Open Hearts is a community within Soapstone that exists to support and empower those who have felt excluded by some UMC policies and practices and those who believe that recent actions of the overall denomination do not reflect the inclusive witness of Soapstone. If you are interested in learning more about and/or joining the Open Hearts Community at Soapstone please email Max Scroggs.
Open Hearts Book Study — Where Do We Go From Here?
Sunday evenings, 7:00 pm, November 3 through December 15
(We will not meet December 8.)
Study summary by Bill Poston; Books available from Cokesbury
This book examines an important moment in the history of the United Methodist Church. It provides views by 23 different Methodists. In several cases, I found video online that further illustrates the writers’ views on issues. While our class will focus on the essays, the video will provide additional background.
While what happens at General Conference may often seem to have little consequence for our local church, the actions of February 2019 will be felt in all of Methodism in the coming years.
In meeting and discussing this book, my hope is that we will learn more about our future in the Methodist Church and in Soapstone. What do you want to see happen to our church? What can we learn from others to help us move into the future?
Please know this class is a safe place. What is said here, stays here.
As we review each of the 23 essays, we will encounter facts and feelings. In our weekly meetings, I would like us to work as a group to identify what we feel are the key facts and feelings that we take away from each reading. Then we will discuss what we have learned.
By closely listening to the ideas of 23 other Methodists, I hope we can better understand what others need in the church and better understand our goal as we move into the future.