The Book of Acts tells the story of the Church being born as the Apostles tell the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and speak of rebirth and new life. As the message spreads beyond the walls of Jerusalem and toward the ends of the earth, this new community of Christians face questions about growth, [...]
This summer at St. Lydia’s we’ll be immersing ourselves in the Book of Acts — the “sequel” to the Gospel of Luke, in which we follow Peter, Paul, and all the disciples as they tell the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, founding the church along the way. The book is action packed (for the [...]
Emily shared this article written by Dorothy Bass on Christian community and governance as a resource for inspiration and guidance as we work towards having a governance structure of our own. The perennial Christian strategy, someone has said, is to gather the folks, break the bread, and tell the stories. It is as simple, and [...]
This Summer at St. Lydia’s, we’re reading the stories of our ancestors found in the book of Genesis. These “family stories” tell use something about who we are and where we came from. If you’re interested in learning more about Genesis, the first five books of the bible (called the Pentateuch) or the Hebrew Bible [...]
From Advent through Easter, St. Lydia’s will be exploring the Gospel of John. If you’re interested in learning more about the fourth gospel, Emily recommends the following texts: “Written That You May Believe,” an intriguing and readable introduction to the Gospel with a femenist perspective, by Sandra M. Schneiders. Raymond E. Brown reconstructs the [...]
The familiar story of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:4-3:24) is a separate narrative written in a voice different from the story we hear in chapter 1. The style of storytelling becomes folksy and colorful, God walking through the garden as if in human form. This is a second creation story, distinct from the account of [...]
Genesis 1:1-2:4 The first chapter of Genesis famously tells us the story of how God created the world in seven days. God is a distant and remote creator, speaking the world into existence out of a formless void. The narrative is concerned with ritual, formula, and order. The elements that will make up creation are [...]
During August at St. Lydia’s, we’re reading the creation accounts found in Genesis chapters 1-3. Here’s some contextual information that will help you in your reading. The bible is, in many ways, like a quilt. Spread on a bed, it’s beautiful, functional, and cohesive. But when you step closer and begin to investigate more, you’ll [...]
During the summer at Lydia’s, we’ve been reading parables. The parable of the weeds and the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30), the parable of the mustard seed (Mark 4:30-32), the parable of the fig tree (Luke 13:6-9) and the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). What are parables, and how do they work? A parable is [...]
