Some redirecting updates
....or why I am not getting bored in retirement!
Yesterday I shared about our upcoming Holland Chorale concert in The Lakeshore - “Holland Chorale presents My Companion, exploring love’s complexities in music”. If you are local, we would love to see you next Friday! We are doing a Midwest premiere of This is How You Love - come early to hear the composers speak about the work and then hear it performed. This concert is open to all on a donation basis, but you need to register for tickets.
A team of us have been working at Maple Avenue Ministries (an urban, multi-ethnic ministry) in Holland, MI on renovation of their building and grounds. We are currently creating a community “pocket park” greenspace for the neighborhood which includes removing decrepit play equipment, bent basketball hoops, old fencing, bumpy asphalt and building a pavilion, new swings, reflection space, and installing beautiful trees, shrubs, and flowers. We hope to have much of this work done by MAM Fest on June 13. If you are local, we invite you to this celebration of the 30th anniversary of MAC Rec, to participate in the 5K, and to enjoy a fun day of music, food, art and celebration at the church.
Exciting things continue to happen at the Institute for Christian Studies! We named Dr. Beth Green as our new President this winter and she will begin her work in July. As part of the Free to Be Faithful effort, we are holding a conference entitled “Courageous Faith in a Time of Fear” May 13-14 featuring Kristin Kobes DuMez (Jesus and John Wayne, Live Laugh Love) and Joash Thomas (The Justice of Jesus) as keynote speakers. If you can’t make it to Toronto, you can (for $18.87 US) purchase viewing rights to the keynotes online.
Our ICS online courses with Matthew Taylor and Karen Swallow Prior are wrapping up next week. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of Dr. Taylor’s course on The Christian/Jewish Question Today and have learned so much. We hope to offer both of these courses again, as they have been so well received. Watch also for our Big Reads coming up this summer and fall.
Dan, Im starting to think you have figured out how to bi-locate or have tapped into an alternate dimension with a 48 hour day. You are an absolute model for how to live a meaningful retirement, and I remain incredibly grateful for your efforts in advancing the educational mission of ICS!