Living Hope - The Church of England Lent course
Mondays, 10th March to 7th April, 10.00am
Beaford (ask Rev Ally for details) Leader: Rev Ally Hope
The Church of England’s theme this Lent is Living Hope. In Lent we journey with Jesus on the difficult and thorny road that leads all the way to the cross on Good Friday – and beyond, to the transformation of Easter.
God invites us to bring to him our own journey through everyday life. The hope God offers us is not wishful thinking. It is, as the Bible suggests, something alive – real, robust, rooted.
In this course, which sits alongside a small book of personal reflections for Lent by the same name, we explore how we can have hope in times of frustration or uncertainty; the hope found in joining with others; the invitation to notice signs of hope around us; the courage to face reality and pursue a hopeful future; and how God transforms death into life at Easter.
The parables of Jesus
Tuesdays, 11th March - 15th April, 7.30pm
Nethergrove, High Bickington Leader: David Halpin
Jesus frequently taught using parables; simple stories to explain spiritual truths and invite hearers to ponder their application.
We will be looking at 6 parables. The parable of the sower; the good Samaritan; the lost coin/sheep/son; money and worth; the wise and foolish virgins, the Pharisee and the tax collector
Each evening will be ‘standalone’ so anyone can come when they can.
The ‘I am’ sayings of Jesus
Wednesdays, 5th March - 2nd April, 12.00noon,
High Bickington rectory Leader: Rev Gary Owen and Rev Andrew Jones
There are seven great 'I am' sayings in St John's gospel. They are a key part of the gospel's structure (a sort of scaffolding), and a key part of John's understanding of who Jesus is.
Over the five weeks of the course, we shall look at these seven sayings, trying to tease out their background in the gospel and then their relevance for us today. On Ash Wednesday, our first meeting, we'll spend some time looking at the gospel in general, asking - who was John? why did he write? why did he write as he did (he is so different from the other gospel writers). Then we shall turn to chapter 6 and...'I am the bread of life...'
An introduction to systematic theology
Wednesdays, 12th March - 9th April, 7.00pm,
St Giles church Leader: Rev Gary Owen
Systematic theology is the attempt to organize all Christian doctrines in a logical order. The Christian church has been practicing this type of theology since the very early stages of the Church, although the form in which we see it today developed in the middle ages.
We will follow the well trodden path of systematic theology found in Wayne Grudems ’Systematic theology—an introduction to biblical doctrine’ as follows: the doctrine of the Word of God; the doctrine of God, the Doctrine of Man; the doctrines of Christ and the Holy Spirit, the Doctrine of the application of redemption; the doctrine of the church; the doctrine of the future.
Worship in the Wilderness
Wednesdays, 5th March - , 7.30pm
Newton Tracey (ask Rev Gary for details) Leader: Tim Overton
Sometimes life feels like a wilderness. Simplicity, sacrifice and sorrow can become daily realities, yet the Bible is full of characters who have transformational encounters with God in the desert. Jesus was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit, and we can be too.
Join us for a life-giving Lent journey, exploring biblical, creative and deep themes of: A Secret Journey, A Spirit-led Journey, A Simple Journey, A Sorrowful Journey, A Sacrificial Journey, A truth-Speaking Journey, A Surprising Journey.