Spring 2019 Adult Education Classes

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On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Growing Old

"We grow old and die in the same way we’ve lived our lives. That’s why this book is not about growing old gracefully. My life has been graced, but it certainly hasn’t been graceful, I’ve done more than my share of falling down, getting up, and falling down again. The falling down is due to missteps and gravity. The getting up is due to grace, mediated by people to whom I owe great debts of gratitude."  -Parker Palmer

If you are getting older (about to hit 30. 40, 80?!) and want to reflect together on what that means as people of faith, this class is for you! Using Quaker spiritual writer, teacher, and activist Parker Palmer’s latest book (2018) as a springboard, each week we will hear from different elders among us about what they've learned along the way, the good, the bad, and even the ugly.

Facilitators:  Keith Gnagey, Kent Davis Sensenig
Location: CH 203

Revealing Revelation

To many Christians, the book of Revelation is an incomprehensible book full of violence, so it’s best to stay away from it.  Others use parts of Revelation selectively to predict when they think the end of the world will come. Instead, Revelation is a special kind of literature called apocalyptic, which presents a timeless struggle between good and evil. It is full of symbols from the first century, as well as majestic hymns to Christ as the Lamb of God. Reta Finger will lead our discussion, using online lessons she wrote. No book to buy!

Facilitator: Reta Finger
Location: CH 109

Racial Equity and the Church Book Discussions

This class will be one way to continue the conversation on racial equity that began with our Adult Ed series last year and that continued with our monthly potlucks in the fall. Instead of a survey course, we will host facilitated conversations on two books guided the big question:  what can we learn together about the work to dismantle racism in ourselves, in our congregation, and in our community? For the first half of the course we will read White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo; for the second half we will read How to Be an Anti-Racist by Ibram Kendi. With this format, folks are welcome to join either or both book discussions.

Facilitators:  Tim Seidel, Mike Brislen, Kim Copeland, Jennifer Davis Sensenig

Donut Group

Whatever men want to gather together in the prayer room up by the bell tower during the Sunday school hour.  There is no agenda and sometimes it gets serious when we share problems we are having; everything is confidential that it said in the group.  There are no longer doughnuts involved but the name is to show the casualness of the group.

Facilitator: Tom Sawin
Location: Bell Tower

Quilting & Conversation

Quilting and conversation class- The group works on small quilts or wall hangings usually to be given to the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale in early October. Come quilt with us or sit with us and have a conversation. All are invited.

Facilitator: MarthaJune Graber
Location: Coat Room