Class Schedule

We will have class as normal this Sunday, Feb 1st.  However, there will be no class the next Sunday, Feb. 8th, because the church will be conducting a “church business” meeting during the Sunday School hour.

Super Bowl Party

For anyone looking for some more “community building” time for some folks in the class, I recommend inviting some people over for a Super Bowl party! ( I would, but Katie’s working so I don’t think I’d be able to pull it together at my house.)  Pittsburg v. Arizona, kickoff at 6:30 on Feb 1.  Don’t know someone’s contact info?  Look in the directory on blacknall.org or contact me.  Just a thought.

Questions for Thought for Sunday Jan. 25

Think on these questions before coming to class on Jan 25th, if you can.

1) Think about how Jesus served his disciples by washing their feet. What would be a modern equivalent for how we can serve one another in that way?
2) In what ways do you think that Christians are the most “unkind” to one another? What is a way to show kindness to one another?
3) Can you think of a particular example of someone showing you kindness? What was its impact on you?

Questions for Thought (for tomorrow’s lesson)

Tomorrow’s lesson on building Christian community will focus on knowing one another. A crucial step toward knowing one another is to meet together. Here are some questions for thought:

1) As we meet together, what are some of the barriers to getting to know one another?
2) In order to build a christian community with one another, what information would you think it is crucial to know about one another? Think in terms of specifics – for example, you probably can’t feel like you really know someone until you know their name without thinking about it!
3) What are the obstacles for our group in particular to get to meet together and to know one another?

Thinking through these questions and trying to formulate an answer or two will help energize our discussion tomorrow!

Things to be thinking about…

I hope to finish up the lesson for Sunday tonight (Friday night) and to post some questions for thought.  Please check back Saturday so that you can take a look at these questions and prime your brain for another energetic discussion!

One Anothering

One Anothering

 

Here is the book that will be the basis for a lot of our discussions over the next 6 or so weeks.  There’s no need to have a copy to participate in class, but if you’re looking for additional material on our topic, ordering one would be a good idea.

Bagel Schedule

Ah Bagels – that morning food that so aids all Sunday school conversation. Here’s the schedule for the next while. Usually a baker’s dozen from Brugger’s does the trick, especially if they are sliced.

Jan 18th Melissa and Alex H.
Jan 25th Jon and Sarah P
Feb 1st Miles and Brooklyne T
Feb 8th Matt and Amanda W
Feb 15th Kevin and J.D. B
Feb 22nd Amanda and Ben M

I will try to send out email reminders.

Impromptu Potluck Dinner

After a rousing class this morning to kick-off our “Building Community” unit, Katie invited everyone over to our house for some together time in that spirit and it was, if I do say so myself, really fun. 9 adults, 10 kids — and yet enjoyable adult conversation was attained. Note to self – lots of hotdogs are key for kid-appeasement. The cookies helped also. Thanks to everyone for — on the fly — bringing stuff to supplement our original chilli supper for 4. Let’s do it again soon!

Building Community

Our next unit, starting this Sunday, will focus on building community.  Do you come to church regularly but feel like if you evaporated one day, no one would notice?  Do you have little sense of what role you do (or might) play at Blacknall?  Have you noticed other people in these positions and don’t know how to help them?

I’m not saying I have all or even most answers to these questions.  In fact, this unit perhaps more than others will require real participation from the entire class.  I encourage everyone to be thinking about these issues even before coming to class, so that our discussions will be that much deeper.

Hopefully we will come away each week with some very practical lessons on how not only to grow closer as a class, but also more fully integrate ourselves into Blacknall and Durham.  It should go beyond just “lessons” too – I will push us to figure out some ways to implement our ideas and overcome some of the barriers to christian community that we identify.   No doubt we will have some good ideas and some bad, but we will move the ball.

For example, might we plan some meals together?  Organize some class outreach projects to Durham?  Volunteer with one another to meet needs here at Blacknall?  I’m optimistic that this unit will actually impact how we act as a class long after this particular study has concluded.