Adult Education Classes Spring 2019 Montclair Presbyterian Church 5701 Thornhill Drive, Oakland, CA 94611 (510) 339-1131 mpc-family@mpcfamily.org We are a multigenerational, social justice oriented community of joyful, imperfect people who welcome absolutely everybody with hospitality, openness and acceptance.
Adult Education Classes Spring 2019 Essential Spirituality: Seven Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind Melinda Maxwell Smith, Paula Moseley, Jean Gregory The class covers exercises, meditation, prayers, myths and practical advice from world religions to weave into a rewarding way of life in which kindness, love, joy, peace, vision, wisdom and generosity may become an ever-growing part of everything you do. Based on the book with the same name as the class by Roger Walsh, M.D., Ph.D. Melinda Maxwell-Smith has been a teacher of yoga since 1991 and of meditation since 2000. She has been happily immersed in MPC s community for three years. Paula Moseley, meditator and spiritual growth advocate, is a long time member of MPC. Jean Gregory is a long time member of MPC. She is a retired teacher having taught pre-school, Kindergarten through 8th grade, Science Lab, Reading Lab, and student teaching to potential educators. She has traveled the world and all 50 states, loves camping, hiking, reading, writing, and choir. She has two grown sons both in Oakland, two grandchildren, a husband of 50 years of marriage, and a cat. Dates: Wednesdays, 1/9, 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/27, 3/13 Time: 7:00-8:30 p.m. Location: Various - Thornhill Room or Room 10 Size: 20-30 Convener: Jean Gregory Unitarian Christians in Romania? Miles and Mary Ellen McKey Are there Unitarian Christians in Romania? Yes, since 1568! What do they believe? How do they function as congregations? How much have their religious views changed over those many years? And, does that movement have anything to say to a 21st century audience? Miles and Mary Ellen McKey will talk about their recent experience in Transylvania, learning about the Unitarian Christian movement there. The year 2018 marked the 450th anniversary of that movement. Mary Ellen McKey is the granddaughter of a Unitarian minister. Miles McKey is a retired Unitarian minister trained at Harvard s Divinity School. They both grew up in that denomination and are happy that they can feel comfortable at MPC, where they have been part of the family for more than twenty years. Adult Education 2
Dates: Sunday, 2/3 Time: 11:30 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Location: Thornhill Room Class Size: 10-20 Convener: TBD What is Religious Experience? David Siegenthaler Is it a direct experience of God? A sense of the numinous? A feeling of absolute dependence? A scripturally informed, learned moral code of conduct? The experience of love? A sense of awe and wonder? A sense of purpose and meaning revealed in experience? The discovery of mechanisms, structures, and processes in the natural world? Or? Over the course of this two week class we will ask the question, considering the perspectives of such luminaries as William James, Rudolf Otto, Friedrich Schleiermacher, H. Richard Niebuhr, Sallie McFague, and class members - and explore why asking this question is, or should be, important to us. David Siegenthaler has a Master of Divinity degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and a PhD in Systematic and Philosophical Theology from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. He also holds a Master of Science degree in environmental resource management. Besides working for the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, his main project is to explore, theologically and ecologically, the human role in nature. Dates: Sundays, 3/3, 3/10 Eastern Orthodox Religion: History, Theology and Presence in America Rick Heller Eastern Orthodoxy is one of the three major branches of Christianity. It is a mystery to many in the West, from its tight linkages with individual countries and their secular leaders, to its emphasis on eternal prayers and navel gazing, to its bearded monks and beautiful architecture here in Oakland. Yet its theology is deeply rooted in much of the early Christianity we recognize, and its beliefs have greatly influenced Protestants and specifically liberal Presbyterians -- who have rediscovered much of it over the last 50 years. Adult Education 3
