Alpha Register
Day: Monday Time of day: Evening
Area of town: South Bellingham Lifestage: Any Adult Gender Mix: Mixed
Description: The Alpha course is a small group for anyone that would like to explore life’s big questions. Many of us wonder: why do bad things happen to good people? What's the purpose of life? What's next? Join Alpha for a judgment-free, caring space to connect with others, discuss these types of questions, and share your opinion. Alpha is for people of all faith and belief backgrounds and will also unpack the basics of Christian faith; bring a friend and join us! This group will meet on Mondays from 6:00-7:30pm for 10 weeks beginning Monday, February 27th. We will share a meal, watch a video, and discuss key questions around the table.
Arms of Love: After Abortion Care Register
Day: Tuesday Time of day: Evening
Area of town: South Bellingham Lifestage: Any Adult Gender Mix: Women
Description: Arms of Love is a 12-week support group where women can explore the complex and sometimes confusing emotions surrounding their abortion experience(s) in an atmosphere of acceptance, safety and confidentiality. Open to women of all ages, pre-registration required. New session begins the week of February 20th. Email Barb at armsoflove@whatcomclinic.com for more information or sign up to learn more.
Learning to Live Aligned - Men Register
Day: Monday Time of day: Evening
Area of town: South Bellingham Lifestage: Any Adult Gender Mix: Men
Description: Most Christians want to live a life that aligns with their fundamental beliefs about Jesus and the purpose of life. But we also have miswired behavioral habits and corrupted affections. This is why some Christians find themselves in the secret pain of wrestling with unwanted sexual thoughts and unhealthy behavior. Thankfully, there are answers and real hope that begin in our identity in Jesus and flow out through our affections and actions. You are invited to spend 6 weeks with Pastor Christian Lindbeck in an honest, confidential, and hopeful small group. This group will meet on Mondays at 7:30pm beginning April 24. Resources: Unwanted by Jay Stringer.
Learning to Live Aligned - Women Register
Day: TBD Time of day: Evening
Area of town: South Bellingham Lifestage: Any Adult Gender Mix: Women
Description: Many women feel alone in their struggle with the sexual brokenness in their life. We want you to know you are not alone; God wants to meet you where you are at and is the Giver of hope and freedom. If you desire healing from unwanted sexual thoughts and/or unhealthy sexual behavior, we would love to have you participate in this conversation with other women. This group will create a confidential and safe space to name the broken places in our stories and begin on a path of healing.
People to be Loved Book Club Register
Day: Tuesday Time of day: Evening
Area of town: South Bellingham Lifestage: Any Adult Gender Mix: Mixed
Description: Join us in exploring Preston Sprinkle's book People to be Loved: Why Homosexuality is Not Just an Issue. It is rare to find an author who excels so holistically in both his position and his posture: his scholarship of biblical text, his exploration of scientific findings, his insightful lens on this cultural moment, his pastoral heart of love and truth, and his lived experience walking alongside many same sex attracted friends. We as Christians need to pursue all of these - biblical scholarship, attention to science, cultural sensitivity, and genuine friendship - in order to stay helpful in the conversation around gender and sexuality.
People to be Loved is a readable, easily accessible resource for those who need a place from which to start or continue growing. Our hope is that you will walk away from this book with better footing in both biblical position and pastoral posture; co-mingled attention to both is precisely what the Lord Jesus himself models and calls us to in this crucial conversation. This group will meet on Tuesday evenings at 7:00pm at Hillcrest beginning March 7th.
Singleness: Living Faithfully Register
Day: Tuesday Time of day: Evening
Area of town: North Bellingham Lifestage: Any Adult Gender Mix: Mixed
Description: Single people have many challenges and concerns that need to be looked at and shared with those who have similar experiences. This group will be using the book Singleness, Living Faithfully by Jenilyn Swett, full of great topics and thought-provoking questions, as a starting point for discussion. Swett encourages and kindly challenges singles to be aware of God’s positive view of us and our singleness, to learn new ways to cultivate meaningful relationships, to walk through difficulties and heartaches in healthy ways, and to grow in maturity and faithfulness as they walk the pathway before them. At our first meeting we will look at God’s view of singleness and we’ll spend some time getting to know each other. This group will meet on Tuesday evenings from 7:00-8:30pm for 8 weeks beginning February 14.
The Word in the Wilderness Register
Day: Monday Time of day: Evening
Area of town: South Bellingham Lifestage: Any Adult Gender Mix: Mixed
Description: Lent (Latin: Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan.
Lent - is often hard to wrap our minds and souls around. What should we be doing between the flurry of Christmas & New Years celebrations, goal setting, life plans, and a seemingly distant Easter? What should we “give up” during this time? Historically, the church has celebrated these 40 days in a multitude of ways but at its core is an invitation to join Jesus in the desert as he “prepares” for his public life of ministry. It is a journey of solitude, inviting contemplation, and slowing down.
This small group, which begins the week of Ash Wednesday and ends the week following Easter is framed around a small book titled “The Word in the Wilderness” which offers 40, short, daily invitations to read, listen, contemplate and enter into this path of discovery. With these readings as a guide, our weekly gathering time will be to reflect on how our paths have been interrupted by the presence of God. Our prayer is that as we take this journey together we may see this season in a new light and prepare us in beautifully unexpected ways for daily resurrection.
We will meet for 8 weeks on Monday evenings at Hillcrest, from February 20th through April 10th, from 6:30-8:00pm.