About one year ago I discovered this wonderful little book titled Manna and Mercy. It’s a book which seeks to make our scriptures easy to understand and accessible to all people, but it contains with in it a deeply profound and rich expression of the story of God. Speaking for myself, Manna and Mercy has renewed my sense of awe for our scriptures and has caused me to go back to Genesis One and start reading all over. Through the use of cartoons, wild imagination, humor, and a progressive theology, author Daniel Erlander has created this book which tells the story of God’s salvation for the world through the eyes of “the least of these.”

Beginning September 20 I will use Manna and Mercy to teach a 10 week Bible Study at Sunnyside. I feel so strongly about this study that I have decided to make it the entire focus of my August letter to the congregation. With the Bible and Manna and Mercy as our primary sources, together we will learn how to navigate through the scriptures, we’ll learn the core stories of the Bible, and we will discover the awesome message of love and compassion that God has given to the world through the Christ.

This study will be challenging, and this study will be rewarding. There will be a small amount of homework each week amounting to about 1 hour worth of reading. It is so important that the people of God study God’s Word together and I am thrilled to offer this opportunity to you all. On August 15 sign-ups for the class will be available in the Narthex. On September 12 we will have a brief orientation meeting following worship where you will receive your copy of Manna and Mercy along with a study guide for the class. The cost of the book will be $8. The class will meet every Monday beginning September 20 from 6:30pm – 8:00pm (ending just before Thanksgiving).

I hope you can make space for this short yet spiritually enriching class. It is sure to change your life, and to draw each one who participates into a deeper relationship with one another, and with God.

See you in class!

Pastor Matt