Midwest Bible Conference Sept. 16-19, 2010 at the Cedars Camps
Dear Friends,
In an era of change for individuals and society, Sunday School perspectives of the Bible learned through the lens of our childhood may often prove insufficient to the demands and oppor tunities we face (“new occasions teach new duties)”. The good news is that the activity of the inspired Word, Christ, Logos in the Bible is sufficient to guide us not only to eternal life but to a fuller, more abundant life in the often complicated and fluid circumstances of the now.
The theme of this conference is from the much-loved hymn: “I Love to Tell the Story“. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us “Be ready at any time, to tell whoever may ask, the reason for the hope that is within you.” We will be exploring how do we, today, frame a biblically grounded, Christ-centered story of our own faith journey that is meaningful, interpretative, and relevant to our lives; that communicates effectively to non-Christian Scientists; and that we love to share with each other and the public.
This conference is similar to our 32 year-old Asilomar Bible Conference. Due to its shorter length and location, we are able to offer it at about half the cost and within driving distance for many people. As the planning for this conference went forward over the last six months, Rabbi David Louis regretfully discovered that he would not be able to join us. However, we are now offering two Christian Science lectures specifically related to our conference theme, as well as two new speakers well known for helping others apply spirituality in their lives, professions, and relationships. The previously announced speakers also are offering new presentations from the ones given at Asilomar, and the Reverend Doctor Ricky Porter — always a popular presenter at Asilomar — will only be speaking at the Midwest Conference this year.
We hope we’ll see you at this very dynamic, hopeful, joyful, loving, and forward-looking gathering. Our hope is that those who attend will have an experience that will continue to nurture their study and practice long after returning home. On the following pages you can review the schedule for the conference. Registration, housing, and transpor tation questions should all be directed to Cedars Camps (www. cedarscamps.org or 417.532.6699). If you have questions about the program or speakers, please contact me directly at Dick@BibleStudySeminars.com or 314.359.5912.
For updates on Dick, please visit his Facebook page or www.highergroundforlife.com.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Thursday, September 16
4:30 p.m. Registration Opens 6:30 p.m. Dinner
7:30 – 8:40 p.m. Multi-Media Theme Presentation with Dick Davenport I Love to Tell the Story: Be ready at any time, to tell whoever may ask, the reason for the hope that is within you. 1 Peter 3:15
8:45 p.m. Bonfire and Singalong with Dwight Oyer
Friday, September 17
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:30 – 10:45 a.m. Finding Your ‘Ephesus’: Discovering Primitive Christianity Then and Now in the City Paul and John Loved with Madelon Maupin The fertile first century crossroads of Ephesus afforded and demanded of both Paul and John a restating of the faith stories which they would then share with a larger and more diverse audience than those with which they had grown up. Their students became the dominant voices of New Testament Christianity. In a similar time of watershed change and conflicting forces, where and what is the context in which we discover and share our story of faith with a hungry world?
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Finding a Prophetic Voice on Behalf of the Christian Spiritual Refugee with Reverend Doctor Ricky Porter “Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine…This is My Story, This Is My Song…” The words of this hymn encourage each of us to contribute our individual stories to the larger story and song of the Church. Unfortunately, for some, their story/song just might be so extraordinarily different that they wander, like spiritual refugees, seeking a place/home within the Church. If the Church of Christ tears down the segregated walls of discrimination to welcome the spiritual refugees, then the Church will exemplify the essential gospel message that Christ is indeed Lord of All.
12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 – 2:45 p.m. A Christian Science Lecture: Healing Through Recovering the “Old, Old Story” with Maryl Walters C.S.B., of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship Reinstating primitive Christianity is for us to hear the “old, old story” such that it touches each of us in a new, new way. We can’t live or heal on borrowed stories, great as they may be. We need to experience God ourselves to create our own story. Our roots and sacred writings can help us but not spare us that demand. What was the essence of the old story? According to the New Testament it was boldness and love. What would those qualities look like in our individual and shared stories today, and what gets in the way of realizing them?
3:00 – 4:15 p.m. Breakout One (choose one of three to attend) Madelon Maupin – Romans: Paul’s Written Story that He Dared to Tell One
Final Time
Rev. Ricky Porter – Re-discovering Jeremiah as a Prophetic Voice for the Spiritual Refugee
Maryl Walters, C.S.B. – Follow-on discussion of her Christian Science Lecture 4:15 – 4:45 p.m. Break with refreshments 4:45 – 6:00 p.m. Breakout Two (same choices, choose one) 6:30 p.m. Dinner
8:00 p.m. A Christian Science Lecture: Why I Love Jesus by Shirley Paulson, C.S., of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship Shirley will relate how the story of Jesus in the gospels and in her life convicts her to follow him. She says: “Jesus grabs hold of my life, and like Paul wrote of his journey, I lose myself in him.” Jesus’ example of loving God (his “Father”) supremely and loving his neighbors as himself calls each of us to realize our own life purpose. Let’s also consider how the gospel story profoundly influenced the youth and maturity of Mary Baker Eddy and how she desired it to qualify and define her teachings for all time.
