In September and October, Rev. Ron Bartlow and Rev. Meredith Joubert lead us in a worship and discipleship series based upon Rachel Held Evans’ book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again. Worship each week will reflect the theme and some of the stories from Evans’ book, with small groups and classes discussing it in more detail.
Rachel Held Evans was raised in conservative churches and communities in the midwest, but as a young adult chafed at her perceptions of the inadequacies of such theology. As she moved away from evangelicalism and eventually found a spiritual home in mainline Episcopalianism, she shared about her growth on her blog and in a number of books, including: Faith Unraveled (originally entitled Evolving in Monkey Town), A Year of Biblical Womanhood, and Searching for Sunday. Rachel passed away unexpectedly in 2019 at the age of 37. She remains a figure of significant spiritual import to many, especially contemporary young adults.
Here is a description of Evans’ book from Amazon:
Drawing on the best in recent scholarship and using her well honed literary expertise, Evans examines some of our favorite Bible stories and possible interpretations, retelling them through memoir, original poetry, short stories, soliloquies, and even a short screenplay. Undaunted by the Bible’s most difficult passages, Evans wrestles through the process of doubting, imagining, and debating Scripture’s mysteries. The Bible, she discovers, is not a static work but is a living, breathing, captivating, and confounding book that is able to equip us to join God’s loving and redemptive work in the world.
-book description, Amazon.com
There are three opportunities each week to meet and discuss this book:
- Sundays at 12:15, over lunch at the church (“Brown Bag & Bible”) with Rev. Ron
- Wednesdays at 6:30, over drinks at local bars/pubs (“BYOB* & Bible”) with Rev. Ron
*”Buy Your Own Beer” - Thursdays at 9:15 in the Covenant Room of the Billy and Ann Still Life Center (“Women’s Morning Bible Study”), with Rev. Meredith
In addition, other leaders in our church are being encouraged to integrate the study of Inspired in to existing small groups and Sunday school classes, so that we might all engage in this as a time of shared learning and spiritual growth together. Visit our Events page for all times and places.