Growing in Faith
Our faith journey is a lifelong experience, with many twists and turns. As we grow and change, so does our understanding of God, Jesus, the Bible and other beliefs. At First Church, we encourage this exploration through groups, classes, and programs that allow us to think critically, deepen our understanding of God and reflect with others.
Sunday Morning Classes and Groups
Adult classes typically meet during the 9:15-10:15am education hour on Sundays, concurrently with classes for children and youth. Many classes this year are offered in person; some are online.
Abide - Sundays at 9:15am- Room K
Abide
Sundays at 9:15am in Room K.
Abide provides ongoing space for spiritual connection to God, mutual support in community, and faith formation in the ways that lead to life. This gathering is open to all who seek to abide with Jesus through the Spirit in the company of friends.
Abide meets Sunday mornings at 9:15am in person. New participants are always welcome.
Facilitator: Mari Leonard, mari.leonard@comcast.net
Abide Schedule Winter/Spring 2026
Sunday, April 5: Easter Sunday, No Abide
Sunday, April 12: The Sacred Enneagram, Chapter 4
Led by TBD
Sunday, April 19: The Sacred Enneagram, Chapter 5
Led by TBD
Sunday, April 26: The Sacred Enneagram, Chapter 6
Led by TBD
Sunday, May 3: Spiritual Practice: Centering Prayer
Led by Kathy Olson
Sunday, May 10: The Sacred Enneagram, Chapter 7
Leb by TBD
Sunday, May 17: The Sacred Enneagram, Chapter 8
Led by TBD
Sunday, May 24: Memorial Day Weekend, No Abide
Sunday, May 31: The Sacred Enneagram, Chapter 9
Led by TBD
Sunday, June 7: Spiritual Practice: Sabbath, The Sacred Enneagram, Chapter 10
Led by Jean Clipperton
The Christian Experiment- Sundays at 9:15 am- Glenna Hall
The Christian Experiment
Sundays at 9:15-10:15 am, Glenna Hall (unless otherwise noted)
The Christian Experiment is a weekly gathering that creates fellowship, nurtures community, and explores faith-based questions. Believers, doubters, and the generally curious are welcome in this casual and discussion-based gathering.
There is no long-term commitment or signup. Come once or come weekly.
CLICK HERE TO READ THEIR UPCOMING SCHEDULE!
Facilitators: Matt Rader (Drmrader@gmail.com) and Kristi Hubbard (hubbard.kristi@gmail.com).
Faith & Parenting - Occasionally on Sundays at 9:15am- Room 24
Faith & Parenting
Sundays at 9:15am in Room 24.
Faith & Parenting offers a space for parents of children at various stages to share and reflect on how their personal and familial faith journeys are nurtured and challenged through the vocation of parenting. Brief guided reflections based on scriptures from children’s Sunday School will accompany each session.
For more info, contact Colin McDonald, Director of Children’s Ministry, at colin@faithatfirst.com .
History, Roots, & Rearview Mirror - Sundays at 9:15am- Room 32
History, Roots, & Rearview Mirror
Sundays at 9:15am in Room 32
For more information about the class and to be added to a distribution list contact Dennis Barbour dennisbarbour@sbcglobal.net.
Social Justice Intersections - Sundays at 9:15am- Dining Hall
Social Justice Intersections
Sundays at 9:15am in the Dining Hall, first floor.
The social justice track of the adult Christian Education lineup is grounded in the Wesleyan commitment that “There is no holiness but social holiness.”
Facilitator: Joe Agne, RevAgne@gmail.com
Social Justice Intersections (SJI) . Sundays . 9:15am . The Dining Room . First United Methodist Church . Evanston.
Sunday Afternoon/Evening Opportunities
Accountable Discipleship Class: Sundays @4pm
April 12: Why discipleship? Why Accountable?
April 19: Wesleyan theology and connection to discipleship
April 26: Discipleship and Lay Ministry
May 3: Discipleship and building beloved community
ZOOM format, Sunday afternoons at 4:00 p.m. CST.
Covenant Hike Group - First Sunday each month at 2:00pm
“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.” – George Washington Carver
The Covenant Hike Group invites all who have a wonder of the natural world to share nature immersion with each other through 3 seasons while experiencing the presence of God. The format is simple. We begin with a brief reading (scripture or poem), hike along while sharing joys and concerns, and appreciate 5 minutes of silence at mid-point. Each hike concludes with an optional, brief time of sharing about our experiences on the hike, closing prayer, and a cool or hot drink! All ages are welcomed!
Each month we will meet at a designated location at 2 p.m., hiking various paths in our area for about an hour at a comfortable pace for everyone. The group will meet each first Sunday from October through May, and participants may join in as schedules allow.
All who participate are welcomed to share in ownership. The wonder of the natural world and God’s presence in it is limitless.
Facilitator: Jim Johnson. Contact Jim at jjohnso@luc.edu with any questions and to be placed on the distribution list.
Faith Around the Table
Are you hungry for meaningful conversation and deeper connection with your First Church community? Do you like to eat food? Then this group is for you!
Based on the success of the inaugural Faith Around The Table group launched last November, we are offering three new groups beginning in October. Once a month, each group will gather for a potluck meal and discuss a topic relating to faith and their personal journeys. Group members commit to meeting for six months. The individuals below will lead each group and host meetings in their homes with potential for other group members to host subsequent meetings (though not required). Due to nature of the group, we limit to 8 total participants per group. Come join others for good food and meaningful conversation!
Please email Andrew (andrew.r.schumacher@gmail.com) with questions and to sign up.
Weekday Groups
Several groups gather regularly during the year for Bible study, discussion and reflection on faith-related issues in a supportive environment. Note that some of these groups meet online.
First Reads- First Tuesdays at 7:00pm at Church
Email Evelyn with any questions.
God's Story, Our Stories - Thursdays 7:00-8:30pm ONLINE
The Lectionary Bible Study Group meets online each Thursday evening. We are a band of curious explorers, reflecting upon the lectionary passages for the coming Sunday. We ask many questions. We have “ah ha” moments in our discussions. We attempt to unearth how these ancient stories inform our current day stories. We deeply seek to live out our best understanding of the heart of these stories week by week in the midst of our common humanity. Several group members rotate the facilitation.
Come and join us! You may be placed on the group distribution list by contacting Bill Brown at bbrown@wwbrown-inc.com.
Progressive Christianity Reading Group - Thursdays 1:00-2:00pm ONLINE
First Church’s Progressive Christians Reading Group invites new and former participants to participate as the group gathers each Thursday 1:00-2:00pm online to discuss and reflect on selected books, typically one book per month.
Interested? Email Ellen (felinet@ameritech.net) for the current/upcoming reading and the Zoom link.
Wednesday Bible Study - Wednesdays 10-11:30am ONLINE
The Wednesday Bible Study is a longstanding group that meets online every Wednesday 10-11:30am with the exception of a short break in the summer.
Please contact Janet Lutz at janetatl@aol.com with any questions.
Get Involved
Interested in making connections (or reconnecting) but not sure where to start? Contact us using the button below and provide your email or phone number; we’ll reach out to hear about your interests and identify opportunities that might be a good fit. We look forward to chatting with you!
