Speaking of Sin: A Lenten Conversation
This page is for the Lenten Class, Speaking of Sin which met on Wednesday nights at the church and online at 6:30 PM in 2024.
Updates for the gatherings, including resources and links will be found here.
All of our classes will be hybrid - meaning it meets in person and on Zoom. A Zoom link is below. It will also go out in St. Paul’s Weekly News…but it’s the same link week to week.
For in person folks, there will be refreshments! And, yes, I am taking orders for tasty snacks. At the moment, we will have some apples, Cuties, nuts, crackers & cheese, grapes, fizzy waters, and…because it’s Lent and temptation is never too far away, a couple of tempting foods like M&Ms and Pretzels. :) But, if there is something you would like to have as a good conversation snack, by all means, let me know on our Discord channel.
Click here if you plan to join us by Zoom. You can join as early as 6PM each Wednesday evening. We will start at 6:30PM and end at 8PM. We’ll keep the meeting on in case folks on Zoom have any questions. See the full meeting invitation at the bottom of this email, but you shouldn’t need it.
You can join the ongoing conversation now by downloading the Discord app on your phone. You can find the #speakingofsin conversation HERE or below. Then click the purple button that says “Accept Invite.”
We invite you to tell us about the word or words that are a sticking point for you. The conversation is just starting and will grow over time. Join in anytime!
If you are interested in reading the book Speaking of Sin: The Lost Language of Salvation by Barbara Brown Taylor, you can find it on Amazon. Reading the book is not a prerequisite for the attending the class, but it is a fabulous little book and an easy, short read. I will refer at times to other resources and people. When I do, I will try to have a link on this page so you can go check it out.
Class One Notes
During our first class on February 21, as we were discussing the word sin, I said I would post some things to look at. One of those things was a page from the Anglican Communion’s website on “Doctrine.” I am not suggesting that because we have a few words from a website that they are the official definition of sin - or anything else - but I find it interesting the way sin is defined. And you don’t have to read far on the website to find it – it’s on the second line (if you are viewing from a computer). In my personal estimation, the definition of sin found there is incomplete. Yes, it defines sin as a rejection of God – meh, o.k. – but that seems too simple and easy of a definition. Those are my thoughts. You can respond to that or post a thought on Discord.
Some Questions you may have:
What should I bring/have on hand?
We will do some journaling and you may want to take some notes, so bring/have whatever you need for that. Nobody will judge you for using your phone for notes…I take notes on my phone all the time.
Will the classes be recorded?
Yes, and no. The short sections of the class that are instructional will be recorded, and you can come view those yourself or share them with whomever you like. I will lay out some ideas and intentions and we will record that part. But, we will not record the parts where individuals are sharing about their experiences. I am not in favor of recording - for all time - those kinds of shares. The space we create should feel safe and be conducive to our developing understandings. Not only that, some of the words we may talk about could have some sensitive, negative associations for some folks. We aren’t interested in airing that kind of thing.
May I invite a friend to join the conversation?
Absolutely! Although this webpage that you are reading is not “public,” you are free to share it with trusted friends and family, and they are welcome to join the conversation, even our ongoing one on Discord. One note of caution: I don’t think I would “invite” someone into the conversation “because they need to hear it,” especially if you feel like their understanding of sin needs a 21st Century remodel. But, for someone who you think might like to engage in an open and continuing conversation of how sin (and other churchy words) play out in our lives and communities and how we might reimagine conversations about those words to help foster and create a more authentic and open community of faith, then please invite them!
What are the Ground Rules for our conversation?
Aah, yes. There should be some ground rules so we don’t run amuck and revel (a biblical word) in the streets. I am not interested in bonding over the religious thinkers we do not particularly care for. I have a list, but I will not share! Social scientists call that “Identity Fusion.” Basically, it’s gossip, and it’s unfair because they aren’t in the room and, it’s not constructive to our own transformation. So a ground rule I would like for us to adopt is “We don’t talk about other people, communities, or traditions in any disparaging way.” Yes, you can say “I like so-n-so’s thoughts on what-evs.” That type of comment is totally generative. More ground rules will be added, for sure. I may even create a whole Ground Rule section.