Annual Conference Sunday School

Last Sunday, I taught Sunday school at Annual Conference.  I've taught it for several years now.  I've noticed a few things:

• It starts at 8:00 a.m., prior to the 9:30 start of the Commissioning/Ordination service.  After a long few days of Annual Conference, I think it takes a special person to come to Sunday school at 8:00.  I'm grateful that some people do, and that some of the class has been there every year I've taught.  It's a habit for them.
• We use the Adult Bible Study curriculum.  There are those who don't want to miss that - they do it every Sunday at their home church, and this keeps them connected when they are away.
• I'm excited by how active the discussions are.  I plan a full lesson, but it is made so much better by the discussion.
• I've noticed that the people who come to Sunday school at Annual Conference probably have a more traditional faith than I do.  They have a strong faith (I hope I do, too), but I doubt we agree on most things of faith.  That said, I love teaching this class because I make it a point to teach from my own faith in a way that honors theirs. It really keeps me on my toes, and is a wonderful challenge.
• In times of division, it would seem  that this class would demonstrate the evidence of this division.  It is a real example of how we can get along with each other, honor each other, and make space for God's grace among us.  For the past couple of years, it has been a real oasis of what the spirit can do among us.  

 

Teach the Story

 Have you read Psalm 78 recently? Psalm 78:1-7 is one of the lectionary readings for November 12 of this year (Year A).

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.  I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us.

We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

He established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children; that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.

As I'm writing this post (I write ahead of the blog), it is the Friday before the celebration of All Saints Day in our church.  I think of the people who are no longer with us who were my teachers, and I am grateful for them.

This part of Psalm 78 was written "as a summons to teach the story of God's saving deeds to the next generation " (Note from The New Interpreter's Study Bible).  I love how it starts: listen, I will tell you a story....

Who were your teachers? As we approach Thanksgiving, for whom are you thankful? How will you follow the command of the Psalm to tell the coming generation of the glorious deeds of the Lord?

Context

As I've mentioned before, I am reading Short Stories by Jesus, written by Amy-Jill Levine.  I did read the entire Introduction, although I was impatientto get to the chapters.  I'm glad I did.  Here are three great quotes about context:

• "...a text without a context is just a pretext for making it say anything one wants."
• "In order better to hear the parables in their original contexts and so to determine what is normal and what is absurd, what is conventional and what is unexpected, we need to do the history."
• "If we get the context wrong, we'll get Jesus wrong as well.  The parables are open-ended in that interpretation will take pace in every act of reading, but they are also historicallly specific.  When the historical context goes missing or we get it wrong, the parables become open to problematic and sometimes abusive readings."

Reading scripture carries responsibility with it, especially if we are teaching or preaching.  We have to take that seriously and do our homework.