Thrive Celebration: January 13 & 14, 2012 in Laguna Niguel, CA
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Additional Information for the Southern California Thrive Weekend
Jan 13 & 14, 2012 in Laguna Niguel
Who is invited?
Literally everybody. The design is to serve the interests and needs of the hundreds of adults who have so faithfully attended southern California Bible programs in the past. We also want to present a model that would make it easier to invite and attract both younger adults as well as non- Christian Scientists, many of whom have often not felt so interested in, or embraced by, the design of our Bible talks and programs. So the format for this weekend is very contemporary to include that larger audience…to (according to Isaiah 54:2) “enlarge the borders of [our] tent.”
Do I need to register ahead of time?
No you don’t. That said, getting some count of prospective attendees would be helpful – especially in that lunches need to be ordered in advance (for more on that see the lunch section below). It would be much appreciated if those planning to attend would contact the clerk of the Laguna Niguel church by either email (preferred) at clerk@cschurchln.org or by phone at 949.495.4158.
So what is happening with the Friday night concert?
The concert on Friday night features a singer who has proven very popular with adults of all ages. Alex Cook is a dedicated Christian Scientist, very active in his local branch church and institutional ministry, and the songs he writes and performs are very biblical in character.
The hope is that the Friday night event, while both inspiring and enjoyable for all attending, will also be relaxed introduction to the weekend for those less familiar with a Bible weekend and maybe a little unsure of whether they would want to come on Saturday. There are also local homes ready to provide overnight accommodations for younger folks coming from a distance and not wanting to drive home and come back Saturday morning. Please let the clerk know of this need.
Speaking of Saturday, what is going on…i.e. the daytime schedule, talk titles, and lunch arrangements?
Dick will open at 9:30 am with a multi-media overview of the theme from John 10:10 on what is involved in Thriving. Jesus reflects on this being his own purpose statement: “ My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (New Living Translation) Dick will address:
- How does the Bible define a rich and satisfying life?
- How is that relevant to life today?
- How is God involved…what blocks us from feeling Her involvement?
Dick will also feature some relevant video comments from Barry Huff throughout the day. Dick’s presentation will conclude by 10:30 am, and there will be a break.
Madelon will speak at 10:45 am and Gen Y attendees will be invited to attend a concurrent breakout with Dick in the Sunday School. In the church auditorium Madelon will give a similar talk to the one she did at the Asilomar and Cedars Bible Conferences this past summer, which received much appreciation.
Madelon’s talk title and description will be:
“The Practice of Radical Hospitality in Jesus’ Ministry.” Jesus’ most oft spoken preaching message was that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Who are to be the citizens of the Kingdom? Do all citizens have the same rights? Examples from Luke and John will explore this theme and its relationship to Jesus’ healing ministry. Mary Baker Eddy said hospitality (love of neighbor, binding up the broken-hearted) was something we had to learn if we wanted to pray successfully and to heal more effectively.
Tied to this theme, attendees coming to last spring’s Midwest Church Alive Summit, representing 22 states, were asked what they most wanted addressed regarding church at the Summit. Their answer was very emphatic and received a lot of attention and testimony: fellowship.
Madelon will speak for 75 minutes until noon.
So What’s Up With Lunch?
The Renewal Committee of the Laguna Niguel Church is providing a lunch option for all attendees. It will cost $10. A donor has offered to pay for the lunches for the “next gen” attendees under 50, others will need to pay when they come in the morning. As mentioned before, lunches need to be ordered in advance. Letting the church know of your interest in coming would be helpful. You can do this by phone or email. Both the email address and phone number, as well as directions to the church, can be found at the following link: http://cschurchln.org/ContactUs.php
The school adjacent to the church enables us to offer a special discussion opportunity for the lunch period on site (and you can bring your lunch and participate in this if you would prefer that to purchasing one). The format for lunch will have each participant sit with a different mix of people three different times and discuss questions relevant to the mornings presentations and attendees own experiences.
Lunch will go on a little longer as a result of its format…and we will reconvene for the afternoon at 2:00 pm.
What will the afternoon look like?
At 2:00 pm Dick will speak in the church auditorium, and Madelon will be with the Gen Y attendees. Dick will examine the contemporary discussions on the Bible and Christian spirituality, their relevance to our own “thriving” individually and as local churches in our community. Dick will be sharing the work of leading authors and thinkers, as well as engaging video pieces, presenting bridges over which we can contribute as well as learn. Barry Huff, via video, will also share some perspectives.
Breaking at 3:00 pm, we will return at 3:15 for Madelon’s discussion of how to go deep into the Bible (Gen Y attendees will be able to attend or stay in conversation amongst themselves; Dick will be with any of those who want to talk in the Sunday School). Madelon also gave this talk at Asilomar and Cedars in 2011 and it received a very high evaluation.
Madelon’s talk title and description will be: “Diving Deep Into a Study of Challenging Texts in Mark”
How do we unpack the meaning of a text with an understanding of what the author intended? This session will go deep into a difficult passage in Mark’s gospel and explore the type of questions we might ask of this or any text we are studying. Then we will examine the closing resurrection account of verses 16:9-20 that are in our Bible. Mark was the first gospel written, and offers a treasured window into one school of primitive Christianity. The oldest Markan scrolls end with verse 8 and do not describe resurrection appearances. How would the absence of a resurrection account impact the Markan community’s understanding of the message of Jesus and how they were to carry forward?
Madelon will host a question and answer period and we will end at 5:00 pm, with a 15 minute close with Dick.
So we do dinner on our own, then what is happening Saturday Evening?
The lead singers and arranger/keyboardist for the Living Love Band in Los Angeles will lead us in a contemporary worship experience tying together many of the themes of the day. This is another bridge building opportunity that will also add an application dimension as to how does all we have heard and discussed lead us to feel that we are thriving
- more consistently and deeply in leading a satisfying life
- rich in spiritual meaning and purpose
- with real relationships, fellowship, and authentic community
Dick will also share a brief message, with some final videos, and conduct an interview of interest with Jonathan Kidder, just back off the national tour of Peter Pan Threesixty. Jonathan will speak about his own ministry with children and bridge building work with adults.
The purpose of this closing event is to bring a very positive closure to our discussion of the theme of thriving as described in John10:10. The format provides a design familiar to many visitors to our weekend, and demonstrates the hospitality of which we will have spoken throughout the day.
What is the cost to attend?
There will be no charge for any of the program portions of the Weekend. There are, however, some very substantial costs involved in a program such as this. Bible Study Seminars would greatly appreciate tax-deductible donations to help defray these expenses and to help us continue to embrace southern California in 2013 and beyond.
We already have received some inquiry about doing some sort of Thrive activity next winter in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. The financial donations made at this event could insure that we are able to respond to the requests.
Checks may be made out to Bible Study Seminars. Payments with credit cards may be made online by clicking “donations” on the home page.
If there are any questions, please contact Dick@BibleStudySeminars.com.
