St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church

This Saturday evening we'll be having our annual homecoming picnic at 5:00pm. We'll have plenty to eat and drink. Bring your family - we should have a magician, face painter and... music.

This Sunday services resume at 8:00 and 10:00am.

Also - the choir resumes this Sunday morning; rehearsal at 8:55.

Over the next four weeks we will be gathering together in small groups to reflect upon our mission as a church. We are cultivating words - reflections of The Word - so that we can be clear about our identity as we share our experience of the Holy Spirit, and our vision of the Kingdom, with the community.

The following questions are challenging: we won't get to the answers. We are looking for words and immediate responses - and if scripture comes to mind, great!

Part I. Theological Questions (about 75 minutes)

About God:

Is God near or far from you?
What aspects of God are important in your life?
How does God intervene in your life?
How do we talk about that intervention?
How does God relate to Evil

About Humanity

Are human beings good? Sinful?
What are we responsible for?
What is our ultimate purpose?
What are our responsibilities to strangers?
To each other?

Evil

Why is there evil in the word?
What happens in the midst of catastrophe?
What is sinful? How do people sin?
Can we purge ourselves from sin? How?

The congregation or assembly

What is the purpose of the congregation gathering together?
What is the most important thing we do together?
What is our responsibility to White Plains?
What is our responsibility to the larger community? To the Church? To the world?

How does the congregation attend to birth, adulthood, marriage, old age, and death?
What do our practices say about our lives?

II. Our Future (45 + minutes)

Where are we headed?
What kind of future are we building?
What are our strengths, gifts and competencies?
What is God calling us to accomplish in mission?

AFTER considering these questions, please open up your bible and read:

Romans 12-15 (Pauls last, comprehensive and most straightforward theological position)

Matthew 5-7; 25:31-46
Galatians 3:26-28, 5:13-14; 5:22-23; 6:14-16