Director of Adult Programs
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Mission:  to promote community, enhance spiritual practice and encourage life-long learning through classes, small groups, special events, lectures, workshops, and retreats.

Program Features:

Classes and Retreats are offered on a Fall and Winter/Spring two semester system. An all church Program Guide is published each semester; it is available on the church website as well as in printed form. Classes are offered in the following subject areas: Spirituality and Religion, UU Fundamentals, Parenting, Relationships and Communications, Personal and Life Skills, Creative Arts, Movement, End of Life Issues, and Economic/Social/Environmental Justice.

About seventy classes are offered per year with a faculty of about fifty facilitators/teachers and nearly one thousand participants from the congregation as well as from the larger Portland community.

Six or seven Retreats are scheduled throughout the year – some regular retreats include a Writer’s Retreat, Women’s Retreat, Men’s Retreat, Shakespeare Retreat in Ashland, Family Camp, Nature/Sustainability Retreat, and a Day of Mindfulness. 

Members of the Adult Programs Committee help on Sundays with class and retreat registrations. Throughout the year they facilitate and steward classes, help publicize activities, offer hospitality at events, tend the labyrinth, manage the Channing Library, volunteer in the office, and produce a book-sale fund raiser for scholarships.

Special Events:  Adult Programs presents on average one event per month. Along with a variety of sponsoring organizations, we host evenings of poetry, author readings, lectures, storytelling and music.

Small Group Ministry:

Covenant Groups, Sustaining Circles, and Resilience Circles as well as ongoing affinity groups are available at various times for participation. Learn More.

The Good Times Committee creates community within First Church by helping congregants and participants coordinate a variety of social events. Mission:  To organize and promote fun, small group, social activities that create a sense of community.  From croquet parties to symphony outings, from First Thursday gallery walks to AIDS Walk Teams, Good Times organizes hundreds of opportunities for people to get together.  Learn More.