At St. Michael's we provide numerous adult learning opportunities designed to deepen our understanding of the Bible, nurture our faith, stimulate our thinking about important issues and provide direction for living out our faith in our homes, workplaces, and world.

For a printable brochure of the information on this page please click here.

ADULT EDUCATION-
Steven Prothro is the chair of the religion department at Boston University and author of the New York Times bestseller, Religious Literacy-What American’s Need to Know and Don’t.  Prothro says that almost anywhere you look in America today you will find believers, but hardly knowledgeable believers.  In fact, he says, most Americans know very little about Christianity. Most lack an understanding of the essentials of faith. Why?  Prothro says there has been a pronounced shift in America in recent decades.  Previously, when it came to religion, people sought to integrate head and heart, believing God gave us brains to use, Scripture to inform, and the natural world as a resource for insight and understanding.  Today, however, there has been a pronounced movement toward a religion based on emotions. It doesn’t matter so much what Jesus had to say.  It doesn’t matter that we really understand Scripture and the context in which books of the Bible were written.  What matters in religion today is what one feels and having a personal relationship with Jesus. The result, according to Prothero, is that most Americans are religiously illiterate.

Well one of the aims of adult education at St. Michael’s is to help integrate head and heart, to help us use our brains, to deepen our understanding of Scripture and the world.  We do that in the hope that participants in various education offerings might receive insight and inspiration to think more deeply and creatively, and live more graciously in response to what we know of God as revealed in Jesus.   

FAITH IN DAILY LIFE -Once a month you are invited to, over the lunch hour, take a break from work and join others from St. Michael’s for lunch and meaningful conversation.  We currently have three groups that meet; the first Thursday of the month at Chianti Grill in Roseville, the second Thursday of the month at the Thrivent Cafeteria in downtown Mpls, and the third Thursday of the month at the restaurant at the Embassy Suites in St. Paul.  We meet from noon until 1 p.m., recognizing that folks sometimes will need to arrive late and/or leave early.

For the first half of the year we will be using the book Following Jesus in a Culture of Fear as the springboard to our conversation. The author writes, “Do not be afraid”.  We live in a time when this biblical refrain cannot be repeated often enough.  Among all the things the church has to say to the world today, this may be the most important.  No one has to be convinced that we live in fearful times, though we are not always sure what we should be afraid of and why.  We suspect that our fears make us vulnerable to manipulation, but we find it hard to quell the fear long enough to analyze how it is being produced and what other response we might make.  This book will help us to do just that – analyze how fear is being produced across a wide spectrum of issues in our life and how our faith might lead us to respond with courage and hope.

Each month we will read a chapter or two as the basis for discussion.  Books are available in the church office.  Colleagues are welcome to join us.

MONDAY'S MINISTRIES BREAKFAST -Meeting at 7 a.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month we enjoy breakfast together followed by a chance to engage in thoughtful discussion around a variety of themes.  The first gathering of the year will take place on Monday, September 15.

WOMEN'S CIRCLES - Join a CIRCLE of Friendship
The neighbors we encounter today do not always hold the same religious beliefs we do.  We realize these beliefs are worthy of our respect.  It is difficult, though, to respect that which we do not understand.  Therefore, throughout the year, Sarah and Elisabeth Circles will seek to hear the story of other religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam.  We will compare the differences and similarities of these religions to our own Christian beliefs and more specifically to our Lutheran tradition.  As we gain knowledge of what others believe, surely our own beliefs will be enhanced!

     Sarah Circle meets the first Tuesday of the month at 9:30am, in peoples homes,
        for a coffee brake, fellowship and discussion.
     Elisabeth Circle meets the first Wednesday of the month at 12:30pm, at the church,
        for dessert, fellowship and discussion.

THURSDAY MORNING STUDY -Eclipsing Empire:  Paul, Rome and the Kingdom of God.Beginning on September 25 at 9:30 a.m. you are invited to join in this thought-provoking video course featuring preeminent New Testament scholars Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan on location in Turkey, Greece and Italy as they trace the Apostle Paul’s footsteps through the Roman Empire.   Topics will include; The Roman Empire, Jesus Relation to the Empire, Paul’s Mission, Paul’s Character, Paul’s Vocation, Cities Paul Visited, Letters Paul wrote, Paul’s ethics, Paul’s theology and Paul’s view of the end times.

DESSERTERS II - BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION GROUP - Meets in member's homes the 4th Tuesday of each month (except December) during the school year. You heard it here first! Technology is passe!! If you want to be on the cutting edge, setting the trends rather than following them, you will want to be seen reading a book. Absorbing knowledge and experience in a measured manner, with the leisure to ponder while lingering over perceptive passages is the new status symbol. Discussing the experience with other courageous early adopters guarantees recognition as a cultural innovator. Desserters II offers an easy way into this scintillating world. We enjoy and encourage discerning new participants - no dues, no quizzes, attendance is not taken. The books we are reading delve into various settings, cultures and eras. Watch the Sunday bulletin announcements or contact the church office for meeting locations. For a list of dates and books click here.

Religion in Life - Meets during our education hour (between services) on Sunday Mornings from 10:00 - 10:50 in the Courtyard Room. This is a forum which brings extraordinary speakers, experts in their field, to help us carefully examine the intersection of our faith with vital aspect of our daily life and important ethical issues in the world. By participating in this special time of learning, participants gain new insights that will shape how they live out their faith in the world.  Children's Sunday School and childcare are provided during this time.