“THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD”
Making Meaning –
The Intersections of Faith in Today’s World.
Over the coming year, LST will be offering classes centered on the ways our faith helps us to make meaning of the world around us. Especially in times that feel tumultuous and unsettled, we turn again to our scripture and theology that is rooted in God’s love and brings about wholeness and life that really is life.
We are guided by questions like: how do we make spiritual and theological meaning of what is happening around us; how do we understand a world that often feels chaotic and unstable; how is God yet at work among us bringing restoration and new life?
The year begins with a biblical studies class on the Hebrew Bible, probing the intricate connections between Israel’s story and Israel’s theology, with an eye toward how each is critical for interpreting both Hebrew and Christian scriptures and theology today.
In partnership with Crossings we are offering a course entitled “Hearing A Good Sermon Even If One Might Not Be Preached” This course will introduce “The Crossings Method” as a tool for the theological interpretation of Scripture so that course participants will not only be able to preach the Gospel but also know how to hear the Gospel, even when it is not preached.
Registration is now open for a course on Worship in conjunction with Central/Southern Illinois Synod. The mechanics of worship preparation will be taught as arising from the context of the meaning and purpose of worship.
Please check back here often for information on additional theological and biblical courses that enhance our meaning-making in 2022 as the year unfolds.
If you would like to receive occasional emails with information on classes as they are added, let us know at lststlinfo@gmail.com.
Upcoming Classes:
Hope: A Lens for Living Now, And For The Future
Hope: A Lens for Living Now, And For The Future With: Rev. Kristin Johnston Largen, Ph.D Thursday: 5/26 9:00am – 2:00pm CST Hope: A Lens for Living Now, And For The Futurewith the Rev. Kristin Johnston Largen, Ph.D., President of Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. In-person only; there is no zoom option REGISTER NOW
An Evening of Poetry with Christopher Kempf
An Evening of Poetrywith Christopher Kempf Monday 5/2: 7:00pm Online via Zoom An Evening of Poetry with Christopher Kempf REGISTER NOW LST invites you to a poetry reading and discussion as part of our 2022 focus on Making Meaning. We are honored to welcome Dr. Christopher Kempf to lead us on Monday, May 2 at
What is worship?
What is worship? Why do we worship? How do I plan and lead worship? If these are your questions, this is the class for you. SATURDAYS: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm 4/2, 4/9, 4/23, 5/14, 5/28 Online via Zoom SPRING 2022: INTRODUCTION TO LUTHERAN WORSHIP Presented by Lutheran School of Theology and Central/Southern Illinois Synod
Hearing A Good Sermon Even If One Might Not Be Preached
Hearing A Good Sermon Even If One Might Not Be Preached (Principles from The Crossings Method to Help Preachers and Listeners) THURSDAYS: 3/10, 3/17, 3/24, 3/31, 4/7 7:00 PM – 8:30pm CST Hearing A Good Sermon Even If One Might Not Be Preached: (Principles from The Crossings Method to Help Preachers and Listeners) Registration: $75
UNDERSTANDING THE HEBREW BIBLE
UNDERSTANDING THE HEBREW BIBLE Instructor: Rev. Dr. Fred Niedner Saturdays: 1/8, 1/22, 2/5, 2/19, 3/5, 3/19 9:00 am – 12:00 pm CST UNDERSTANDING THE HEBREW BIBLEInstructor: Rev. Dr. Fred Niedner Registration: $75 to audit REGISTER NOW Registration: $150 to meet PMA requirements. REGISTER NOW Rev. Dr. Niedner taught biblical studies in Valparaiso University’s Department of
Video Class Available Now:
Lament and Sustenance Registration
Lament and Sustenance in the COVID-19 Wilderness series REGISTER NOW The video series we present here for use by individuals or study groups is of timeless value. It was originally titled Lament and Sustenance in the COVID-19 Wilderness and offered in June 2020.While there will be some references to this disastrous pandemic, the teaching provided
Previous Classes 2021:
Caring for Creation as a Christian Calling
PM-92 Saturday, January 16, 2021, 9:00 – 11:00 AM CST by Zoom Environmental writer and activist Bill McKibben concludes that “environmental devastation stands as the single great crisis of our time, surpassing and encompassing all others” (The Comforting Whirlwind: God, Job, and the Scale of Creation, p. 15). After reminding ourselves of the major dimensions
“I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food”
2021“I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food” (Matthew 25:35): Addressing Hunger and Food Insecurity in the USA and the World, taught by Dr. Clint McCann. Hunger and food insecurity continue to be issues facing the world, including the USA. Even though there is enough food for the entire human population, nearly 700 million people
Jesus and the Gospels
Jesus and the Gospels, taught by Dr. Fred Niedner The early Christians took four “gospels” that tell Jesus’ story into their canon and almost immediately struggled with “harmonizing” them. Still today, some attempt to force these four voices into a single melodic line of the sort some of us remember hearing read every year during
Stand Your Ground Bible Study
Stand Your Ground Bible Study – An Introduction to Womanist Theology Registration Closed This study is an introduction to Womanist theology, a way of understanding God and the Bible from the experiences of Black women in the United States. We will discuss this theological movement’s origins, its commitments to justice for Black women (as well
Faith in Public Life
Womanist Musings on Faith, Democracy and #BlackLivesMatter for the Church Taught by Dr Linda Thomas, Full Professor of Theology and Anthropology via Zoom. REGISTER NOW Dr. Thomas will make presentations on three topics of interest in our Public Church series: October 23 Faith and Democracy November 6 Black Embodiment Over and Against White Supremacy November
Lutheran Confessions
Lutheran Confessions Taught by Dr. Chris Repp, Pastor, Grace Lutheran Church in Champaign, IL Registration: $75 to audit REGISTER NOW Registration: $150 to meet PMA or SAM requirements. REGISTER NOW What we believe about God affects how we talk about God. How we talk about God determines whether we proclaim the gospel or some other
Previous Classes 2020:
Lutheran Confessions – Dr. Robert Kolb
Christian Decision-Making in the Digital Age – Rev. Amy Zeittlow
Wrestling with the Old Testament Texts (Ordinary Time) –Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker
Lament and Sustenance in the COVID-19 Wilderness –Dr. Fred Niedner
Church History: The Story of Christianity –Dr. Chris Repp (co-sponsored w/Central
Southern Illinois Synod)
Themes in the Gospel of Mark – Dr. Mark Allen Powell
