Adult Forums
September 23 & 30
Who Is God and Why Does It Matter?
In his video study, Embracing An Adult Faith, Marcus Borg encourages us to think more deeply about our understanding of God, and as a part of our conversation in the forum we will be asking ourselves
What words do we associate with God, and what do they reveal to us about our understanding of the character and passion of God?
What experiences in life have helped to shape our relationship with God, either positively or negatively?
How has our understanding of God changed over time? And how have these changes affected our understanding of the “good news” of the gospel and how we understand what it means to lead a Christian life?
Borg also challenges us to think about our relationship to God in ways that may be new for us, to think about a relationship rooted in grace not fear, and to think about the Christian life not as system of rewards and punishments but as a call to personal and social transformation. Dave Van Wylen and Pastor Marty will be leading us in this study.
October 6
Can We Talk?
“No one can tame the tongue,” James writes in his letter to the faithful. Still as followers of Christ we are called to mind our words and watch what we say, though this can be a difficult
challenge when our cultural conversations seem to be growing coarser all the time. So how can we have more compassionate conversations and civil discourses, especially around issues where there is serious disagreement among individuals, within churches, and in our larger society?
We will be devoting three sessions to different aspects of this important faith practice, beginning with a session lead by Bob Craig and Pastor Marty. In this first session we will be looking at the Council at Jerusalem which is found in the 15th chapter of the Book of Acts. There was serious disagreement even within the early church over the place of the Gentiles, with James and Peter on one side of the issue and Paul on the other. At this important council these leaders modeled a way for us to speak truthfully, to listen deeply, and to seek out common ground.
Monthly Work of Piety
John Wesley encouraged the early Methodists to practice these three “general rules” of discipleship: do no harm, do good, and practice the means of grace. Bishop Reuben Job has paraphrased the third of these rules to mean “stay in love with God.” Every month our congregation is encouraged to participate in a work of piety as a way to stay in love with
God. These works include reading and reflecting upon parts of scripture, cultivating a spirit of gratitude, praying, practicing resurrection, watching our words . . .
September Work of Piety
What Is My Portrait of God?
During the fall, our theme in worship will be Portraits of Faith. For the first couple of weeks we will be exploring our portraits of God, and seeing them in light of the new portrait of God that Jesus gave to us through his life and teachings.
For this month’s work of piety we are encouraged to consider our own portrait of God. As we give thought to how we see God, and how we understand God’s relationship to us and the world, here are some questions we might consider:
What scriptures are most revealing to me of the mind, heart, and character of God?
How did my early experiences in the church shape my understanding of God?
How has that changed through the years as I have grown in my faith?
What personal experiences have I had that have affected my relationship with God, and how has that affected my portrait of God?
How does my portrait of God compare to the God revealed to us by Jesus, by his parables and teachings, his treatment of other people, and his commitment to God’s Kingdom?
In one of his parables Jesus portrayed a father welcoming home his wayward son in these memorable words:
But while the son was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he
ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20
Can I imagine God acting like this father? Towards others? Towards me? Given my own portrait of God, and my own deepest held beliefs about God, how would I imagine this father
acting in response to his son’s homecoming?
Pondering Our Faith
A Study of Brene Brown’s Book
The Gifts of Imperfection: A Guide to the Wholehearted Life
On Sunday Evening, September 23rd
In her humorous, down-to-earth, well-researched, and insightful way Brene Brown challenges us to live wholehearted lives. To do this she first encourages us to consider the things that get in the way of such a life like fear and shame. Then she leads us through a process of reflection and practice to help us live our lives out of a sense of worthiness, so that we may live more authentic, creative, and compassionate lives.
For those interested, we will being reading Brown’s book, and then Pastor Marty will be leading a discussion about it on Sunday evening, September 23rd, from 6:30 – 8:00. If you would like to be a part of the study, please let Marty know so that he can make arrangements for books to be available at Monkey See Monkey Read. Even if you get your book somewhere else, let Marty know that you want to be a part of the study. You may let him know in person, by phone 645-5689, or by email pastorsdonnamarty@gmail.com.
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