Adult Forum is a time to explore our faith through the study of scripture and history (and the consumption of coffee) at 9:15 Sunday morning in the Parish Hall. All are welcome.
We vary our offerings depending on participants’ interests: book discussions, video lecture series, single-topic presentations, Bible studies. At times we have supplemented our gatherings with mid-week Zoom sessions, some of them joint with other local parishes.
As a ‘palate cleanser’ between video lecture series, we’re going to work through a few of the stories in Augsburg Press’ series, Listening for God. The format is a contemporary short story with an introduction and discussion questions, and a 10-15 minute video interview with either the author or a scholar of the author. I have the DVDs and story anthologies for volumes 1 & 2 of the series.
No Adult Forum on July 5.
On July 12 we will watch the interview and discuss the story, ‘The Rich Brother,’ by Tobias Wolff. Printed-out copies are in a red folder on the table at the entrance to the parish hall.
Then we can choose another story or two for the next few weeks, or for however long we want. Feel free to look over the tables of contents for Volume One and and Volume Two and suggest another author / story to explore.
After a few sessions of ‘Listening for God,’ we will move on. Other ideas and proposals:
- Islam: we have (on loan from Rick Posey) a 12-session Great Courses lecture series on Islam. There is also a one-session YouTube presentation from an Episcopal church Adult Forum in Massachusetts.
- Music: consensus is “thumbs down” on the Great Courses church music course. Searching “church music” on the PBS streaming app produces 4-episode mini-series by Henry Louis Gates on the Black Church. (I never knew he was an Episcopalian!). The trailer for it is here.
Other ideas?
As a ‘palate cleanser’ between video lecture series, we’re going to work through a few of the stories in Augsburg Press’ series, Listening for God. The format is a contemporary short story with an introduction and discussion questions, and a 10-15 minute video interview with either the author or a scholar of the author. I have the DVDs and story anthologies for volumes 1 & 2 of the series.
For June 28, please read the introduction to the whole series, and the stories (with their introduction) by Annie Dillard. I chose the Annie Dillard selections because they are among the shortest in the book. We will re-watch the interview with her and discuss the stories on June 28.
No Adult Forum on July 5.
On July 12 we will watch the interview and discuss the story, ‘The Rich Brother,’ by Tobias Wolff. Then we can choose another story or two for the next few weeks, or for however long we want. Feel free to look over the tables of contents for Volume One and and Volume Two and suggest another author / story to explore.
After a few sessions of ‘Listening for God,’ we will move on. Other ideas and proposals:
- Islam: we have (on loan from Rick Posey) a 12-session Great Courses lecture series on Islam. There is also a one-session YouTube presentation from an Episcopal church Adult Forum in Massachusetts.
- Music: consensus is “thumbs down” on the Great Courses church music course. Searching “church music” on the PBS streaming app produces 4-episode mini-series by Henry Louis Gates on the Black Church. (I never knew he was an Episcopalian!). The trailer for it is here.
Other ideas?
We have wrapped up our ‘Lost Christianities’ video lecture series, having learned a lot about the diversity of the early church and the “sausage-making” behind the Bible and creeds as we have them today.
And now, after a break (no Adult Forum) on June 14, we are on to the next thing(s):
We have considered a few options for what’s next. Discussing video lectures seems to be the preferred format, but it seems like time to do something shorter and perhaps less fact-heavy as a palate-cleanser.
On June 21, I propose that we start working through a few of the stories in Augsburg Press’ series, Listening for God. The format is a contemporary short story with an introduction and discussion questions, and a 10-15 minute video interview with either the author or a scholar of the author. I have the DVDs and story anthologies for volumes 1 & 2 of the series.
For June 21, please read the introduction to the whole series, and the stories (with their introduction) by Annie Dillard. I chose the Annie Dillard selections because they are among the shortest in the book. We will watch the interview with her and discuss the stories on June 21. Then we can choose another story or two for the next few weeks, or for however long we want. Feel free to look over the tables of contents for Volume One and and Volume Two and suggest another author / story to explore.
Other ideas and proposals:
- Islam: we have (on loan from Rick Posey) a 12-session Great Courses lecture series on Islam. There is also a one-session YouTube presentation from an Episcopal church Adult Forum in Massachusetts.
- Music: consensus is “thumbs down” on the Great Courses church music course. Searching “church music” on the PBS streaming app produces 4-episode mini-series by Henry Louis Gates on the Black Church. (I never knew he was an Episcopalian!). The trailer for it is here.
Other ideas?
