The 3rd Thursday St. Simeon Group will begin a new book review on Thursday, September 15, 2011.  We’ll use Bernard Brandon Scott’s book, Re-Imagine the World: An Introduction to the Parables of Jesus.  If you’d like the church to order you a copy of the book, it costs $15, and we need money in hand before we can order the book.

This study sets the interpretation of key parables of Jesus in the context of other things Jesus said and did (and in the context of the 1st century). The result is a startling and provocative picture of Jesus as an historical figure and the challenge he presents to contemporary life.

Register below or contact Rev. Sims (tsims@fumcwf.org or 766-4231).

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The 1st Wednesday St. Simeon Group will begin a new book review on Thursday, September 8, 2011.  We’ll use Verna J. Dozier’s book, The Dream of God: A Call to Return.

Again and again the Christian church has fallen away from the dream God has for it, a dream in which we are called to follow Jesus and not merely to worship him.  Through adept storytelling and Bible study, Dozier reawakens our sense of calling and our desire for truth. Verna Dozier sought in her lifetime to revive the study of the Bible and renewed the church’s understanding of the ministry of all believers – clergy and laity.  Speaking of this book, Marcus Borg says, “The Dream of God is a small masterpiece, and I often recommend it.  Her vision of the Bible is insightful and persuasive, her writing accessible and powerful.”

The book costs $14. Feel free to order the book for yourself, or if you prefer, the church can order it for you.  If you choose the latter, we will need payment before we can order the book.

If you are not familiar with St. Simeon, it is a monthly study group that usually meets in homes with various members of the group taking turns to lead the discussion of a portion of the book being studied.  Keep in mind that you do not have to lead the discussion to be a part of the group!

Join us for our annual gathering on Sunday, August 14, 2011 at 6:30pm in the Fellowship Hall.  Bring food items to share!  Hope you can make it!

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The 2nd Thursday St. Simeon Group will begin a new book review on Thursday, September 8, 2011.  We’ll use Brian D. McLaren’s book, A New Kind of Christianity: Ten Questions That Are Transforming the Faith.

In this much anticipated book, McLaren examines ten questions facing today’s church–questions about:

1. How to articulate the faith itself.
2. The nature of the faith’s authority.
3. Who God is.
4. Whether we have to understand Jesus through only an ancient Greco-Roman lens.
5. What exactly the good news is that the gospel proclaims.
6. How we understand the church and all its varieties.
7. Why we are so preoccupied with sex
8. How we should think of the future.
9. How we should think of people from other faiths.
10. The most intimidating question of all: what do we do next?

Here you will find a provocative and enticing introduction to the Christian faith of tomorrow.

The book costs $11. Feel free to order the book for yourself, or if you prefer, the church can order it for you.  If you choose the latter, we will need payment before we can order the book.

If you are not familiar with St. Simeon, it is a monthly study group that usually meets in homes with various members of the group taking turns to lead the discussion of a portion of the book being studied.  Keep in mind that you do not have to lead the discussion to be a part of the group!

Join us for our annual gathering on Sunday, August 14, 2011 at 6:30pm in the Fellowship Hall.  Bring food items to share!  Hope you can make it!

Select One:

I want to take part in this study, and I need a book. I want to take part in this study, but I already have a book.

Name:

e-Mail:

Phone:

Comments:

Enter these characters:

Join in this monthly study of The Dream of God: A Call to Return by Verna J. Dozier – a book often recommended by Marcus Borg, because the author’s “vision of the Bible is insightful and persuasive, her writing accessible and powerful.”

Again and again the Christian church has fallen away from the dream God has for it, a dream in which we are called to follow Jesus and not merely to worship him. Through adept storytelling and Bible study, Dozier reawakens our sense of calling and our desire for truth.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the Society of St. Simeon.

The book costs $16, and payment must be received before the book can be ordered.

For more information, contact Rev. Troy Sims (tsims@fumcwf.org or 940-766-4231, x229).

Register now below!

Select One:

I want to take part in this study, and I need a book. I want to take part in this study, but I already have a book.

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On our current schedule, the 3rd Thursday St. Simeon Group will begin a new book in February 2011.  At the last meeting, the list of choices was reduced to three, and it is time for current and future participants to vote!  Here are the three candidates:

