Faith Formation for Adults

Post-Holiday Detox & Spiritual Reset:
A Weekend Retreat for Women, January 16-18, 2026
Register here

After the busy holiday season, step away to rest, reflect, and begin the new year with intention at The Guest House Retreat & Conference Center, Chester, CT. Join First Church member and retreat facilitator Janice Olson for a restorative weekend retreat designed exclusively for women – she picked an ideal setting for rest, gentle community, and spiritual renewal. See prices and more details HERE.

We have fitness, yoga and meditation. Try one or all! 

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Spirit: JPWL Faithful Fitness Classes Resuming!

We’re delighted to announce that Practicing Presence returns Wednesday, October 8! Join us for an hour of meditation and reflection. Our Tai Chi / Chi Gong and fitness classes are underway, and operate on a drop-in basis. All sessions provide an opportunity for meditation as well as movement.

These programs are provided free of charge through our sponsors and the generosity of Ms. Florence S.M. Crofut. 

FitMix with Kathi Boratko – Tuesdays, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. in the Auditorium
Register here

A JPWL Faithful Fitness Program to nurture our bodies, minds, and spirits! A well-rounded class including resistance training, cardio, and balance using multiple fitness modalities. Chairs will be used for seated and standing support. Please bring a mat, light weights and a small ball. No tools? No worries! Some tools can be provided.

Tai Chi & Qi Gong with Cynthia Hoag – Thursdays, 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Chapel

Register here

Gain mindfulness through movement! QiGong and Tai Chi promote the flow of qi, or energy, in the body, helping to reduce stress, depression, or fatigue while providing a sense of balance and clarity. Each session concludes with a short heartfelt meditation intuitively curated for those in attendance (seated or standing).

Practicing Presence – Weekly Drop-In Meditation Gathering
Wednesday’s from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm,
Community Room (between the Choir Room and the JPW Library)

Learn techniques to quiet the mind and nurture the spirit during Practicing Presence, the weekly meditation session at First Church. Led by Janice Olson, certified yoga instructor and spiritual director, the session consists of a 20 minute meditation followed by a brief time for journaling and we finish with a discussion of our experience. No meditation experience required; just show up and be curious. Sponsored by the JPW library, there is no cost and no obligation to attend. Drop in and check it out…all are welcome. For more information, contact Janice.

Yoga with Cynthia Wolcott, Wednesdays, 9:30-10:45 am in the chapel.

$20 per session (if this causes a hardship please speak to Cynthia), enter via the North Door. Cynthia Wolcott has been leading yoga and healing movement classes for nearly two decades. After healing a double herniated disc with movement, she began to tailor each of her classes to the needs of the students, customizing the movements to address their particular issues. Through her own practices of yoga and meditation, she experienced the gifts of tremendous healing and growth. She delights in offering those gifts to others.

Awakening the Spirit Book Group 

Mondays  12 to 1:30 p.m. 

Discussions are centered on interfaith dialogue, ethics, theology, biblical scholarship, and spirituality. Bring a bag lunch; beverages and desserts are provided. Copies of the books are available in the library and new members are always welcome. For more information contact Jennifer deSimas at jpwebsterdir@whfirstchurch.org or 860-232-3893. Also click here: Book Groups.

Click here for current book

Food for Thought Book Group

First Tuesday of each month from October to June, 5:00–6:30 p.m., lead by Jennifer and Molly. Resumes October 7, 2025.

This group reads autobiography/biography, literary fiction, sociology, historical fiction, and more through the lens of faith and spirituality. For current reading selections, please check the John P. Webster Library Book Groups page. Copies of the books are available in the library and new members are always welcome. Please bring your own dinner; refreshments and desserts are served. For more information contact Jennifer deSimas at jpwebsterdir@whfirstchurch.org or 860-232-3893.

Click here for current book.

Lunch & Learn author visits, seminars, and workshops

Sundays after worship, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Monthly or bi-monthly lectures, workshops, author visits, and more. Visiting speakers discuss topics ranging from quitting hair dye to elder care to bee-keeping to photography to hygge and beyond.