Friendship & Spiritual Growth

Sometimes called the Retirees’ Café because many of the regulars are in that age group, the CUCC Café is for anyone who happens to be free between 1-2PM on Fridays. There is no agenda – just time to catch up on what is happening in each other’s lives. We meet on Zoom.

Lectionary Lunch with Lacey:  Every Wednesday, 1PM on Zoom

A small group of 4-10 people explores the Bible readings for the week using the Revised Common Lectionary.  Questions, insights, worldly wisdom, and doubts are welcome. No preparation is necessary. Simply come as you are. These discussions are open to the community.  

What is the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL)?

The RCL is a three-year cycle of weekly Bible selections. The selected readings are built around the seasons of the church year.  Every week, there are four lections: a reading from the Hebrew Bible, a Psalm, an Epistle, and a Gospel Reading. We use the Sunday readings in the RCL as a focus for both worship services and for our lectionary discussion.

Vanderbilt Revised Common Lectionary

Sometimes a change of location and a libation improve the conversation.

Life & Faith began in a local brewery and hopes to return there one day.  Questions for discussion arise from the group as each of us tries to figure out how to put into practice what we believe.  We talk about family, work, community.  We don’t always agree; we do laugh together. If no one has a question that night, Jane Smith brings a back up question to start the discussion.

What is said at Life & Faith stays at Life & Faith!  We seek to be a safe place for one another.  

Find the proposed discussion topic and the location for the month on the CUCC calendar.

This is a fluid group and friends are welcome – just drop in!  We meet on 1st Tuesdays, 7-8PM, currently on Zoom.  When gathering at a pub, discussion starts at 7PM, so arrive by 6:30 if you want to order food (each person covers their own purchases).  We try to model God’s generosity by tipping well, whether we order water or a full meal.  The discussion wraps up at 8PM.

While there is generally a book or topic to focus our learning, the Monday Lunch Group is much more than a study group. We pray together for those on the congregation’s prayer list and delight in friendships built over time.

The Monday Lunch Group chooses a work of common interest to explore over a period of several weeks. Genres have included poetry, novels, spiritual writers, movies, and music.  A weekly email keeps us informed of upcoming topics and supplemental resources discovered by participants during the week.

Monday Lunch Group meets every Monday, noon to 2 (with a soft start and ending) on Zoom. We will return to bringing our own lunches when we can be in person again. Newcomers and walk-ins are welcome; we recommend you plan to attend a full multi-week series to get the most out of the discussion.

Books by Biblical scholars written for the general public are the route this small group takes to explore the Bible together.  The group decides on a book together and charts how many pages to read for the next week. Discussion is wide ranging as participants move from the Bible, the scholar’s insights, and the text of their own experiences.  This is a questioning group which takes the Bible seriously but not literally, always searching for ways to live their faith.  The group is open to anyone in the community.  While you can drop in and out, you may find attending most of the weeks for a book most satisfying.

The practice of tai chi is rooted in Chinese culture and combines specific physical movements with mind and spirit.  At Community United Church of  Christ, we practice gentle tai chi to music; movements are slow and can be adapted to sitting or standing.  The gentle practice is particularly helpful to those working on their balance, or those with joint pain.  After 30 minutes of practice, the group spends some time socializing – another way to connect mind, body and spirit.

Currently the tai chi group is meeting in the Vaughan Fellowship Hall, a large room which offers space for distancing.  Doors can be opened to keep fresh air circulating.  Bring your mask.

Novices are welcome; the group will happily show you the movements and the pace is slow.

Community United Church of Christ is full of book lovers and we enjoy getting together to discuss and explore.

Upcoming studies are announced in CUCC News & Events.