What does it mean to deepen our faith? It means that God loves us exactly how we are yet also too much to leave us there. It means that we can always grow in new ways in our relationships with God and with each other. This year, the Deepening Faith Committee continues to offer the School of Christian Living as an opportunity for this type of engagement and growth—because a regular, intentional, authentic community space is one of the best environments in which to deepen one’s faith. The School of Christian Living is held on Wednesday evenings, starting with dinner together in Creekside at 6:00pm, followed by classes at 7:00pm. Classes last for a session of several weeks, with a short break before the next session begins. The first session is September 4–25, followed by additional sessions October 9 – November 13 and December 4–18.
Whether you are new to exploring your faith or a long-time practitioner, you are invited to find something of interest in the class offerings. The courses offered will be in one of three categories: the Bible, life application, or justice and changemaking. The course offerings for September 4–25 are:
Four Jesus Stories/Four Spiritualities (Bible)
The four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—were written by four different people, each of whom had a slightly different understanding of who Jesus was. So each of the Gospels invites its readers to a different spirituality, a different way of seeing the Holy through Jesus. This will be a deep dive into the intention of the first four books of the New Testament. Come as often as you can. No homework! Senior Pastor Kathi McShane will teach this class.
Anchored in Spiritual Habits (Life Application)
Sometimes our lives can feel uncertain and off-center. In these times, we often look for the familiar as an anchoring point. Using Lauren F. Winner’s Mudhouse Sabbath as a backdrop, Robert Wigington will lead a discussion of how the habits and disciplines of our faith help us find our center.
Understanding Changemaking (Justice/Changemaking)
Wonder what the Changemaker Fellows are learning? Come for a basic overview of the Fellows’ nine-month curriculum. Led by a different Changemaker Fellow each week, this class will include interactive discussion. The curriculum modules spell R.I.S.K.—come and learn how to risk something big for something good.
Courses are open to youth and adults of all ages. Dinner costs $10 for adults and $5 for children, or $25 per family. Please register for the classes/dates that interest you so that the organizers can adequately plan for meals and room space.
