Summer School Continues with Creation Theme Beginning 8/18/2019 — Note Revised Worship Time of 10:30 a.m.

An Ecology of Emanuel
Sardis Summer School, August and September
First Thoughts: 9:45-10:15 a.m.
Worship: 10:30 a.m.
Talk-Back: 11:15 a.m.

Theme:

In her book, Creation and the Cross: The Mercy of God for a Planet in Peril, theologian Elizabeth Johnson explores what God’s healing and comfort mean for all of creation. She asserts that humanity must understand its interconnectedness to all created beings before it can begin to help bring about sustainable, impactful environmental change – change that is needed urgently. She offers ways that congregations can make a heart connection to creation, the kind of connection that’s needed to overcome our desire for convenience, and our assumption of unlimited resources.

Each week, in our First Thoughts session, we’ll participate in an activity that helps us reframe our understanding of a human-centric creation. Sermons will address texts that show God’s presence and investment in the entire universe. And Talk-Back will focus on how these texts, and indeed the foundations of our faith, call us to model everyday actions that reflect a creation-centered approach to living.

Session One: Sunday, August 18, 2019

Talk-Back: The Blue Marble. What happens when we view our world from space? How is humanity viewed when its part of a larger whole?

Text: Genesis 1:1-3; Psalm 24: 1-2; Revelation 5:13
Sermon Topic: Humanity is part of something bigger: creation! How can we be intentional about recognizing our connectedness.

Session Two: Sunday, August 25, 2019

Talk-Back: Dismantling the Pyramid. What happens when move away from the idea that humanity represents the elite, superior being of creation, and is instead one of many parts?
Text: Genesis 1:26-2:3
Sermon Topic: What does it mean for humanity to have dominion over the earth?

Sunday, September 1, 2019, Labor Day Weekend. 10:30 a.m. worship only. No Sunday School/First Thoughts.

Session Three: Sunday, September 8, 2019

Talk-Back: Other creatures (non-humans) have value, too. And all creatures converse with God. What happens when God is in parallel, meaningful relationships with all elements of creation, not just humanity?

Text: Psalm 148
Sermon Topic: The praise of God is our primary purpose as created beings. What happens when we acknowledge nature’s joint effort in our collective praise?

Session Four: Sunday, September 15, 2019

Talk-Back: Emanuel – God with us. How big is our us? What happens when we imagine that “us” encompasses all of creation? How does that change our language, our liturgies, and our outlook on God’s world?

Text: John 1:1-14
Sermon Topic: The Word lived and dwelled among us. If “us” is bigger than humanity, what does the life and work of Jesus mean for the whole of creation?

Optional Reading:
Bob will be using the last chapter of the Johnson book to guide our discussion. The entire book is available on Amazon, but several copies of the chapter are available in the church office.

Creation and the Cross: The Mercy of God for a Planet in Peril, Elizabeth A. Johnson, Orbis Books, 2018.