Tuesday nights at Metropolitan have become known as the time for mid-week study opportunities. Currently, we are holding DISCIPLE bible study classes – but we will be posting classes for the Fall in mid summer. To learn more about how you can grow in your faith through learning, contact Rev. Sandy Rector srector@mmumc-dc.org or call 202.363.4900 ext 19.
Connecting With Others - POSTPONED
Dialogue for the 21st Century
Led by Rev. Dr. Tony Gattis
Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m.
Please note that due to a death in Dr. Gattis’ family, the Connecting with Others course originally scheduled to begin on October 7 is being postponed. The class will be held in early 2009 instead. Be sure to watch for new announcements towards the end of this year.
Thank you – Rev. Sandy Rector.
Connecting With Others Dialogue for the 21st Century
Led by Rev. Dr. Tony Gattis
Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m. beginning October 7
The Beatles sang about “all the lonely people” in 1966. In 2000, Dr. Robert Putnam documented the collapse of American community in his work, Bowling Alone. If not us, all around us are people experiencing loneliness and varying degrees of estrangement and alienation. Even among the well-connected - people working with others every day - many report unmet needs for a mutual, collaborative understanding.
Yet, as soon as we reach out to make connection, we encounter difference, disagreement, and painful misunderstanding. Many viewpoints separate us arising from different faiths, different world views, different political commitments, and different basic values. Even our beliefs within the same denomination and in specific congregations can separate us. We experience controversy, conflict, and disagreement. We know that we live in an age of profound cultural differences, but we are not able to productively engage those differences. In this predicament, dialogue has become the buzzword (or watchword) for the 21st century. Do you know what dialogue is? Do you know when you experience it? Do you know how to practice it? Are you good at it? Frequently, exchanges are referred to as dialogue or a good dialogue when they fall far short of any working definition. It is time to know the difference?!
Join Rev. Dr. Tony Gattis for a six-week study of dialogue. He is seeking 12-20 participants interested in examining the art and practice of dialogue and how its practice at MMUMC can be expanded. There are two goals for this study. The first is to examine how each individual can understand and use dialogue more effectively in his or her own life. The second is to encourage the practice of dialogue in our congregation. While we will look at a range of options for using dialogue at MMUMC, one program will be examined more specifically: The InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington (IFCMW) provides materials for interfaith dialogues and will be organizing groups throughout 2009. This organization includes the Baha’i, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Jain, Jewish, Latter-day Saints, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Sikh, and Zoroastrian faith communities. The course is offered on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the conference room. If you have questions about the study, contact TonyGattis.
