End Times! Heaven and Hell! Creation and Transfiguration! All Happening This Monday!

An Eastern Orthodox fresco depicting the eschaton.

For this week’s bible study we will be looking at Eschatology– from the Greek ἔσχατος/ἐσχάτη/ἔσχατον, eschatos/eschatē/eschaton meaning “last” and -logy meaning “the study of.” The “end times” has become a popular subject in our culture today, from the Left Behind series of books speculating on the “rapture” to certain dubious interpretations of the Mayan calendar. Many of these predictions imply the “end of the world” or destruction of the universe while others also have been bound to notions of heaven and hell or the afterlife. On one hand, these views are highly popular among sincere Christians of all stripes and many other people. On the other hand, they could also be seen to perfectly embody what the church has traditionally referred to as “heresy.”

Join us on Monday February 6th, where we will begin to gather for a meal on 3M of the Iona building beginning at 5:30pm followed by what is hoped to be a lively discussion afterward. Please RSVP to Ryan at rrslifka (at) gmail (dot) (com) by the morning of the 6th so we know how much food will need to be prepared (to be rapture-ready, so to speak).

Bible Study and Jonah Video!

A Campus Ministry continent made up of Simon-Luc, Rachel, Eoghan, Caroline and Ryan read the full text of the book of Jonah at the worship service at University Hill Congregation last Sunday, January 22nd. You can catch video of the service and our valiant readers by following this link. The text of the sermon given by Ed Searcy titled “An Open Ending” can be found on his blog here.

Our weekly meal and bible study continues tomorrow evening where we’ll gather as usual on 3M of the Iona building beginning at 5:30. Please confirm with Caroline your attendance so we know how much food to prepare!

Campus Ministry at Screening of “the Apostle” Jan 26

Once a month from January-March United Church Campus Ministry will be attending films as part of a series on Christian Thought and Culture at Regent College (5800 University Blvd). On Thursday, January 26th, Ryan will be gathering a group to see the critically acclaimed 1997 film The Apostle starring Robert Duvall, Farrah Fawcett, Billy Bob Thorton and Miranda Richardson, a story of new beginnings where “After his happy life spins out of control, a preacher from Texas changes his name, goes to Louisiana and starts preaching on the radio.”

We will meet at 5:50 in front of the Regent College bookstore and then head to the Regent chapel where the film will be shown. After the movie, we’ll head as a group to a local coffee shop for some lively discussion. Coffee is on us. Please email Ryan at rrslifka (at) gmail (dot) (com) for more information or to confirm your attendance.

This Spirit Sunday and Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Rather than meeting at the Chancellor Room for Spirit Sundays, we will be going on the road this Sunday! Instead of meeting from 12:30pm to 2pm, we will meet at Candia Taverna, a Greek Restaurant on W. 10th at 1pm (everyone buys his or her own lunch) and then we will join in the service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at West Point Grey United Church at 2pm. The West Point Grey Ministerial Association will host an interdenominational service to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on Sunday, January 22 at 2:00 pm at West Point Grey United Church (8th & Tolmie). University Hill Congregation is a participant in this association along with Anglican, Presbyterian, Mennonite, Roman Catholic, Baptist and United Church congregations in the area. Please RSVP to Caroline.

Return of Spirit Sundays and Bible Study on the Atonement

The Cosmic Christ

This coming week in United Church Campus Ministry life will see the return of Spirit Sundays–our light lunch followed by a time of prayer, silence and meditation beginning at 12:30pm on Sunday January 15th. We will meet at the campus ministry office (Room 226) of the Iona building and gather in the beautiful space of the VST Chapel located in the Chancellor Room. Please RSVP to our campus minister, Caroline Penhale by phone 604-827-4301 or email at ucc.ubc.chaplain (at) gmail (dot) com by the morning of the event.

Our Monday night meal and bible study resumes this Monday January 15th with a special foray in to the realm of theology. The phrase “Jesus died for your sins” in the modern Christian cultural zeitgeist has come to be used to refer to a way whereby Jesus’ death on the cross acts as a sacrifice that allows for us to go to heaven and avoid hell by believing in him. When we look at the Old and New Testaments and the Judeo-Christian tradition, however, we find deeper and richer meaning than what this theory has come to represent. Atonement (“At-One-Ment”) itself has historically meant the process whereby humanity–as well as the whole created universe in some interpretations–are to be reconciled or are made to be “at one” with God through Jesus. In this study we’ll be looking at what has been referred to as the hymn of the cosmic Christ: Colossians 1:15-28.

We will gather as usual at 5:30pm and share a meal together. Please RSVP to Ryan by Monday morning so we know how much food to prepare.

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to all students and faculty after what was (hopefully) a restful break! We are getting back in to the swing of things with United Church Campus Ministry and hope you’ll join us for our winter semester programming.

Tomorrow University Hill Congregation is holding a welcome-back potluck for their regular minister, Ed Searcy, who was on medical leave following treatment for multiple myeloma. All are invited to worship at 10:30am followed by a potluck meal. There will be no Spirit Sunday tomorrow, but resumes on the 15th.

Second, our Monday night bible study and meal resumes on January 9th, where we will gather beginning at 5:30. Please let Caroline know as soon as you can if you are going to attend.

Welcome back!

Film: What Would Jesus Buy? December 12th

On Monday, December 12th at 6:15pm, United Church Campus Ministry will be holding a small screening of the documentary film What Would Jesus Buy? in place of our regular Monday night Bible study.

What does mass consumerism during the “shopping season” tell us about the values of our society? What does mass consumerism at Christmas tell us about the values of the church? Is Christian faith entirely compatible with the values of consumerism? What is Christmas really about? Is there another way? What Would Jesus Buy? follows Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir as they go on a cross-country mission to save Christmas from the Shopocalypse: the end of mankind from consumerism, over-consumption and the fires of eternal debt!

December 12th 6:15pm, Iona building room 300. For more information, please call 604-827-4301 or email ucc (dot) ubc (dot) chaplain (at) gmail (dot) com.