Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church: February 24 and 25, will have “The Marriage You’ve Always Dreamed Of,” a seminar where hosts Greg and Erin Smalley will equip couples with the knowledge, skills and insights necessary to enjoy a lifetime together. Register online at www.mtbethel.org/marriage. The February 24 session is from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and the February 25 session is 9 a.m. to noon. Nursery is available for the event, but registration is required. Contact Debbie Ruth at 770-971-2588. 4385 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta. 770-971-2880. www.mtbethel.org.
Faith Blog
Features local churches’ and synagogues’ news, spiritual leaders and special events.
Interactive Multi-Media Exhibit Brings the Story of the Bible to Life
February 16, 2012 Leave a Comment
Explore Passages through May at the Perimeter Expo Center (behind Marshalls)
On the heels of its worldwide debut in Oklahoma City and prior to a brief trek to the Vatican for the Lent and Easter season, the traveling exhibition of the world’s newest and largest private collection of rare biblical texts and artifacts is now in Atlanta. The Atlanta debut showcases 450 items of great historical and biblical significance in a highly contextual, interactive format to tell the dramatic history of the most-banned, most-debated, best-selling book of all time.
“Our goal is to make the Bible accessible like never before,” said Hobby Lobby President Steve Green, founder of The Green Collection. “Passages brings the pages of the Bible to life and allows people of all interests to experience the creation of the book that has altered history, shaped culture, inspired minds and changed lives—including my own.”
The Passages traveling exhibition is part of a 40,000-item collection—assembled at meteoric speed and scoured from the hallowed halls of Cambridge to the remotest parts of inner China. It is named for the Green family who founded the national arts and crafts retailer Hobby Lobby. The collection will ultimately find a permanent home in a yet-to-be-built national Bible museum to enable visitors from around the world to experience it year-round.
Spearheaded by the work of collection director and ancient/medieval manuscripts expert Dr. Scott Carroll, Passages takes an interactive, non-sectarian, scholarly approach to the Bible that is wowing both scholars and school children.
“Passages provides casual visitors and scholars alike a one-of-a-kind opportunity to go behind the scenes of the most influential work that humankind has ever labored to capture, preserve, translate and study,” said Carroll, who holds a Ph.D. in ancient studies.
Highlights of the Passages exhibit include one of the most acclaimed Hebrew Scroll collections in the world, the earliest known text from the book of Matthew, the Codex Climaci Rescriptus, (one of the earliest-surviving, near-complete Bibles) which includes the most extensive early biblical texts in Jesus’ household language of Palestinian Aramaic, and one of the earliest-known complete Spanish Inquisition Torah scrolls.
There are also hands-on activities that enable people of all ages to see, touch, hear and experience the history of the Bible. Activities include printing with blocks, setting letters and type; working a replica of the Gutenberg printing press; adorning replica pages like a book artist; participating in a scavenger hunt for clues found throughout the exhibition; copying script by candlelight, as did monks who transcribed the Bible during the Middle Ages; and much more!
So bring the family for an experience of the Bible you’ll never forget. Passages is on view across from Perimeter Mall (below Marshalls) now through mid-May 2012. For more information, visit www.ExplorePassages.com or call (770) 804-9427.
Ernie Johnson, Jr. to Speak at Mt. Zion UMC on Sunday, February 19
February 14, 2012 Leave a Comment
Ernie Johnson, Jr.
Ernie Johnson, Jr. will be the guest speaker at Mt. Zion UMC in East Cobb at the 8:30 and 11:00 am services on Sunday, February 19! Ernie is the acclaimed studio host for “NBA on TNT” and is a golf announcer for the PGA Championship. You will be delighted by Ernie’s sports stories and inspired as Ernie reveals how he came to “Trust God, period.”
The public is invited, and a nursery is provided.
Mt. Zion UMC is located at 1770 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta. For more information call 770-971-0267 or visit www.mtzionumc.org.
PRESENTATION “REMAKING YOURSELF TO GET HIRED NOW! HOW BUSINESS EXECUTIVES DO IT, AND HOW YOU CAN TOO!”
February 10, 2012 Leave a Comment
On February 13, Career Transition Ministries will hold “Remaking Yourself To Get Hired Now! How Business Executives Do It, And How You Can Too!”
Speaker Jessica Ferguson is an entrepreneur with three businesses in the public relations, marketing and retail industries. She is a member of both the Buckhead Business Association and the British American Business Group. Ferguson also hosts a monthly women’s networking luncheon, Women in Motion.
