2013 Program Events

Convocation Hour

Tuesday-Thursday 9-10 a.m.
James K.A. Smith
"Desiring God's Kingdom: Ancient Wisdom for Gospel Witness in Turbulent Times"

Our gracious God is calling forth a "peculiar people" – a people who are distinguished by accents of the coming kingdom. In our morning track, we'll explore how the Spirit gives us gifts of practices and disciplines that form us as a people who desire the shalom of God's kingdom. This will be an opportunity for us to see the central role of the church in God's economy and to remember and revalue ancient practices of formation that will renew us in ministry – and that we can share with our congregations.

Bible Hour

Tuesday-Friday, 10:30-11:15 a.m.
Small Group Sessions, Tuesday-Friday, 11:15 a.m.-noon
Jerry Sittser, Karen Petersen Finch, James Edwards

"Reflections from Luke's Gospel: Jesus and the Religiously Respectable, Financially Secure, and Fashionably Skeptical."

Three Whitworth University Theology faculty will guide us through Luke's gospel, making connections between three distinct challenges to the Gospel in Jesus' ministry and similar challenges which we face today. ; Karen Petersen Finch will look at Simon the Pharisee on Tuesday, Jerry Sittser will consider the rich ruler on Wednesday, and Jim Edwards will finish the series with a look at the disciples on the way to Emmaus. By listening to Jesus' interaction with these people we will be guided into discussion concerning connections for our ministries.

Evening Worship

Monday-Thursday, 7 p.m.
Carolyn Gordon
"'You Want Me to Go Where and Do What?' Surprises on the Vocational Road"

There are all kinds of reasons why our lives take strange turns on our vocational journeys. Four characters from Scripture will guide us in our reflections on the way God calls, guides, and uses us in order to accomplish the divine mission of revealing God's love through grace and truth and reconciling the world.

Moses: From Pharaoh's Palace into the Midian Wilderness and through the Exodus into Sinai

Jeremiah: I Am Too Young to Do What You Are Asking Of Me

Mary: May It Be to Me According to Your Will: From Nazareth through Bethlehem, All the Way to Egypt

Jesus: Led By God's Spirit into the Wilderness

Communion & Commissioning Service

Friday, 10:30 a.m.
Carolyn Gordon

Workshops

Tuesday & Thursday, 3:30-5 p.m.
Karen Petersen Finch and James Edwards
Spouse-Support Workshop (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-noon)
Suzette McGonigal:

A time of sharing and encouragement for pastors' spouses. Issues include freedom to be one's self at church, the pedestal problem, a clergy spouse's sense of identity and calling to ministry, his/her relationship to members of the church, children of the pastor and spouse and their spiritual growth and congregational expectations, moving from one ministry to another, family competing for a spouse's time and energy, and a spouse's own need for support.

Discussion format. Those who choose just to listen are welcome.

McGonigal has spent many summers with spouses of people in various ministries, facilitating small-group interaction. She currently serves on the counseling staff at Whitworth.

For more information, please contact Toni Sutherland at tsutherland@whitworth.edu or 509.777.4345.