Happenstance
Happenstance and Bible Study Fellowship
Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson
At the beginning of summer, Judith invited me to lunch.
About 45-minutes into our conversation over burgers on Frisco’s Main Street, Judith revealed that she holds a doctorate in theology, has taught theology at the Master’s level, and is so smart I would have gladly sat there for the rest of the afternoon just to hear what she had to say.
This happens quite often.
Since I began writing this column I frequently receive an email from someone and we end up meeting for coffee. And in my journey to write about Summit County churches, I meet the pastor the for a quick meal.
For instance, during my coffee with Charlie Brumbaugh, pastor at St. John’s Episcopal Church and then attending his homily later that week, I discovered he not only has an impressive knowledge of theology, but also American history, and a love of contemporary music, all of which were woven together into a sermon I still remember.
With each meeting, I discover how rich our community is in dedicated church leaders and lay-people who love their faith and take seriously the job of educating themselves. I also discover just how much I still have to learn. And that’s exactly the way it should be, our faith journey should be one of life-long learning.
Then there’s happenstance, also known by that magical word: synchronicity.
Three weeks ago, Father Joe gave an inspiring homily during Saturday evening Mass at Saint Mary’s. I can’t remember what it was about except this: afterward, I stopped to tell him how much I enjoyed it and shared that my stumbling block has always been trusting God.
Father Joe’s face lit up and he suggested that I read “33 Days to Merciful Love: A do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Consecration to Divine Mercy”. It’s a book of many themes, but at its core, it is a book about trusting God. By the time I reached my car, I’d pulled out my phone, tapped my Amazon app, and ordered a copy of the book.
Fast forward a couple weeks, I get a call from Deacon Chuck Lamar who after reading my latest column thought I might be interested in joining a four-week group study of, you guessed it: 33 Days to Merciful Love. I told Chuck that I’d already started the book but I’d come to the first meeting.
There were seven of us at the first meeting. Deacon Chuck passed out a workbook to accompany the book I was reading and we watched a video. Afterward, I realized that I would gain more from reading the book if I took the time to fill out the questions and participate in the group discussion. The questions would cause me to reflect on what I’d read more carefully and the group members would help me to see what I’d read from another person’s perspective.
Back to my lunch with Judith three months earlier, she asked if I’d ever heard of Bible Study Fellowship. A broad grin swept over my face and I enthusiastically said, “YES!”. My last experience with Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) was in the mid-1990’s after I’d left my life on Wall Street and was living in Fort Lauderdale trying to figure out where to go next.
A friend invited me to BSF and I went hesitantly. Bible Study Fellowship is an interesting animal.
The calendar of Bible Study Fellowship follows a school calendar, starting in September and going through May with breaks for Christmas and Spring Break. During the course of that ‘school’ year, one book of the Bible is studied in-depth. The course of study combines a talk by a group leader, then participants break into small groups to discuss that week’s readings and questions. All of which might sound familiar if you’ve attended a Bible study before.
What makes BSF different is that it welcomes people of all faith. In fact, BSF is so adamant that the focus be only on learning God’s Word, that members are not allowed to reveal what their religious beliefs are or to discuss what, if any, church they attend.
That is what makes BSF very special. It’s an opportunity to learn from others in a unique inter-faith setting, without judgement.
In fact, when I attended BSF in the mid-1990’s one of my dearest friends was a woman, a brilliant attorney, who up until she began BSF had not attended church or considered herself a Christian. However, after one or two years of BSF, she became so enamored of what she was learning that she went on to take a Master’s degree in Theology.
My own experience of Bible Study Fellowship was similar. I loved the in-depth study we received of the Bible. It was one of those turning points in my faith journey. Although I had read the Bible before, this systematic method of in-depth study gave me a greater appreciation for the beauty and wisdom contained within the pages of the Bible. I participated in BSF for several years and was never bored…each year a new book of the Bible is studied.
Which is why I was so excited when Judith mentioned that Bible Study Fellowship had started a new chapter in Summit County.
After that lunch, I met with Kathrine Jansen who will be leading Bible Study Fellowship in Summit County. You can contact Kathrine at ktjansen99@gmail.com or just show up on Friday, September 16th 9:15 a.m. at Dillon Community Church 371 E. La Bonte Street in Dillon .
There is also a men’s group that will meet beginning September 12th at 6:45p.m. Contact John Flanders if you are interested in joining: JohnRFlanders@comcast.net
This year, BSF will study the Gospel of John. I know it’s going to be very special. If you are interested in coming to the first meeting, or even a few meetings, to see if it’s something you might enjoy, you are welcome. There is no cost or obligation.
If you and I read the same chapter of the Bible, we will come away with two different insights. However, if we discuss our insights in a group, we can learn from each other. Walking our faith should be a life-long journey. It’s that much richer when we share that journey with others. I hope you will consider joining Bible Study Fellowship to continue to grow your faith.
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