I might be over-Bibled

 

This morning I was looking at week 3 of Women of the Word study of Romans; Good News that changes everything by Melissa Spoelstra, Abingdon Women, 2019.  It comes with a DVD with teaching and discussion led by Spoelstra. That group meets on Saturday morning. There are 4 different times during the week this is offered, but I do Saturday 9:15 even though I'm retired because generally there is a core group. And I like the leader, Mary Jo.

On Sunday I'm in the adult Sunday School class at 10:15 at Lytham and we're studying the book of Hebrews using the book Hebrews by Richard E. Lauersdorf, Northwestern Publishing House, 1986. This group is led by a lawyer, Charlie, who is always well prepared. He's an excellent teacher who manages to be patient even with a group of well educated and studied adults, with some big talkers.

On Thursday morning I meet with the retirees and we've just started the book of Luke with Pastor Jeff Morlock.  Once a month this group has a lunch after the study and a guest speaker.  During Advent and Lent we also have a lunch after class and before mid-week worship, open to the whole church.

Our Sunday sermon schedule is a race through the Bible, called Open Book.  We began with Genesis in September and last Sunday the topic was Jesus Heals on the Sabbath and the Gospel reading was Mark 3:1-6.  The pastors rotate.

Our SALT group (Sharing and Learning Together) which is 9 people who are members of UALC (all 9 o'clock service at Lytham Road) who meet together has been reading Making sense of the Bible; rediscovering the power of scripture today, by Adam Hamilton, Harper One, 2014 we meet approximately once a month, but with holidays and illnesses, it's more like 7 times a year.

In the fall the senior pastor Steve Turnbull began an evening study of Ephesians at our Mill Run campus.  I attended that one evening, but it was dark and raining, and I decided I didn't want to attend under those conditions. It will start up again in the spring, but I just don't like going out at night.

About a week ago, someone who's in a group with my husband sent home with him, Finding Jesus in the Old Testament by David Limbaugh, Regnery Publishing, 2017 pb. In hardcover it was titled, The Emmaus Code, 2015. I've only looked at the table of contents, but I enjoy this type of research.

Several years ago I received as a Christmas gift Tried by Fire; the story of Christianiiy's first thousand years by William J. Bennett, Nelson Books, 2016. And I've recently been reading it while on the exercycle, however, it's a fat book and not conducive to cycling and I'm only on p. 19.

And then yesterday, two books arrived that I'd agreed to review and at the time it sounded like a good idea. The beautiful book by Steven Green, Zondervan, 2019, and one which isn't exactly Bible, but issues dealing with the election, God, Trump and the 2020 election, by Stephen E. Strange, Front Line (Charisma House), 2019.

During the week for my daily devotions I use the Catholic serial, Magnificat--just finished January 202, Vol. 21, no. 11. It follows the liturgical calendar for daily mass so there is a theme, a biography of a saint, a meditation on the observation of special days, Old Testament reading, Psalm, Gospel and Epistle, plus hymns and responsive readings.  Not being familiar with the tradition of saints, I read a lot of history. Saints featured in January were those who worked for unity in the church, and the February saints are saints who suffered serious illness, like Blessed Amadeus of Savoy, who suffered attacks of epilepsy (d. 1472).

January was more social than usual

December is always a fun month with lots of special activities like concerts, dinners and get togethers. So in noting our January schedule, I see it was more social than usual, mostly church activities, but a nice members' opening at the Museum of Art, too. I'll jot down what I remember while listening to a Dvorak Cello Concerto on a Spectrum channel--no commercials.

January 6--We hosted our SALT group here on Epiphany after church--I served turkey Tetrazzini  fruit cups and assorted Christmas desserts, so I was able to use up both our Thanksgiving and Christmas left-overs.  We're studying Hebrews, and Bob was the leader.

January 7--Book club at Bethel Presbyterian Church,  "The Other Alcott," by Elise Hooper, and although I didn't care much for the selection, it's always a great discussion and this included a lot of art. I joined 18 years ago when I first retired in 2000.  Originally, the club was a group of young mothers from the Clintonville area of Columbus who attended the same church.  Now they are no longer working or taking care of kids (most are grandmothers) and we meet during the day instead of the evening.

