Graduate Christian Fellowship invites you to join us on Friday, May 8 at 7 P.M. at University Presbyterian Church for an evening of exploration as Dr. Deborah Haarsma, astrophysicist and President of Biologos, leads us on a visual tour of the universe. Dr. Haarsma will draw on her scientific expertise and her Christian faith as she points out the myriad of ways in which “the heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). When viewed through the lens of Christian faith, recent astronomical discoveries like exoplanets, galaxy formation, and dark energy serve to illustrate the extravagance, creativity, and mystery of the God of the Bible.
Spring Quarter Small Groups: Pray Without Ceasing!
“I’ll pray for you” is often Christian lingo for a lot of things that don’t actually mean “I’ll pray for you.”
We say “I’ll pray for you” and leave out “when I remember, and I probably won’t.” Or “I’ll pray for you” and it’s our cue that we want the conversation to end. Or “I’ll pray for you” because we want it known that we have our stuff together more than everyone else.
But you know how you feel when you meet that person who says “I’ll pray for you” and they really mean it? It’s like you’ve just met a person who actually cares about you, loves you even. You feel a little lighter because someone is willing to carry your cares along with you to the One who cares the most. In a lot of ways, when we meet these people, we feel a little like we’ve met Jesus in the flesh.
And in a way we have.
Throughout the Bible, we are encouraged to pray. We’re told to pray without ceasing, even.
What if we did?
What if we genuinely prayed for each other?
What if we took time to know what to pray for?
What if we learned anew how to pray?
What if we did this for a whole quarter, in small groups, following dinner together?
Maybe we’d all feel a little more loved and a little more like Jesus is with us because we’d be like Jesus to each other. So this quarter let’s pray.
Join us. Every Thursday. Dinner is at 6. Small groups start at 7. At the Chapel on the AVE.
Seeking God; Seeking Justice
In scripture, true justice happens when hearts are transformed by the indwelling power of the Spirit, an indwelling that is fostered through practices like prayer and fasting and worship. Spiritually formed people pursue justice because it’s in their nature.
But it’s also true that the pursuit of justice is, in itself, a spiritual practice that shapes us. When we advocate on behalf of the prisoner and the alien, when we pursue peace and reconciliation, and when we protect the dignity of the marginalized, we are formed in unique and profound ways.
And so, during Lent, we will explore this connection. We’ll delve into the traditional spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and worship. But we’ll also learn about and get involved with a couple of local justice issues. To help us on our journey, we’ll be hearing from three local scholars, Dr. James Felak, Dr. Kirsten Foot and Cote Soerens.
On February 19, Dr. Felak, a professor of History at UW, will share about two classic approaches to the Christian life in a talk entitled “Moderation or Zeal”. James will draw from several authors and theologians to help us think about what it means to live Christianly.
On February 26, Dr. Foot, a professor of Communication at UW, will talk about research-as-action, based on her experience studying efforts to counter several forms of human trafficking. Kirsten has just finished writing a book about the challenges organizations– including faith-based ones– face in cross-sector collaboration against human trafficking. She is well-acquainted with what is happening locally, and will point us toward some ways we can help stop trafficking.
On March 12, Cote Soerens, a Phd candidate at the Oxford Center for Missions Studies, will share about her advocacy work related to immigrant rights and the Northwest Detention Center.
A gathering for women students and faculty
What happens when women make something of the world?
Join fellow women students and faculty in a discussion with Christianity Today managing editor Katelyn Beaty as we discuss the pursuit and understanding of vocation as women of faith.
When: 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15
Where: Chapel on the Ave.
Every person is called to make something of the world—to take the basic elements of time, resources, energy, and community and create something good. It’s there in the first pages of Scripture: God, the ultimate creator, invites Adam and Eve to join him in spending their days together fashioning a world where humans and the whole creation flourish. But somewhere between the Fall and the Industrial Revolution, men and women, and their respective work, became divided against each other.
- The work-home division that prevails today does not reflect what God intended for his image bearers—or for the coming kingdom.
- Now more than ever, Christian women can participate in cultural institutions that bring forth justice, beauty, equality, and flourishing.
This conversation will fuel a book project tracing how drastically women’s roles in Western society have changed in recent decades; how the work-home divide came to exist in the first place; the biblical and theological arguments for women’s work and cultural influence outside the home; and several stories of Christian women who are leading powerful institutions, making decisions that effect dynamic cultural change, and finding a vocation that extends beyond what was long thought to be theirs.
For more information or to RSVP, email Ruth Moon at moonr@uw.edu.
GCF’s January Lecture
Meet The New Evangelicals
There was a time not that long ago when evangelical Christians were known in the public square for what they were against rather than what they were for. These Christian leaders rose and just as quickly fell from political prominence and favor. In the wake of their political demise, a new Christian witness has emerged–one that’s more diverse, positive, and intent on serving the common good of all. Join Katelyn Beaty, managing editor of Christianity Today magazine, as she spotlights these new Christian leaders and explores what they signal for the US church.
When: THURSDAY, JANUARY 15 at 7 P.M.
Where: Chapel on the AVE
Katelyn Beaty is managing editor of Christianity Today, and the first woman to hold that job. She is also co-founder of Her.meneutics, CT’s women’s blog, and editorial director of CT’s “This Is Our City” project.
GCF Thanksgiving
Every year, those of us who are in Seattle (and who do not have local family) are as family to each other when we gather for Thanksgiving dinner. We eat, chat, laugh, decorate a Christmas tree and then go back to our homes for thanksgiving naps. Friends, roommates, and significant others who are not a part of the GCF community are always welcome around the table.
Where: Ashley and Geoff’s House (contact us for the address)
When: eating starts at 1:30
What to bring: an appetizer, beverage or dessert
Let us know if you plan to join in!
‘Two Hong Kong Umbrellas: Christian ecumenisms and democracy in Hong Kong.’
On Thursday, November 13 at 7 P.M., join us at the Chapel on the Ave to hear Dr. Justin Tse, SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow, Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington, Chair of GORABS, Association of American Geographers, and Steering Committee Member of ANARCS, American Academy of Religion.
‘Two Hong Kong Umbrellas: Christian Ecumenisms and Democracy in Hong Kong.’
This talk gives a deep history of the Umbrella Movement through two loose theological alliances – what I call the ‘ecumenism of the state’ versus the ‘ecumenism of the people.’ I’ll show that Christian involvement in the democracy movement is generating new theologies that challenge official collaborations with the elite establishment.–JustinFor more information, contact us.
Faculty/Grad Discussion Group
Fall 2014 Small Groups
Join us this Fall as we learn about exile and God’s faithfulness from the life (and book) of Daniel. GCF’s Fall Bible studies will take a look at this sometimes bizarre, prophetic book and see what it has to say to us today.
Email us to get involved!