SPIRITUAL FORMATION

Our variety of spiritual growth forums and programs for adults add to, and enhance the Sunday morning worship service experience. The rich variety of programming we have enjoyed is led by church members, constituents, and talented outside speakers. Sunday morning opportunities vary during each month. Hear speakers, join discussions, understand issues in our world that touch our spirits! Recent Programs THE PARABLES OF JESUS Seminar with Bernard Brandon Scott Bernard Brandon Scott, an internationally recognized authority on the Parables of Jesus, led a four hour seminar that included these topics: What is a Parable? From Gospel to Parable: The Archaeology of Parables The Samaritan: What Does a Hero Look Like? The Prodigals: The Kingdom as a Dysfunctional Family Participants gained exciting new understanding of the historical context out of which the parables were created, and how that context can reshape many ways of interpreting them. LIVING THE QUESTIONS Living the Questions is a multi-media Christian education experience that says the Christian Faith is strong enough for hard questions. According to this series the main point is Christianity is relevant to today’s issues and relevant to the questions that you have in your life. In fact, it is an act of faith to live with an open question in your heart as opposed to rushing toward an unsatisfactory answer. Living the Questions: Saving Jesus “ Who Was Jesus?, presenter--Matthew Fox” “What can we know about Jesus (and How)?” “The World into which Jesus was born” “Jesus' Birth--the Incarnation” Teachings of Jesus: Wisdom Tradition Featuring Bernard Brandon Scott Jesus' Program: The Kingdom of God, featuring John Dominic Crossan Jesus' Ministry of Compassion Killing Jesus, Part 1: Who Killed Jesus? Featuring Amy-Jill Levine & Helen Prejean Killing Jesus, Part 2: The Atonement, featuring Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker "Faith Development" by Josh Gressel "Origins of Religious Thought" Video Featuring Karen Armstrong "Are We Living in a New Reformation?" A Reflection on Bishop Spong’s Letter "Election Issues" by League of Women Voters

LENTEN STUDY The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus’ Final Days in Jerusalem A six-session Lenten study focuses on this book about Jesus’ final days in Jerusalem. The authors, Marcus Borg and Dominic Crossan explain the cultural and religious background to the events experienced by Jesus, starting with Palm Sunday and ending with Easter. Facilitated by Bruce Goya, Brian Nippa, Mike Nicolson and Roger Sperling. Special gifts made this $14 book available to you for $5.00. "THE FUTURE OF RELIGION" This series of four sessions deals with the future of religion in general and the Christian faith in particular. Helping us with this is Karen Armstrong, a prize winning author in the field of the history of religions. The first two sessions are centered on her DVD entitled, “Tips from the Axial Age.” One session is "The Experimental Church." The United Church of Canada is conducting a very interesting experiment. Since much of the doctrine and liturgy used by the Church today were created centuries ago, the United Church of Canada is initiating the creation of a new worship form, a new understanding of our relationship with God, a new Church. We examine this fascinating effort to grow the Church of tomorrow and help our own efforts to be the Church of the 21st Century. DIETRICH BONHOEFFER: HIS LIFE Dietrich Bonhoeffer was Lutheran pastor and theologian, and participant in the resistance movement against Nazism. Bonhoeffer believed that evil could be combated only by the specific actions of responsible people in the world. He joined a resistance effort to overthrow the Third Reich, was arrested, imprisoned, and eventually hanged. (Source - Wikipedia) Join us to watch a fascinating video of his life. PROCESS THEOLOGY SEMINAR A Theology for the 21st Century A Seminar on Process Theology with Dr. William Stegall The two seminar sessions on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning will address such subjects as • An introduction to process theology • Jesus in process theology • Process and intelligent design • God and ecology • Human freedom 2007 LENTEN SERIES: LIVING LIFE FULLY AND DYING WELL Agape Soup & Salad Meal at 6:00 PM Series from 6:30 to 7:30 PM A Lenten study program entitled, “Living Life Fully and Dying Well” based on a series written by retired Methodist Bishop Rueben Job. Living Life Fully Theology and Our Culture’s View of Aging Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life Getting It All Together and Dying Well What Happens When We Die? How Then Shall We Live? This series is not just for those “aging” or “seniors” or the “terminally ill.” This is a very open and honest discussion of where we see ourselves, what our feelings are about Life, Death, and Eternal Life. The goal is to dwell on the inheritance we have all been given in Life, Death, and Eternal Life.