Make Friends…
Connect with God…
Grow in your Faith…
Staff contact: Beth Palmer, Director of Adult Discipleship.
Quick Links
- Storylines: Origins Small Group
- Book Group
- Whole Story Theological Reflection Group
- Sacred Earth Group
- Midday Bible Discussion
- Centering Prayer Reboot
- Other ongoing groups
- Walk to Emmaus weekend spiritual retreat
- Deeper Waters
Storylines:
Doing Our Origins Work Together
Facilitator: Pastor April Blaine
Two options: 4 Wednesdays at 4pm starting October 15 or 6:30pm starting October 29*
This four-week small group will help us explore the deep threads of our own stories as we move through the Season of Origins.
*Start date change (from October 22). On October 22 we encourage you to attend the public talk with Dr. Belinda Gore at 7pm in the Sanctuary.
New Book Group Starting
Starts Sunday,
October 26
3:30-4:30pm
At church: room 6, Warehouse 839 building (enter through church office doors on north side of building)
Join Earlene Sanborn in creating a new ongoing book group to choose and discuss Christian books together, starting with Richard Rohr’s Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life (get your own copy).
Know Yourself, Know Your People
This class will be rescheduled at a later date TBD
Whole Story Theological Reflection Group
1st & 3rd Sunday mornings
10-11am
Room 306/308
Sanctuary building
This twice-monthly small group meets for conversation and theological reflection (which just means thinking about our faith, how we know what we know) around The Whole Story message series. Why do we believe what we believe?
Sacred Earth Group
Meets 2nd & 4th Wednesdays
6:30-7:30pm
In person:
Sanctuary building
Parlor (room 206)
Join facilitators Ellen Hans and Emily Lamb for conversation and action around climate change, environmental stewardship, and how to best care for our Sacred Earth!
Midday Bible Discussion
First & Third Wednesdays
12-1pm in person
Church office, room 6
Facilitated by Pastor Jon Osmundson
Join Pastor Jon and others to encounter and discuss scripture with this Engaging the Bible foundational class. No experience or preparation necessary! Just come willing to listen and share if you want to.
Centering Prayer Reboot
2nd Mondays
6:30-7:30pm
Sanctuary building
Parlor (room 206, accessible)
If you’re interested in practicing Centering Prayer in community, whether you have little experience or are a long-time practitioner, this opportunity is for you.
Please use the playground door to enter the building rather than the social hall door, so as not to disrupt the AA meeting happening in the social hall 6-7pm.
Enneagram Classes
Hilliard UMC is a hub for learning about the Enneagram, a powerful tool for self-discovery and growth.
We learn to see ourselves as we are: reflections of the divine… creatures of habit… children of God… new creations in Christ.
Walk to Emmaus
A Weekend Spiritual Retreat
Deeper Waters
Innovative & Courageous Leaders
Cohort 4 has formed and is closed. Stay tuned for cohort 5 to start January 2027, probably.
It’s an extraordinary time to be a human. With everything we are facing collectively and individually, more than ever, the world needs innovative and courageous leaders who can meet this moment with a
- Capacity to hold complexity and ambiguity
- Compassionate, non-anxious presence
- Commitment to pursuing the most humane and loving path forward
Even if you don’t hold a formal leadership position in your organization, all of us can be leaders simply because we can influence others in important, life-giving ways!
How do we continue to evolve into the leaders that are needed in this season?
Are you ready to dive deeper into this kind of work?
You are invited to apply to be a part of the next cohort of DEEPER WATERS: Innovative and Courageous Leaders.
Look for cohort 5 to form in the fall of 2026
Space is limited to 20 participants and is closed for cohort 4 (2025-2026). Look for cohort 5 to begin forming in the fall of 2026.
Deeper Waters Info Sessions
Come learn more! Hear from past participants, learn about the curriculum, and ask your questions.
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Foundational Classes
We regularly offer foundational classes to help ground your spiritual life and practice. Stay tuned to the website for details and signup links, as each class is offered.
- Engaging the Bible, an opportunity to learn how to read and understand the Bible, using an ancient prayer practice called lectio divina (“sacred reading”).
- Prayer & Meditation Boot Camp, for developing a consistent personal prayer practice.
- Introduction to the Enneagram, a powerful tool for self-discovery and growth.
Complete descriptions are listed HERE.
Costs
We don’t want the cost of books or class materials to get in the way of you taking a class, so sign up whether you have class or book money or not. Pay what you can from your heart (any amount welcome), or it’s on us, happily!
We also know that people like to give to support ministries that mean something to them, so we invite contributions toward the Adult Discipleship teaching ministry at HUMC.
And if you’d like to contribute a few extra dollars toward a book or class materials for someone who doesn’t have money this time, we’re honored by your support, thank you! You can always contribute online here, or class facilitators will collect money at class.
Thank you!
Staff Contact
Beth Palmer, Director of Adult Discipleship
bpalmer@hilliardumc.org