The Spiritual Life & Learning Center

Thursday @ Ten: Spiritual Explorations
2022-12-01 10:00 - 11:30, 2022-11-24 10:00 - 11:30, 2022-11-17 10:00 - 11:30, 2022-11-10 10:00 - 11:30, 2022-11-03 10:00 - 11:30, 2022-10-27 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | First Community North, 3777 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH, 43221, United States
Every Thursday
10-11:30 am
on Zoom
During Thursdays @ 10 we will be listening to and reflecting on The Diana Butler Bass Series “Embracing Spiritual Awakening.” Although the series is from 2013, the topic is quite relevant to 2023 and beyond. Updated materials will be included as appropriate. After much reflection on possible study topics, I landed on this one in order to bring us back to a faith centered topic. After the Jon Meacham series immersed us in History and politics today it seemed timely to switch gears! I do hope you will find the time to log in and participate in this series…and continue the open dialogue and personal reflection that is so characteristic of the group!
Facilitated by Connie Johnston.
For more information or to register, please click HERE.

Clergy-Led Bible Study for Adults
2022-11-30 18:00 - 19:00, 2022-11-23 18:00 - 19:00, 2022-11-16 18:00 - 19:00, 2022-11-09 18:00 - 19:00, 2022-11-02 18:00 - 19:00, 2022-10-26 18:00 - 19:00 | First Community North, 3777 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH, 43221, United States
Join us for a Bible study each Wednesday from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in Grace Hall at First Community North. Bible studies will be led by First Community clergy each week. Teachers and topics will rotate. Clergy include Rev. Glen Miles, Rev. Mary Kate Buchanan, Rev. Sarah Kientz, and Rev. Tim VanSant.
*Before the Bible study, you are also invited to a light supper at 5:30 PM and a short worship service with devotion at 5:45 PM. Bible study begins at 6:00 PM.
REGISTRATION: No registration needed. Just show up!

Women Living the Questions
2022-11-30 09:30 - 11:00, 2022-11-23 09:30 - 11:00, 2022-11-16 09:30 - 11:00, 2022-11-09 09:30 - 11:00 | Zoom
“Perhaps the secret of living well is not in having all the answers, but in pursuing unanswerable questions in good company.” ~Rachel Naomi Remen
Women Living the Questions welcomes any woman who wishes to pursue difficult questions about what really matters in life in a safe and supportive environment. Books, videos, and the occasional guest speaker support discussions.
Meetings are Wednesdays at 9:30 – 11:00 am. Most meetings are by Zoom with at least one in-person meeting at FCC north.
Email Linda Baldeck for more information, or click HERE to register.

Contemplative Way
2022-11-24 11:45 - 13:00, 2022-11-17 11:45 - 13:00, 2022-11-10 11:45 - 13:00, 2022-11-03 11:45 - 13:00, 2022-10-27 11:45 - 13:00 | Zoom
Typically Each Thursday
11:45 am- 1 pm
On pause for the moment while a new group leader is established.
Once we begin again, please join us for “sacred reading” and discussion of Richard Rohr’s daily meditations.
Or join for only the 30- minute group silent meditation if desired from 12:25-12:55.
Register HERE to receive updated information as it becomes available.

Community Justice Monthly Meeting
2022-11-21 19:00 - 20:00 | First Community North, 3777 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH, 43221, United States
All three of our community justice teams, which include Racial Equity, Gun Violence Prevention, and Environmental Justice teams; gather on the third Monday of each month in Grace Hall. This builds our community as we discuss and plan projects and overall direction of the Community Justice ministry together. If you are interested in our community justice teams, please feel free to join us. For more information about First Community’s Community Justice Ministry, click HERE. If you have any questions, please reach out to Tim Vansant at tvansant@fcchurch.com!

Prophetic Voices Series-Niebuhr
2022-11-13 15:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story
Sunday, November 13
3-5 pm
Hybrid Event: Room 101, First Community North
and on Zoom
Reinhold Niebuhr is probably best known as the author of The Serenity Prayer, but during his time in the middle of the 20th century, his impact was much greater, as this documentary demonstrates.
Presidents and civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., often turned to Niebuhr’s writings on Christianity and public life, social justice, and politics. Though an academic, he was an admired public theologian in the United States.
“Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible,” Niebuhr wrote in 1944, “but man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary,” as quoted in Jon Meacham’s The Soul of America. Just one example of his public pronouncements and influence among politicians and the public.
Interviewees in this documentary include Jimmy Carter, Andrew Young, David Brooks, Cornel West, Susannah Heschel (daughter of one other voice in this series, Abraham Joshua Heschel), and other notable historians and theologians.
Rev. Jim Long, Minister Emeritus of Pastoral Care, and a Niebuhr expert, leads the discussion after this hour-long video.
Register HERE.

Being Gentle with Yourself in a Harsh World
2022-11-13 14:00 - 16:15 | First Community South, 1320 Cambridge Blvd, Columbus, OH 43212, Columbus, OH, 43212, United States
Do you find it easier to tend to the needs of others than to your own needs? If so, join Katy and Daron and the Love Revolution Team to explore ways to develop robust gentleness and empathy toward your own vulnerability.

Learn a flexible approach to traditional lovingkindness practice.
Create a personalized representation of gentleness and empathy.
Leave with a tangible reminder to be gentle with yourself and guidelines for customizing a lovingkindness practice that fits you.

Join us for a rejuvenating and meaningful afternoon! We’ll even close with a song performed by Katy and Daron!

Cost: $25/$35/$50
Please choose the level you can pay at this time.
$25 covers our costs for this event alone.
$35 covers costs and allows us to plan future events like this one.
$50 pays for our costs for this event AND sponsors another person at this event.

