mercy and prayer, serving individuals and groups seeking time apart, rest and spiritual renewal." We go on retreat during Lent and in the fall each year. Recent retreat themes have included Sabbath, Forgiveness, and most recently in February 2017, Exploring the Mountain and Valley Experiences of Faith. 

Interest Groups ~ ongoing connections based in commonalities

Men's Group

Join us on the first Sunday of the month. We have a light breakfast and gathering time beginning at 9 am in the Fireside Room. Tom Davis facilitates this group with a little help from his friends. 

Women's Group

The Women's Group began in 1994 as Working Women — a group that engaged in social gatherings and service work together. The group now includes women in their early 20s through 90s who are employed, underemployed, managing households, and retired. The group gathers for a 6 pm dinner at a local restaurant on the first Monday of each month and periodically sponsors a Sunday Morning Fair Trade Coffee Hour with a theme. They also provide Christmas gifts for our homebound members and were the original planters of the Peace Garden in front of the church. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.