September 16-19
Saturday, September 18
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Are We Really Ready for Change in Our Story? with Sandy Wilder The Bible is a collection of individuals, some who appear more ready than others to experience profound transformation through their encounters with God. We will explore the qualities of courage, commitment, and deep listening as they pertain to making progress and renewal. Examples will be shared as to how these qualities aid us in experiencing the transforming power of the Divine in our daily lives.
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. Women Who Followed Jesus with Shirley Paulson The Bible is strangely quiet about the women who followed Jesus, but they left little clues along their journeys that help us put the pieces of the puzzle together. In gathering those clues we’ll try to piece together their life stories. Some will emerge as courageous leaders and others will remain nameless, faithful workers. As important as their stories are, the question as to why their identities have been intentionally suppressed is equally significant. We’ll explore some surprising similarities between some of their lives and the life of a nineteenth-century woman who followed Jesus – namely, Mary Baker Eddy.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The Basin and the Towel: Salvation Stories from One Woman’s Heart… with Kate Roberston In his song, “The Basin and the Towel,” Michael Card sings, “In any ordinary place, on any ordinary day, the parable can live again…” Kate will discuss how our ordinary moments become extraordinary stories of contemporary discipleship… when shared from the heart. For healer and author, Mary Baker Eddy, her works were based on speaking “from experience,” and it is possible for the same transformative grace to be proven in the personal experience of any sincere seeker of Truth. Come explore the authority your contemporary Bible-based experiences give you to live, speak, and heal as an apostle of Christ.
12:45 p.m. Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Free time for Fellowship, Recreational Offerings, Personal Time
3:00 – 4:15 p.m. Breakout Three (choose one of four to attend) Sandy Wilder Practical Tools to Aid in Living as a Prophet and Facing Transformation
Shirley Paulson Who Hijacked the Story? Constantine, the Council of Nicea, and the Roots of Who “Owns” the Name of Christian and Who Gets Called a Heretic – Then and Now
Kate Robertson Gethsemane Love: Discovering Our Best… In the Darkness of the Garden
Helen Mathis Relating Scripture to Contemporary Life: the Bible and Homosexuality
4:15 – 4:45 p.m. Break with refreshments 4:45 – 6:00 p.m. Breakout Four (choose one) 6:30 p.m. Dinner 7:30 – 8:45 p.m. Contemporary Celebration
Sunday, September 19
8:30 a.m. Breakfast 9:30 a.m. Christian Science Service 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Closing Session and Commencement 12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. Depart or linger til 4:00 p.m. to enjoy the facilities, trails, lake and waterfront activiites
Housing Selection:
Single air conditioned room……………$325/person
Double air conditioned room ………….$275/person
Triple/Quad air conditioned room ……$225/person
Cabin with bathroom ……………………$200/person
All housing prices include meals, snacks, and activities.
Conference fee:
Registering by 7/16/10…………………….$295
Registering by 8/16/10…………………….$345
Registering after 8/16/10 …………………$395
Housing Selection and Conference Fee may be made with one payment, by check or credit card, directly through Cedars Camps.
Young people, ages 12 – 29, don’t pay the conference fee.
CedarS is a Christian Science camp located in the beautiful Ozark Hill Country. It is about 3 hours southwest of Saint Louis near the town of Lebanon, Missouri. With a variety of housing options, CedarS is increasingly hosting adult programs and conferences. Christian Science Nurses held their national meeting about the same time last year as we will be there this year. The beautiful natural setting is surpassed only by the extraordinary hospitality of the CedarS’ staff, which serves wonderful food and a host of activities through which the property may be enjoyed. We will have the opportunity to ride horses, ride the waterslide, explore the two miles of CedarS’ Crown Lake shoreline in a canoe, use the climbing wall, make jewelry, enjoy the aquatic center…and explore the new developing Bible Lands Park.
CedarS’ long commitment to Bible education is evidenced in the completion of the first phase of its scaled replica of the Bible Lands. The Sea of Galilee, Jordan River, and Dead Sea are already created with the Mediterranean Sea due for CedarS’ 50th anniversary in 2011. In this place and among the inspired, joyful, and visionary people who are joining us there — staff, speakers, musicians, and attendees — we will explore the Bible together and grow in ways that will bless us and others long after we return home.
CedarS Camps is 176 miles, or approximately a 3 hour drive from Lambert St. Louis Airport.
For more information about CedarS Camps, please visit their website at www.cedarscamps.org, or call (417) 532-6699.
REGISTER
Click the form below to download a printable PDF to register for this conference.
