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Living Faith

Current Offerings
  Lenten Journey in Prayer
  Redeemer Readers 2011-2012

Archive of Past Events

Throughout the year we offer special series and events that encourage us to discover more about how we live out our faith.  From environmental concerns to grief to social justice issues to physical wellness we are reminded to engage body, mind and spirit. 

Current Offerings

Journey in Prayer:  Seeking the Stillpoint

Do you wonder what prayer practice might be best for you at this time in your life?  Are you a regular “prayer” and want to share your experiences with others?  Or would you like to start praying on your own, but don’t quite know where to start?

Every practice of prayer is a way to become aware of the presence of God in our lives.  Different approaches appeal to different people.  All practices lead ultimately to the experience of simpler prayer, in which we are just “there” in God’s presence.

You are invited to join in a five week Lenten journey into the heart of prayer.  Each evening we will learn about, and practice, a variety of prayer methods that have been a part of Christian experience throughout the ages.  Some of the forms we will explore are:  centering prayer and mindfulness meditation, meditative reading (lectio divina), the examen of consciousness, journaling, and praying through chant and song.  In each session, there will be time for sharing our questions and reflecting upon our experiences of prayer.

Come join us on this five week spiritual pilgrimage facilitated by Grant Jahnke and Liska Stefko, beginning on Thursday, March 1 and continuing on Thursday evenings through March 29.  We’ll begin with a light supper at 6 PM for a suggested donation of $10.  The session will begin at 7 PM and will conclude at 8:15.  To register, please click here or call the church office at 416-922-4948.

Redeemer Readers 2011-2012

This year Redeemer Readers will read five books.  We will start out with The Bible: A Very Short Introduction by John Riches and follow that with Bible: The Story of the King James Version 1611-2011by Gordon Campbell.  This year marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of this translation of the bible, and so it seems fitting to read about its fascinating and influential history.

Then after Christmas, we will read The Koran: A Very Short Introduction by Michael Cook, so that we can see in what ways the holy book of one religion differs from that of another, and what they have in common.  After that Luke Timothy Johnson's book on The Creed: What Christians Believe and Why it Matters is on the agenda, since it helps to sort out just what sort of doctrines Christians have derived from their holy writings.  A lot of modern-day Christians have trouble saying the Creed, perhaps because they don't understand it, or think that modern science or biblical criticism or ancient politics has rendered much of it unbelievable.  Johnson addresses all these concerns.

And then we will conclude in the spring with Richard Rohr’s latest book, Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life, a book concerned with the importance of the “falls” in our life for our spiritual maturity.

The group will meet on five Thursdays in the Board Room at 12 noon for one hour (the perfect lunchtime break if you work in the area!).  All the books are readily available from online sources or bookshops and are reasonably priced.  If you are interested in participating in Redeemer Readers this year (we’d love to have some new members), please get in touch with Pauline Thompson (pauline.thompson@utoronto.ca).  More information on all these books – length, publishers, costs, availability – will be provided.

Archive of Past Events

All Past Events
    Environment
    Social Justice
    Grief
    Reading
    Art/Music
    Other Traditions/Outreach
    Lenten Courses on Asceticism, Atonement and Forgiveness
    Other Living Faith Events

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