Garden Spot Village "ALIVE" to Host Table Talks

Topics designed to open interdenominational dialogues on faith and practice.

NEW HOLLAND, Pa. — Nov. 16, 2009 — ALIVE (Active Lifelong Learners in Vital Engagements) invites community members to join in a series of Table Talk programs on matters of faith and practice. Table Talks are scheduled for Wednesday evenings, Dec. 2 and Dec. 9, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. They will meet in the chapel at Garden Spot Village, 433 S. Kinzer Ave.

“The Table Talks grew out of the Meet the Churches series that we held this summer, where we invited local pastors to share their faith and church experience,” said Chet Yoder, director of pastoral care at Garden Spot Village. “We wanted to provide a setting where people can have an authentic dialog about their personal beliefs in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

The first Table Talk, on Dec. 2, will focus on “Just War and Peace.” Dr. Robert Spender, former chair of the biblical division at Lancaster Bible College, and Dr. John Lapp, former executive secretary of the Mennonite Center Committee, will share their personal views about the topic, welcoming questions and comments from the audience.

On Dec. 9, Dr. Mark Wenger, director of Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) at Lancaster, and Dr. Steve Nichols, chair of the Lancaster Bible College biblical division, will lead a discussion on “How We Read Our Bible.”

“Scriptural interpretation is basic to all Christian relief and practice,” said Yoder. “The evening promises to offer a stimulating conversation about the Bible.”

Garden Spot Village is home to all faiths and backgrounds. The non-profit retirement community is affiliated with the Lancaster Mennonite Conference of the Mennonite Church, the Atlantic Coast Conference of the Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Health Services. The community’s mission is “to enrich the lives of older adults as an expression of Christ’s love.”

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