John Wesley is reported as saying: “Our people know how to die well.”
This course may help you to prepare for a Christian death, but that’s not the only reason! The subjects are fundamental aspects of Christian understanding at the core of what we believe, giving us confidence to live as Jesus lived. And even if our own death is, we pray, a long way off, most of us encounter people who may be closer or who have lost loved ones and are asking deep questions, craving a Christian answer. One might even say a “true” Christian answer, free from some of the doggerel that can inhabit bereavement cards. This year, for the first time, we will spend some time thinking theologically and pastorally about suffering and the current hot topic of assisted suicide.
So, the aim of this five-and-a-bit-week learning event is to think about the Christian meaning of the last things. After a few (optional) days to get familiar with the learning website, the topics are.
• Death and Resurrection;
• Judgement and eternal life;
• The coming of Christ.
• Suffering and Assisted Dying / Assisted Suicide
• What about Planet Earth?
Many people in the diocese have experienced eLearning as courses like this have been running since 2011. Our ‘returners’ will be pleased to know that the format of L,D and CH is much the same as previous courses. But if you’re unfamiliar with this medium, be encouraged that you need no more IT skill than being able to send an email and move around a website. There is some teaching material, and a number of on-line discussions with other learners using ‘forums’ that you can post to and read at any time of day or night. We use questionnaires sometimes, and the occasional ‘wiki’ for collaborative work. A tutor (in this case Peter Nicholls) actively facilitates the course, participating in the forums, asking and answering questions and generally making sure everyone is OK. Course material uses text, images, music, voice and occasionally video. It is presented in digestible chunks, with opportunities for you to respond as you go along.
End-of-course evaluations have always been very good, with most people saying they have learnt (and been blessed on their Christian journey) more than they have on comparable face-to-face events. There is a lot of ‘repeat business’ – people coming back for course after course.
The time expectation is somewhere in the region of 3 – 4 hours a week, and you’ll do best if you spread this over three or more visits to the website, ie a little and often is much better than one long stint of several hours.
There will be an optional zoom gathering in the first few days for those who’d like to physically see other learners and have a demonstration of how the learning website works. But Moodle is an intrinsically easy, intuitive system to use. Most weeks there will be a ‘video café’ where we can compare notes, ask questions, or just chew the fat!
A contribution to expenses of £10 is invited, but for those in licenced ministry (including AWAs and APAs) this is waived. All should book, however.
This event requires booking. Please book here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/allsaintschurchhethel/1566267
