Grounded in the idea that to be church is to be a force for good in the local community, participants will explore how churches of all sizes can respond to today’s social, civic, and spiritual challenges through meaningful community engagement, service, and advocacy. Participants will share their churches’ current initiatives, as well as their wishlist for future initiatives. Together, participants will consider all efforts, from the simple to the wild, and discuss practical steps to get to the work of “being church” by taking action.
The course will cover public witness, service to those in need, and faithful engagement in the public square, and then how to engage the theological foundations for action and advocacy. Two class sessions will be devoted to the specific areas where participant churches wish to proceed. During the final session, each participant will report on their action plan for the coming year.
Instructor: The Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Mae Magill
Day/Time: Mondays, 6:00pm-7:30pm CT
Dates: February 2-March 23 (no class February 16)