By Holly Walker

In February, we enter the 40 days of Lent, a time of reflection as we prepare ourselves for Holy Week and Christ’s resurrection. Throughout the Lenten season, Manakin will offer a series of Wednesday evening programs to support this period of self-examination.

This year’s theme is “Going Beyond the Doors of the Church.” In today’s complex and ever-changing world, finding ways to fully live into our faith can be challenging. How do we express our faith in our workplace and in our community, while respecting the beliefs of those of other religions? How do we reconcile advances in technology and science with our faith? How do cultural influences impact the way we prioritize God in our lives? How does our faith develop throughout our lives?

During Manakin’s Lenten Program, we will explore these questions and more as we take a thought provoking look at our faith from multiple perspectives.

February 17
“Go to Love and Serve”
Speaker: Rev. Canon Fletcher Lowe

How do we incorporate our faith into all aspects in our lives? When we leave our church each Sunday, how do we continue to live into God’s Word? How do we take the gifts God has given us and utilize them in our careers, our communities and our families? Join us as Rev. Canon Fletcher Lowe helps us explores these questions and more.

February 24
“Celebrating the Richmond Area’s Diversity”
Speaker: Bill Martin, Director, The Valentine

What makes the Richmond area so diverse? How do we celebrate those differences and understand how they create a rich, vibrant community for us to live and worship in? Join us as Bill Martin,  director of The Valentine, gives us a look at our area’s incredible diversity.

March 2
“Religion and Science”
Speaker: Rev. John Kerr

What is science, and what isn’t it? How do we reconcile science with our religious beliefs? Do we have to separate them and only believe in one or the other, or can we find common ground? Join us as Rev. Kerr takes us on a journey to look at science and religion through topics such as creationism and evolution.

March 9
“Our Evolving Faith: Why Bad Things Happen to Good People”
Speaker: Rev. Peter Stimpson

Our faith can be challenged throughout our lives, especially when bad things happen, such as the death of a loved one, the diagnosis of a serious illness, the loss of a job, or the challenges caused by a financial crisis. How can God allow this? Join us as Rev. Peter Stimpson shows us how the Bible answers this question and provides us with the strength to help us cope with whatever comes our way.

March 16
“Christianity in the Broader Culture”
Speaker: Caroline Black, Canon for Formation, Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia

Our culture is ever changing. Families and individuals prioritize their time differently than they did 20 years ago. People face different demands. The internet and social media have changed how information is shared and have blurred the lines between fact and fiction.

 

Each Wednesday, we will gather in Denny Hall at 6:30 PM for a potluck dinner. Our speaker will begin his/her presentation at 7:15 PM, and the program will be wrapped up around 8 PM or shortly thereafter.

A special thank you to the members of the Lenten Program Planning Committee: John Carnwath, Birdie Lighthiser, Jeff Lighthiser and Martha Steger.