[Editor’s note: The Grace Church Book Club is open to the entire Grace community and meets occasionally to discuss a book that they select by common consent. The initial selection for the first post-pandemic meeting was Awe by Dacher Keltner. Contact Julie and Al Daidone if you are interested in participating.]
I think meaningful Christian discussions can nourish our Spiritual Journey, as well as help meet some of our emotional needs. The book group can facilitate this support and connection. Our mission statement calls us to connect with people through Christ to serve our community. Thanks to all that facilitated the book group return. I am interested in reading “The Personal Librarian” for a future meeting.
Ellen Heintjes
For me a book club provides intellectual stimulation in the discussions and that is what I like about it. In the Mission Statement there is only reference to fulfilling the Spiritual, Physical, and Emotional needs of the community, and the intellectual needs are not included. However, I do see that “intellectual” is listed under “Presbyterian” with the implication that Presbyterianism scholarship and knowledge provided by a pastor would suffice for intellectual stimulation. Though theology is an intellectual pursuit, I think that beyond just theology, Christians, in order to be well-rounded, would benefit from intellectual concerns that go beyond theology, as there is a whole world of intellectual material that could be considered. Some of such concerns might overlap with theology, and some may not pertain to theology, though I suppose one could argue that everything belongs to a theological context.
In any case, in answer to your request, I find the benefit of the Book Club to be an opportunity for intellectual stimulation, which is not specifically mentioned in the three goals of the Mission Statement. Nonetheless, in my opinion the goals that the book club comes closest to would be “spiritual” needs and “emotional” needs, because the book club community gathering in fellowship is beneficial both spiritually and emotionally.
Henry Gerstman