First Week 2011 - Core Group Topics
The time spent in small groups during the core of the day is designed to:
- Connect you with a small group which includes faculty, staff and peers.
- Introduce you to life in a seminary community.
- Envision the mission of the church and seek God’s action in the world.
- Build a foundation of resources for success in seminary
The topic of your group is only a part of your group’s discussion serving as a framework for taking up these other tasks. We expect you will learn something about your topic, but only as it provides a forum for discovery of your vocation and an opportunity for your theological voice to begin to grow.
Addiction (Group size AT CAPACITY)
Alcohol, drugs, work, sex, pornography, food, and the list grows on with addictions both great and small. No matter the addiction, things have the potential to act as gods in our lives and hinder us from living and serving in the fullness of God. As Christian public leaders, how do we meet people in brokenness and walk with people at various stages of addiction and recovery? How might we ourselves wrestle with addiction and leadership in the church? Be a part of this group to explore addictions, recovery, healthy leadership and their connections with the missional church.
Enough
The United States comprises 6% of the world's population, yet we consume 30% of the world's resources. Yet it never quite feels like enough, does it? What would ‘enough’ feel like? Can we be faithful stewards of the world’s resources and yet continue to use more than our fair share? At what point do we say 'enough is enough' and find ways to share with the poor around the globe? Join us to explore what our gospel witness says to us about stewardship and sustainability for all of creation.
indebted
How are we indebted? Credit cards, mortgages, national debt, state budget deficits, student loans. Whether we’re personally indebted or as a nation, it affects all of us. Indebted is not only a money thing, it is also about our relationships to God and to each other. In this group we will explore connections between leadership, a life of faith and the choices we make about allocation of resources for the good of all of God’s creation.
the screen
The screen is a consistent presence in our busy modern lives. Television brings the world to our homes. Laptops allow us both to work and play wirelessly. Phones and tablet computers puts the world’s knowledge at our fingertips. That is, modern life is frequently mediated by means of a number of screens that surround, entertain, inform, and connect us. In what ways do our screens connect us? In what ways do our screens sever us from one another and perhaps even from God? In what ways do screens mediate reality and shape how we view the world and faith? In what ways do screens open new possibilities and pressing challenges for the church? Ultimately, does the screen provide a glimpse into the real or artificial world?
the voice of the people (Group size AT CAPACITY)
From Madison, Wisconsin to Cairo, Egypt recent uprisings and protests have given voice to disappointment, frustration, and rage. From demands for democratic reforms to cries for labor rights, the “voice of the people” has affected great political change in recent days. Such unrest precipitates a number of important questions. Where does power reside? Who speaks for “the people?” When resources are limited, how are they allocated? How should Christian public leaders react to and participate in these calls for justice? In what ways can churches both support the rights of individuals and communities as well as bring a theological critique when necessary?
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