Unitarian & Free Christian Bible Discussion

 On Monday 31st July 6.30pm our discussion will be led by Rev Jim Corrigall on the theme ‘Wait for the Lord’, looking at Psalm 37 Jim writes:  The Psalms are beautiful, but can they still speak to us today? To approach this question, we'll engage with this passage as a contemplative prayer. What will this yield?  Psalm 37  By David: 1 Don’t be upset by evildoers or envious of those who do wrong, 2 for soon they will wither like grass and fade like the green in the fields. 3 Trust in Adonai, and do good; settle in the land, and feed on faithfulness. 4 Then you will delight yourself in Adonai, and he will give you your heart’s desire. 5 Commit your way to Adonai; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will make your vindication shine forth like light, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before Adonai; wait patiently till he comes. Don’t be upset by those whose way succeeds because of their wicked plans. 8 Stop being angry, put aside rage, and don’t ...

"We are Climbing Jacob's Ladder" Bible discussion on Monday 24th July 6.30pm led by Sheena Gabriel. We'll explore the well-known story in Genesis chapter 28 verses 10- 22 - Jacob’s dream of angels ascending and descending to and from heaven.  As one of the earliest recorded dreams in the bible, and the 1st of 3 revelations experienced by Jacob in the night - it represents a turning point in his long journey towards maturity. The dream also represents a shift in the way God communicates with humanity.   Following on from John’s session about Jacob’s nighttime wrestling encounter, and Rob’s session on Samuel’s call in the night, some of the questions we’ll consider include: · Does God still speak to us in night dreams? · Have you ever had a ‘big’ dream which changed the direction of your life? · Jacob’s dream contains universal, archetypal symbols found across cultures. If it were your dream, what resonance might it have in your own life? · What about angelic encounters...

 Hello Everyone, Our next discussion will be on Monday 17 July 2023 at 6.30 and will be led by Rev Alex Bradley. We will discuss the passage from the Gospels where the Sadducees, a group who did not believe in the resurrection, asked Jesus a loaded question about a woman who was married seven times in turn, to seven brothers, all of whom died one after the other. “Whose wife will she be in heaven?” they asked. Jesus’ answer is interesting: “In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven”. Whether or not people believe in an after-life, descriptions of heaven are often reflective of what they would like to see here on earth, as much as in heaven. What might this passage tell us about heaven or life on earth? (and dare one say it, our marriages and other relationships!) We will read from Matthew 22,23-33 (the parallel passages are Mark 12.18-27 and Luke 20.27-40) The Zoom details remain as follows: Join Zoom Meeting Monday 18.30 ht...

 MANNA - WHAT IS IT? Discussion for Monday 10th July 2023, at 6.30 pm, led by Bill Darlison We will consider the following passage from Exodus: 14When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16This is what the Lord has commanded: “Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.”’ 17The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. 19Then Moses said to them, ‘No one is to keep any of it until morning.’ 20However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of ...

Ya’acov and Adversary at River Jabbok Unitarian & Free Christian Bible Discussion 3 July 2023 Text Genesis 32:22-32 22 In the course of the night, Jacob arose, took the entire caravan, and crossed the ford of the Yabbok River.* 23 After Jacob had crossed with all his possessions, he returned to the camp, 24 and he was completely alone. And there, someone† wrestled with Jacob until the first light of dawn. 25 Seeing that Jacob could not be overpowered, the other struck Jacob at the socket of the hip‡, and the hip was dislocated as they wrestled. 26 Then Jacob’s contender said, “Let me go, for day is breaking.” Jacob answered, “I will not let you go until you bless me.” 27 “What is your name?” the other asked. “Jacob,” he answered. 28 The other said, “Your name will no longer be called ‘Jacob,’ or ‘Heel-Grabber,’ but ‘Israel’—’Overcomer of God’ —because you have wrestled with both God and mortals, and you have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked “Now tell me your name, I beg you.” The ot...