Winter Scripture Study

September Scripture Study: 
“THE KINGDOM OF GOD”
Mondays, Sept. 14, 21, and 28
Facilitator:  Kathy Hasty

We’ll continue our tradition of Scripture Study here at St. Joe’s, though it may look different during this time of Covid!  While we would love to meet in person, this remains challenging due to limitations on the number of persons that we can accommodate within the current restrictions.  While we are permitted to have up to 50 percent capacity at Masses with social distancing and mask-wearing, the current limit for non-liturgical meetings/gatherings is 10 persons, and only if adequate social distancing can be maintained.  We are looking at all our options, including the possibility of doing the study virtually, though that presents its own challenges as well.  Another possibility is that of creating two small groups who will receive the weekly teaching notes from Kathy by email, do the reading and study questions on their own, and then offer their thoughts/reflections each week via a group email. We will continue to assess the situation as we get closer to Sept. 14th and choose the best course of action, and all who sign up for the study will be notified of the details before Sept. 14th.

Now…what will we study this September? I’ve chosen a three week “Alive in the Word” module from Little Rock Scripture Study called “The Kingdom of God: The Essential Message of Jesus”. As we did with our recent Beatitudes study, we will break open some of Jesus’ teachings on the Kingdom of God and prayerfully ponder them together. This was such a central part of Jesus’ message, and a message He was utterly passionate about communicating to all of us.  He was constantly teaching and preaching about the Kingdom of God and showing us by His actions what the Kingdom “looks like”. So what did Jesus mean when He talked about the Kingdom of God?  What are some signs and characteristics of the Kingdom?  What do Jesus’ many parables about the Kingdom teach us?  How do we recognize the inbreaking of the Kingdom here and now, even as we wait for the Kingdom to unfold in all its fullness one day?  We’ll ponder all of this together and open ourselves further to Jesus’ transforming message about the presence, mystery, and reality of the Kingdom of God. This is a brief, 3-week module, but the content is very rich and the message so important.  You’ll need the study booklet (which you can purchase ahead of time for $5), your Bible and a small notebook.

If you’d like to join us, please ►email Kathy Hasty by Sept. 2nd. Provide your name, email address and phone number, and I will be in touch with details. Perhaps in this time of Covid-19, we’ll all find new strength and new hope in pondering the Kingdom of God together!

Yours in Christ,
Kathy Hasty, Pastoral Associate