Super Wednesday
September 11-December 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Super Wednesday offers something for people of all ages, and we invite you to join us this Spring.
Activities for Children
Nursery for infants & preschoolers, Room 102, 5:30-7:30pm
Noel Choir, grades K-1st, Children’s Choir Room,
Kirsten Trachsel, 6:00pm
Covenant Choir, grades 2nd-5th, Children’s Choir Room,
Kirsten Trachsel, 6:20pm
Recreation Grades K-1st, Malicia Curran, 6:20pm
Activities for Youth
Middle School and High School
Rec Center and The Den @ 5:30pm-7:30pm
Adult Studies
Women’s Book Study
Looking for Lovely: Collecting the Moments That Matter, by Annie F. Downs
Amy Cole and Amy Fair, Library
As Christians, we are not promised lives of ease. Often it takes just a small moment of beauty to regain hope and continue on when life is chaotic and unpredictable. Only when we learn to spot the lovely in the midst of hardship can we experience the transcendent peace of God that keeps us persevering when we want to give up. Join us for a book study that examines the ordinary people of the Bible to reveal the moments they found beauty in everyday circumstances and hope in God’s timing.
Bridge for Beginners
Joyce White and Alison McStravick
Room 207/209
Want to learn how to play bridge? Want to learn and laugh together around the table playing a skill game? Learn the skills of beginners bridge. Joyce White and Alison McStravick will lead the small group made up of no more than twelve people and teach the class how to play bridge. Come and join the fun! Questions? Contact Joyce White at jfwhite0973@gmail.com or Alison McStravick at alison.mcstravick@gmail.com.
In Fellowship Hall
Sacred Spaces
Reid Ferring
Wednesday, September 11 and Wednesday, September 18
September 11 – Introduction: For many today, sacred spaces include natural features: mountains, springs, trees. And of course, people create sacred spaces: temples, monuments, shrines and tombs. Archaeology allows us to recognize ancient sacred spaces and trace their changes and distributions through time. This week we’ll explore examples of sacred spaces in the Near East and Europe, from their first appearance about 13,000 years ago.
September 18 – The diverse, rich archaeological records of New world cultures give us a ‘laboratory’ to study the character and changes in sacred spaces over the last 6,000 years. How do secret chambers in Maya temples, kivas at Anasazi Pueblos, monumental public buildings from Mexico to the Mississippi compare to spaces we saw in the Old World? Sacred spaces were made for individuals, families, clans, cities and even empires, providing us with food to discuss the scale and importance given to sacred spaces today.
Sacred Space Around the World: Religious Architecture in the Abrahamic Religions”
Elizabeth Ranieri
Wednesday, September 25
The study of Sacred Space involves the study of rituals, traditions, sacred texts, and people. Theorists of Sacred Space seek out the many commonalities between different religious traditions. In studying the architectural traditions of the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) during this session, we will explore a number of elements that they share.
Elizabeth Ranieri, PhD, is a Clinical Assistant Professor in UNT’s New College and an affiliate professor of Art History. She has lived, worked, and studied in Italy. Her research interests include the Art and Architecture of the Italian Renaissance and Baroque and Sacred Space.
“Early Christian Sacred Spaces: The Pantheon and the Politics of Religion in Imperial Rome”
Neville McFerrin
Wednesday, October 2
For emperors from Augustus to Hadrian, religion and religious spaces served as powerful tools to connect with the wider populace of Rome and to promote imperial agendas. Such concerns are especially evident through the construction and articulation of space in the Pantheon. This temple was once a site of controversy, as emperors and their agents confronted the limits of earthly power. This talk explores the history of the structure, contextualizing its construction to consider the ways in which achievements in engineering, and innovations in the articulation of religious space helped Roman leaders to consolidate power, even as they venerated the gods who supported them.
Neville McFerrin, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Art History in UNT’s College of Visual Art and Design. She is an archaeologist and art historian specializing in the ancient Mediterranean region. Her current work focuses on the visual and material culture of the sites of Pompeii and Persepolis.
Early Christian Sacred Spaces: The Re-Imagination of the Roman Basilica
Neville McFerrin
Wednesday, October 9
In the early 4th century CE, the basilica, a key Roman building type, underwent an innovative reimagination, one that leveraged its ties to community to create a space for Christianity. While the earliest Christian communities practiced without dedicated structures, due to the contentious and often perilous relationship between the religion and the power structures of the Roman Empire, in 313 CE, with the passage of the Edict of Milan, Christianity had the opportunity to craft spaces to reinforce and to build their communities. This talk considers how and why the basilica evolved to face this challenge under the emperor.
Fall Festival of Faith: Becoming Articulate with God
Lance Pape
Wednesday, October 16
The psalms model a most surprising spirituality—one that dares to talk back to God with boldness, creativity, and perfect candor. Whether pushing past gratitude to exuberant praise, or delving beneath petition to the depths of lament, these prayer-poems take human language to the very limit, and invite us to do the same. Join us as we explore the spirituality of the psalms, and develop our own capacity for such daring talk.
Lance Pape is the Granville and Erline Walker Associate Professor of Homiletics at Brite Divinity School, associated with Texas Christian University.
“Sacred Spaces of Denton”
Annetta Ramsey and Randy Hunt
Wednesday, October 23 and Wednesday, October 30
Longtime Denton residents Annetta Ramsay and Randy Hunt will explore Denton’s sacred spaces with a special emphasis on how these spaces are part of Denton’s history. Ramsay has written about Denton history. Hunt is the President of Historic Denton. As a team, they focus on preserving Denton’s history. Come join us for an exploration of how Denton’s past still connects us.
“Sacred Spaces of Heaven: Shedding Light on the Expanding Universe”
Ohad Shemmer
Wednesday, November 6
Ever since the 1929 discovery that the universe is expanding, astronomers have encountered several paradigm shifts in their quest to understand its origin and predict its fate. This session will focus on recent developments in modern cosmology, including the various ways astronomers are attempting to unlock the secrets that the universe holds.
Ohad Shemmer, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at UNT. His areas of research interest include astronomy, black hole mass, accretion rate, and metal abundances in active galactic nuclei.
“The Sacred Sanctuary of St. Andrew”
Malcolm Matthews
Wednesday, November 13
Malcolm Matthews holds a Doctoral Degree in Organ Performance from the Eastman School of Music. He is one of only four organists to ever be awarded the prestigious Artist’s Certificate in Eastman’s 100-year history. Previously, Matthews taught organ and harpsichord at the Blair School of Music while simultaneously serving as Associate Organist and Choirmaster at Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of Organ and Harpsichord at the University of North Texas (UNT). Matthews particularly enjoys collaborative work and frequently accompanies both ensembles and soloists across a wide range of repertoire.
Advent Adventure
Wednesday, December 4
Come and make crafts, play games, decorate and eat a manger scene, and enjoy being with the entire church family. Friends are welcome! Dinner at 5:30pm at Super Wednesday prices!
Progressive Pilgrimage: The Travels of Paul
Eric Doss
Wednesday, December 11
The 12-day pilgrimage traces the footsteps of Paul across Greece, including the well-preserved ruins of Ephesus, Philippi, Thessaloniki, Berea, and more. Enroute to Athens, enjoy time in the scenic Meteora region, with its Byzantine monasteries. In Athens and nearby Corinth you’ll take in some of the world’s most ancient and fascinating historical sites, such as the Acropolis, Roman Forum, and Mars Hill, and ancient Corinth. The pilgrimage concludes with a 3-night cruise including Mykonos, Patmos, Crete, and Santorini.