Adult or Intergenerational Studies

To see a short video from our Stewardship campaign about study click here.  

Salem Lutheran is also offer faith formation opportunities for our adults.  While many of these programs are still in development, I want to highlight the three book options for small group discussion.   The plan is for people to sign up under the book they are most interested in reading, then to determine the best meeting times for each group.  My hope is that this is an opportunity to grow in faith together and get to know each other better.  Here are quick, back-of-the-book, descriptions of each:

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown: Brown, a Christian and PH.D in Social Work, argues that we’re experiencing a spiritual crisis of disconnection, and introduces four practices of true belonging that challenge everything we believe about ourselves and each other.

 Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans: If the Bible isn't a science book or an instruction manual, then what is it? What do people mean when they say the Bible is inspired? When Rachel Held Evans found herself asking these questions, she began a quest to better understand what the Bible is and how it is meant to be read.

The Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation by Richard Rohr: The Trinity is supposed to be the central, foundational doctrine of our entire Christian belief system, yet we're often told that we shouldn't attempt to understand it because it is a “mystery.” Should we presume to try to breach this mystery? If we could, how would it transform our relationship with God and renew our lives?

Be on the look-out for sign ups starting in early September, with groups beginning to meet by October! These books will be available in the narthex for browsing.

Pastor Preston

Lunch and Learn is Back!

Last year a gathering of life-long learners enjoyed weekly studies on Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Salem’s main floor chapel /lounge.

Starting September 13 these Lunch and Learn discussion sessions will be back, same time, same place, for the 2018-19 season. So, bring your lunches, your Bibles, and your eagerness to share, and join us for the adventure.

Retired pastors and Salem members Henrietta (Hank) Milner and John Seraphine will be leading the discussions. We will start off exploring the vital theme of Belonging in the Bible. We all want and need to belong. We will make a survey of biblical literature with an eye to how the story of the people of God answers the questions of how God helps us build our sense of identity, mission and belonging. God holds the center, the circle of belonging encompasses all people, and we are God’s agents for gathering.

Beginning in middle to late November we will launch out on a study of the role of silence in our prayer life and our worship. We will practice some of that silence as a way of listening for God, and we will do some journaling and sharing of how silence aids us in the upcoming Lenten season of devotion.

In mid to late January we will shift gears once again and explore the theme of Faith and Farming. Whether or not we are engaged in farming directly, we are all touched by the attitude agriculture takes toward God’s gift of creation. We will draw especially on the powerful ideas of an inspired Christian farmer-author, Wendell Berry, who has given us some of the most beautiful poetry, essays and fiction of the last six decades, all aimed at fostering an agrarian approach to community and food production.

Please consider joining us  for our Lunch and Learn discussions. And why not help us turn up the joy by bringing a friend or two!!