Recovering Our Public Voice with Jeff Cover – G26080402
These are trying times in the life of our nation and those of us in mainline churches are feeling sidelined. Do the things we have stood for, like racial equality, welcoming strangers and immigrants, and care of the earth, matter any more? How can we recover our collective voice for the common good?
We might expect that the Bible has something to say about our current dilemma, and indeed it does. The word of God can still speak clearly to our day.
Together we will explore the stories of biblical characters who found themselves called by God out of private life and into the public arena. Most of them did not go willingly! From midwives to a working judge, from a solitary shepherd to a well-placed priest, from a crusty prophet to a beauty pageant contestant, from an unlettered fisherman to a learned rabbi, these ordinary people found themselves challenged to participate in the public life of their day. By exploring their stories, we can more readily live into our own public lives. The ways they found their voices can also help us find our own. We will also explore spiritual practices for developing social compassion, listening for God’s word in our lives and courageously speaking it to others.
Pastors, laypeople, Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders will find a new appreciation for ancient biblical narratives that retain their power to inspire us. This discussion-based workshop will focus on unpacking the leader’s book, “Going Public: How Biblical People Help Us Find Our Voice for Public Life” and how it might be used in local faith communities. Field-tested reflection questions will guide what promises to be lively conversation.
Instructor
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Jeff CoverJeff Cover served five Presbyterian churches in Indiana and Texas. In small towns, mid-sized cities and a large metropolis he helped congregations engage their communities for Jesus’ sake. His preaching and teaching often explore the Bible for guidance about participating in public life today.
Jeff worked to establish a shelter for victims of domestic violence in small-town Texas, served as President of the Network of Community Ministries, and on the boards of Dunn Mental Health and Mental Health America in Indiana. He has chaired presbytery-wide Christian education workshop planning, organized ecumenical Taize’ services, and taught classes on public education, world religions, spirituality and hunger. He has served on numerous presbytery committees and as the Moderator of the Presbytery of Wabash Valley.
He and his wife, Debbie, are the parents of two grown sons. He is the organizer and president of the Jeffersonville, IN Tree Board.