Jesus the Jewish Story-Teller Hearing the Parables Anew
Sunday, March 6, 7:30-9:00PM, Sanctuary. Cost: $10 at the door GUEST SPEAKER: Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies, and Professor of Jewish Studies, Vanderbilt University Divinity School and College of Arts and Sciences.
First-century Jews knew that parables were not simple stories: they were designed to challenge, to provoke, to engage the mind as well as the heart. Join Dr. Amy-Jill Levine to learn how Jesus' stories would be understood by those who first heard them, and why recovering this understanding is important to both Christians and Jews today. Her presentation will include time for Q&A followed by a book-signing opportunity with Dr. Levine. Co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council, CTS, and St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. See page 4 for information on Dr. Levine’s March 7 presentation at CTS.
MARCH 2011
MONTHLY
COMMUNION The Jesuses I Have Known In Matthew 16 (and in Mark 8 and Luke 9), we find an important conversation between Jesus and his disciples. Jesus begins by asking them who people say that he is. The responses are varied: Some say he's a prophet, some say a teacher, some even say he's Elijah or John the Baptist come back to life. Jesus then asks them: “Who do you say that I am?” Most of them fall silent—only Peter steps forward and proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah, even though not even he fully grasps what that will mean. The question Jesus asked his apostles is an important one for us to consider as well: “Who do you say Jesus is?” If we want to answer Jesus’ question well, we need to sort through our own experiences of Jesus while at the same time acknowledging others’ experience. We need to wrestle with different perspectives on Jesus’ identity while we work to define our own perspective. We need to read not only the passages which confirm our belief in Jesus, but also those stories that challenge and stretch our conceptions. During Lent, we’ll be exploring different perspectives on Jesus. Our hope is that when that question is raised for us, we'll be able to step forward and say not just what others have reported, but how we have experienced him in our lives as well.
ASH WEDNESDAY Start your Lenten journey with a time of reflection, music and ashes on March 9 at 7PM in Robertson Chapel.
Lenten Concert Reflects on the Face of Jesus in Song & Art St. Luke’s Chancel Choir and Orchestra will present a special concert called “The Face of Christ: A Musical Portrait,” on Sunday, March 20, at 3PM in the Sanctuary. The musical selections, augmented by the art of digital visual artist Ben Yonker, will trace Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Musical selections will include classic choral favorites, including excerpts from Messiah and Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” and will also include pieces from jazz, cinema, Russian Orthodox, and gospel traditions. In addition, a special guest speaker, author Beth Booram, will give a pre-concert talk at 2:15PM about how artists have tried to capture on canvas the face of Jesus, each artist reflecting the culture and styles of his or her lifetime. Booram, a vocational minister, is the author of Picturing the Face of Jesus and The Wide Open Spaces of God. The concert will offer an opportunity to, as the psalmist reminds us, to seek the face of God, and learn how art—heard and seen—can enhance our spiritual journeys and meditative moments. The performance and pre-performance talk are free and open to the public; a free-will offering will be received.