“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.”  

I hope this finds you well.

The other day while near Currie Park, I saw a maple tinged in red and no small amount of similarly colored leaves at its base.  I wasn’t happy about it!  My friend tried to soften the situation by saying “Well, it’s been a dry year.” I wasn’t buying it!  Late August can give a person a case of the jitters – a “where did the summer go” seizure.   

But I have found a more than ample silver lining in my years as a pastor in the resumption, after a usual summer hiatus, of congregational education ministries.   Kyle Jones has been updating our families about the primary and confirmation age plans for resumption of Christian educational programming, and I want to write to briefly update you about adult education opportunities.

On Wednesday, September 8, I will resume my weekly lectionary text study in Fellowship Hall.  We convene at 12:30 p.m. and are usually finished by 1:30 p.m.  For those of you who are not familiar with this, we discuss the lessons that will be read in worship the following weekend.  The only resource we use aside from our Bibles is called “Proclamation Points” – produced by the NALC’s Sola Publishing.  You’ll find those sheets on the table in the narthex next to the copies of my weekly sermons. Even if you choose not to be part of the Wednesday weekly study, I would encourage you to take a copy of “Proclamation Points” for home use in continuing your meditation on the weekly lessons.

On Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. beginning September 19, I will be hosting a nine-week study entitled “The Spiritual Realms” – a study of the biblical descriptions of the afterlife.   There will be a resource available for purchase for this series from Sola Publishing and the cost is $12. A sign-up sheet will be in the narthex next week.   This series will delve into the Bible’s treatment of the spiritual realms that comprise God’s universe.   We will confront popular, though non-biblical, assumptions of the life to come, as well as examine the Bible’s own language about the assurance of a life to come.   The room location of this study is to be determined so watch for future announcements. 

Other topics in the mix for the upcoming Sunday education time include Biblical notions of stewardship and possessions (likely in November) and a study from Sola entitled “Retirement – The Good, the Bad and the Blessings” reflecting on biblical themes of retirement and this particular “season of life.”  

On the digital side of things – I want to continue to lift up to you Calvary’s podcast “Foretaste of the Feast.”   We’re on a bit of a production break right now, but in October we’ll resume our weekly podcast that primarily discusses the weekly lectionary readings and is available each Wednesday for the lessons of the upcoming weekend.  Watch your email for announcements of the precise time for the fall start up of that resource.   You can listen to the podcast over most streaming services.   

Finally, I have been asked by Sola Publishing to record in video format a study produced by Crossways International, which is an excellent Bible instruction resource now distributed by them.  This fall I’ll record and post to our website a short study entitled “The Tell-Tale Timeline” which runs through the Bible narrative in pictures. As a follow up to that, a more expanded version, “The Bible’s Big Story – Our Story” (a study I hosted a few years ago and it was quite popular) will be created in digital format which will allow anyone to participate whenever it is convenient.

I’m grateful for the chance to produce these videos for our church’s wonderful publishing house. If you have a group that you’re a part of and would like access to excellent materials, check out their website at www.solapublishing.org or talk to me about getting a copy of their resource catalog.

We stay in the Word … the Word of Life, Jesus Christ.

Pastor Ken