ADULT FORUM
No official meeting, but after worship find the latest
chapter of Louis’ book and write down any questions for him. We’ll be back in the
new year.
Sunday Adult Forum – Join us today @ 11:00am to continue looking at Louis
Ling’s own book project on images of “Blood and Sacrifice in the Scriptures!”
Upcoming Events
Annual Congregational Meeting
– January 26th, following worship, a potluck is planned, please see Jean Carter for more details!
Kids’ Place
Off through January 5th. Bring the kiddos back on Jan 12th!
Sunday, Dec 29th – Worship is Lessons and Carols. Friends and family are welcome to this inviting, gentle, song-filled service. Tell us your favorite carol for the hymn-sing!
Save the Date – Faith and Life Retreat
January 11th, 10am – 3pm. Lunch provided.
Believing the Bible: Inhabiting Its Stories, Trusting God’s Promises
Fred Niedner
Faith and Life Retreat, Faith Lutheran Church, Reno, NV
SPECIAL EVENT
A faith and life retreat on Believing the Bible: Inhabiting Its Stories, Trusting God’s Promises
January 11th, 10am-3pm
Faith Lutheran Church, Reno, NV with Dr. Fred Niedner
Some “Bible believers” insist that authentic biblical faith includes affirming that the universe is but 6,000 years old, that you could have recorded the serpent talking to Eve in the Garden of Eden had iPhones existed then, and that a guy named Jonah once survived a three-day sojourn (during which he wrote poetry) inside the belly of a great fish. Whether such things “really happened” matters little for how we live. What really matters is whether we recognize the times when we are living in those same stories and the serpent is tempting us, or we are wandering in the wilderness subsisting on manna, or we have landed in a graveyard where broken souls live in the tombs and howl at the moon, or we’re hanging nailed between heaven and earth, only to turn and see him, “the King of the Jews,” on the next cross over.
Session Outlines
10am Session 1 – Believing vs Trusting, Inhabiting, & Engaging
What does it mean to “believe the Bible?” Questions about the Bible’s origins, authorship,
reputed inerrancy, historicity, and textual integrity often dominate discussions about the
church’s and individuals’ relationship to the Scriptures and their contents. Ultimately, it
matters less what we claim about the Bible than what the Bible says about humankind as a
whole and each of us in particular as it diagnoses our circumstances, behaviors, and assorted maladies and offers a promising prognosis regarding what could become of us.
11am Session 2– Accepting the Invitation to Inhabit the Scriptures
The Bible, beginning with the story of creation, offers readers/hearers a place and an identity in a universe of the biblical narrative’s own construction where we can see, examine,
revise, and exchange the stories we tell about ourselves and others. We shall listen in on
(and see ourselves in) the couple in the garden, Cain and Abel , Jonah, and two lost sons of
a waiting father.
Lunch 12-12:45pm, discussion, gathering of questions/responses
12:45pm Session 3 – Swapping Stories with Jesus
The New Testament gospels invite us to believe that Jesus’ story is our story, and our story
is Jesus’ story. The passion narratives of Mark and Luke, for example, meaningfully script
our lives no matter where or in what circumstances we find ourselves.
1:45pm Session 4 – Hearing, Trusting, Wrestling with God
Even when we believe in God and accept God’s “word,” we can find ourselves at odds with God. Then we must have it out with God. Several stories show us how: Genesis 18:22-32
(Abraham dickers with God); Genesis 32:22-32 (Jacob wrestles with the night stranger);
Exodus 32 (Moses confronts God, God repents); Mark 7:24-30/Matthew 15:21-28 (Jesus
gets nailed and hung up between God’s law and a mother’s tenacious love).
Sunday Service @ 9:30 A.M.
After Worship Kids’ Class and Adults’ Class @ 11.
Cookbook Have Arrived
Faith Lutheran Heavenly Dishes Volume 2 Cookbook has arrived and are available for purchase if you haven’t per-oredered. They are $15. Please make all checks our to Faith Lutheran Church. In the memo line on your check please put “Cookbook”. All proceeds raised will go to our kitchen remodel.Please email Amy to let her know how many you would like.