Adult Education on Sunday Mornings
Held in the Parish Hall at 9:30 a.m. Adult Education is currently featuring a series on Justice. St. Richard’s is blessed to have a number of Doctors of Philosophy that share their expertise on a variety of subjects. This current series is shared in leadership by MIT Engineer Ralph Zaorski and retired UCF Political Science professor Stuart Lilie

What is Justice?  Do you think you know if something is JUST?  Do you think you know when something is UNJUST?  If you are not sure, don’t feel bad.  In the United States we have diverse views on the meaning and implementation of justice.  If we consider all the nations and cultures in the world, a definition of justice becomes even more elusive. This diversity of opinion is the main cause of our current cultural and political conflicts.  Starting on September 9, Stuart Lilie and I ask you to join us for a tour through different concepts of Justice.  To limit the scope of our journey we will constrain ourselves to Justice as it has evolved in Western Civilization. Our explorations will be facilitated by a series of lectures on Justice given at Harvard University by Michael Sandel. We will not just explore the various theories of justice, but we will “live them” by considering some “uncomfortable” examples.  Some of the examples are hypothetical and some are “real” and well documented.  Examples include:

Is murder ever the right thing to do?
Is cannibalism ever justified?
Can smoking provide a net benefit to society?
Is it just to hire someone else to carry out your military obligation?
Is lying ever acceptable and just?
Is affirmative action a just way to right past wrongs?
Where does justice come into the debate on same sex marriage?
How does our attempt to live “the good life” intersect with justice?

This series is not intended to change minds or take sides, but it is intended to help us understand the motivation for our beliefs and those of others.  Perhaps we can get a better appreciation of where our friends, neighbors and elected politicians are coming from – after all, we are in this together and we need to learn to live together before we tear our nation apart.

The lectures are presented at Sanders Theater before an audience of several hundred with substantial audience participation.  These lectures are not dry and we will have time to continue the discussion after each lecture.  References are available on-line for those wishing to do additional reading.

Children’s Education (Age 5-Grade 5)
Godly Play, a Montessori based bible teaching program is used to kick off each unit in a Rotation Model of teaching our youngest parishioners. We have a dedicated classroom for our children with a garden that they tend each year growing flowers and vegetables. Class meets concurrent with the 10:30 a.m. worship service in Classroom 3. Teachers Kelley Allen, Linda Jakubisin, Carol Alves and Cheryl Hooper will them escort the children to church to join their parents for the balance of the service. Each week the children will learn a prayer and a song that will complement each unit theme. Themes are enforced by arts and crafts, games, gardening and other activities. See the current schedule on the right.

Youth Ministry (Grades 6-12)
Our Youth Ministry includes Sunday Morning discussion group and monthly fun activities . Tom Irish and Kahni Miller are dedicated to being present with the youth each Sunday starting at 9:45 a.m. in the dedicated Youth Room in the Parish Hall building equipped with an Olympic grade ping pong table.

This year the youth will be using the “Nooma” series of videos by Rob Bell. The schedule for 2018 is on the right.

Bible Studies
Wednesday Morning Bible Class—The Gospel According to Mark
On Wednesday mornings at 10 a.m Robert McClure will lead a class in the Gospel of Mark. This is the oldest and shortest of the four canonical Gospels in our New Testament.

Dr. McClure is a Ph.D. in Latin and Greek and taught for many years at the University of California and Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park. He has been reading the Greek New Testament for over 60 years. At his side will be our Senior Warden, Jim Christoph, another veteran Bible teacher, whose Ph.D. is in Hebrew and the Old Testament.

This will be not a small group Bible reading and sharing opportunity, but a traditional course looking at Mark as a literary and religious document. Although there will be no homework or tests, outside readings will be suggested. There will be definite continuity, but you are welcome to come whenever you are able.

The first four sessions will offer especially important background information on topics such as

What is a Gospel?
What does "canonical" mean?
Who wrote the four Gospels in our New Testament?
When were they written?
How did they come down to us?
What does "synoptic" mean?
Are there others?
Are they historical accounts of the life of Jesus?
What do we know about the historical Jesus?
How is the Gospel of Mark different from the other three?

If you are unable to attend, but would like to receive emails with class handouts and suggested readings, give your email address to Bob McClure at mcclure.robertm1@gmail.com.

Tuesday Night Bible Study Discussion: The Revelation of John
Gathering at 6:30 p.m. each week in the Conference Room, we read slowly and carefully verse by verse the book of the Revelation to John and consider this book in the wider scope of the Apocalyptic tradition of literature. Dr. Jim Christoph has taught Apocalyptic literature in his 30 year tenure as a professor of Hebrew and Old Testament studies at Warner University in Lake Wales, FL and brings his expertise to the table for discussion.

Lenten Soup, Salad and Education
Each Lent we feature a Wednesday evening education program. This year, The Rev. Tom Downs will present his discussion of.