Book of Faith
 
The ELCA is committed to all its members learning the Bible.  To be a strong and faithful church, we need to be familiar with "the first language of faith," the Scriptures.
 
Our Holden Lutheran Parish has embraced that goal in these ways.  In the monthly newsletter Pastor publishes a reading schedule for all members to read.  It is between 4 and 10 chapters a week, an hour or two of reading.  Along with this is a simple commentary to explain, and draw attention to particular items, and ask thoughtful questions.
 
In addition, Mt. Morris Lutheran, at the same time on Sunday morning that the Sunday School meets, has a group of adults who gather to discuss freely the week's readings.

Book of Faith Reading

Pastor's Bible Study
 
Past studies have been, "Romance, Marriage and Sex according to the Word" (a very popular one), "What is 'Being a Member of the Body of Christ'?" and "How True is the Bible, or, How is the Bible True?"
 
Current study is "Romans and The Shack."
The Shack is a very popular and well-written recent book.  It is very imaginative.  It dreams up an encounter between a man who has suffered a horrible personal loss and the Holy Trinity--all three of them!  An adventurous book, but in my rather suspicious theological judgment the author does a great job of expressing orthodoxy in a creative, funny and very thought-provoking way.  It is a book that begs to be discussed.  We shall.

Yet a lot of the book's great thinking would be missed without a good grounding in orthodox theology.  And there is no one place better for that than Romans.  For the Trinity is all over Romans, as is suffering, one of The Shack's main themes, as well as the real nature of love, forgiveness and faith.

Those who want to explore together what our faith is about and how our faith comes into the real rough-and-tumble of human life, are invited to a series of adult times on one of the best things ever, ever written--Romans--and one of the most interesting popular theological books of the last decade,The Shack.  For those who like to learn without speaking, we will tackle Romans primarily by Pastor's reading and explaining; many opportunities for questions but no one will be asked to speak.  When we have handled Romans 1-8, then we will read The Shack, in sections, and come together to discuss it.
The gatherings are SOME Wednesdays at 7 PM:

• Nov. 11 MM
• Dec 2, MM
• Dec 16, WH
• Jan 6, MM
• Jan 27, MM
• Feb 24, WH (after Lenten vespers)
• Probably also after the other Lenten Vesper services