The Sunday Forum, each week at 9 a.m. in the Parlor, chooses themes for future weeks by voting among many suggestions. Others of the congregation are invited to participate regularly, or occasionally when the topic is of interest. Top priority for starting the coming year: Making Peace. So in January we will follow the theme from the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:9, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Below is the schedule for the series:

• January 8 - Making peace in the church on homosexuality and transgender issues - leader Beth Mitchell
  
• January 15 - Making peace within the family - leader Gina Felhofer, director of Family Services
  
• January 22 - Making peace within one’s self - leader Alan Walker
  
• January 29 - Making peace in the world. A book review of The Lemon Tree which is about relationships between a Palestine and Israeli family - led by members of the Debra Circle
  
• February 5 - Making peace within the church when Christians disagree - leader Joe Mitchell
  
• February 12 - Making peace in Wisconsin

Our study for the Christian season of Lent will begin on February 19. We will be using the book and DVD series, A Place At The Table by Chris Seay The subtitle of the book is, 40 days of solidarity with the poor. Chris encourages us, in addition to praying and growing spiritually, to eat for six days of the week as a poor person. He is not asking us to sacrifice health or starve ourselves with a non-nutritious diet but to eat plain food as might be available to a poor person in another part of the world. His plan would ask us to eat a plain diet six days a week and make Sunday a Feast Day to eat special meals with friends. Our vision for the Forum class is that persons can opt in at any level they choose. Some may choose to only participate in the daily readings and prayers. Some may choose to eat like a poor person only for certain meals or only one or two days a week. Others may decide to do the entire 40 day fast.