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've provided sessions such as book studies, video studies, ecological concerns, and presentations by invited speakers and our own members. For a look at our past offerings, click here.

Please consider joining us on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-7:30 as we explore questions and topics related to our faith. Programs are currently offered via Zoom. Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for information on joining in.

NOVEMBER  |  Programs presented via Zoom

November 4  |  Dealing with Election Fatigue  |  Join us as we share our experiences and feeling now that the campaign part of the election season is over and consider how we might move forward — as a community and as members of family and friend circles where there may be deep divides over political issues. We will meet in small groups to share our thoughts and feelings. This is an "all viewpoints are welcomed and honored" time.

November 11  |  Black Experience  |  We'll open the session with music by a local teenage musian, Simeon “Sim” Hammick. Sim lives in Saint Paul and attends Saint Paul City Schools. Sim performed with the Metropolitan Boys Choir, with ComMusication choir, for Cherokee Park United Church, and his proudest performance was for Miss Pat’s Black History Month event attended by Mayor Melvin Carter. 
After the murder of George Floyd, Sim wrote a rap, “B.L.M.”

Our main speaker will be Rev. Scotty Williams, speaking on White Blessing? – The Real Story of Africa Before Colonization. While acknowledging the negative effects of European colonization in Africa, there are many people who point out certain “positives” within it (e.g., democracy, gender equality, education) as a form of consolation. In this talk, participants will learn about the story of Africa before colonialism and will find that the blessings it claimed to give were already present there. They will also learn practical ways to share this story with others and be agents of healing for the rising racial tensions in the world today.

Scotty hails from the southern US and currently resides in east Switzerland. He's an ordained Presbyterian and Swiss Reformed minister and is the founding pastor of All Souls Protestant Church St. Gallen. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern College in Saint Paul and an M.A. and D.Min. from Bethel Theological Seminary in Arden Hills. Please note that when Scotty joins us it will be 12:30 am his time.

November 18  |  Recovery Ministry and Being Welcoming to Persons with Addictions  |  Rev. Martha Postlethwaite, pastor at The Recovery Church in Saint Paul, will be our guest. Martha has spent her professional life listening to and sharing stories in numerous settings, including as a seminary chaplain and in congregations. A United Methodist pastor, she is trained in counseling psychology and spiritual direction. After 22 years in theological education, Martha became pastor of The Recovery Church in 2014. She will talk about recovery ministry and how to be more welcoming to persons who live with the brain disorder of addiction. In a time of multiple pandemics (COVID, racism, etc.), addiction is one of the diseases that is on the rise. Explore ways to become part of the solution.

November 25  |  No Journey of Faith

December 2  |  What Is Lament?  |  Lament is a biblical expression of grief or mourning. Come to Journey of Faith as we dive into its biblical backgrounds, their meanings, and how this spiritual practice has been vacant from church for too long. We'll look at both the Old and New Testaments to see where laments are found, as well as having time to create our own. Please join us for a wonderful exploration in learning.

Our leader Brien Aadland is a member of SPUCC and also the new pastor of Revolution Church Minneapolis. Revolution is an online church community as well a church that meets at Bryant Lake Bowl in the Uptown area in Minneapolis. Brien is married to his wife Amanda (also a member of SPUCC). They have a 3-year-old daughter.

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 often go on retreat during Lent, sometimes also in the fall. Recent retreat themes have included Sabbath, Forgiveness, Exploring the Mountain and Valley Experiences of Faith, and Security: Illusions and Imagination.

Interest Groups  |  Ongoing connections based in commonalities

Women's Group

The Women's Group 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. Contact the church office for more information (651-224-5809).