Adult Education

Lake Harriet United Methodist Church continually offers a variety of educational opportunities for adults. Recent classes have used the lectionary, Disciple and Living the Questions materials. We also regularly host topical studies and nationally recognized speakers. Please contact the church office for contact information on classes that require signing up ahead of time.

The Adult Learning and Spiritual Enrichment Ministry Team is offering a range of classes and events for the fall. We’re also going to tempt you with some upcoming things in spring of 2012. We hope there is something here that will appeal to every adult, with times and commitments varying to reach as many as possible. Some offerings will be weekly all fall, some will be only on weekends, some will ask for “homework,” others will ask only that you show up. We hope we have offered enough to entice every one of you to stop, think, and sign up for one or more opportunities!

Bible 101

The Rev. Jim Gaughan’s very popular Sunday morning Bible 101 class moves to Thursday mornings this fall. Jim asks only that you show up. He'll have information that will be given out at the start of each class session. He’ll also enliven the sessions with new research he has done this summer, from two new sources, as he continues to study what the current scholarship is saying about our holy texts. The first fifteen minutes of each class will be devoted to questions and discussion on the previous week’s class. So you get two classes in one! There is no requirement to attend every session. He just wants to see your shining face and continue his inspiring study of the Bible. Thursdays 10:30-11:30 am, starting Sept. 15.

A Hidden Wholeness

Carole Chalmers and Bill Konrardy are offering weekly explorations of a fabulous book by Parker Palmer, the well known Quaker writer. The book’s full title is, “A Hidden Wholeness: the Journey Toward an Undivided Life, Welcoming the Soul and Weaving Community in a Wounded World.” As Carole said, “Recently a book jumped off the shelf and into my life. When I shared it will Bill he couldn’t stop looking at it. Needless to say, it is now making the entry into our study of the soul on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday evenings. At a time when many of us seek ways of working and living that are more resonant with our souls, this book offers insight and guidance for what we seek.” A powerful DVD with Palmer will be used, and participants will want to buy the book. There will be some assigned reading of a few pages for each class.

This is a class that asks for deep soul work and spiritual participation. So, take a risk and experiment with this too often neglected center of our Being by coming to either the daytime or evening class. It lasts for 12 weeks.

Classes start Sept. 20, 1-3 pm with Carole, or Sept. 22, 7-9 pm with Bill.

The book is available in the church office or from either Bill or Carole. Cost is approximately $17.

Karen Hering on Vocation:

Those who took part in the writing workshops with Karen this year will be excited to know that she’s coming back, with new questions, new insights and another three-day set of classes. She’ll be here on Mondays in November. Hering, of Open Page, will lead us in an exploration of the topic of Vocation. Each one hour writing session will be held at 7 pm at the church. To feed your interest read how Karen describes our theme: “We’ve often heard Frederick Buechner’s definition of vocation as that place ‘where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.’ This writing session explores that meeting point and looks for the thread of vocation woven through the fabric of each of our lives." Don't miss this opportunity for fellowship and personal enrichment. To encourage participation in all three sessions, we will offer all three for $25, or participants may chose to come to one session at the cost of $12 each. Scholarships are available. Nov. 7, 14, 21, 7 pm.

But, hold on! After the winter holidays we’ll have even more!

Couples Retreat:

Back by popular demand, the second annual Couples Retreat! Feb. 18-19, with the theme, Growing Together. Again it’s going to be at the historic, and romantic St. James Hotel in Red Wing, MN. If you weren't able to attend last year, please make plans to join us this year! If you did attend last year, you know how wonderful it was to take a little time out to reconnect with your partner and enjoy the fellowship of other couples. Complete details will follow soon.

Lenten Season with the Prodigal Son

Get ready for Easter in 2012 by considering one of the most confounding, confusing and soul stretching stories in the Bible, the Prodigal Son. Pastor Tyler will lead a book group during Lent, using Henri Nouwen’s work, “The Return of the Prodigal Son.” Get ready to combine stunning theological work, painful insights and the work of the master artist, Rembrandt, as we work our say toward Easter. As the critic Michael Joseph Gross said, “Nouwen’s writing is so clear and his tone so appealingly frank and humble that readers - no matter how far from home - will find hope for themselves in the prodigal peace Nouwen ultimately achieves.’’

Wednesdays, 7 pm during Lent.

A journey through the Psalms

This winter, Eleanor Christiansen will lead a study of the Psalms. We will explore how faith in times of joy and sorrow are captured so eloquently in this collection of poetry. Our 10-week Disciple Bible Study will begin Monday, Jan. 9 at 7 pm. We will not meet on the 1st Monday of the month to allow for participants to attend our monthly Feed My Starving Children appointment. Please sign up by Dec 15 so that we can order the correct number of books.  

Monday evenings, starting Jan. 9, 2012