Imagine
yourself walking into a big family reunion. People stand around the room in
little groups, talking and laughing. Some are beginning to line up at a long
table filled with an incredible array of homemade food. They fill their plates,
walk to tables, and begin dining. As you look around, you see folks you simply
do not recognize. There are others that you recognize but are unable to place
with certainty of the family tree and still others who prompt you to think,
“Are you sure I’m related to them?” Inevitably, some of those in attendance
will be quite different from you. Still, as you make your way around the room,
you will get to know your family and hear their stories while at the same time,
learning something about yourself.
This
fall, all are invited to join other Cherry Hill friends for a “family reunion”
as we study our family in the faith. There are several branches on our family
tree – Methodists, Catholics, Baptists, etc. As we get to know our extended
Christian family, we may encounter some strange cousins in whose presence we
will initially feel a bit uncomfortable. We may even wonder what our connection
is to these folks. By the time our family reunion is finished, we will come to
see that we share one Creator God, one Lord and Savior, and one Holy Spirit. We
will know in a deeper way that we are family. And if we take the time to listen
to our family, we will come to know God, and ourselves a bit better.
This study group will meet at 12:00 Noon on
Wednesdays beginning September 21.
We are honored to welcome clergy from each
denomination who will share with us their history, traditions, and beliefs. We
hope that some of their members will join in the group each week. Please note
on the schedule below that some weeks we will be in Memorial Parlor or we will
visit other churches as well.
For those who wish, copies
of Adam Hamilton’s book, Christianity’s
Family Tree: What Other Christians Believe and Why are available to
purchase for $12. If you would like to purchase a copy, please contact Rev.
Mark Phillips. The book is not required for the class, but is a helpful
resource.
Please join us for any or all of our family reunion
this fall. The schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, October 5 Pentecostalism (CHPC)
Pastor
Nathan Hayes, Solid Rock Church, Dearborn
Wednesday, October 12 Anglicanism (CHPC)
Rev.
Robert Alltop, Nativity Episcopal Church, Bloomfield Hills
Wednesday, October 19 Catholicism - Father John Dudek, Church
of the Divine Child
Meet
at Divine Child: 1055 North Silvery Lane, Dearborn
Wednesday, October 26 Lutheranism - Pastor
Colleen Nieman, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Meet
at St. Paul’s: 21915 Beech Street, Dearborn
Wednesday, November 2 Methodism (CHPC) - Rev.
David Nellist, First United Methodist Church, Dearborn
Wednesday, November 9 Baptists (CHPC)
Speaker:
TBA
