Adult Spiritual Growth - Weekly Chat Room
Beginning Tuesday, January 13th, John Thomson and I will be hosting a weekly Chat Room from 7 – 8 pm via Zoom to discuss Pastor DH’s sermon. John and I will be there every Tuesday evening; we hope you will join us on any Tuesday convenient for you.
The only requirement is for you to come ready to discuss Pastor DH’s Sunday sermon. A copy of the sermon will be emailed on Monday mornings to the congregation. We will provide the Zoom link on Tuesday to everyone who registers using this link on our website under Connections/Take a Class, or reach out to John or me.
Curious how this will work? So are we, and we realize that anything can happen in a Chat Room. The only requirements are kindness, respect, and grace."
To set the stage, let us provide an example of the proposed process using Pastor DH’s pastoral letter from 10.21.25.
Passage from Pastor DH's Pastoral Letter 10.21.2025
If someone were to ask me, “What makes your church special?” I would say this: here, people who love Christ listen to one another’s stories. They laugh, cry, and pray together. They gather to worship and scatter to love their neighbors. We are not perfect, but we keep moving—one faithful step at a time—toward the full stature of Christ. And perhaps that step itself, that small act of reaching out, is where the gospel truly begins. Maybe that is what it means to hear that quiet call again: “Who will speak first?”
Gratitude is more than a polite word or a passing emotion. It is a way of seeing—a spiritual practice that opens our eyes to God’s presence in all things. When we give thanks, we remember the grace already given, and that memory sends us back into the world to share it with others.” He continued saying, “Gratitude, in that moment, became more than a response. It became the beginning of a new life. Through gratitude, faith takes form, and faith leads us again into worship—and then back into the world.”
As I read this letter, I began to think about the importance of community inside and outside our church and how this can be applied to our upcoming class. What SUM used to do or what we might do in the future is not nearly as important as what we can do today, in the present.
Possible Discussion Subjects
1. Robert Castellano, M.S., a doctoral candidate, writes, “We live in a world that is more connected than ever, yet disconnection has become a defining emotional experience for many. Messages are sent instantly, conversations are constant, and social interaction is rarely scarce. And yet, many people report feeling unseen, unheard, or emotionally alone.”
2. Writer C.S. Lewis said, “Never commit your happiness or your virtue to the future. Grace, he said, is available only in the present.”
3. Pastor DH believes small groups enhance our sense of community. What can we do as a church to support the connectivity that comes with small groups? Would you like to see a small group focusing on a particular subject? Non-religious book clubs? Cooking classes? Art classes? Road trips to museums, theaters, etc.? Singles group? Retreats – men, women, couples?
So, what can we do individually or together? It only takes one person to stand up and suggest a community-building project today. Perhaps as a group, in a Chat Room, we can work together to make a difference. As Lewis said, “…we have to leave A behind before we get to B, and cannot reach C until we leave B behind. God, from above or outside or all around, contains the whole line, and sees it all." Please join us – reach out to John or me, or register here. We cannot post the Zoom link online, so registration is required. John will reach out to all registrants on Tuesdays with the link.
Eileen Brogan