All-Church Experience for 2021

What We've Done in Past Years
It's an annual tradition at First Church!

Each year, our church family is invited to join together in some year-long study and discussion. We've listed on this page a reminder of the variety of excellent things we've done during the past nine years. And we will continue to build on that foundation in 2022.

​Our first order of business was to read the Bible, and there never comes a time when we set that book aside.

But there are so many other books that the Lord might also use in your life -- books that will bless, instruct, challenge, and encourage you.  And during 2022, we want to acquaint ourselves with three more of those books. 
Here is an accounting of what we have done together in previous years:
  • ​2012 -- The 3x5 Club
  • 2013 -- Daily Devotional Journal
  • 2014 -- Singing Through the Year with Wesley
  • 2015 -- Role Models in Righteousness
  • 2016 -- Christian Believer
  • 2017 -- A Conversation with God's Word
  • 2018 -- A Year Without Fear
  • 2019 -- The Methodist Pew
  • 2020 -- A 2020 Prayer Life
  • 2021 -- Christian Classics: Augustine's "Confessions" and John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress"

links to online resources



​The Rule of St. Benedict is about 70 pages -- less than 1 page per chapter -- very manageable, but A LOT to discuss and apply 

The Imitation of Christ features 114 chapters covering 200 pages

Mere Christianity is 33 chapters and 227 pages

Taken all together, these three "classics" total about 500 pages.  If you had 48 weeks of reading, that would come to a little more than 10 pages per week, which sounds about right.  



At the beginning of 2021, we offered a brief survey of some classics of Christian literature based on the book 25 Books Every Christian Should Read.  And over the course of that year, we read and discussed two of the important books on that list: Augustine's Confessions and John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

Now, in 2022, we will read three more books from that list.

We begin with The Rule of St. Benedict.   (explanation of The Rule) 

The next classic to which we will devote our attention will be Thomas A Kempis' The Imitation of Christ.  (introduction to the book)

Finally, we will conclude our year-long study with a more contemporary work, C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.  (explanation)


For the first eight or so months of this year, we will read Augustine's Confessions.  Written at the end of the 4th-century by the famous saint and Bishop of Hippo, Confessions has been called the first spiritual autobiography.  It is a book full of wisdom and insight, and we will find that Augustine's thoughtful reflections  on the work of God in his own life will help us to see and understand the work of God in our lives more clearly.   

Meanwhile, for the last quarter of 2021, we will turn our attention to John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.  This 17th-century masterpiece has endured through the centuries, has been translated into over 100 languages, and has consistently been one of the best-selling Christian books.    

Participants are welcome to find their own versions of these classic books to read for themselves during our year-long study.  Free versions are also available to read online.  Follow these links to access copies of the manuscripts:
Finally, the schedule below will be our guide for our individual reading and our group discussions.

Weekly reading and discussion schedule

In order to accommodate as many folks and schedules as possible, our weekly meetings will be by Zoom, and we will vary between noon-hour and evening meetings.  We will meet on Thursdays, keeping an even pace of reading as we go through the weeks of 2021 together.  

Here is the Zoom link for our Thursday noon discussions:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87989557203?pwd=QXdHOHZ3MlpsdGdRVVhzSzMzRit6QT09

Here is the Zoom link for our Thursday evening discussions: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84036352821 
​
 Week 1 -- Thursday, January 6
     Read The Rule of St. Benedict Prologue through Chapter 8

Week 2 -- Thursday, January 13
     Read The Rule of St. Benedict Chapter 9 through Chapter 17

Week 3 -- Thursday, January 20
     Read The Rule of St. Benedict Chapter 18 through Chapter 26

Week 4 -- Thursday, January 27
     Read The Rule of St. Benedict Chapter 27 through Chapter 35

Week 5 -- Thursday, February 3
     Read The Rule of St. Benedict Chapter 36 through Chapter 44

Week 6 -- Thursday, February 10
     Read The Rule of St. Benedict Chapter 45 through Chapter 53

Week 7 -- Thursday, February 17
     Read The Rule of St. Benedict Chapter 54 through Chapter 62

Week 8 -- Thursday, February 24
     Read The Rule of St. Benedict Chapter 63 through Chapter 73

Week 9 -- No Class

Week 10 -- No Class 

Week 11 -- Thursday, March 17
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          Foreword
          Imitating Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth
          Having a Humble Opinion of Self
          The Doctrine of Truth

Week 12 -- Thursday, March 24
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          Prudence in Action
          Reading The Holy Scripture 
          Unbridled Affections
          Avoiding False Hope and Pride
          Shunning over-Familiarity 
          Obedience and Subjection 
          Avoiding Idle Talk
          Acquiring the Peace and Zeal for Perfection 
          The Value of Adversity
          Resisting Temptation 
          Avoiding Rash Judgment 
          Works Done in Charity 
          Bearing with the Faults of Others
          Monastic Life
          The Example Set Us 
          The Practices of a Good Religious 

Week 13 -- Thursday, March 31
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          The Love of Solitude and Silence
          Sorrow of Heart
          Thoughts on the Misery of Man
          Thoughts on Death
          Judgment and the Punishment of Sin
          Zeal in Amending Our Lives 
          Meditation

Week 14 -- Thursday, April 7
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          Humility 
          Goodness and Peace in Man
          Purity of Mind and Unity of Purpose
          Ourselves
          The Joy of a Good Conscience 
          Loving Jesus Above All Things
          The Intimate Friendship of Jesus
          Wanting No Share in Comfort 
          Appreciating God's Grace
          Few Love the Cross of Jesus 
          The Royal Road

