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 and topics related to our faith!

JANUARY & FEBRUARY

Join us for our special series Powerful Preparation for Aging, January 9 through February 6. Come for one session or for as many as you choose!

January 9 | Caregiving: Claiming and Sustaining Our Work as Caregivers | What does caregiving look like in your life? What might it look like in the future? Join us for a conversation about how to set ourselves up for success while caregiving. Led by Catherine Engstrom, LICSW, a social worker and caregiver consultant at the Wilder Foundation.

January 16 | Housing as We Age: Aging in Place and Other Options | Where do you want to live in 10 years? in 20 years? We’ll discuss the options currently available and what to consider when planning for the care we might need in the future. Also led by Catherine Engstrom.

January 23 | Dementia Friends: How to Take Practical Action to Help People Living with Dementia | Dementia Friends is a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. Learn what dementia is, what it’s like to live with the disease, and some tips for communicating with people who have dementia. Led by Colleen Fritsch and Rachel Von Ruden, volunteer Dementia Champions from the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging.

January 30 | Social-Emotional Aspects of Planning and Easing into Retirement | You’ve heard about financial planning for retirement, but social and emotional retirement planning is just as important! We’ll discuss how to prepare for and manage the changes that happen when we retire. Led by Parichay Rudina, LISW, a social worker and caregiver consultant at the Wilder Foundation.

February 6 | Documents as We Age: Health Care Directives, Power of Attorney, and Wills | It’s not about the piece of paper—it’s about the peace of mind! Start the process of creating these legal documents so you can have important conversations with family and friends and be as ready as possible for the future. Also led by Parichay Rudina.

February 13 | This week, Journey of Faith will again be an intergenerational service trip to Feed My Starving Children. Ages 5 and up—children should be accompanied by an adult. Help turn hunger into hope with your own two hands by packing nutritious meals for hungry children around the world. We’ll carpool to their facility in Eagan, leaving church at 5:15 pm and returning by 8:00. There will be a signup sheet in the lobby.

February 20 & 27 | Addressing the Challenges of Climate Change, Locally and Globally

Sponsored by the Earthwise Team. In these sessions, experts will walk us through the challenges of climate change—looking at what’s happening in our environment (locally and globally), how it effects what we value, and what we can do to make a difference. Facilitators will work with us to have conversations about this difficult topic and open up a dialogue on how we can work together as a faith community to make positive changes.

February 20 | Climate Conversation | Interfaith Power and Light will lead us in a values-led discussion on climate change that engages participants by sharing stories of connection. They will help participants connect with their values and what they care about most before articulating together the realities of climate change. These effective conversations that have sparked local action in communities across Minnesota are led by dedicated volunteers using a heart-based, values-based conversation model that opens up dialogue and exploration and can deepen a community's connection.

February 27 | The Transition Movement | The Transition Movement recognizes the enormity and urgency of the climate crisis and responds with a positive vision for a thriving post-carbon world. In the Transition Movement, communities come together to imagine resilient, abundant, and joyful carbon-free futures and work collaboratively to build toward that vision. For many, faith and Transition go hand in hand, as Transition reflects a calling to love our neighbors, to love children, and to love creation. The Earthwise Team invites you to join us for a Journey of Faith on Wednesday February 27 with Leslie MacKenzie, coordinator for Transition Longfellow and Transition Twin Cities, and others for whom faith and Transition intersect. Leslie will facilitate a conversation about how we, as a community of faith, can engage in Transition.

Faith Foundations | A Confirmation program for adults

About a dozen adults in our church are taking part in Faith Foundations, a new Confirmation program for adults. They'll meet 16 times during this program year, having deep, authentic conversations as they explore core beliefs, sacred texts, history and traditions, faith practices, and belonging within St. Paul’s UCC, the United Church of Christ, and the worldwide Christian church. We’ll engage in three learning modules, gathering on Sundays from 12:30–2:00.

• Beliefs & Belonging | September & October
• Bible Explorations | January & February 
• Faith Practices | March & April

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 Exploring the Mountain and Valley Experiences of Faith. The theme for our next retreat (February 9-11, 2018) will be Security: Illusions and Imagination.

Interest Groups | ongoing connections based in commonalities

Men's Group

Join us for a light breakfast and conversation, beginning at 9:00 am in the Fireside Room, usually on the first Sunday of the month, October through May. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

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.