1. THE DREAM OF GOD: A Call to Return by Verna J. Dozier (ISBN: 978-1596280151, 114 pages & 5 chapters) Again and again the Christian church has fallen away from the dream God has for it, a dream in which we are called to follow Jesus and not merely to worship him. Through adept storytelling and Bible study, Dozier reawakens our sense of calling and our desire for truth. Verna Dozier sought in her lifetime to revive the study of the Bible and renewed the church’s understanding of the ministry of all believers.  Speaking of this book, Marcus Borg says, “The Dream of God is a small masterpiece, and I often recommend it.  Her vision of the Bible is insightful and persuasive, her writing accessible and powerful.” (About $11-$17)
2. RE-IMAGINE THE WORLD: An Introduction to the Parables of Jesus by Bernard Brandon Scott (ISBN: 978-0944344866, 162 pages & 14 chapters interspersed with “Cameo Essays & Texts”) Scott is Professor of New Testament at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, OK and a Charter Member and Fellow of the Jesus Seminar.  In his parables Jesus re-imagines the world. The re-imagined world, called the kingdom of God, presents his followers with a new option for living, one that contrasts with the default world of the everyday. The new world is both terrifying and liberating. In this book the author sets his interpretation of the key parables of Jesus in the context of other things Jesus said and did.  The result is a startling and provocative picture of the historical figure and the challenge he presents to contemporary life. (About $12-$16)
3. WHAT DOES A PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIAN BELIEVE? A Guide for the Searching, the Open, and the Curious by Delwin Brown (ISBN: 9781596270848, 144 pages & 9 Chapters) Brown is dean emeritus of Pacific School of Religion and former Professor of Christian Theology at Illiff School of Theology.  In this insightful book, he makes clear what Progressive Christians do and do not believe or do in the life of faith while leaving room for the diversity that comes with the label of “Progressive Christian.”  In seven points, he retrieves the value of the bible, affirms the presence of God intertwined in all of creation, and breathes life into the creeds (imagine that!) by taking them to the logical conclusion that God is not only incarnate in Jesus but humanity and all of creation! He grounds a view of humanity in the Genesis story of co-creation and the twin commandments to love God and others as ourselves. (About $11-$13)

Please, choose your first and second choices below.  The second choice will be used only in need of a tie-breaker.  !hank you!

Name

e-Mail

First Choice

1 - LORD TEACH US by Will Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas 2 - RE-IMAGINE THE WORLD by Bernard Brandon Scott 3 - THE SECRET MESSAGE OF JESUS by Brian D. McLaren

Second Choice

1 - LORD TEACH US by Will Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas 2 - RE-IMAGINE THE WORLD by Bernard Brandon Scott 3 - THE SECRET MESSAGE OF JESUS by Brian D. McLaren

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The 2nd Thursday St. Simeon group invites you to join them in the monthly discussion of the book, Overcoming Life’s Disappointments: Learning From Moses How to Cope With Frustrations by Harold S. Kushner (the 2003 Perkins Lecturer), beginning September 9, 2010.

Kushner’s idea is to explain the inexplicable in terms that turn negatives into ways of coping. He skillfully uses the tale of Moses to manage the oh-so-true statement, “Nobody gets everything he or she yearns for.” Forbidden to enter the Holy Land? Having wandered for 40 years and endured complaints and rebels, Moses was tired; another leader deserved to take the lead. Plus, reading into the Bible and other religious tomes, the author finds that Moses ignored his family–a critical element comprising the complete life. Moses is not the only example used. Abraham Lincoln was weighed down by depression–or, in his case, what doesn’t kill us makes us strong. In all, the universal lessons for overcoming disappointment remain simple yet profound: remember who you’re working for, substitute new dreams for old, keep promises, be humble, maintain life’s priorities, forgive and forgive, and always dare to dream.  CLICK HERE to preview this book for FREE on-line!

The cost of this book, if you need one, is $10, and we must receive payment before we can order the book for you.

To sign up for this study that meets once a month on the 2nd Thursday of the month, contact Rev. Sims (tsims@fumcwf.org or 940-766-4231, x229) or fill out the form below!

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I want to take part in this study, and I need a book. I want to take part in this study, but I already have a book.

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The 1st Wednesday St. Simeon group invites you to join them in the monthly discussion of the book, HEAVEN: Our Enduring Fascination with the Afterlife by Lisa Miller, beginning September 1, 2010.

According to various polls, most Americans believe in heaven even, as Miller points out, when they don’t know what heaven means. Miller, Newsweek’s religion editor, addresses what and where heaven is and why the concept endures. Having covered many aspects of religion and interviewed people of many different faiths, she offers portraits of famous and ordinary people as well as experts in religious studies to educe how their views do or, more commonly, do not reflect the “official teaching, whatever that is.” The crux of the book focuses on believers, not beliefs, “for how people imagine heaven changes with who they are and how they live.” Miller discusses the heavenly city, afterlife in the Hebrew Bible, resurrection, and salvation, includes a chapter on visionaries, and comments extensively on how heaven is portrayed in pop culture.

The cost of this book is $18, and we must receive payment before we can order the book for you.

To sign up for this study that meets once a month on the 1st Wednesday of the month, contact Rev. Sims (tsims@fumcwf.org or 940-766-4231, x229) or fill out the form below!