Week 15 -- No Class

Week 16 -- No Class

Week 17 -- Thursday, April 28
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          The Inward Conversation of Christ
          Truth Speaks Inwardly 
          Listen Humbly to the Words of God
          Many Do Not Heed Them
          We Must Walk Before God 
          The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love
          The Proving of a True Lover
          Grace Must Be Hidden 
          Self-Abasement in the Sight of God
          All Things Should Be Referred to God
          To Despise the World and Serve God is Sweet 

Week 18 -- Thursday, May 5
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          The Longings of Our Hearts
          Acquiring Patience in the Fight
          The Obedience of One Humbly Subject
          Consider the Hidden Judgments of God
          Lest You Become Proud
          How One Should Feel and Speak
          True Comfort
          All Our Care is to Be Placed in God
          Temporal Sufferings
          After the Example of Christ
          True Patience in Suffering
          Confessing Our Weakness

Week 19 -- Thursday, May 12
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          Above All Goods
          Remember the Innumerable Gifts
          Four Things
          Avoiding Curious Inquiry 
          The Basis of Firm Peace
          The Excellence of a Free Mind
          Self-Love is the Greatest Hindrance
          Strength Against Slander
          How We Must Call Upon and Bless the Lord
          The Quest of Divine Help
          To Find the Creator

Week 20 -- Thursday, May 19
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          Self-Denial
          Restlessness of Soul
          God is Sweet 
          There is No Security from Temptation 
          The Vain Judgments
          Pure and Entire Resignation
          The Right Ordering of External Affairs
          A Man Should Not Be Solicitous
          Man Has No Good in Himself
          Contempt for All Earthly Honor
          Peace is Not to Be Placed in Men
          Beware Vain and Worldly Knowledge 
          Do Not Be Concerned

Week 21 -- Thursday, May 26
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          All Men Are Not To Be Believed
          Trust in God
          Every Trial Must Be Borne
          The Day of Eternity 
          The Desire of Eternal Life
          How a Desolate Person Ought to Commit Himself 
          When We Cannot Attain to the Highest
          A Man Ought Not to Consider Himself
          God's Grace is Not Given to the Earthly Minded

Week 22 -- Thursday, June 2
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          The Different Motions 
          The Corruption of Nature
          We Ought to Deny Ourselves
          A Man Should Not Be Too Downcast
          High Matters and the Hidden Judgments of God
          All Hope and Trust Are To Be Fixed

Week 23 -- Thursday, June 9
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          The Great Reverence 
          God's Great Goodness
          It is Profitable 
          Many Blessings Are Given
          The Dignity of the Sacrament
          An Inquiry of the Proper Thing To Be Done
          The Examination of Conscience 
          The Offering of Christ
          We Should Offer Ourselves 

Week 24 -- Thursday, June 16
     Read The Imitation of Christ 
          Do Not Lightly Forego
          The Body of Christ
          The Communicant Should Prepare Himself
          With All Her Heart
          The Ardent Longing of Devout Men
          The Grace of Devotion
          We Should Show Our Needs
          The Burning Love and Strong Desire
          Man Should Not Scrutinize 
          Reason to Holy Faith 

Week 25 -- No Class

Week 26 -- No Class

Week 27 -- Thursday, July 7
     Read Mere Christianity  
          Preface
          Foreword
          The Law of Human Nature

Week 28 -- Thursday, July 14
     Read Mere Christianity  
          Some Objections
          The Reality of the Law

Week 29 -- Thursday, July 21
     Read Mere Christianity  
          What Lies Behind the Law 
          We Have Cause to Be Uneasy 

Week 30 -- Thursday, July 28
     Read Mere Christianity  
          The Rival Conceptions of God
          The Invasion

Week 31 -- Thursday, August 4
     Read Mere Christianity  
          The Shocking Alternative 
          The Perfect Penitent

Week 32 -- Thursday, August 11
     Read Mere Christianity  
          The Practical Conclusion 

Week 33 -- No Class

Week 34 -- No Class

Week 35 -- No Class 

Week 36 -- Thursday, September 8
     Read Mere Christianity  
          The Three Parts of Morality
          The 'Cardinal Virtues'

Week 37 -- Thursday, September 15
     Read Mere Christianity  
          Social Morality 
          Morality and Psychoanalysis 

Week 38 -- Thursday, September 22
     Read Mere Christianity  
          Sexual Morality
          Christian Marriage 

Week 39 -- Thursday, September 29
     Read Mere Christianity  
          Forgiveness
          The Great Sin

Week 40 -- Thursday, October 6
     Read Mere Christianity  
          Charity
          Hope

Week 41 -- Thursday, October 13
     Read Mere Christianity  
          Faith
          Faith

Week 42 -- No Class

Week 43 -- No Class

Week 44 -- Thursday, November 3
     Read Mere Christianity  
          Making and Begetting

Week 45 -- Thursday, November 10
     Read Mere Christianity  
          The Three-Personal God
          Time and Beyond Time 

Week 46 -- Thursday, November 17
     Read Mere Christianity  
          Good Infection
          The Obstinate Toy Soldier 

Week 47 -- No Class

Week 48 -- Thursday, December 1
     Read Mere Christianity  
          Two Notes
          Let's Pretend

Week 48 -- Thursday, December 8
     Read Mere Christianity  
          Is Christianity Hard or Easy
          Counting the Cost 

Week 49 -- Thursday, December 15
     Read Mere Christianity
          Nice People or New Men  
          The New Men