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Opportunities for Children Opportunities for Adults Tuesday's
at 10:00 am (starts Sept. 25) Sunday's
at 6:15 pm Sunday's
at 9:45 am Sunday's
at 9:45 am Please contact Liz Muller or Nathan Rich (240-473-0046) if you have any suggestions, or join us at Ministry Night on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7pm. We plan to advertise our Winter 2008 offerings in November. Study
of 1 Samuel "The books of 1 and 2 Samuel contain a collection of stories (and even a few songs) from Israel's memory that fostered hope for fearful readers. These stories took place in the lives of Samuel, Saul, and David between 1020 and 961 BC. Most scholars believe that the stories in 1 and 2 Samuel were compiled and written during the period of Israel's history leading toward and through the Babylonian exile. More than three centuries after these stories occurred, they were remembered and retold. Why? Why were these stories recalled during the exile? What do these stories say about God and Israel? How did these stories bring peace and hope to the long dark night of Israel's captivity? Is it possible that these stories can bring hope to the tense and tumultuous times of our lives as well?" (Source: http://www.helwys.com/abs/samabs.html) This study will be led by Pastor Rhinesmith. The
Lutheran Course Sunday evening, after "Prayer and Conversation" at 5:30, The Lutheran Course will take you through the fundamentals of Lutheranism in 7 sessions. Each session features a DVD presentation with top-notch theologians, followed by a small-group time that works through the ideas with depth and humor. Great for anyone interested in "what it means to be Lutheran!" Sep. 9 "How to Tell the Difference Between the Law and the Gospel" Sep. 16 "Five Things You Should Know about the Lutheran Reformation" Sep. 23 "The Anatomy of a Baptism" Sep. 30 "How to Receive Communion" Oct. 7 "The Three most Rebellious Things Jesus Did" Oct. 14 "How to Read the Bible" Oct. 21 "How to Share your Faith with Someone" The Lutheran Course is based on The Lutheran Handbook: A Field Guide to Church Stuff, Everyday Stuff, and the Bible: "The essential field guide for all things Lutheran. Anyone hiking the trails of life's adventures and challenges will want to pack this handy illustrated field guide to Lutheran theology and culture. This enjoyable, easy-to-read, reliable, all-in-one collection helps you understand the essential information about our theology, culture and Lutheran way of life. Organized by Church Stuff, Everyday Stuff and Bible Stuff with how-to's like "How to Forgive Someone" and lists like "The Top-10 Bible Villains." Encapsulates essential principles of the Christian life, making many of the complexities of our religious tradition accessible for contemporary seekers." Participants in this course will also utilize the Bible and the Book of Concord. The
Lutheran Course II Being a good Lutheran is twice as hard in today's world. That's why every good Lutheran needs the power of The Lutheran Handbook II. With twice the Lutheran doctrine of its predecessor (and twice the humor!), this handbook will guide you through the most difficult theological terrain with ease. Never feel like you "don't know enough" Lutheran theology to accept a church council position or lead a Bible study! The Lutheran Handbook II puts it all at your fingertips, with clear, concise helps on: The Lutheran Reformers' Five Most Dastardly Theological Opponents If you would like a copy of The Lutheran Handbook or The Lutheran Handbook II ($15 each: donation to offset cost appreciated) and/or are interested in this course, please contact Phil Woodruff (301-868-9383). Jesus:
The New Way by N.T. Wright This course is based on six half-hour video lessons taught by Dr. N. T. 'Tom' Wright, an acclaimed Biblical scholar who writes and teaches to be understandable by anyone. At the time of the filming, Dr. Wright was the Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey. He is now the Bishop of Durham in the Church of England. The subject of the course is to show how Jesus was the fulfillment of Israel's ancient hopes and humanity's deepest dreams. We will see Jesus as we've never seen Him before in the context of His Jewish and Roman world. We'll find explosive new meaning in His familiar words and deeds as Dr. Wright unfolds His incomparable life and shows how it remains an unavoidable summons to our world and way of thinking. The structure of the class will consist of watching a lesson, then using discussion materials prepared by Dr. Wright. Sep. 9 Getting the Kingdom Started: Into what kind of world was Jesus born? What do we learn from the Dead Sea Scrolls, John the Baptist, and the kingdom announcement of Jesus? Sep. 16 Startling Surprises: How