Evening Bible Group

Evening Bible Group

The Evening Bible Group meets twice a month, usually on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. in the Fireplace Room. Our discussions are facilitated by Bill Albright, pastor and teacher at Park Avenue Congregational Church, United Church of Christ.

In our last meeting on September 10, we began a series called “Parables You Can Get Into,” as we raised the question, “What is a parable?” We noted the puzzling juxtaposition of Jesus’ frequent use of parables in his preaching [Matthew 13:34] versus his reluctance to explain their meaning to the crowds that followed him. Our discussion focused on an initial sampling, including the very short but pointed parable of “The Two Sons” [Matthew 21:28-32]; the famous story parable of “The Good Samaritan” [Luke 10:30-37]; the hilarious parable of “The Speck and the Log” [Matthew 7:3-5 and Luke 6:41-42]; the prototypical parable of “The Sower” and its allegorical meaning [Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23]; and a quick look at a “kingdom parable” called “The Mustard Seed” [Matthew 13:31-32]. Each week, participants are challenged to identify “The Greatest Parable of All.” In our next meeting on September 24, 7:30-9:30pm, we will plunge the depths of the well-known parable of “The Prodigal Son” [Luke 15:11-32], among others, for more clues in our search for The Greatest Parable.

Our meetings begin with a group check-in and prayer. After that, we spend about an hour discussing the appointed texts. All are welcome—no prior experience or knowledge is necessary. Just bring your favorite Bible (or we can loan you one), as well as an open mind, a generous heart, and listening ears, trusting the Spirit to guide our understanding. Invite a friend to come with you, for there’s room at our table for a wide variety of believers and seekers. Doubts and questions are welcome, too, with the understanding that sometimes learning to live with our questions is more important than getting easy answers. Within that context, we affirm that Bible study is an essential part of our ongoing faith formation. May the peace of God guide and bless us, each and all.

  • Recommended reading for would-be biblical scholars: John Dominic Crossan, The Power of Parable (New York: HarperOne, 2012).
  • Honors reading (also highly recommended): John Domenic Crossan, The Greatest Prayer: Rediscovering the Revolutionary Message of The Lord’s Prayer {New York: HarperOne, 2011).

Author: Mark Tuttle

Husband, father, web master