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As George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis ignites debate, demonstrations, and violence across the country, this book offers us a chance to step back and listen to a range of perspectives and voices about race relations both in our country and our denomination.

Lenny Duncan is an ELCA Pastor in Brooklyn, and has penned what he calls “A love letter from a black preacher to the whitest denomination in the U.S.” Brash and provocative, but with great love for his denomination and God’s children and unabashedly proclaiming Scripture’s central message of grace and abundant life, Duncan’s discussion is sure to challenge our presumptions about how we read the Bible and how we live the Christian life in Chico. Pr. Ben and guests will be our discussion leaders for this series.

We’ll be having this class here on Zoom. Password: 667

You can purchase copies of this book online at , Alibris.com, Abebooks.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and other online sources. Or, call or email Joel Zimbelman by Sunday June 7 (520.9608/joelzimbelman@gmail.com) to order a copy ($14) which can be picked up at the church on Wednesday June 10.

 

Here is our schedule of readings for the Wednesday classes:

  • June 17, 7 pm “How did we get here?” Read intro and chapters 1 and 2 (through
    page 36)
  • June 24, 7 pm “Repentence, Reparations, and Reconciliation.” Reach chapters
    3-5 (through page 72)
  • July 1, 7 pm “Grace is an ever-widening circle.” Read Chapters 6-8 (through
    page 109)
  • July 8, 7 p.m “Dear Church, I love you.” Read chapters 9-11 (through page 151).

 

Questions for This Week's Book Study:

How often have you attended churches where the pastor agrees with your politics?

How do you have hard conversations with people you love?

In what ways do you need to stretch God’s tent to make room for more people in your community of faith?

Lenny says we are all ordained to do the sacred work stretching God’s tent; do you believe that? What would it take from your community of
faith to believe this?

When you hear someone call for a revolution, what do you imagine? How does that compare with what Jesus does in the gospels?

How is your faith community naming and confronting evil?

How is it possible to be political without being partisan?

Do you agree with Lenny Duncan that this is the best time to be a Christian in the past 500 years?

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