The 2011-2012 Adult Education
program will have a format of three broad topics: Theology, Christian
Living and Bible Study. Classes in the fall will last ten weeks,
followed by a unified Advent study, starting Thanksgiving weekend. As
before, we will seek to explore what it means to be a Christian in the
early 21st century. this year focusing on the questions that have
troubled believers almost from the beginning of the Judeo/Christian
faith, and which deeply concern many Christians today. We will also
explore the nurture of relationships, both interpersonal and parental.
In the winter we will explore one of most troubling concerns in greater
depth-the problem of evil. To encourage greater intellectual and
emotional involvement in the weekly worship service, Bible Study will
focus on achieving a deeper understanding and appreciation of the verses
comprising the Lectionary readings.
Classes
for Fall, 2011
September 11th is the
first day of Sunday School for children and youth. Stay in the
sanctuary following worship and coffee on September 11th for an
introduction to all 3 classes!
Classes will then begin on the following week.
For
the Christian Education 2011-2012 Calendar, click
here.
Christian Living: Sept. 18 – Nov. 20. The 10 week
course will be led by John Clinedinst and Harriet Muir. The text
will be “Talk
That Matters – 30 Days to Better Relationships” by Susan Lee
Lind, PhD and Ben Campbell Johnson, PhD.
There was an enthusiastic desire on the
participants in the marriage class last year to pursue further
discussions about communication. Rather than limit this
course to couples we decided to extend the offering this fall to anyone
interested in improving relationships. Dr. Johnson is
Professor Emeritus from Columbia Theological Seminary. He has
earned his place by teaching communication and human relations for a
number of years. Dr. Lind has more than 25 years experience
in the fields of interpersonal communication, training and
organizational development.
This book is filled with wisdom and
wonderful stories. More importantly, the book contains
practical exercises and self-assessments the will reinforce the learning
and help any reader become a better communicator. If you
would like to build more meaningful relationships, come join us this
fall.
Theology:
Sept. 18 – Nov. 20. The 10 week
course will be led by Carol Peters,
Caroline
Jacobus and Russ Hall. The text will be Diogenes Allen’s latest work,
“Theology for a Troubled Believer”.
Allen’s latest book was
conceived as a response to a letter he received from a man he described
as being, “very accomplished and intelligent, who had been a
churchgoer all his life” and who, in a letter to Allen, described the
internal conflict he experienced when comparing what he had been taught
(about religion) with his experience of “reality”. The letter, after
describing the writer’s anguish at the death of a young classmate as a
child, ended with the statement, paraphrasing Descartes, “I pray,
therefore I believe, whether I understand it or not.”
“Theology for a Troubled Believer”, is a book of less than 200 pages
and contains five sections: “The Nature of God”; “Suffering”;
“The Divine Sacrifices”; “The New Life in God”; and,
“Responding to God”. We will devote two weeks to a discussion of
each of the five sections. Allen’s intent is to “increase a
critical, but pious, person’s understanding of the Christian
religion”. We hope to provide a venue, including both discussion and
study that will enable his intent to be realized.
Bible
Study:
Sept. 18 – Nov. 20. This
ongoing Bible Study will be led by Pastor Bob Heppenstall, 
and
will focus on the lectionary readings that are used for the sermon each
week. Class handouts for the fall will be available beginning September
11th. The class will use the “Feasting on the Word” curriculum and
be led by our Pastor. This class is scheduled to meet in the Sanctuary
during the education hour.
Stay
in the sanctuary following worship and coffee on September 11th for an
introduction to all 3 classes!
