Community Life is a collective of events, classes, and groups to connect relationally and grow spiritually. We intend to cultivate safe spaces where we can learn and be known - love and be loved.
Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial RabbiLeads: Wendy Ludwig and Bill Sobo
Meets: Every other Tuesday from 7 pm - 8:30pm (September 14 - December 14) Location: Ludwig-Sobo Home Jesus was a skilled storyteller and perceptive teacher who used parables from everyday life to effectively convey his message and meaning. Life in first-century Palestine was very different from our world today, and many traditional interpretations of Jesus’ stories ignore this disparity and have often allowed anti-Semitism and misogyny to color their perspectives. In this wise, entertaining, and educational book, Amy-Jill Levine offers a fresh, timely reinterpretation of Jesus’ narratives. In Short Stories by Jesus, she analyzes these “problems with parables,” taking readers back in time to understand how their original Jewish audience understood them. Levine reveals the parables’ connections to first-century economic and agricultural life, social customs and morality, Jewish scriptures and Roman culture. With this revitalized understanding, she interprets these moving stories for the contemporary reader, showing how the parables are not just about Jesus, but are also about us—and when read rightly, still challenge and provoke us two thousand years later. |
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Paul the Apostle and His LettersLead: Cathy Chung
Meets: Every other Tuesday from 7:30 pm - 9 pm (September 21 - December 14) Location: Zoom This class will dive into scripture and 1st C. culture to discover how the teachings in Paul’s ancient letters remain relevant in 2021. We will first explore Paul as a person - his Jewish upbringing, his life in the Roman world, and what he believed happened on the Road to Damascus. Then we’ll dive into some of his letters to the churches he founded. We’ll learn about their cultural challenges and how they could remain faithful to one God in a society that worshiped many gods. |
Land without Borders by John BeckLead: Susan Holbrook
Meets: Thursdays from 9:15 am - 11 am (September 16 - October 21) Location: UCCM Parlor You may be familiar with the people and stories of Scripture but have you considered how the geography of the Bible factors into those accounts? John Beck has. He loves Scripture, and he loves how geography brings Bible reading to life. Once you understand the correlation of geography to story, he says, "You will read your Bible in a way that you’ve never read it before." In Land without Borders, John takes a small group hiking through the wilderness of the Holy Land to help them grasp how barren it is. Join John in this six-part adventure and see how the landscape plays into your spiritual experience. You’ll understand how biblical authors incorporated the elements of wilderness into their stories and learn to trust God within your own spiritual wilderness. |
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MOPS/MOMSnextLeads: Katherine Weisse and Julie Maviglia
Meets: The First Thursday of every month in the morning (9:30 am -11) and the second Thursday of every month in the evening (7:30 pm - 9 pm) starting September 16 Location: AM - UCCM Great Room PM - UCCM Parlor Being a Mom is hard! MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) & MOMSNext (Mothers of school aged children k-12) recognize that creating space for connection remains essential in this journey of motherhood - especially in this time of a global pandemic! This year’s theme is All for Love, and we will explore how we will Walk in Power, Love One Another and Make Love Your Legacy. Contact Katherine or Julie with questions.
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Knitting For OthersLeads: Susan Holbrook and Gayle Edgar
Meets: The second Tuesday of the month from 7 pm - 8:30 pm and the third Monday of the month from 9:30 am - 11 am in the UCCM Parlor. Starting September 14. We enjoy fellowship, we knit something beautiful, and pray for those who will receive our creations. All ability levels are invited! Yarn is available for pickup at Susan’s house or at UCC Medfield in the Cradles to Crayons sorting room. Contact Susan or Gayle with questions. |
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Prayerful YogaLead: Tayne Quinn
Meets: Tuesdays at 8:30 am and Thursdays at 7 pm in the Great Room at UCCM (Starting September 14) Stretch and breathe out your stress and breathe in the Spirit during this yoga class for all levels. Reach out to Tayne with questions. |
