Fall 2018 Northeast Ohio School of Ministry 

The Northeast Ohio School of Ministry is offering three classes for Fall 2018 - Introduction to Biblical Studies, UCC History and Polity, and Evangelism. The deadline to register is Friday, September 7.

Introduction to Biblical Studies
Student Fee: $100
Audit Fee: $65
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Eugene McAfee
Description: This course is intended to introduce students to the critical study of the Christian Bible in the context of ministry. There are no prerequisites for this course, and it is intended as a foundational course for further biblical study. At the end of this course, if students have participated fully, they will have basic knowledge of at least the following:

• a brief history and overview of the forms of scholarly biblical study
• the nature, form, history, and function of the Bible in the church
• the necessity for and possibilities of interpretation
• how to read the Bible faithfully and critically and assist others in doing so

Dates: Thursdays, September 13-November 1
Time: 7-9PM
Location: Faith UCC (575 Richmond Rd, Richmond Heights) and online via the free Zoom video platform (available at www.zoom.us)
Texts:

• a modern English study Bible with the Apocrypha (e.g., the Oxford Annotated Bible, the HarperCollins Study Bible, The Oxford Study Bible, The New English Bible [Oxford Study Edition], etc.)
  
• Steve Moyise, Introduction to Biblical Studies, (2nd ed.; London: T&T Clark, 2004)

UCC History & Polity
Student Fee: $150
Instructor: Rev. Robert P. "Rip" Noble
Description: This course explores the questions of "who is...?" and "what is...?" the United Church of Christ. Students will gain an appreciation for UCC history and polity through this class. They will also examine the ongoing struggle between autonomy and covenant.
Dates: Saturdays, September 22, 29; October 20, 27
Time: 10AM-Noon, 12:30-2:30PM (bring your own lunch)
Place: First meeting at St Paul's Community Church UCC (4427 Franklin Blvd, Cleveland). Subsequent meetings may include:

• other churches
• UCC National Offices • 700 Prospect Ave East • Cleveland

Texts:

• Consitution and Bylaws of the UCC (can be purchased online through UCC Resources)
• History and Program of the UCC (can be purchased online through UCC Resources)
• Gunnemann, Louis The Shaping of the United Church of Christ
• Johnson, Daniel and Hambrick-Stowe, Charles, editors Theology and Identity: Traditions, Movements and Polity in the UCC
• Zikmund, Barbara Brown, editor, Hidden Histories in the United Church, Vol. I and II

Evangelism: Sharing Our God-story & the Banquet Table
This class is offered to our Certified students and with permission from the Dean
Student Fee: $200
Audit Fee: $135
Instructor: Rev. Nayiri Karjian
Description: Most of us in our 21st century world are deeply hungry for good news and for soul food. In this course we will explore how we tell our Good News story, how we hear others' stories, and how we invite the other to the Banquet Table to share the bread of life. We will tackle some of the traditional approaches and questions to evangelism - Are you a Christian? Are you saved? Are you prepared for the afterlife? in an attempt to discover new ways of sharing the Story and the Table.
Dates: Mondays, October 1-29
Time: 6-9PM
Place: Association Office (960 Portage Trail, Cuyahoga Falls). After the first session, online via the free Zoom video platform (available at www.zoom.us) will be available as well.
Texts:

• Martha Grace Reese, Unbinding the Gospel, Real Life Evangelism
  
• Additional reading resources will be provided