May 3, 2026
Our Adult Faith Formation classes will not meet on May 3, as we gather for a special Capital Campaign Strolling Reception.
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We warmly invite you to join us for this meaningful time of connection, learning, and shared vision for the future of our church. Come enjoy conversation, explore the plans, and be part of what’s ahead!
May 10
EXPLORING THE FAITH
​Hope While Incarcerated: Becoming Creative with UM’s Prison Creative Arts Project
Speaker: Nora Krinitsky, PCAP Program Director
Host: Sidonie Smith
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Dr. Krinitsky will introduce us to the Prison Creative Arts Project at the University of Michigan, its history and vision, its activities and challenges, and its impacts on those who are incarcerated and those students and staff who are PCAP instructors, facilitators, and supporters. ​
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EXPLORING THE BIBLE
​The Story of Scripture
Host: Ed Koster
Join us for a discussion of the role, importance, and message of the Bible as a whole.
FIRST FRIENDS
​My Faith
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Watch and discuss Anne Lamott’s heartfelt talk, “My Faith,” in which she reflects on her unlikely journey to belief, the grace she has encountered along the way, and the messy, honest nature of a life of faith. This class will include a viewing of the 33-minute video followed by guided conversation.
May 17
EXPLORING THE FAITH
EMU’s College in Prison program at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility
Speakers: Elizabeth Currans, CIP Administrator and Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, Eastern Michigan University
Nicole Ortiz-Garcia, former student and current intern in CIP
Host: Michael Oswalt
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The EMU College in Prison (CiP) program provides incarcerated women at Huron Valley Correctional Facility the opportunity to pursue a Bachelor's Degree from Eastern Michigan University. The administrator of the program, Elizabeth Curran, will describe how the program got started, what it offers, and how it transforms women’s lives. Nicole Artiz-Garcia, a graduate of CIP, will share her experiences in the program and explore the difference it has made in her life.​
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EXPLORING THE BIBLE
​The Story of Scripture
Host: Ed Koster
Join us for a discussion of the role, importance, and message of the Bible as a whole.
FIRST FRIENDS
When God Talks Back – Exploring the Reality of Spiritual Experience
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In this engaging TED Talk, anthropologist Tanya Luhrmann examines how people come to experience God as an active, responsive presence in their lives. Drawing on her research with contemporary Christian communities, she explores the practices that shape spiritual awareness and the ways individuals learn to recognize and interpret God’s voice.
Together, we’ll watch this thought-provoking 14-minute presentation and reflect on questions it raises about prayer, imagination, and the nature of faith.
