Fellowship Groups

Theology by the Cup (Young Adults Edition)

Calling all 18-34ish year olds.

Theology by the Cup (Young Adults Edition) is taking place every Sunday morning at 9:45 am at First Church.

A great place to gather and make friends, share coffee and conversation. We'll meet in the Patio Room and grab some coffee or tea and then find a place that suits the group size for time to reflect and get to know one another.

Why don't you make Theology by the Cup your stop after Upstream or before 10:45 worship?

For more information, please contact Pastor Michael 650-323-6167 x101

No longer a young adult? No problem. You are invited to be a part of the regular edition of Theology by the Cup. Learn more about it here.

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Sacred Grounds

Join us Sunday mornings at Sacred Grounds, a place where you can enjoy a cup of decent coffee, engage in conversation, or read.

It's a place where you can ease into the morning’s activities and get acclimated. Whether you're a newcomer to First Church or a long-time member, you're welcome at Sacred Grounds.

Located in the Patio Room, Sacred Grounds is open Sunday morning from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm.

We are in need of stewards for this new ministry — to maintain the supplies and offer hospitality — probably three people for one-hour shifts each Sunday. If you are interested in helping out, please contact the Church Office 650-323-6167.

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Theology by the Cup

Theology by the Cup is a safe place to get together for open conversation about faith. The name comes from Pastor Michael's belief that sometime we should take our theology "by the cup," so we don't become too full of ourselves and unable to hear one another. We are all travelers on a journey that brings us closer to God every day. I hope you will feel welcomed to join in a conversation about that journey.

Join us on Thursdays in Redwood City
Join Pastor Michael Thursdays from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Peet's Coffee and Tea, 2600 Broadway (at Perry) in Redwood City.

There is also a special Young Adults Edition of Theology by the Cup for 18-34(ish) year olds. Learn more about it here.

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Disciple Bible Study

The DISCIPLE Bible Study program is designed to develop strong Christian leaders through the in-depth study of Scripture.

Through DISCIPLE, persons are strengthened in their faith and guided into service and ministry. Strong, biblically nourished leadership will help you grow in vitality and Christian discipleship. This 17-week study, Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study, is divided between Old and New Testaments and takes participants from Genesis through Revelation prompting them along the way to consider their human condition and become disciples.

Bible reading (annotated Bible recommended) and workbook (cost: $35) homework is required between each 1-1/2 hour session.

DISCIPLE meets Sunday evenings from 6:30pm - 8:00pm in the Millennium Room.

For more information contact Pastor Laurie 650-323-6167 x102.

Click here for a complete Disciple class schedule.

Check out our Adult Education page for additional First Church Bible Study opportunities.

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Open Circle Young Adults

Join us at Open Circle.

Our monthly worship service takes place the first Saturday of every month at 5:00 pm at Creekside at the Los Altos UMC.

Our vision for OpenCircle is to provide a relevant, life-empowering, spirit-filled place and ministry for young adults ages 18 through 35, grounded in our five core values: Love, Faith, Relevance, Grace and Impact.

We call ourselves OpenCircle because we believe “there’s always room.”

• Room for one more (LOVE)
• Room for broader theology (FAITH)
• Room for doubt and questions (RELEVANCE)
• Room for mistakes (GRACE)
• And room to make a difference (IMPACT)

By living out our these core values, our hope is to reach young adults in the Silicon Valley and share with them the message that in OpenCircle and in God’s Kingdom, “there’s always room.”

For further information please visit our webite, www.opencircleumc.org

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InBetweens

The "InBetweens" is a fellowship for singles, families and couples who aren't quite Young Adults any longer and are making a mark in the ministry options at FUMC.

For more information contact Felice Swapp or Emily King

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Fellowship Club

The Fellowship Club (also known as the F.C.) is a group for 20's and 30's (single, married, with or without children). They have a full schedule of monthly events. Any young adult is invited to come!

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Encoders: Living into the Biblical Text

Rick Allen leads a spirited and informed discussion of lectionary texts every Sunday morning at 9:45 am in Kohlstedt Hall.

Great for newcomers to the text and long-time students as well.

All are welcome. Drop in!

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Feminist Christian Reading Group

Through conversations about books and our lives, we practice a Christianity that supports the flourishing of women and all people in mutual respect and joyful celebration of the uniqueness and variety of God's gifts.

We seek to understand how our Christian tradition has marginalized women and made it difficult to see women as truly made in God's image. Through lively and heartfelt dialogue we are revitalizing and transforming our tradition, including expanded images of the Divine, inclusive language, and female spiritual role models. As we explore these themes we support each other in discovering how they influence and inform our lives and our worship. We have been meeting since 2002.

We meet the first and third Mondays each month at 7:30pm in the Wesley Room. Consider joining us

Newcomers are very welcome.

For more information contact Mo Olson or Sandra Florstedt.

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Couples Group

We meet on the 1st and 3rd Sundays in the Wesley Room right after worship.

All couples are welcome to attend. Please call Lou or Patty Bellardo for more details.

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Koinonia

Koinonia is a fellowship group of the First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto. We meet once a month to dine together, hike, have a Progressive dinner, or to do a service project for the Church, all in the spirit of Christian fellowship. We welcome couples or singles of all ages. Generally, we meet the second Saturday of the month.

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Marvin's Gardeners

Ever wonder who keeps all of the flowers and plants around the church looking their best? It's all because of the hard work of Marvin's Gardeners.

New folks are welcome - no experience needed.

Questions? Call Toby Williams 650-321-3644

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