Lent in the Sunday Forum
Looking within and learning from without
Sundays at 10:10 a.m. in the fellowship hall | no registration needed
The Sunday Forum at St. Stephen’s Church will strike an important balance in the coming weeks. During the season of Lent, we are urged to look inward in search of personal healing and spiritual growth. In order to look closely within ourselves, we must look outward to see the world with renewed hope.
Our forum series for Lent begins on February 18 with a panel discussion by our clergy. Extending recent presentations on spiritual practices, the focus on spirituality turns to Lent. We will explain the meaning of this season and its unique dimensions for worship. We will address the familiar theme of giving up something as Lenten discipline. In short, our clergy will explain the place of Lent in our faith formation.
Then, for three Sundays, the Forum will consider the state of the Holy Land today and the implications for interfaith relations in Richmond.
On February 25, two long-standing friends of St. Stephen’s, Rabbi Michael Knopf and Dr. Imad Damaj, will describe Jewish and Muslim views of conflict in the Middle East and the impact of conflict on their faith communities here.
On March 3, Richard Sewell, Dean of St. George’s College, Jerusalem, will appear by video to describe the Church’s life in the midst of conflict. St. George’s is an international center of the Anglican Church that welcomes people from around the world for short-term study programs and pilgrimages. A priest of the Church of England with long experience in the Holy Land, Richard will also describe the challenges of living in Jerusalem at this time.
On March 10, Marvin Daniel will speak about life in Israel now, in the throes of war. A Presbyterian leader, Marvin also is active in the Jewish community in Richmond. Recently Marvin joined a fact-finding delegation to Israel and shortly after speaking at our Forum he will visit Israel again. Marvin will shed timely and unique perspective on faith communities under profound stress.
On March 17, we conclude our Lenten series much as we began: a panel of our clergy will draw the themes of Lent together as we approach Palm Sunday and Easter. We will have heard from Jewish and Muslim speakers. We will have gotten glimpses of people of faith in the midst of war. As we approach Holy Week and Easter, Muslims will have begun their season of Ramadan and Jews will be nearing Passover. Our clergy will summarize the Lenten experience in terms of affirming our Christian faith while respecting people of other faiths.