Christian Ed during Lent
Sundays in Lent, 10am
Creating a Scene in Corinth:A Simulation explores 1st Corinthians through a book by Reta Halteman Finger which provides an introduction to the Greco-Roman setting of Corinth and a chapter-by-chapter survey of Paul’s letter and in turn leads to a simulation of a church.
Paul wrote this letter to correct what he saw as erroneous views in the Corinthian church. Several sources informed Paul of conflicts within the church at Corinth: Apollos (Acts 19:1), a letter from the Corinthians, the “household of Chloe”, and finally Stephanas and his two friends who had visited Paul (1:11; 16:17).
The participants divide into four factions – those favoring Paul, Apollos, Peter, and the Christ group (1 Corinthians 1:12). A brief description of the background and nature of the groups gives the participants a sense of their role in the recreation. The characters represent a cross-section of Corinthian society: they include slaves and freeborn, widows and singles, and a number who have suffered deprivation and sexual abuse – much like typical society in that day. The authors encourage the readers/actors to respond to the oral text of 1 Corinthians as if the church hadn’t yet solidified its authority as God’s revelation (as the original listeners did).
In many ways, the church at Corinth was a mess. partisanship, with the Corinthians factionalizing behind rival leaders (1:10–4:21; 16:10–18); incest (5:1–13); prostitution (6:12–21); celibacy within marriage (7:1–7); Christians married to one another asking about divorce (7:8–11, 39); Christians married to pagans asking about divorce (7:12–16); questions surrounding marriage and remarriage (7:25–40); lawsuits (6:1–11).
There were worship issues, including idolatry (8:1–11:1); concerns about women praying and prophesying in immodest ways (11:2–16); chaos in worship, with speaking in tongues and competing voices (chapter 14); inequality in the communal meal (11:17–34); denials of the bodily resurrection of Jesus and of Christians (15:1–58)
Corinthian Links
Corinth video used March 10, 2019
Fridays in Lent, 6pm-8pm
This class is an experiment in outreach to our Spanish brothers and sisters.
St Peter’s is one of six churches around the country that will be participating in an experimental Latino ministry for Lent. TryTank is providing all material for a Spanish Bible study (Estudio Biblico) and the Bible Study will be offered at St Peter’s on Friday nights in Lent from 6-8PM, beginning on Friday, March 15th. Claudia Villa, a fluent Spanish speaker, will be helping Catherine with this experimental project.
We need help organizing this class and promoting. Email Catherine with your ideas.
Hymnody in Lent, Mondays in Lent, 12pm-1:30am
Hymnody is the singing or composition of hymns. There are many rich traditions of Lenten hymns to explore. This class will broaden your knowledge of hymns and their functions within our service.
The class will be led by Susan Onderdonk at her home in Fredericksburg, 1209 Rappahannock Avenue, each Monday in Lent from 12pm-1:30pm beginning Monday, March 18. Bring a dish for a cover dish luncheon!
Susan earned a masters in music and served for a decade as the Director of Music at St. George’s Episcopal where she taught hymns to many age groups.
Please contact Catherine to sign up for this class.
Google map link from St. Peter’s to her home. Allow 30 minutes to get there
Way of Love – Last Wed of each month, 8am-10am
During Lent, everyone at St Peter’s will have the opportunity to learn more about a way of life called The Way of Love. This rule of life sums up the way we Christians are already trying to live. People all over The Episcopal Church have joined together to intentionally adopt this way of life in community, and individually. The Way of Love includes the following seven actions—turning, learning, praying, worshiping, blessing, going, and resting. Most of us already do all seven of these things but being intentional and also accountable to a group of people who have also chosen to be intentional will make The Way of Love a powerful spiritual vaccine that can keep us well, and able to walk in love with God and with one another
The March 27th session will be a breakfast. Way of Love ends just before Bible Study at 10am.