During the next couple of weeks we will be winding down a lot of activities in the congregation. The Sunday School service has already happened, our Bible Study group will lunch today as a last event for the summer, and the Board meets tonight for the last time before September. The Gathering Place dinner on Friday evening is also the last for the summer, and we will have a Newcomers Dinner on Saturday. Oh wait, there is still the Fashion Show, the Strawberry Social for our Seniors, the outdoor Ecumenical Service this Sunday, then the picnic...I guess we are still very busy!
But we are looking ahead, particularly when it comes to faith formation. We just ordered a new Sunday School curriculum called Feasting on the Word which follows the same lectionary readings from week to week used in worship geared to every age level. It looks great and there is a tie-in for our adult bible study as well. Check it out at Feastingontheword.net
I will facilitate the Book Club in September on the excellent memoir I Shall Not Hate written by Palestinian doctor Izzeldin Abuelaish. We will offer a two-part series on End of Life Issues and Funeral Planning. For the former I will lead with Dr. Deb Jefferson and the latter we will have a panel with reps from three local funeral homes. I now have two excellent DVD resources on forgiveness including the two-part series from PBS called Forgiveness: a Time to Love and a Time to Hate. I'm also wondering about a film series based on the book Finding God in the Dark II. Books one and two look at faith themes through the lense of contemporary movies. I'm curious about how they connect Ratatouille (wonderful film) with the Ascension!
Do any of these appeal to you? Other comments?
Wow, that is quite a lineup! Busy, busy.
ReplyDeleteI Shall Not Hate was a fantastic book, so that was a great selection for the book review.
I would be interested in the End of Life and Funeral Planning sessions, as well as the forgiveness DVD's.
Maybe it would have been easier if I'd said I was interested in all of it.
I'm feeling envious. I have to admit that faith formation through studies has been non-existent where I am. I just found that I would offer something and no one would show any interest. Maybe I'll try again this year and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteI think the firm series on contemporary movies sounds interesting, and I had no idea that "Feasting On the Word" had a Sunday School curriculum. I enjoy the commentaries, so I will have to look into that. It'll be good to hear how it goes.