Welcome to our new blog created to enhance the experience of fellowship and mutual support for members of the Sunday Morning Book Discussion Group at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas.
Who we are.
Our group is a mix of parishioners and visitors from all three Sunday morning services. Although life has worked changes on our membership, we have endured faithfully for more than fifteen years.
What we do.
We select, read and discuss books on religion, spirituality, theology and related social issues.
Our book selections.
Group members recommend books, and the group selects which book to read next. Some of our previous selections include works by C.S. Lewis, Robert Farrar Capon, Jonathan Sacks, Donald T. Williams, Joseph Campbell, John Spong and many other notable authors. Some of our topics include The Gospel of Thomas, Jesus as man and God, current trends in American Christianity, classic theology and modern theology.
Our approach to the material.
We are Christian men and women of different backgrounds and experiences who share a common interest in seeking to understand our faith. We purposely select material that is accessable to everyone regardless of where they are in their spiritual development. Everyone contributing to our discussion in group meetings or on this blog is considered a blessing to be appreciated and understood. Often, the most significant observations come from folk whose spiritual growth and familiarity with the issues is in its infancy, but we are also blessed with members who have been seekers a long time and whose insights are remarkable and uplifting. Wherever you may be in your faith journey, you are welcome here. Your participation will be nurtured and you will find it safe to express yourself without judgment or censorship. Nevertheless, we have created this blog partly to promote the continuation of discussions begun in our group meetings, so you should expect to be challenged and questioned as part of a respectful debate.
The work load.
We recognize that our members have busy lives, and we appreciate the luxury of taking our time to digest the authors' works. We adjust our pace to the difficulty or richness of the material, but a good estimate would be about one or two hours of reading per week. Some of our energetic members push ahead of the group to see where the author is going, but most elect to move along at the group's pace. Both approaches are encouraged, but it's nice to know you don't have to miss the discussion because you're behind in your reading. And, if you miss a group meeting, you now have this blog to bring you up to speed!
When and where.
Our group meets for 50 minutes beginning at 10:00 Sunday mornings in the Administrative Office.
For more information, please contact Phyllis Blees at phyllis@austin.rr.com Please join us, in person or on line!
StMichaelsSeeker
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