First Word 

First Word is an opportunity to prepare and share a personal story or spiritual aha moment during service. This is a great way to get to know the people we sojourn with at West Hills Friends. It's an opportunity to learn, but also express what blesses, comforts, troubles, inspires, challenges, or puzzles us. Our worship begins with First Word, which sets the tone for our time together: We are here to experience and share where we feel the Spirit stirring our hearts.

If You Are Bringing First Word

Thank you for choosing to share your First Word with West Hills Friends! By giving us this window into some aspect of your spiritual journey, you enrich our Sunday morning worship time, allow us to know you better, and help build community.

The following are offered as guidelines to help you prepare your First Word. May you enjoy the process!

The Basics

First Word is a time for you to share, in 3-5 minutes, some aspect of your personal spiritual journey. (“This was my experience, this is what I learned or am learning”, etc.) Any format is fine—prose, poetry, a two-person “conversation”, etc. First Word is not for purely academic or theological abstraction, public debate, or announcements. Those who need more time are urged to bring a message; A short message is preferable to a long First Word. Since most of us can read faster than we speak, please read your written remarks aloud for a more accurate sense of timing.

Helpful Hints

• Share what moves, blesses, excites, troubles, inspires, challenges, or puzzles, (etc.) you.

• Write it out.

• Speaking off the top of our heads, we lose track of time.

• Practice aloud—before Sunday morning, preferably to a willing listener.

• Time yourself once or twice. If necessary, edit to meet the 3-5 minute time limit.

• Expect your First Word to take longer on Sunday than in practice. (We often ad-lib, make nervous “filler” statements, or add unplanned intros.)

• Include your introduction in your practice time. Keep it brief and get to the heart of things quickly.

Please remember that children will be present when you speak. If you plan on addressing a sensitive topic, please let our first word coordinator (Lainee King) know. Together, we can strategize about how to create the proper context for your First Word.