Education
Opportunities to ask questions and discern together are important to our church. Some of the groups that study throughout the year are:
Living the Question (seasonal) - A study of significant questions regarding progressive Christianity. The 2019 theme was Exploring White Privilege and used UCC materials and the book, The Third Reconstruction: How A Moral Movement Is Overcoming the Politics of Division and Fear, by the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II.
Great Decisions (seasonal) - In the Great Decisions discussion group, we examine eight current foreign policy issues to better understand each situation. In 2019, we looked at the following issues:
Refugees and Global Migration
The Middle East: Regional Disorder
Nuclear Negotiations: Back to the Future?
The Rise of Populism in Europe
Decoding U.S. China Trade
Cyber Conflicts and Geopolitics
The United States and Mexico: Partnership Tested
State of the State Department and Diplomacy
Weekly Bible Study - Led by the pastor, this group focuses on one of the lectionary passages for the upcoming Sunday service.
Book Talk Tea (seasonal) - Each month, members get together to discuss books that have been selected for Reading for Renewal by the Florida United Church of Christ Women. The theme for 2019/2020 is "Buzzing Along: 'Beeing' All You Can Be in Christ" and focuses on bees, beekeeping, busyness, and building faith relationships. The Mission Study books will focus on Puerto Rico.
A Reading for Renewal Book List is available in the library. Contact Sandy James-Nogaj at for further information.
Our Social Justice Ministry recently highlighted several books that focus on different social justice themes and are available through the church library:
Racial Justice:
Black Klansman. A Memoir by Ron Stallworth
Devil in the Grove. Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King
Just Mercy. A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
The Sun Does Shine. How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton with Lara Love Hardin
The Womb Rebellion by P. W. Long
Domestic Violence:
Surviving Domestic Violence. Voices of Women Who Broke Free by Elaine Weiss, Ph.D.
Environment:
We Fed an Island. The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time by Jose Andres with Richard Wolffe
Human Trafficking:
The Slave Next Door. Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today by Kevin Bales and Ron Soodalter
Stay tuned for updates in the coming months.