did the kingdom announced by Jesus parallel the expectations of the Jewish people that they derived from their study of Scripture? Why was Jesus' news shocking and offensive? What was he really saying? Sep. 23 Longing for a King: In a Jewish world ready for the welcome and recognition of a Messiah, how did Jesus redefine what that should mean? What were the implications for the main symbols of Israel's life such as the Holy Temple? Sep. 30 Why did Jesus die? What were the charges? What was the real and great battle being fought? How was history racing toward its climatic moment, and how did Jesus understand and undertake his role therein? Oct. 7 Who was Jesus? How do we begin to understand the meaning of Jesus by reexamining what we really mean by God? How did Jesus understand himself? How did the early church view Jesus? Was Jesus divine? Oct. 14 The New Claim: Was Jesus really raised from the dead? What about all the skeptics' explanations as to why that is impossible? What did resurrection mean to first-century Jews? How does the resurrection of Jesus address our individual lives? Living
Faith: Exploring the Essentials of Christianity by N.T. Wright This course consists of 10 half-hour lessons, again followed by discussion material provided by Dr. Wright. In this course, Dr. Wright covers the elements of Christianity agreed to by nearly all Christians, what C. S. Lewis called 'Mere Christianity.' These are the basic tenets that underlie mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox theologies. Oct. 21 The Story and Message of the Bible Oct. 28 The Hebrew Scriptures Nov. 4 The World, Life and Ministry of Jesus Nov. 11 The Gospel Testimonies to Jesus Nov. 18 Paul and the Outward Movement Nov. 25 A Brief History of Christianity Dec. 2 Christian Doctrines and Beliefs Dec. 9 Other Religions and Beliefs Dec. 16 Growing in and Sharing Christ Dec. 23 Living Christianly in the World If there are any questions on either of these courses, please contact Sven Allenbach-Schmidt. Free
in Christ to Serve the Neighbor: Lutherans Talk about Human Sexuality This study is the third and final study offered by the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality. The Task Force invites comments and responses on this study from as many people as possible by Nov. 1, 2007. While much attention has been focused on same-gender sexuality, this final study seeks to foster discussion and discernment on other Christian social concerns relating to human sexuality. A key feature of this course will be a study of Paul's Letter to the Galatians. Paul writes, "For freedom Christ has set us free." (Gal 5:1) This embodies the study's theme of Christian freedom in responsibility. Sep. 9 "Christian Foundations for Deliberation" -- Gal 1:1-10 Sep. 16 "Created As Sexual Beings" -- Gal 1:11-2:10 Sep. 23 "Sexuality, Culture, and Freedom" -- Gal 2:11-3:14 Sep. 30 "Sexuality and Social Institutions" -- Gal 3:15-29 Oct. 7 "Sexuality, Power, and Abuse" -- Gal 4:1-20 Oct. 14 "Sexuality, Money, and the Bottom Line" -- Gal 4:21-5:1 Oct. 21 "Sexuality and Economic Justice" -- Gal 5:1-26 Oct. 28 "Facing Our Responsibility in Gospel Freedom" -- Gal 6:1-18 Due to the depth and length of the content and accompanying resources, participants are encouraged to read the session material beforehand if at all possible. For more information or if you would like your own copy of the Study Booklet, please contact Nathan Rich (240-473-0046) or Liz Muller as soon as possible. The study (in its 145 page entirety, or individual chapters) is also freely available at http://www.elca.org/faithfuljourney/study/. Bridges
to Contemplative Living – A Four Week Exploration "Life is a spiritual journey. Contemplative living is a way of responding to our everyday experience by continuously attending to our relationships. It deepens the awareness of our connectedness and communion with others, becomes a positive work of change in our lives, and provides meaningful direction to our journey. Ultimately, contemplative living leads us to a sense of well being, profound gratitude, and a clearer understanding of our purpose in life." This is from the introduction of our text: Entering the School of Your Experience, volume one of the series of Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton (and others including Psalms, Eckhart Tolle, Wilkie Au and Karen Armstrong). Chapters include: Contemplative Living, Contemplative Dialogue, Exploring Life's Questions, Trusting Life, Nature, and God, Praying through Your Changing Image of God, Doing God's Will, Praying Out of the Roots of Your Own Life, Compassion Prayer in Action. Here is a valuable opportunity to focus on spiritual formation and transformation, just in time for Advent! Leader is John Laughlin. |
ASLC Sunday School - Fall 2007
