Our church is offering a Lenten Bible Study – The Book of Mark. We offer two opportunities to read and discuss what you’ve read: Online: ZOOM format on Wednesday evenings beginning at 7:00 p.m. In Person: In the church lounge on Sunday mornings between services – 9:00 am to 9:55 am. Both studies are led by Lucina Hallagan.

Please contact the church office if you wish to attend the ZOOM discussion group: NewarkFUMC@gmail.com or call (315) 331-3895

MORE INFORMATION FROM LUCINA (added on 2/8/2021):

Book of Mark Lenten Journey
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17th and continues for 6 weeks ending on Easter Sunday, April 4th. This year we will read through the entire Gospel of Mark as we journey through Lent together. There will be two opportunities for group sharing and discussion of our reading.
• Wednesday evenings via ZOOM beginning February 24th at 7:00 pm
• Sunday mornings “in person” in the church lounge at 9:00 am (between the 2 services)
Eugene Peterson in his introduction to the Gospel of Mark says this:
“Mark wastes no time in getting down to business – a single-sentence introduction, and not a digression to be found from beginning to end. An event has taken place that radically changes the way we look at and experience the world, and he can’t wait to tell us about it. There’s an air of breathless excitement in nearly every sentence he writes. The sooner we get the message, the better off we’ll be, for the message is good, incredibly good: God is here, and he’s on our side.
The bare announcement that God exists doesn’t particularly qualify as news. Most people in most centuries have believed in the existence of God or gods. It may well be, in fact that human beings in aggregate and throughout the centuries have given more attention and concern to divinity than to all their other concerns put together – food, housing, clothing, pleasure, work, family, whatever.
But that God is here right now, and on our side, actively seeking to help us in the way we most need help – this qualifies as news. For, common as Belief in God is, there is also an enormous amount of guesswork and gossip surrounding the subject, which results in runaway superstition, anxiety, and exploitation. So Mark, understandably, is in a hurry to tell us what happened in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus – the Event that reveals the truth of God to us, so that we can live in reality and not illusion.
He doesn’t want us to waste a minute of these precious lives of ours ignorant of this most practical of all matters – that God is passionate to save us.”
Peterson, E. (2003). The Message. Navpress
Week 1 (2/21 & 2/24): Chapters 1 – 3
Week 2 (2/28 & 3/3): Chapters 4 – 6
Week 3 (3/7 & 3/10): Chapters 7 – 9
Week 4 (3/14 & 3/17): Chapters 10 – 12
Week 5 (3/21 & 3/24): Chapters 13 – 14
Week 6 (3/28 & 3/31): Chapters 15 – 16
Please use an easy to read modern translation of the bible for this study – I recommend the CEB (Common English Bible), the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) or the NIV (New International Version). For an even more modern translation choose The Message which is translated into modern language. If you do not have a good bible but have a smart phone, tablet or computer I recommend downloading either the BibleGateway App or the YouVersion Bible App. Either one lets you choose a translation and you can easily read the chapters you select. Let me know if you need some help with either of these apps.
This journey will be an informal discussion group where we can read, question and discuss the scripture. We will learn from each other. You do not need to be familiar with the bible or the readings ahead of time. Just read the scripture and bring your thoughts, questions and observations to the discussion group. It’s as simple as that.
I’m looking forward to learning along side of you. Please let the church office know which study you would like to join. If joining the ZOOM meeting on Wednesday’s, please make sure we have your email so I can send you the meeting link.
Lucina