Adult Education Sessions, Fall 2025

With Classes Following Each Sunday Service

We meet in the Lounge. Each class is offered twice: first at 9:15am-10:15am, and again at noon-1pm.

Drop in at whichever time is most convenient for you.

September 7
“Presentation on Jackson St Youth Services”
Led by Ben Martens

Jackson Street Youth Services offers youth a safe place to live and resources to work through crises and towards a brighter, more stable future. Founded to fill a gap in housing for homeless youth, Jackson Street now serve youth throughout Linn and Benton Counties. Learn more about this important asset in our community.

September 14
Parish Potluck
No adult ed session this day

September 21
Self Care and Community in Difficult Times
Led by Alice Marshall

Life can feel heavy when the world around us is full of conflict and constant news. Together, we’ll explore gentle practices to find calm, ease overwhelm, and build supportive connections that remind us we’re not alone.

September 28
“An Introduction to the Guerrilla Scholars Handbook”
Led by author Sheldon Greaves

This book, by our own scholar-in-residence author Sheldon Greaves, as Amazon puts it, shows you “How to join the ranks of independent scholars, citizen scientists, recovering academics, makers, artists, activists, and other intellectual ne’er-do-wells pursuing a life of the mind — and changing the world.”

October 5
Women Remembered: Mary and Martha
Led by Craig Massie

How do the gospels of Luke and John treat the stories involving Mary and Martha?

October 12 and 19
“Mystic Hildegard von Bingen”
Led by Linda Marie Zaerr

Hildegard of Bingen described herself as “a feather on the breath of God.” Learn more about this twelfth-century abbess who expressed her visions in poetry, music, art, drama, and healing. Discover what spiritual insight she offers our congregation today.

October 26
“The Science of Forgiveness”
Led by Fr David

Jesus calls us to forgive as we have been forgiven, and yet, we struggle. This session will look at why forgiveness is so hard and new neurological studies that give guidance on how to overcome those barriers.

November 2
TBD

November 9
“Clearness Committee: A Communal Approach To Discernment”
Led by Cammie Bella

At times, we face a dilemma when trying to deal with a personal problem, question, or decision. On one hand, we know the issue is ours alone to resolve and we have the inner resources to resolve it eventually. We also know that trusted friends might help us uncover our inner guide and find our way—yet we don’t want anyone to tell us what to do or give their own opinions. At this session, I’ll be sharing a method used by the Quakers, whose function is not to give advice or “fix” people from the outside in, but rather to help people remove the inner blocks so they can discover their own wisdom from the inside out.

November 16
“Community and Courage”
Led by Fr David

Hospitality, Peacemaking, and Generosity are three tools we can use as a congregation to create a community of trust that is a refuge and alternative to the culture of fear. This presentation will look at how each of these builds up our courage and capacity for faith, hope, and love.

November 23
“Disinformation”
Led by Sheldon Greaves

November 30–December 21
Sundays of Advent

The Adult Education offering for the Sundays of Advent is a book study using “The First Christmas” by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. The Church will purchase copies for those interested, though you are welcome to attend without reading the book. Please contact Craig Massie at cwmassie@comcast.net by Sunday, November 2 to get your order placed. The first Sunday of Advent is Nov 30, when we will discuss the first three chapters.