T
he summer months provide a
terrific time for travel, family
gatherings, grilling, and spending
time outdoors. It is also a great
time to do some reading—and
an even better time to join one
of our reading groups that will be
beginning in July, which include:
Sunset Reading Group atWeed Beach
This is a five-week
summer reading group
discussing significant ideas
about faith and life that
draws on important works
of Christian writers both
past and present. The selected text each summer will be
short in length, yet significant in content.
Beginning July 20th and meeting for five consecutive
Thursdays beginning at 7:30 pm at Weed Beach, we’ll
be discussing together Marty Folsom’s:
Face to Face—
Volume One: Missing Love.
Be sure to order your copy
from your favorite book distributor before the first
meeting, or contact Marlene Moffett in the main office
for help ordering. A bookmark outlining the reading/
discussion schedule is available in the office. A link to
online registration for the reading group is available on
the NPC website under Adult Spiritual Formation.
95 Days to Reformation Reading Group
I’m not sure how much you
know about church history—
but October 31, 2017 marks
the 500th anniversary of the
posting of 95 Theses on the
door of the Castle Church
in Wittenberg, a seminal moment in Protestant history.
To mark the anniversary and to help all of us learn
more about Protestant church history, a reading group
is being formed that will read through Donald McKim's:
Reformation Questions, Reformation Answers: 95 Key
Events, People & Issues.
The group will begin reading on Saturday, July 29th--
completing one reading each day for 95-consecutive days
(readings are approximately one page in length each).
The last reading ("What does the Reformation mean for
us today?") will be scheduled for the big anniversary on
October 31st.
Unlike most reading groups, this one will not include
discussion gatherings. However, there will be the
opportunity to enjoy original online content being
developed that corresponds to the readings. To be part
of this important reading group, register online (which
you can do by visiting the NPC website and going to the
Adult Spiritual Formation page) and acquire a copy of
the book from your favorite book distributor before the
July 29th start date.
We’re Using the Bible App
For those who use smart phones,
there is an incredibly helpful Bible
app that is free to download and use
(version offered by Life.Church, also
identified as YouVersion). In addition
to providing readers with a number
of different Bible translations that
are easy to both access and read, the app also includes
reading plans and reminders to help keep you on track.
Even more, beginning this summer—you will be able
to access information about upcoming Adult Spiritual
Formation opportunities under the events section of the
app, which will include links to online registrations as well
as materials related to individual gatherings. Now that’s
pretty cool—download the app today!
Pastor Jimmy McPherson
Associate Pastor of Spiritual Formation
Adult Spiritual Formation
Jimmy’s Summer Reading List
• Marty Folsom’s,
Face to Face—Volume One: Missing Love
• Donald McKim’s,
Reformation Questions, Reformation
Answers: 95 Key Events, People & Issues.
• Emelyn Rude’s,
Tastes Like Chicken: A History of America’s
Favorite Bird
• Fleming Rutledge’s,
The Crucifixion: Understanding the
Death of Jesus Christ
(Though I might be reading this one
for a while
)
• Richard Hay’s,
Reading Backwards—Figural
Christology and the Fourfold Gospel Witness
4