The presentation will include using an entrepreneur mindset to help benefit participants in different employment scenarios, budgeting, networking professionally as well as socially, and overcoming obstacles while keeping a positive outlook to get results.
Personal resume reviewing, interviewing, networking, career assessment help will be at 6:30 p.m. with the presentation at 7 p.m. To register or for more information, call Bill Lins at 404-558-1579 or Bob Sabin at 770-795-9084.
Event will be held at The Warehouse, First Presbyterian Church, 68 N. Marietta Parkway, Marietta 30060. Visit www.fpccareersintransition.wordpress.com to learn more.
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Chabad of Cobb to host Teen Program for Boys
February 8, 2012 Leave a Comment
Chabad of Cobb is hosting a teen program for boys in grades 8-12. Led by Noah Pawliger, the boys meet for an evening of fun, current events and community service.
The next meeting is scheduled for February 19, from 7-8:30 pm at Chabad of Cobb, 4450 Lower Roswell Rd., Marietta 30068.
Cost is $10 per person and snacks will be provided.
For more information, call 770.565.4412 x300.
One World Spiritual Center just wants you to be happy
February 7, 2012 Leave a Comment
Church volunteer Gay Crawford helps Webb Nall pick out clothes at Saturday's yard sale. Staff/Todd Hull
Happiness is on the minds of members of a new interfaith, New Thought church called One World Spiritual Center located at 3535 Shallowford Road just off Sandy Plains Road in northeast Cobb County.
The church’s senior minister, the Rev. Stephanie Seigh, is leading her congregation on a yearlong exploration of happiness and answering such questions as: What does it mean to be truly happy? And how can happiness positively affect those in our lives?
The project is rooted in a book titled, “The Happiness Project,” by author and attorney Gretchen Rubin, which serves as a guideline for the series, which began in January and ends in December.
Seigh said she came upon the book in an airport during her travels last year, while working for an organization that helped churches in transition. She said the book “jumped off the shelf” at her.
“As I was reading I thought, ‘This is so aligned with our belief system and so practical,’” recalled Seigh. “So many people right now are under stress because of the economy — relationship stress and money stress — half of the country is in foreclosure right now.”
“The Happiness Project” book, published in 2009, is the account of the year Rubin spent putting studies, theories and popular beliefs about how to be happier into practice in her own life, which despite having a husband, two children and writing career in New York City, wasn’t as happy as she thought it should be.
In the book, Rubin shares her insights to help people create their own happiness projects. The 12 chapters are devoted to spending each month in exploration of a particular way to find happiness, such as making time for friends and pursuing a passion.
Among other things, Rubin found that even the smallest of changes can make a big difference in peoples’ lives. Every month this year, One World Spiritual Center will have a Sunday message with practical tips in alignment with a chapter from the book, in addition to a workshop exploring that month’s theme, and a film whose message will be interpreted by Seigh after its viewing.
In January, an indoor yard sale was conducted as a way to compliment that month’s theme of clearing out clutter in our lives.
The church’s happiness project continues this month with its February theme: “Remember Love.” This Sunday, it will look at the energy associated with “nagging.” This month’s film is “Beauty and the Beast.” A forgiveness workshop by inspirational speaker Colin Tipping will be on Feb. 26.
“My personal belief is that happiness is a choice,” said Seigh, who previously served as director of peacemaking at Unity Worldwide Ministries, part of the Unity movement. “Despite what’s going on in our lives, we can still choose to be happy. Yes, all this stuff is happening, nevertheless we can choose to be happy. We can choose to be grateful for what we have.”
One thing that Seigh, and her husband, Ken, have is a relationship with a small community of people who decided to form One World Spiritual Center last August as a way to experience their shared goals, values and principles.
The church is independent and non-denominational, located in newly renovated facilities that include a sanctuary, classrooms, offices and an activity center.
“One of the things about our church is that we wanted it to be a community center, a place for people to come all during the week and not just on Sunday,” said Cathy Spiegel of Atlanta, one of the church’s founding members and secretary of its board. “It has just been a very exciting adventure.”
Seigh said church members come from different faith backgrounds, including Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism. On one recent Sunday, about 100 people attended service, she said.
What truly distinguishes One World Spiritual Center is that it honors a belief that there are many paths to God, said Seigh. “In addition to honoring all paths to God, I would also say that what’s most important to us is seeing the divine in everyone, and knowing that we are spiritual beings having a very human experience,” she said.
One World Spiritual Center meets at 11 a.m. Sunday. Visit www.oneworldspiritualcenter.net for more.
(Reprinted from the MDJ, February 4, 2012. Written by Marcus E. Howard.)
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