Scholarships: If you need a scholarship for this event, please contact Rev. David Hett of the Spiritual Life and Learning Center at hettds@fcchurch.com.
We must fill at least 25 seats to have this event, so please invite your friends! We will let you know by November 9th if we do not have 25 registrants. Maximum number of participants will be 48 due to room capacity.
Katy Oberle is a Columbus native, a licensed marriage and family therapist turned Creative Mindfulness Coach, and a singer/songwriter. She provides creative mindfulness programming to individuals, businesses, and organizations to help them manage stress, improve their relationships, lean into gratitude, and bring more joy and creativity into their lives so they can thrive at home, at work, and out in the world.
Daron Larson is a Mindfulness Coach who has discovered from personal experience that consistent practice really can make ordinary moments better — including the uncomfortable ones. As a parent, social worker, and librarian, he has always found purpose in identifying resources to help people respond more effectively to the challenges of day-to-day life. Daron encourages people to go beyond breath awareness and relaxation to cultivate flexible focus, responsive composure, and robust resilience.

Register HERE.

Full Moon Labyrinth Walks
2022-11-08 17:30 - 18:30 | First Community North, 3777 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH, 43221, United States
On each full moon, a spiritual director will guide participants through our outdoor labyrinth. This is a weather dependent event and will be called off due to inclement weather.
Register HERE.

Prophetic Voice Series: Reinhold Niebuhr - An American Conscience
2022-11-06 15:00 - 17:30 | First Community North, 3777 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH, 43221, United States
IN-PERSON at First Community North
Join us to view an award-winning documentary film: “An American Conscience – The Reinhold Niebuhr Story” about America’s great public theologian
Across the series of videos viewers will hear from President Jimmy Carter, Civil Rights icons Andrew Young, Jesse Jackson and John Lewis, writers David Brooks and Barbara Brown Taylor, plus Martin Sheen, Susannah Heschel, theologians Walter Brueggemann and Stanley Hauerwas, historian Taylor Branch and many others.
We will view the film together and have time for discussion and reflection.
Rev. Jim Long will be leading this discussion.
Registration coming soon.

Monthly Ministries 4 Movement Marches
2022-11-06 15:00 | Family Missionary Baptist Church, 996 Oakwood Ave, Columbus, OH, United States
Several members of the Racial Equity and Gun Violence Prevention (GVPMT) Ministry Teams participate monthly in a march and worship/information session with members of the Family Missionary Baptist Church and Ministries 4 Movement partners in the South End of Columbus the first Sunday of each month. First Community is recognized as an official partner of Ministries 4 Movement. We continue to work with this community and other partners for sustainment and new opportunities to contribute to justice causes. These marches occur the first Sunday of each month (rain or shine) at 3pm.
If interest in attending these events, please contact: John Girardor for more information, click HERE.

Clergy Conversations: Rev. Sarah Kientz interviews Austen Hartke
2022-11-03 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Join us on Zoom for a one-hour interview with Austen Hartke and Rev. Sarah Kientz.
Austen Hartke is the author of Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians, a book on theology and personal narratives published in 2018. He is also the founder and director of Transmission Ministry Collective, an online community dedicated to the spiritual care, faith formation, and leadership potential of transgender and gender-expansive Christians. Austen is a graduate of Luther Seminary’s Master of Arts program in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Studies. As a transgender person of faith, Austen’s greatest passion is helping other trans and gender-expansive people see themselves in scripture.
Register HERE.

Wander Walks - Antrim Park
2022-10-29 13:00 - 15:00 | OH
Wander Walks – Cultivating Sensibility and Surprise
Two facilitated Greater Columbus nature experiences that include both guided walking and free time to explore. Attend one or both walks. Attendees will meet in the parking lot at the walking location.
Facilitator:
Walks will be led by Cindy Lanese, admirer of the natural world. Certified as Ecotherapy Facilitator and also Joanna Macy’s Work That Reconnects, she joys in being an ‘Earthwalker’. Note: Certifications not required for living 😉
Cindy’s lifelong love and pursuit of connection with nature, along with deep respect of indigenous wisdom and ritual are threads deeply woven in the tapestry of her life. Her love is embodied in her experiential living.

Wander Walk No. 2
The date, location, and time for the Wander Walk #2 has been changed to Saturday, October 29 at 1:00 PM, at Antrim Park. All other details remain the same. We made this change to allow for adequate daylight for this event and to meet at a location that is more central. You will be automatically registered for this new date. We hope this change will work for you. If you have any questions, please email us at JBratka@FCchurch.com. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on October 29.
Saturday, October 29, 2022
1 PM
90 – 120 Minutes
Location:
Meet at Antrim Park

5800 Olentangy River Rd.
Columbus 43235
Please meet on the wood deck overlooking the lake.

Walkers should wear comfortable walking shoes.
Register below – group size is approximately 12
Weather:
In case of inclement weather, the walk will be cancelled, and participants will be contacted to rescheduled.
Carpooling – interested in carpooling from First Community North – indicate on the registration form, and we’ll connect you with others who are interested.

Registration Fee: Freewill love donation
A few spots have opened up-Register HERE.

Miami Valley Peace Heroes Trail Tour
2022-10-29 09:30 - 17:00 | OH
The First Community Community Justice Ministry Team will be visiting the Miami Valley Peace Heroes Trail in Dayton, OH at 11a on October 29th. The trail opened this September and is a place to honor and interact with 57 peace heroes signs depicting peacebuilders, both alive and from history, international and local. The director of this project, Catherine Queener will be hosting our group and guiding us on the trail for this event. You can learn more about this project here.
FOR MORE DETAILS AND REGISTRATION, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