This 3-week class will spend a week on each of the following topics: 1) the history of Orthodoxy; 2) its theology; and 3) its presence in America and the world today. Please come for a lively discussion and to learn a bit about this exotic and strangely familiar religion. Rick Heller is a member of Montclair Presbyterian Church. He s completing a Masters of Theological Studies at the San Francisco Theological Seminary, and is a PhD candidate at the Graduate Theological Union/University of California-Berkeley for Sociology and Religion. Dates: Sundays, 3/17, 3/24, 3/31 Reconstruction and its End: Are There Parallels Today? Mike Griffith Racial violence and voter suppression marked the end of the first Reconstruction, after the Civil War. Today white nationalism is growing, and charges of voter suppression are widespread. This class will study the history of the first Reconstruction to help understand conditions today. It will focus on the goals of the freedwomen and men and on the tactics of groups determined to deny them equality. We will examine the roles of churches during this period. We will end by discussing how this history helps us understand events today. Mike Griffith, a member of MPC, has a PhD in U.S. history from UC Berkeley, and worked as an archivist in the Bay Area for many years, including as the first County Archivist for Santa Clara County. Dates: Sundays, 4/7, 4/14 Womanist Interpretations of the Bible Rev. Yolanda M. Norton What is a womanist interpretation of the Bible? It is interpreting the Bible with the view of the black woman. The womanist movement started in the early 80s, when Alice Walker (and others) believed that the feminist movement did not have room for black women ( womanist comes from the idea that young black girls were forced to age early, being told they were acting womanish ). This class will look at the Bible through the joint lenses of race, class, and gender. Be prepared for spirited discussion, and to be exposed to new ways of looking at the Bible. Adult Education 4
Rev Yolanda M. Norton is one of the most popular professors at the San Francisco Theological Seminary. She is an Assistant Professor of the Old Testament, with a broad range of expertise and interests. She has taught classes that range from Introduction of the Old Testament to Womanist Biblical Interpretation to Ruth to Beyoncé and the Hebrew Bible. We are very lucky to have her teach at MPC. Dates: Sundays, 4/28, 5/5 Peace and War Ben Daniel and Rod Chan Using MPC s recently-passed Peace Church Declaration, this class will provide an overview of traditional ways the Christian Church has dealt with issues of war and peace and will consider what responses are most appropriate in a modern context. The class will feature a blend of lecture, discussion, and dreaming about how we can live out our commitment to peacemaking. Rev. Ben Daniel is the pastor, head of staff at Montclair Presbyterian Church and chief author of the church s Peace Church Declaration. Rod Chan experienced war as a refugee in China during WWII as a child. He is a psychiatrist with an M.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin, and a member of Montclair Presbyterian Church. Dates: Sundays, 5/12, 5/19 Time: 11:30 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Location: Thornhill Room Class Size: 10-20 Convener: TBD Presbyterian Polity: What is the General Assembly Doing? David Siegenthaler The Presbyterian Church (USA) functions as a body through its representative assemblies: Congregations, Presbyteries, Synods, and the General Assembly. The General Assembly consists of commissioners elected by presbyteries, half of which are ruling elders and half are teaching elders. It reviews the work of synods, resolves controversies in the church, is responsible for matters of common concern for the whole church, and serves as a symbol of unity for the church. The Assembly seeks to protect our church from errors in faith and practice, is responsible for assuring that the expression of our theology remains true to the biblical standards in our historic confessions. It presents a witness for truth and justice in our community and in the world Adult Education 5
community. It sets priorities for the church and establishes relationships with other churches or ecumenical bodies. So, what is the General Assembly up to these days? This single session will provide updates on items considered in the 2018 General Assembly that met in St. Louis, and issues likely to come before the upcoming 2020 General Assembly in Baltimore. David Siegenthaler has a Master of Divinity degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and a PhD in Systematic and Philosophical Theology from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. He also holds a Master of Science degree in environmental resource management. Besides working for the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (and perhaps partly because he is employed by the federal government), he is interested in the pastoral, analytical, critical, prophetic, and activist calling of the church. Dates: Sunday, 5/26 A Legacy is More