January 9--Coffee with Adrienne, who is now living at Wesley Glen.  Weather problems have been interfering with our coffee time!

January 10--Bible study class at 10:30 for mostly retirees and seniors led by Pastor Jeff Morlock. We're doing Revelation which works well with the Saturday group study of Genesis--lots of references to Genesis. That was followed by lunch and a wonderful talk by John Kohan of Delaware, Ohio, discussing his sacred art collection   http://sacredartpilgrim.com/

January 12--In January I "returned" to three different Bible studies (Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) at our church that I've attended at various times over the years. It's easy to spend time inside and not see many people, so I'm making a greater effort to get out.  Women of the Word on Saturday is led by Mary Jo and is using Jen Wilken, "God of Creation, a study of Genesis."  She's an excellent speaker (video plus workbook).

January 13--Also returned to Adult Sunday School taught by Charlie, who is very good--well prepared, great prayers, kind, and keeps us on track.  We're studying Acts.

January 17--Dinner at Windward Passage on Henderson Rd.  with Joan and Jerry and Joyce and Bill.  Joan, Joyce and I are making plans for the 2009 reunion of our Steps of Paul voyage, and we don't have a list, but are contacting everyone we remember.  It will be at our MR campus on March 3.  After dinner we came back here for chocolate pie.

January 22--We attended the Columbus AIA meeting downtown to learn about the building and recent renovation of the LeVeque Tower here in Columbus.  I used to work there in the 1980s for the Ohio Department of Aging. It's now a boutique hotel, apartments and condos with businesses on the first level.  Our Conestoga group will tour it in March. I'm looking forward to that now that we've heard how it was done.  Figuring out where to park and getting back to the parking garage in the dark was an adventure in itself.

January 23--Coffee with Adrienne at Panera's. We had to cancel the next one due to the cold (polar vortex)

January 25--Met with Steve DeWeese, our lawyer, to settle wills, power of health attorney and health directives. He's a member of our church, a few years older than our children, and he knows them.

January 25--Bobby Burns party at the Hahm's--always a great event. This birthday is celebrated all over the world.  There are instructions on the internet on how to do it, and what to serve. We wore our kilts--Bob got his as Christmas 2017 gifts from the family for his 2018 80th birthday. His was horribly expensive because it included a formal jacket, special socks, a knife, and a sporran. Mine was really cheap--$3.00 at Volunteers of America.  I had to set the buttons over, but it's probably the nicest wool I've ever owned. Having dinner parties is like a ministry for the Hahms and they have many each year, always with an interesting mix of people.

January 26--Funeral at UALC for Jon Brewer, a friend of Phil's from childhood, and he came with many of his high school friends, most of whom I wouldn't have recognized, but did remember some of the names.

January 26--SALT group at the Crosses.  We got there a little late because of the 2 p.m.  funeral, but it lasted a long time--we didn't get home until about 6:30. Carol led the study on Hebrews and it was excellent.

January 27--Chili-cook off at St. James Lutheran off of Trabue Rd on the west side--preceded by a combined choir concert of St. James and UALC Lytham Rd. choirs.  Beautiful old sanctuary, 19th century, with a recent (about 10 years ago) educational and social wing.  I can remember when it was the only building out there. Now it's surrounded by housing and shopping centers. We went with Howard and Betty from our SALT group.

January 28--Coffee with Nancy at 5 points Panera. They left Friday for their Florida break.

January 29--Got a new perm from Melissa at Shear Impressions.  I think I've been with her since the mid-1990s.  She and her mom used to go to UALC but are now at a downtown church.

January 31--Member preview party at the Columbus Museum of Art, Derby Court, light hors d'oeuvres, lecture by Peter Schoon, Director of the Dordrecht Museum, Netherlands. "Life in the Age of Rembrandt: Dutch Masterpieces from the Dordrecht Museum." It's a wonderful show and I'd recommend it.  That was our second night in the dark in downtown Columbus in January.  And it was very cold both nights.  I did see a few women other than me in a dress/skirt, however, the others all had knee high boots or leggings.