Faith Exploration:

Where faith intersects with the world

Class meets in person and via Zoom on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am. If you would like to join on Zoom contact the church office 913-649-0438 or worship@lcrpv.org to receive the Zoom link.

2024 - 2025 Academic Year

Sept 8 & 15
”How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen”
In an anxious culture where broken politics have turned so many hearts cold to “the other”, best-selling author David Brooks offers us a welcoming, hopeful approach to creating deep human connections. Join a discussion led by Former Bishop Roger Gustafson. The book is available through Amazon in print or e-book.

Sept 22 & 29
Fellowship with Other Denominations
What does it mean to be in fellowship with other denominations? What is a full communion partner? Led by Bob Dona we will learn more about our connections with other denominations

Oct 6 & 13
“Bad Faith” 90 min movie
A documentary exploring the rise of Christian Nationalism in the US. We will view half of the movie during class Oct 6 and finish that afternoon after worship. Oct 13 we will be led in a full discussion by Rev. Jim Brandt, Professor Emeritus St. Paul School of Theology.

Oct 20 & 27
Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative agriculture is a term that’s becoming trendy now but was scoffed at only a few years ago, and still is in many places today. It means simply to put back into the soil what was taken out during farming, not extracting nutrition and replacing it with chemical fertilizers. Lisa Stewart’s sessions will explain more about how farmers are learning how to bring put life back into soil.

Nov 10 & 17
Defining Competing Born-Again Groups
American evangelicalism is understood as a combination of 3 religious traditions: fundamentalism, evangelicalism and Pentecostalism. They aren’t all the same. Discussion led by Brian Ellefson

Dec 1 - 22
Advent studies
This season of Advent we will spend each Sunday
learning to wait and deepening our faith. Led by Sharon Johnson

Jan 5 & 12
Heretics - This American Life
The story of Rev. Carlton Pearson. The movie “Come Sunday” was based on this episode. It tells the story of Pearson’s rise in the Pentecostal church and excommunication for preaching that there was no hell.

Jan 19
Does Prayer Change Anything
Do we change? Does God change? Discussion led by Dave Western

Jan 27
Annual Meeting

Jan 26 & Feb 2
Book of Matthew
Charles Erickson will lead us in a 2 Sunday study of the Book of Matthew.

Feb 9 - Mar 2
Spiritual But Not Religious
Just what does it mean to be spiritual but not religious? Pam Western will lead us through this topic and what that may mean for organized religion.

March 9
Kansas Interfaith Action Committee
Kansas Interfaith Action is a statewide, multi–faith issue–advocacy organization that “puts faith into action” by educating, engaging and advocating on behalf of people of faith and the public regarding critical social, economic, and climate justice issues. Executive Director Rabbi Moti Rieber will join us to talk more about this organization and what their focus has become since the November election.

March 16 & 23
SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Linda Schroeder will guide us through a deep study of this well know teaching of Jesus.

April 6 & 13
MEDITATION
What is meditation? How do you meditate? Is there a right and wrong way? If you’ve ever or never tried to meditate you probably have a few questions. Julie Bartels-Smith will help us to discuss meditation together.

April 20
Easter - no class