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Bible “Study” is perhaps a misnomer in our church. Our Adult Ed, or Faith4Life programs, are about:
- Sharing our individual faith journeys with one another.
- Wrestling with life’s tough questions – e.g. “If God is a loving God, why do the innocent suffer?”
- Exploring what God is calling me, as a Christian, to be and do in the world?
- Studying the Bible and other challenging writings by great people of faith.
While our emphasis is on the Bible and other Christian writings, we also explore the wisdom of other faith traditions. We provide a safe place to bring our doubts and we challenge one another to grow. Although we may disagree with one another, we support one another in our search. We find affirmation in our search for the truth as we strive to “live the questions now.”
There are many opportunities to take part in our Faith4Life programs. Below are some of our “standard” times during the programmatic year (generally mid-September to mid-June); other studies may run for a few weeks at other times of the week.
- Tuesdays from 10-11:30AM
- Thursdays from 10-11:30AM
- Sundays from 9:15-10:15AM
- Women’s Circle, first Wednesday of the month from 10:30AM-Noon
ALL are welcome to attend any of these sessions! The Thursday study is set up that you can “pop in” when you can. The other study times cover a reading that is done beforehand, so a little prep is required before attending.
Please contact the church office if you would like more information about our Faith4Life program.
Our most recent adult education post is listed here. Other posts are listed below.
Faith4Life — Margaret Harrison
At our June 8 Celebrating the Year in Faith Formation Service, Margaret Harrison offered what Faith4Life means for her.
You can also watch her story below, starting at 38:21.
I believe that this church planned to have the most interesting, thought-provoking classes for adults of any Christian church and has succeeded in doing that. We moved to this area in 2021, during the Covid years, and became acquainted with this church through the internet. I remember cold calling the church and asking Chip if there were Sunday school classes for adults. He suggested The Universal Christ, a book by Father Richard Rohr. That book study was on zoom. We weren’t members, but dove into that study as if we had been here a thousand years and had known the participants for decades. The book is wonderful. I was hooked after reading the Foreword and all-in after reading the first two pages of the section titled “Before We Begin.” All of this was before chapter 1. This book has been my constant companion since then. It stuck with me and to me.
We did the Disciple study where I learned that a large print Bible is this girl’s best friend and that a dedicated time to do the reading is necessary. In addition to studying other books by Richard Rohr, we have studied some by Brian McLaren—Do I Stay Christian and Life After Doom are standouts. Robin Kimmerer’s book, Braiding Sweet Grass, called to mind my childhood in Oklahoma, where I learned, then forgot, but was reminded that if a creature has eyes over mouth, it’s part of your family. What about oysters you may ask. Well, I knew a fellow who sold seafood to restaurants, and he told me that oysters have a mouth, primitive eyes, but no brain. According to the rule —eyes over mouth—it is my family. We’ve joined Connie’s studies on Sunday mornings. Through all of these classes we have met Richard Rohr, Adam Hamilton, Brian McLaren, Trip Fuller, Amy-Jill Levine, Barbara Brown Taylor, John Phillip Newell, Thomas Merton, James Finley. You will find these people here in our classes. How fortunate we are!
All of this is to say, There are people who remember their Sunday school classes from childhood, and that’s enough for them. It’s good to remember that we are all on the same faith journey; we are just at different places. All faith journeys are personal, one of a kind. But if those early lessons of childhood now leave you with questions and doubts (maybe doubts too strong a word, maybe if you’re just wondering about some things in those stories), come here and learn to look at Biblical texts with your adult ability to understand.
Don’t think that reading Do I Stay Christian will make you an infidel or non-believer; it won’t, but, it will make you examine why you say you’re a Christian and what it means to be a Christian. Don’t think that reading every book that Father Richard Rohr ever wrote will make you a Roman Catholic; it won’t, but, it may make you look at all of creation in a different way. You may look for the face of the Christ in every person you meet and every other aspect of creation, as I now do. If you are ever concerned that the babe in the manger could be replaced by the sleigh and reindeer, that the nails and the cross maybe replaced by a bunny and dyed eggs, then come here and learn how religion can reflect or reject cultural values and mores. Learn how to strengthen your resolve to make your walk more holy.
So, I say fasten your seatbelt, put your tray table in the upright position and get ready for blast off.
Recent topics are listed below, with previous topics available here.