Readings of Mark Twain on Sunday
“Mark Twain: Conscience of a Humanist” is the topic at the Sunday service for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island.
Samuel Clemens was more than a humorist. In fact, he used his satirical style to goad folks into rethinking important issues. Born 175 years ago, his messages and humanity remain pertinent today.
This Sunday, members of UUCWI will share readings reflecting Twain’s ideas on social justice issues and religion.
There will be childcare but no religious education during August.
The service is at 10 a.m. at 20103 Highway 525, just north of Freeland. Check www.whidbey.com/uucwi for more information.
‘Thy Will Be Done’ is talk title at Unity
Rev. Patty Becker will speak on “Thy Will Be Done” this Sunday at Unity of Whidbey.
What is God’s will? How do we know when we are in alignment with it? What happens if we don’t do God’s will?
These have been questions in the minds of the pious since the beginning of religion. Join
Rev. Patty Becker as she offers some perspective in these areas and explores ways in which to know and execute the will of God in everyday life.
Musical accompaniment will be by Lynn Parr, and the platform assistant will be Donna Vanderheiden.
The service is at 10 a.m. and all are welcome.
Unity of Whidbey is located in its new chapel at 5671 Crawford Road in Langley.
Unity of Whidbey also maintains office hours at the church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Visit www.unityofwhidbeyisland.org for more information.
Pastor Wedeking gives sermon at SWCC
Feeling unimportant lately? Sunday morning at South Whidbey Community Church, Pastor Ron Wedeking will talk about Colossians 4:7-18, in which Paul names many of those who not only supported him in his ministry, but also were greatly used by God to encourage many in the early church and who were key in spreading the Gospel.
Next Sunday, Sept. 5, Ed Smyth will preach at South Whidbey Community Church. Smyth is professor of educational ministry at Seattle Pacific University’s School of Theology, and founder/director of “The Master’s Men,” a men’s discipleship program.
Morning worship begins at 10 and is preceded by an adult learning forum at 9 a.m., with Stan Walker leading an inductive study into Paul’s Letter to the Church at Ephesus and Art Angst leading a study into the Gospel of Luke.
SWCC gathers for worship each Sunday at the Deer Lagoon Grange, 5142 Bayview Road.
For further information about the church and services, call 221-1220.
Adult forum explores Christian persecution
“Christian Reactions to Persecution” is the topic at the next adult forum at St. Augustine’s in-the-Woods Episcopal Church.
In this lecture, the group will try to understand how Christians reacted to their persecution at the hands of pagan mobs and local authorities. Many Christians recanted their faith in the face of persecution, but many others stayed faithful to their beliefs. The forum will use the moving tale of the passion of Perpetua and Felicitas, and the letters of Ignatius of Antioch, to guide the group’s reflection on this particular subject. Many Christians were willing to face torture and death because of their belief in eternal life after death.
The forum starts at 9:15 a.m. Sunday; Ted Brookes will present.
The Quakers are moving to Freeland
Beginning Sunday, Sept. 5, the Whidbey Quakers are moving their meeting for worship from mornings at the Sears House in Bayview to 4 p.m. Sunday afternoons at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island, at 20103 Highway 525, north of Freeland.
The Quakers invite all those interested in experiencing their tradition of silent worship to join them in their new home. For information, call Toni Grove at 221-6748.
Greenbank church welcomes new pastor
The congregation of the Whidbey Evangelical Free Church in Greenbank will welcome Dr. David Craig as its new senior pastor in the early part of September.
The pastor, along with his wife Dana, daughter Keely and son Johnny, will begin their ministry shortly after Labor Day.
Craig comes to Whidbey Island after 13 years as a senior pastor in the San Diego, Calif. area and more than six years as a youth pastor in Cypress, Calif.
The past two years he has been involved in a Leadership Development, Consulting and Life Coaching ministry that has helped pastors, missionaries and businessmen around the world develop changes for themselves and their organizations and churches. He is licensed by the Evangelical Free Church of America.
His education includes a bachelor’s degree in biblical education from Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Ore.; a master’s in pastoral ministry from Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, Calif.; and a doctorate in pastoral leadership from Northwest Graduate School in Seattle, with a dissertation entitled “Living Vertically in a Horizontal Culture.”
His stated ministry objective is to proclaim the Glory of God in its fullness by following the example of Christ in the Power of the Holy Spirit in reaching the lost, building up the local Body of Christ and involving them in culturally penetrating ministry so as to reflect God’s glory by making and multiplying disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Father Eli to conduct classes
The Knights of Columbus are pleased to announce that Father Jude Eli, back by popular demand, will conduct a four-day instruction on Jesus: Healer and Exorcist in The Gospel of Mark.
Classes, which begin Monday, Sept. 6 and end Thursday, Sept. 9, will be conducted at St. Hubert Catholic Church, 804 Third St., Langley. Morning classes are from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and evening classes from 7 to 8:30 p.m. There is no charge for the classes, no-pre-registration is required and the public is invited.
Father Eli studied at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif. and has done sabbatical work in the areas of biblical archaeology and Judaica in Jerusalem as well as adult education and systematic theology at the American College in Leuven, Belgium.
He can be seen on Sky Angel Satellite on the Catholic program “To Tell the World.” His classes on Saint Paul will provide theological perspective in the areas of Revelation, Christology, Resurrection and Eschatology.
