2012 Adult Education Classes

Toothmarks on the Lectionary
Every Sunday, 9:15-10:15 am in the Gallery
Each Sunday morning participants will read the Bible texts for the 10:30 am worship service that day. Classes will include pastoral participation and background material to help prepare more fully for worship and listening to the sermon. Class facilitators: Sid Birt and Don Raines. Gallery

Feb. 26; Mar. 4 & 25; May 6 - Intro to the Bible, the Gospels - This course is a follow up to its Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) counterpart last fall. Participants need not have attended last fall, however, to participate. This class series will provide participants with background and an overview of the material in the New Testament. The course is intended to be a road map for those unfamiliar with the Bible, as well as a review and synthesis for those more familiar with the Bible. Feb. 26, “The Gospels, Mark and John”; March 4, “The Gospels, Matthew and Luke”; March 25, “Paul”; May 6, “wrap-up session”. Chapel

Mar. 11 & 18 - The Ancient Evidence: Archaeology and the Bible - When we study the Bible and the world out of which it came, how do we know what we know?  Where is the evidence?  This class will look at the contribution of archaeology to understanding Scripture.  Archaeological methods and types of evidence will be described, and participants will do an actual pottery “reading” with artifacts from excavations by Lewis & Clark College students.  We will evaluate the types of evidence that can indeed contribute to understanding biblical texts, but also clarify its limitations and offer a word of caution regarding the well-intentioned but misguided attempts to use archaeology to “prove” the Bible. Led by Dick Rohrbaugh, professor emeritus, Lewis & Clark College. Great Hall

Apr. 1 & 8 - No Classes, except Toothmarks, on Palm Sunday & Easter

Apr. 15 & 22 - Revelation: Defying Caesar
“The end” didn’t happen last May 21, but the book of Revelation has lost none of its allure for “end-of-the world” and “left behind” fearmongers.  But the fact is that it has nothing to do with the end of the world or anything else in the world’s future.  It was written as an underground code message to Christians suffering during the persecutions of the Roman Emperor Domitian in the year 96 A.D.  It is a ringing and defiant rejection of state power and imperial hubris in the name of Christ.  In this class we will describe the circumstances of its writing and the cryptic language that told the Emperor and the Empire exactly where to go. Led by Dick Rohrbaugh. Great Hall

Apr. 29 - Cafe Justo:  Westminster’s    Chiapas Connection - Our connection with the coffee growers of Chiapas, Mexico, will be described by three of our congregation, Karen Hawkins, Jim Eastman and Evy Hanks, who visited there for 10 days in Oct./Nov.  Pictures will accompany a first-hand report of the coffee growers who have become self-sufficient through joining others in cooperatives started by Frontera de Cristo of Presbyterian Border Ministries.  They will tell of their experience with a group in Douglas, Arizona/Agua Prieta, Mexico, where the coffee is roasted, ground, and packaged for mailing to US churches.  They will also describe the visit in the coffee communities at the southern end of Mexico where it is grown.  Half of the mission money from the This is My Westminster Campaign goes to replicate this program in other cities in Mexico and in Haiti through the Fair Trade Center of Frontera de Cristo. Chapel
       
May 13, 20, 27, & June 3 & 10 - Reflecting on a Rule of Life - Join the Reverends Neel as they look at the Rule of St. Benedict as a model for creating one’s own Rule of Life. The five weeks will be spent engaging in spiritual reflection, theology and Bible study. Time and space for writing and conversation allows participants to look at their individual lives to discover how the way they live, describes what they believe. Chapel

EXPLORING MEMBERSHIP CLASSES
Saturdays, February 11; March 31; May 19
Contact the church office for more information.

LENTEN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
Feb. 29-March 28
Wednesday evenings at 7pm   
What's not in the Bible...but sounds like it could be? -This course is team taught by Rev. Dr. David Hutchinson and Dr. Roy Kruger. In tandem with the Lenten theme of covenant, this course will explore similar themes in non-Biblical material. Chapel
Feb. 29, "The Flood Story in Gilgamesh"
March 7, "Birth stories of Caesar"
March 14, "The Gospel of Thomas"
March 21, “Resurrection & Buddhist Practice"

Wednesday mornings 10:00 – 11:30am
Bible Study Using Henri Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son - Led by Beth Neel
Week One:  Introduction of the parable
Week Two:  More on the parable, pp. 1-19 of book (Prologue & Introduction)
Week Three:  pp. 25-45 of book (Part 1: The Younger Son)
Week Four:  pp. 59-77 of book (Part 2: The Elder Son)
Week Five:  pp. 89-134 of book (Part 3: The Father, Conclusion, & Epilogue)
Books available in Great Hall in February.

Intro to the Bible
In this five week series, David Hutchinson provided participants with background and an overview of the material in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). A follow-up course in the Spring of 2012 will do the same with the New Testament. This course is intended to be a road map for readers unfamiliar with the content and cultural context of the Bible, as well as a review and synthesis of material for readers more familiar with the Bible. Topics to addressed:

Oct. 23, “Overview, Sources, Culture and Geography”

https://acrobat.com/#d=-crheXWZZtdYiUwTS*Hdnw

Oct. 30, “The Book of Genesis”

https://acrobat.com/#d=kso3-t9DxEbfg0DgXubFJA

https://acrobat.com/#d=yf5UJgONsbWOOsSHiIM8rg

https://acrobat.com/#d=fKeSo2kveH9Q*xHgEgyEmw

Nov. 6, “The Exodus Narrative"

https://acrobat.com/#d=Lc*HFCQvsSnpohonPBRX8w

https://acrobat.com/#d=2GE-pdfbZhYSgjnBN3K*Eg

Nov. 13 “Covenant and Monarchy"

https://acrobat.com/#d=eRxlPFzWe58bvWsg2iL9xw

https://acrobat.com/#d=QLcVB*Dbh2DTjMVqxLOc0Q

Nov. 20 “The Prophets and Wisdom Literature”

This material was developed in a course taught last year by Dr. Hutchinson at the University of Portland. Location: Chapel