Pre-Covid Spiritual Offerings at First United

We have a combination of online and in-person opportunities available. Please contact us for more information.

Sunday Service

Our Sunday Service is fully wheelchair accessible and begins in the Sanctuary at 10:30am. There is a lot happening in this community and we share these digital announcements to highlight First United, Nexus and GreenSpace events. A printed copy of these are found in our “First News” which is provided to you as you enter the sanctuary. Our order of service and hymns are displayed on the projection screen at the front, however, if you require a printed version, a limited number of copies are available at the back.

Sometimes newcomers worry that they won’t know when to stand up or when to sit down. Generally we stand up for hymns, unless instructed otherwise. But really, it’s easy. Just do what everyone else does!

We do have one practice that is unique to this congregation and we like it a lot. It is called the Gift of Peace. At the conclusion of the service, the minister starts it with one other person. The person receiving places his or her hands together in the traditional attitude of prayer and the giver covers them with his or her own. The giver says, “May the peace of God be with you.” The receiver responds with “And also with you.” The greeting is passed to the person on the end of each row and that person passes the peace to the next person and so on to the end of the row. This way the whole congregation is connected as the blessing is passed from one to another. And if you don’t do it just as described, it doesn’t matter. It’s what’s in your heart that matters.

First Five

First Five is a weekly topical reflection on world happenings, personal narratives, historical understandings, global events and how we connect them to our lives. Watch here for upcoming audio files which will be available for you to enjoy in the near future.

Wednesday Morning Study Group

This group meets every Wednesday morning from 7:00 to 8:30 am. There is no specified leader but different people step forward when needed to facilitate discussion. Each year three or four books are selected to read and discuss. Often books are chosen from the frontiers of theological thinking – some stimulating our brains and others our hearts and souls.

Our dialogue is gentle and respectful, though often passionate. If this kind of experience appeals to you, join us Wednesday morning. Newcomers are welcome!

Exploring the Word

Join us and Explore the Word at 1:00 pm each Monday.

Let us know you are coming and you can join the Lunch Bunch prior at noon.

Centering Prayer

Centering Prayer is a method of silent meditation in which we experience the Spirit’s presence within us deeper than thinking, feeling, and consciousness itself. Centering Prayer is both a relationship with the divine and a discipline to foster that relationship.

It is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer but rather to add depth of meaning to all forms of prayer and to our daily living. Those gathered are invited to focus on creating a space within themselves - to set aside their own agendas to “find a quiet centre” where they can be open to the presence and transformative movement of the Spirit.

From September to June, the Centering Prayer groups meets for one hour on Wednesday beginning at 9:20am.

Alternative Worship

First United offers a Wednesday Evening Worship as a time to refresh our spirits at the end of the day. Participants meet in the sanctuary each Wednesday at 6:00pm and follow a service of prayer, conversation, scripture and reflection. These services meet the needs of those who are fed spiritually by a quieter, more reflective worship experience.

Shuswap Lodge Sunday Service

On the second Sunday of each month, except for July and August, First United Church leads a half hour long worship service at Shuswap Lodge, starting at 1:00 pm. Worship takes place in the lounge, right inside the main doors, and the church leadership team is welcomed warmly by the residents and staff. Residents attending come from a variety of church backgrounds, and are asked to choose their favourite hymns to sing during the service. The singing can usually be heard throughout the building, and the message is always relevant and well received.

Labyrinth Walk

Located within the Village Hall, the labyrinth is a kind of walking meditation tool and was created in an attempt to provide a vehicle for deepening spiritual awareness and prayerful life for all people.

Not to be confused with a maze, a labyrinth combines the spiritually symbolic circle and spiral shapes into a design which has only one path leading circuitously into the centre. The same path is then followed back out again. In a symbolic way, it invites us to surrender to the many turns we encounter on life’s journey. Walking the paths and turns allows us to focus, reflect, pray, and meditate more deeply. At its most basic level, the labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the centre of your deepest self and back out into the world with a broadened understanding of who you are.

The labyrinth is available any time First Community is open and the room is not otherwise booked. Call the office for times and for more information. There is a brochure available with more suggestions about how to get the most out of walking the labyrinth.

Guided Meditation

Join this guided Meditation, a time of relaxation and inspiration. A time for re-connecting with all that Peace and Love which we carry already inside of us at the core of our being. Inviting you to a time of relaxation, feeling more connected and in alignment with “source energy” the unconditional Love of all there truly is.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a soft martial art, a series of 108 slow, prescribed movements. This gentle form of exercise can improve flexibility, balance, and strength. Tai Chi has been known to reduce stress and anxiety and to enhance mood. It is safe and inexpensive, requires no equipment. With regular practice, Tai Chi can benefit muscles, tendons, and joints. Over time, continuous practice can improve poor circulation, high blood pressure, arthritis, back pain, and joint immobility. Tai Chi is often called Meditation in Motion or Memory in Motion.