Countryside Community Church - Joy Luke Club

Sorry to those of you who may have been searching for the “Roadside Conversations” videos for Luke 1 and 2, now that we’re in the Christmas season.

Click here for the Luke 1 video.

Click here for the Luke 2 video.

The chapter in Van Blair’s commentary to read along side these chapters is in the back of the book in the “Polemic” section – the part dealing with the Virgin Birth.  Not all Luke Groups will necessarily want to spend two weeks covering Luke 1 and 2.  In that case, I’d suggest either a Christmas Party for the following week, or covering one of this other “polemic” sections, which are all interesting.

Are you busier than you need to be during the holiday season?  Advent is a time of preparation; a time for finding silent places in your day for reflection and contemplation; a time to allow quiet joy to well up from within as one re-connects with the “reason for the season.”  We’ll  be exploring some of this on Sunday with our focus on John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, in Luke 1.

We’ll also be making available hard copies of a brilliant essay by author David Duncan (who’s coming to Countryside in in April!) called “Strategic Withdrawal,” which he gave us permission to distribute to members and friends of Countryside.  I believe I would be breaking the spirit of Mr. Duncan’s generous permission to publish it for the world on this blog, but if you’re not in the Omaha area (and even if you are), I’d heartily recommend purchasing the book it’s found in: My Story as Told by Water: Confessions, Druidic Rants, Reflections, Bird-Watchings, Fish-Stalkings, Visions, Songs and Prayers Refracting Light, from Living Rivers, in the Age of the Industrial Dark (Sierra Club Books, 2002) at your local bookstore or online.  It’s a perfect remedy for over-the-top seasonal busyness!

The “God Complex” (referenced in the last post) just published the link to the radio episode today.  Find it by clicking here.