Community Classes Offered At St. Mark's In Westford

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church is planning programs to revisit many of the stories of the Bible that shape our faith. The series titled “God's Story, Our Story” is made possible through a grant from the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program as rector, the Reverend Suzanne Wade, prepares for her sabbatical next year. Together, we will look at the ancient stories, understand their historical context, glean their important truths, and learn from each other. In November, the stories are centered on Moses, the pivotal figure of the Old Testament. Moses’ story, filled with drama, triumph, and very human moments of failure, has inspired centuries of artists and writers, and more recently, film makers.

On Sunday, November 12th at 1 p.m., St. Mark’s is offering a community class titled: “The Story Behind the Art: Moses.” The class will be structured for the enjoyment of non-religious art lovers as well as those who are active in a faith tradition. Participants in the class will take a look at some famous paintings that depict the stories of Moses, from the babe in the basket, to the Burning Bush, to the escape from Egypt. The class will examine the biblical stories that inspired the artists, with the intention of appreciating the works more deeply.

On Sunday, November 26th at 1 p.m., Eric Kintner, parishioner at St. Mark’s, will present George Frederic Handel’s masterwork “Israel in Egypt.” This biblical oratorio premiered in 1739 in London. It is composed of passages from the Old Testament, especially Exodus and the Psalms. The presentation is open to the community and will offer an opportunity to listen to the piece and consider the passages it highlights. This class also serves as an introduction to Handel's biblical oratorios prior to a lecture and trip to the Handel & Haydn Society's performance of "Messiah," on December 3rd.

The programs are meant to encourage individuals to grow into a greater of understanding of the Bible and the Judeo-Christian traditions that have been passed down to us. By looking at biblical stories with different media such as books, art, movies, and music, we hope to create an atmosphere that encourages those with limited knowledge of the stories to learn more without feeling intimidated, while also helping those with more in-depth knowledge to delve deeper into the meaning of story and what it means to their own faith.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church is a welcoming community of faith, located at 75 Cold Spring Road, Westford, MA. For more information, visit http://www.st-mark.org or contact the Reverend Suzanne Wade, RevSuzanneWade@gmail.com.
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