than Stuff: Write an Ethical Will and Pass on the Story of Who You Are Maggie Harmon Ethical wills have existed for millennia, first in the oral tradition of passing on a blessing (or a curse), sharing some of a personal history, and telling children, grandchildren, and your community what you expect of them after you are gone. Today an ethical will is an opportunity to share more of who we are than just the things we have acquired during a lifetime. In today s busy world where we communicate by text, snapchat or emoji, how do we find the time to explain who we are, what we value, and what we hope our true legacy will be? An ethical will can be attached to your financial estate plan as a way to inform final bequests with personal meaning, or can be shared with family and friends immediately as a way to more deeply connect with your core values, and to help others explore what is meaningful in their life. Join us for a workshop where you will have the opportunity to explore the values that have motivated you, your ethical relationship to your ancestors, and to write your own ethical will. At the end of the day you will have a document that will serve as a legacy statement for generations to come. Maggie Harmon serves as the Ministry Relations Officer for the Presbyterian Foundation, Southwest. Maggie s experience includes 20 years of legal practice, management consulting, and leadership coaching. She is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt. Maggie holds a BA from the University of California, Davis and a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law. She also has certification in leadership, Adult Education 6
organizational growth, and social science from Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Maggie is a member of Montclair Presbyterian Church and serves on the Beacon and Celebration committees. The Presbyterian Foundation is the stewardship arm of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. and has been managing assets for the benefit of the church for over 200 years. Date: Thursday, 5/30 Time: 5:30-9:00 p.m. Location: Family Room Class Size: 10-20 Convener: TBD Adult Education 7
Ongoing Classes The Many Faces of God Sharon Noteboom We read books to expand our understanding of our own faith tradition, as well as explore other religions and important contemporary issues. We meet most months on the first Saturday of the month from 10-11:30 a.m. in the Thornhill Room. The book chosen for each month is generally published in Contact. Sometimes the schedule may change, so if you re interested in participating and would like the most up-to-date plan for an upcoming month, please contact the convener Jean Gregory at 510.635.8838. Sharon Noteboom is a teacher, student and longtime member of our church. Dates: First Saturdays Time: 10:00 11:30 a.m. Location: Thornhill Room Class Size: 8-12 Convener: Jean Gregory Fee: None Pastor s Bible Study Ben Daniel If ever you have wanted to learn more about the Bible not just as a document used to excuse bad behavior, but as an ancient, many-layered, sometimes beautiful, sometimes-awful text made holy by centuries of the faithful who have found comfort, hope and inspiration in its pages then the Pastor s Bible Study is for you. Everyone is welcome! Date: Wednesdays Time: 12:00-1:30 p.m. Location: Thornhill Room Class Size: 8-12 Convener: N/A Fee: None Adult Education 8
Spring 2019 MPC Adult Education Class Information How do I join a class? For additional information about the offerings, please come to sign-up tables during registration at Family Hour on Sundays, December 9 and 16, or contact the convener. The church will provide childcare during classes if requested. Contact one of the Adult Education co-chairs, Rick Heller at rickheller10@gmail.com or David Siegenthaler at dsgnthlr@earthlink.net, or at either one s phone number from the MPC phone directory. Adult Education classes are open to all adults. Signing up implies a commitment to attendance, any assigned preparation, and notification to the convener when an absence will be unavoidable. What About Cost? Our classes are open to everyone. Donations benefit our work, but are not required. Outside teachers (e.g., from the seminaries) are paid for their time, and we do have a suggested donation amount to help with these costs. However, it is a suggestion and should never keep anyone from attending. How else can I be involved with Adult Education? You can contact one of the Adult Education co-chairs, Rick Heller or David Siegenthaler at the contact information above, for the following: If you would like to become a convener. If you d like to join the Adult Education committee. If you would like to lead a class, or have an idea for a class you d like to see. Adult Education 9