This Adult Education is the public page and is available to everyone. There is another Adult Ed page in the Members Only section containing items intended (for various reasons) for WN members & adherents only — and is password protected.
January 2024
Peaceful Practices Curriculum: A guide to healthy communication in conflict
January 2023 Healthy Relationship Series
Resource List for the Healthy Relationships Series
November 13, 2022
Faith Forged in Disorientation
March 20th to April 10th — Death and Dying
During this Lenten season of letting go and spiritual transformation, you are invited to join a four-week Adult Education series on Death and Dying.
Bibliography: Resources on Grief, Death, Dying, and Life After Death
April 10, 2022: On this final Sunday of the series, we will reflect on our continued love and connection with those we love who have died. A reading from Finding Meaning, Chapter 14: Grieving to Believing, by David Kessler, will be referenced. Click here for reading.
April 3, 2022: This Sunday we will be reflecting on a reading from Finding Meaning, Chapter 2: Grief Must Be Witnessed, by David Kessler. Together we will explore ways in which we seek to make meaning in the midst of our suffering and grief. Click here for the reading.
March 27, 2022: Session 1 will include a panel reflection on dying and spiritual transformation, using a reading from The Grace in Dying by Kathleen Dowling Singh (chapter 1: Living, Dying and Transformation). Greg Cressman will join us for Session 2 to share his experience as a hospice nurse and create space to reflect on how we walk with those we love through this time of transformation. Click here for the reading.
February 6 and 13, 2022 — “In God We Trust”: Let’s Talk Money
Physical and financial security, consumption, generosity, investing, planning, giving and sharing are all part of daily modern life in our faith community. Our culture may perpetuate basic myths:
- There is never enough
- More is better
- This is the way it is
As a Christian faith community, talking and thinking about money may bring up various emotions – judgment, guilt, anxiety, contentment or uncertainty. In this two part series, we want to reflect on our relationships with money, our faith values, and examine the alignment, the disconnects, and the opportunities for deeper spiritual and personal growth.
These sessions will include story-telling and small group discussion and conversation.
Richard Rohr’s series on the topic is a great introductory piece to reflect on Money and Soul — Center for Action and Contemplation (cac.org) The daily postings in this series are rich — like the following ones We Cannot Serve Two Masters — Center for Action and Contemplation (cac.org) and The Power of Money — Center for Action and Contemplation (cac.org). Everyone is welcome!
Additional Resources: 2022.02.13 Let’s Talk Money 2022.02.20 Additional Resources Lets Talk Money
November 14 and 21, 2021 — Intellectual Virtues led by Elmer Thiessen
This series is a continuation of the 2-part series Elmer gave two years ago, dealing with the cultivation of virtues of the mind. In the first series he dealt with the intellectual virtues of open-mindedness and the love of truth. The current short series will focus on two other virtues: (a) intellectual humility; (b) intellectual forbearance or intellectual fairness or intellectual courage – the class will choose one of these. An attempt will be made to clarify the meaning of each of these virtues, and also to explore their practical implications for us as individuals and the church. A questionnaire for self-examination will be provided for each class.
- Click here for the November 14 questionnaire
October 24, 31 and November 7 — Presentations by WNMC Truth and Reconciliation Action Group. Click here.
May 9, 2021
May 2, 2021 – Hope in a Time of Global Pandemic – presented by Chris Derksen Hiebert
January 2021 – Whole and broken: Being human Resources from our series on mental health
June 7, 2020 – Conversations about Racism Resource List
In the Pandemic
- Week of April 5, 2020 (from the Adult Education Committee):
- Week of March 22, 2020 (from the Senior Connections Committee):
- Lamentation for a Time of Crisis – by Richard Rohr
- Love Alone Overcomes Fear – by Richard Rohr
- A prayer for lockdown Lockdown – by Franciscan Brother Richard Hendrick
- Video link: Oasis Chorale sings “We are never alone”
- Video link: Taize song “In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful”
- Video link: N.T. Wright on the atonement
Walking the Reconciliation Path. Input and table discussion regarding the history, current state and potential futures for Indigenous – Settler reconciliation in Canada.
- March 1 – Turtle Island pre-1492 / Doctrine of Discovery / Assimilation / Land / Treaties Discussion Questions
- March 8 – A Case Study in Systemic Oppression: White Privilege
- March 15 – The Haldimand Tract
- Resources for Further Study
Healthy Relationships: Understanding Gender
January 19 we begin a four-week series on Healthy relationships: Understanding Gender. During these weeks the whole church will be attending to ways we nurture healthy relationships. Children will be doing Circle of Grace and youth will join do a combination of joining the adults and having their own discussions. The following are some related resources: http://www.commonword.ca/go/1893
January 19: What does it mean to be male today? Exploring New Corners: Let’s Talk Dude. Join us for some conversation and wisdom exchange about how healthy manhood and concepts of masculinity can shape a healthy future and be part of a gender-based violence-reduction plan, as well as how we exist within the church as male allies. Led by Liz Pfisterer. Listening Committee Notes from Note Taker 1 and Note Taker 2.
January 26: What does it mean to be female today? Panel and small group discussion. Note Taker 1 and Note Taker 2
February 2: What does it mean to be non-binary today? Facilitator Cedar Klassen. Cedar’s Presentation Slides Note Taker 1
February 9: Integrating our understandings of gender into our life together. Facilitated by Tamara Shantz, pastor with Pastors In Exile (PiE). Tamara’s Presentation Slides, Note Taker 1