For the New Year - continuing with Isaiah, the gospels, and the "servant songs"

Hi again everyone.  We had a great experience visiting with the participants in the FACETS hypothermia shelter at Holy Comforter last time (if you look closely at the photo you'll see Tyler & David working with some of the youth from Holy Comforter, helping to serve.  

1/20/15  Isaiah’s “light to the Gentiles” and Christian interpretation (celebration of Epiphany and the coming of the Wise Men)

2/3  Isaiah 42:  1^st “servant song” and shifting understandings of what it means to be “God’s people”

2/17:  Shrove Tuesday/ “Mardi Gras” – Social event TBA????

3/3  The “servant songs” in Isaiah 52-55– how NT writers understood these in telling the story of Jesus.  Isaiah. We’ll be working through these, and New Testament parallels, throughout the season of Lent

3/17:  Servant songs 

4/7  Isaiah 55 and God’s promises

4/21  The end of Isaiah, reflected in the book of Acts and in Revelation.  New understandings of who God wants to be for God’s people

In May and early June could shift focus to a bigger theme, e.g. what does it mean to be “God’s people?” looking at key passages in Old and New Testament – or we may find we have more to say about Isaiah. 

After a summer break,  for fall of 2015 I’m thinking maybe a New Testament focus again – maybe a thematic approach:  the parables?  The miracles?  Think about it. . .

Happy New Year! Meeting this Tuesday January 6 - FACETS hypothermia shelter at Holy Comforter

Hi everyone - as we agreed, we will be spending this week's meeting with the homeless folks who are sheltering this week at Holy Comforter as part of the FACETS hypothermia shelter program. (Read more about it here  and here.

Tuesday is the feast of the "Epiphany" -- celebrating the coming of the Wise Men to see the child who is born to be King.  We will talk perhaps this time, definitely next time, about how this story of the kings coming to visit the newborn Christ child is connected to prophecies in Isaiah.  This week we'll look at the story if we have a chance.

But it will be, mainly, an evening to improvise and welcome new people and experiences. Here's how it will go:

We will gather for dinner at 6:30 in the main parish hall building at Holy Comforter -- i.e. NOT at our usual meeting place in Rodman House.  I've signed us up to eat with the guests.  There will be a service to celebrate the feast of Epiphany from 7:30-8:30  in the church, and we may want to plan on attending it with the guests. If there's time afterward, I will come prepared to lead an informal Bible study that guests can also participate in with us in case that looks like a good idea.  Mostly, though, this will be a chance to offer hospitality and join in a good ministry to folks who need shelter and good company while they're going through a rough time.

Please confirm with me if you can whether you're planning to come so I can make sure I've given them about the right numbers for dinner -- come any time between 4 and 8:30 to join in our part of the "shift" if you want.

Looking forward to a special experience.  Hope to see you all on Tuesday night!