Teachable Books: Free Downloadable Discussion Guides from Cokesbury Open Secrets by Richard Lischer Discussion Guide Open Secrets, by Richard Lischer (Broadway Books, copyright c2001), is a memoir of a divinity school graduate and his first ministry assignment at a small rural Lutheran church in southern Illinois. It is a portrait of ministry in a small town and how the new minister and town residents adjust to each other and together deal with the issues of life and faith as they become closer to one another. Open Secrets illustrates the struggles of a new ministry and how both the town residents and new minister are changed by the experience. Permission is granted to reproduce this discussion guide. Chapter 1 Egypt This chapter provides first impressions of the minister s new parish. 1. Share why you have selected this book to read and what you hope to learn from it. 2. Discuss his first impressions of the parish and community. 3. How was this ministry like an arranged marriage? What was good and bad about this new situation? Chapter 2 The Secret History This chapter provides his religious background and a family history. 1. What is the Secret History and why is it important? 2. Share what you have in common with the author s childhood and religious background. Open Secrets Discussion Guide / 1
3. How was Richard s faith influenced by the faith of his parents? Chapter 3 Slow Boat to Cana This chapter recalls his religious education. 1. Share your impressions of Richard s religious education. 2. What insights about God and faith did Richard discover in seminary? 3. How was Richard changed by his encounter with the Negro family? Chapter 4 The Next Thing I Knew, We Were Married This chapter details his first meeting with members of his new congregation. 1. Share a situation that amused both you and the author. 2. Share your thoughts concerning the conversation between Richard and his father about accepting the call. 3. Discuss the goodness and the madness of his installation. Chapter 5 A Week of Signs This chapter recalls his first week as pastor. 1. List some signs from his first week as a pastor. 2. Share something that you found interesting about his new congregation. 3. Name some of the routine and non-routine elements of his first week as pastor. Open Secrets Discussion Guide / 2
Chapter 6 The Real Presence This chapter recalls his meeting of the former pastor and several church members. 1. Share what you learned about Erich Martin, the former pastor. 2. Explain why The Real Presence fits well as a title for this chapter. 3. What does the author mean by Christianity is a body religion? Chapter 7 Help Me, Jesus This chapter examines his first sermons and struggles with his son s illness. 1. Why were his sermons a misfit for his audience? 2. What did Richard learn from his experience at Shiloh Church? 3. How did congregational prayer play an important role at this stage of ministry? Chapter 8 Our Best Window This chapter details the Trinity window of the church and the death of a young boy. 1. What touched you about the death of Darwin? 2. Discuss the connection between the Trinity window and the boy s death. 3. Share how you felt after reading this chapter. Chapter 9 Changing The Furniture This chapter looks at what happens when the new pastor suggests changes. 1. Give the reasons why changes were suggested, and why they were resisted. Open Secrets Discussion Guide / 3
2. What did you learn about the process of change when it comes to the church? 3. Explain the statement: A congregation lives most deeply by its symbol-bearing stories. Chapter 10 Gossiping the Gospel This chapter examines the power of gossip within the church and community. 1. Discuss the double-edged quality of gossip. 2. Describe Richard s attitude toward gossip. 3. What did you learn about gossip from reading this chapter? Chapter 11 Open Secrets This chapter is about Teri, the woman who regularly broke into the church to pray. 1. Share your feelings about Teri and her situation. 2. How were Richard and the congregation able to help Teri? What did they provide? 3. Explain why this chapter is titled Open Secrets. Chapter 12 The Scarlet Letter This chapter looks at Richard s ministry of counseling and reconciliation. 1. What role do you think that prayer should have in counseling? 2. What needs to happen in order for counseling to work? Give an example. 3. What do you think were the factors that led to reconciliation for Steve and Susan? Should they have married in the first place? Why? Open Secrets Discussion Guide / 4
Chapter 13 He Hits Me in the Stomach, so It Won t Leave Marks This chapter details Richard s attempts to minister to the Barnes family. 1. Why do you think Rose Barnes turned to her pastor for help? 2. Explain your reaction to having Seth arrested for trespassing. 3. Why do you think Seth returned to Sunday church services after his arrest? Chapter 14 Rogate and the Steel Mills This chapter examines the blessings and challenges of living off the land. 1. What do you think is the relationship between farming and faith? 2. What insights did you learn about farming from reading this chapter? 3. Share your thoughts about Leonard and June. Chapter 15 I Believe in Miracles This chapter centers on Amy, who has cerebral palsy, and a faith healer coming to the area. 1. How had Amy s patterning been a blessing to the whole community? 2. List the pros and cons of attending the Kuhlman crusade. 3. What lessons about prayer and miracles are found in this chapter? Chapter 16 The Cleansing This chapter examines the events of Christmas Eve at Cana Lutheran Church. 1. Discuss the incidents in this chapter related to cleansing. Open Secrets Discussion Guide / 5
2. List and discuss the issues and events at Cana Lutheran Church this Christmas. 3. How did reading about this Christmas remind you of a past Christmas? Chapter 17 Working the Winkel This chapter centers on Winkel, a circuit meeting of Lutheran pastors, and a private confession from Cecil. 1. Explain Winkel and how it helped Richard as a pastor. 2. What touched you about the story of Cecil and Geneva? 3. Share your thoughts on private confession. Chapter 18 Ashes, Ashes This chapter details the events related to death and funeral of Buster Toland. 1. List and discuss the role of the pastor when a death occurs within the congregation. 2. Discuss how the residents of New Cana dealt with death and funeral arrangements. 3. Relate your experience with funerals to the events of this chapter. Chapter 19 The Way it Was with Leonard and Me This chapter examines a rift in the relationship between Richard and Leonard Semanns. 1. Why does Richard say the falling out was his fault? Do you agree? Explain. 2. According to Leonard, what issues were involved? Give his viewpoint. 3. What did you learn about reconciliation from this incident between Richard and Leonard? Open Secrets Discussion Guide / 6
Chapter 20 The Summer of John and Mo This chapter looks at the issues and events during the summer of Watergate. 1. List and discuss the issues Richard and his congregation dealt with that summer. 2. Why did Watergate fascinate and captivate the residents of New Cana? 3. Share your impressions of the Key 73 evangelism efforts and its outcome. Chapter 21 The Best Way to Say Good-bye This chapter shows how a trip to a St. Louis baseball game helps Richard say good-bye. 1. Why did Richard take Max Toland to the baseball game in St. Louis? 2. Why is it often hard to accept that a pastor is leaving? 3. How was the trip to St. Louis the best way to say good-bye? Chapter 22 The Company of Pilgrims This chapter looks at the events and feelings related to Richard s departure from New Cana Lutheran Church. 1. What feelings did Richard have as he left New Cana and his congregation? 2. How was this occasion both an ending and a beginning? 3. Share your feelings about this book and what you gained by reading it. Copyright 2005 Cokesbury www.cokesbury.com/teachablebooks Permission is granted to reproduce this discussion guide. Open Secrets Discussion Guide / 7