T.S. Eliot’s Faith: the Poem of his Conversion
The Rev. Jim Blackburn, Episcopal Priest, has enjoyed the freedom that retirement has brought him to delve into T.S. Eliot’s inspirational poetry, especially his famous poem "Ash Wednesday."

March 2
"Speaking of Sin": A Fresh Look at Faith with Barbara Brown Taylor Led by The Rev. Jenni Ovenstone Smith. Not wanting to sound judgemental ourselves, many Christians prefer to avoid talking about the Lenten themes of "sin" and "judgment." Yet Barbara Brown Taylor shows us how facing and naming the many facets of sin in our lives will actually help us to claim and share more fully the forgiveness, hope and new life at the core of our faith.

March 9
The Passion Story in Art Led by Peggy (Margaret Adams) Parker, Adjunct Instructor at Virginia Theological Seminary, and Artist whose work often depicts biblical themes. Through the centuries Christians have used visual images to guide them in walking the "Way of the Cross." Passiontide images from many cultures and periods will be used as a way to meditate upon the events of Holy Week.

March 16
The Way of the Cross Christians have continually been drawn to the sacred sites in Jerusalem where Jesus underwent his arrest, trial, suffering and death. As we look at these sites, modern archeology, ancient tradition, and spiritual devotion all play a role deepening our experience of Christ’s last hours. Join The Rev. Mark Stanley in a slide show of Jerusalem’s Way of the Cross.

March 30
Living Well & Dying Well: Reflecting on the Inspirational Story of "Ivan Ilyich" written by Leo Tolstoy Led by Mr. Pepper Smith, National Endowment for the Arts. When middle-aged attorney Ivan Ilyich begins to suffer from a terminal illness, for the first time in his life he considers the inevitability of death. Join in a discussion about what makes life worth living as we examine this spiritual classic.

April 6
Invitation to Christian Community: New Testament and Theological Considerations In an individualistic society like ours, values such as interdependence, mutual belonging, and even obedience to a community might seem counter-intuitive, far less counter-cultural. The Rev. Jenni Ovenstone Smith will explore how being connected to and shaped by community is actually at the heart of who we are, not only as Christians, but as human beings created in the image of God.

April 13
Building a Healthy Christian Community While congregational life can be a source of great blessings, it can also be fraught with frustration and conflict. Using the latest scholarship on congregational dynamics, join The Rev. Mark Stanley for an exploration of healthy community life.

April 20
Civility in our Faith Community: 25 Principles for Improving Relationships and Communication Join in this discussion as participants seek to better "love our neighbors as ourselves." The Rev. Mary Luck Stanley will lead an exploration of this topic, focusing on the work presented in the book "Choosing Civility: The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct" written by P. M. Forni, Cofounder of the Johns Hopkins Civility Project.

April 27
From Lament to Praise: Reflecting on the Book of Psalms Join Dr. Rosann Catalano, Roman Catholic Scholar, Professor of Systematic Theology, Associate Director of the Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies, who has done major work on the theology of God and the poetry of suffering in the book of Psalms.

May 4
The Good Book: Who Wrote the Bible & How was It Created? We turn to this sacred book for guidance and a message of salvation. But controvery has stirred around how the Bible came to be. What texts got in? What texts were left out? And why? Looking particularly at the New Testament, join The Rev. Mark Stanley as we examine how the Bible was written.

May 11
Joe Dimaggio and Roger Clemens: A Conversation about Heroes Led by Mr. Tom Reid, Head of St. Paul’s School. After discussing heroes of yesteryear, the conversation will focus on the challenge of guiding children in finding role models in the more complex world of today.

May 18
The Forums: A Year in Review & Looking Ahead The Rev. Mary Luck Stanley will facilitate a reflection on the many Forum presentations we have had this program year, and together we will brainstorm feedback and topic ideas for the coming year. Join us for a conversation about what we learned this year, as well as what we would like to explore next fall.