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Faith Journey Through Fantasy Lands

A Christian Dialog with Harry Potter, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings
 (with a little Narnia thrown in as well!)

You are cordially invited to partake of a special opportunity!  Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in fantasy and science fiction stories.  Lead by the publication of the first Harry Potter book and the release of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace in the late 1990s, followed by more Harry Potter books and movies, episodes 2 and 3 of Star Wars, and the release of both The Lord of the Rings and the first of the Chronicles of Narnia movies in this decade, literally millions of people have been exposed to, and embraced, these stories.  This summer, just between Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble Booksellers over 1.5 million copies of the seventh and last book of the Harry Potter series have been pre-ordered in anticipation of its July 21st publication date.  Since at least three of the four creators of these stories are Christians (including J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series), it is not terribly surprising that the evidence of their faith can been seen within their creations.  In addition, the basic format of each of these stories, that of the epic quest, can serve well as a metaphor of the life of Christian discipleship. In preparation for an unprecedented opportunity to use these stories to gain a greater understanding of our own faith journeys, and to use these common experiences to share with others what God has done in our lives, this summer Pastor Jeff will lead a study based on the book Faith Journeys Through Fantasy Lands by Russell W. Dalton, director of the Master of Arts in Religious Communication degree program at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, and published by Augsburg Fortress (our denomination’s own publishing house).  This study will examine many of the common themes that run through these stories, their connections to the story of God’s relationship with humanity, and how we can connect these themes to our own faith journeys.  We will also examine (in Session 2 on June 12th) some of the controversy surrounding these stories, in particular with the Harry Potter series.  The study will meet at the home of Carl and Shane Barr, 226 Sage Crest Dr. in Ocoee (but closer to Windermere), on Tuesday nights from 7:00 – 8:30 pm, starting June 5th and finishing on August 14th.  You may arrive as early as 6:00 pm for light snacks (or more if you want to bring your dinner with you).  For directions or if you have any other questions, please contact Pastor Jeff at 407-414-5261 or by email at PastorJeff@SalemLC.net.  While there is no cost to participate in this study, it would be helpful to have read and/or watched at least some of these books and movies prior to beginning the study (the Faith Journeys book itself costs $7.49 plus shipping at www.augsburgfortress.org.  If there’s enough interest, a group order for these books could be placed that avoids any shipping costs.)  Care will be taken that the endings of stories will not be given away, but no guarantees can be issued to that effect!


Session 1, June 5th: C.S. Lewis, In His Own Words

Session 2, June 12th: Christian Approaches to Fantasy and Fiction
Dangers Along the Path – Cautions and Concerns

Session 3, June 19th: A Whole New World
A Call to Journey

Session 4, June 26th: Learning the Way – Education and Training for the Journey

Session 5, July 3rd: Travel Provisions – God Gives Us What We Need

Session 6, July 10th: Traveling Companions – Friendship and Fellowship

Session 7, July 17th: Staying on the Right Path (And Out Potential to Stray From It)
Creatures of the Dark – Vices in the Fantasy Lands

Session 8, July 24th: Road Signs – Virtues in the Fantasy Lands

Session 9, July 31st: Rough Roads Ahead – Hope and Hard Times
The Trail of Trials – Our Internal and External Battles

Session 10, Aug. 7th: The Way of Christ – Images of Christ and Sacrifice

Session 11, Aug. 14th: There and Back Again – Celebrating and Returning From the Journey

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Tuesday Evening Study

During the summer, Pastor Jeff will lead a study “Safe Journeys Through Fantasy Land” beginning Tuesday, June 5th from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. at Carl and Shane Barr’s home.  For more information, you can e-mail Pastor Jeff at pastorjeff@salemlc.net.

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The Importance of Being Lutheran

Tuesday, April 17th and 24th
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Have you been wondering what it really means to be a Lutheran, or how being a Lutheran makes a difference in the world?  If so, this study is for you.  Pastor Jeff will be leading a two-part study/discussion that will examine some of the concepts and mindsets that are distinctly Lutheran and why they are essential in our world today.  If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Jeff via email at pastorjeff@salemlc.net or at 407-414-5261.