Select One:

I want to take part in this study, and I need a book. I want to take part in this study, but I already have a book.

Name:

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The 2nd Thursday St. Simeon Group will be starting a new book in September.  However, the book has not been chosen.  Thus, voting is now open for those who are currently participating in this monthly study group and for those who would like to join the group.

Here is a short synopsis of the books up for consideration.  Please, pick your first and second choice below.  The second choice will only be considered for breaking a tie.

	HEAVEN: Our Enduring Fascination with the Afterlife by Lisa Miller (ISBN:  9780060554750)  According to various polls, most Americans believe in heaven even, as Miller points out, when they don’t know what heaven means. Miller, Newsweek’s religion editor, addresses what and where heaven is and why the concept endures. Having covered many aspects of religion and interviewed people of many different faiths, she offers portraits of famous and ordinary people as well as experts in religious studies to educe how their views do or, more commonly, do not reflect the “official teaching, whatever that is.” The crux of the book focuses on believers, not beliefs, “for how people imagine heaven changes with who they are and how they live.” Miller discusses the heavenly city, afterlife in the Hebrew Bible, resurrection, and salvation, includes a chapter on visionaries, and comments extensively on how heaven is portrayed in pop culture.  (About $18)
	JESUS: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary by Marcus Borg (ISBN:  9780061434341)  This is Borg’s major book on the historical Jesus.  He shows how the Gospel portraits of Jesus, seen historically, make sense.  Borg takes into account all the recent developments in historical Jesus scholarship, as well as new theories on who Jesus was and how the Gospels reflect that – visioning Jesus as a charismatic healer, sage, and prophet, a man living in the power of the spirit and dedicated to radical social change. (About $11)
	OVERCOMING LIFE’S DISAPPOINTMENTS: Learning From Moses How to Cope With Frustrations by Harold S. Kushner (ISBN:  9781400033362) His idea is to explain the inexplicable in terms that turn negatives into ways of coping. Kushner skillfully uses the tale of Moses to manage the oh-so-true statement, “Nobody gets everything he or she yearns for.” Forbidden to enter the Holy Land? Having wandered for 40 years and endured complaints and rebels, Moses was tired; another leader deserved to take the lead. Plus, reading into the Bible and other religious tomes, the author finds that Moses ignored his family–a critical element comprising the complete life. Moses is not the only example used. Abraham Lincoln was weighed down by depression–or, in his case, what doesn’t kill us makes us strong. In all, the universal lessons for overcoming disappointment remain simple yet profound: remember who you’re working for, substitute new dreams for old, keep promises, be humble, maintain life’s priorities, forgive and forgive, and always dare to dream. (About $10)
	WHY I AM STILL A CHRISTIAN by Hans Küng (ISBN:  9780826476982)  The author is one of the most distinguished and widely-acclaimed theologians of the twentieth century. In this simple, personal and often moving testimony, Hans Kung describes his fundamental convictions and reveals why, despite all the difficulties he has to face, he is still committed to the Christian way. What Hans Kung has thought, experienced and expresses in this book will help others in their search for personal values and a sense of direction – and also help them realize the unique value and importance of the Christian way.  (About $15)

Name:

e-Mail:

First Choice:

BEYOND BELIEF by Elaine Pagels

THE DREAM OF GOD by Verna J. Dozier

A NEW KIND OF CHRISTIANITY by Brian D. McLaren

SPEAKING CHRISTIAN by Marcus Borg

Second Choice

BEYOND BELIEF by Elaine Pagels

THE DREAM OF GOD by Verna J. Dozier

A NEW KIND OF CHRISTIANITY by Brian D. McLaren

SPEAKING CHRISTIAN by Marcus Borg

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Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why

Join the monthly study group known as the 3rd Thursday St. Simeon Group to learn some of the history behind the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament from which our English translations come.  Would you believe there are more differences between the thousands of manuscripts than there are words in the New Testament?  Do these differences matter?  Come to one of these classes and lets discuss it!

Details:

• Day / Time:
  3rd Thursday of the Month, beginning April 15, 2010
  7:00-9:00pm
• Book Cost:  $11
  (must receive payment before we will order the book)

Register NOW below!

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I want to take part in this study, and I need a book. I want to take part in this study, but I already have a book.

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Join the 2nd Thursday St. Simeon, beginning November 12, 2009 for the study of their next book, The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering the Truth That Could Change Everything by Brian D. McLaren.  The book costs $11 each.

In this book, McLaren invites you to discover afresh the transforming message of Jesus-an open invitation to radical change, an enlightening revelation that exposes sham and ignites hope, an epic story that is good news for everyone, whatever their gender, race, class, politics, or religion.

Sign-up below!

Select One:

I want to take part in this study, and I need a book. I want to take part in this study, but I already have a book.

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