We offer a number of faith formation programs for adults, including small group ministries, short term laity empowerment projects, bible explorations and support groups.

Laity Empowerment Projects are 6-8 week session programs designed to assist lay people on identifying their gifts and claiming their own sense of ministry wherever they are active at work, in the home, or on the soccer field side lines. These programs are led by trained teams, including lay people and clergy. Recent programs were:

·         Unwrapping Our Gifts (see www.laityempowermentproject.org)

·         Unleashing Our Weekday Ministries (see www.laityempowermentproject.org)

Small Group Ministries

Small Group Ministries are groups that form for a covenanted time to explore a theme and/or share in a practice. These groups are run by trained leaders, lay and ordained. Some recent areas of focus have been:

·         Prayer Shawl Ministry

·         Parenting

·         Mom’s Group

·         Spiritual practices

·         Contemplative Prayer/ Lectio Divina

Support Groups

Support Groups also meet for a period of time and evaluate whether they desire to continue meeting. Recent support groups have gathered around these themes:

·         Bereavement

·         Unemployment

·         Alanon - Our church is also the host site for an Alanon Group on Saturday at 1:30 (Vestry downstairs) and an AA Group on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. (Fellowship Hall)

·         Intergenerational Community Service Group

Have you recently lost a loved one or are still hurting from a loss that occurred some time ago? Come and share stories about your love one, explore helpful insights and tools that might help you on your journey through grief in a supportive and confidential atmosphere.

The group will meet on Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. on the following days: 10/1, 10/15; 10/29; 11/12; 12/2.

If you have any questions, please contact Ute at ute.molitor@comcast.net  or 978-263-7387.

We will explore the biblical grounding of hospitality and Jesus vision of the church as a place of radical welcome. We will also look at Jesus’ subversive vision of family as one which brings people together beyond the bounds of blood kinship into the household of God. In dialogue with some findings from my thesis project (working with blended families who shared their wisdom about radical welcome), the Swedish movie “As It Is In Heaven” will provide examples of what the household, the family of God might look like when people learn to welcome each other more deeply. The program will also provide learning opportunities to practice conversational skills that can draw out the best in people and build strong relationships within families and within the family that is the church.

This program will be offerred at our church in the fall on five alternate Wednesdays: 10/7; 10/21; 11/4; 11/18; 12/2 at 7:00 p.m. The movie will be shown on Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. for anyone who would like to gather for a movie night (some violence and hints of sexuality but not too graphic). Music lovers, this is a must see for you!!!! If you can think of a friend who might be interested, please be sure to invite them along for the series and/or the film! A more complete description of the sessions will soon be posted on the website.