Shalom Richmond • Lesson 2
Jan 30th, 2012 by mr.b
AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW • Bill Martin, Director of the Valentine Richmond History Center • January 22, 2012
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HOMEWORK
1. Read Nehemiah’s ‘journal’ of his return to Jerusalem in Nehemiah Chapters 1 – 5 (alone or with your family). A few things to observe:
- With the arrival of his brothers from Jerusalem, God woke Nehemiah up to the fact that the things he’d grown to accept as normal weren’t normal at all. And with that, his heart was broken, he wept, he mourned, he fasted and he prayed.
- Nehemiah leaves a good job/a position of influence to apply his gifts to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.
- Nehemiah asks for forgiveness on behalf of wrongs committed by past generations.
- The community works together, each responsible for a portion of the rebuilding, but not the entire project.
- The work isn’t easy, is viciously mocked and regularly threatened.
- Nehemiah calls for both repentance and reliance on God (do you hear echoes of other great heroes in 4:14?)
- Restoration work uncovers new issues of justice within the community that must be addressed before the signature project can continue.
- Nehemiah’s ethical choices are above reproach, despite the precedent set by leaders before him.
2. For class discussion February 5: As you consider the history of the Richmond region, what do you find most encouraging/most troubling?
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UPCOMING CLASSES
- Sunday, January 29 • An Overview of Poverty, Race, and Jurisdiction in Metropolitan Richmond • John V. Moeser Senior Fellow, Bonner Center for Civic Engagement at the University of Richmond and Professor Emeritus of Urban Studies and Planning at Virginia Commonwealth University
- Sunday, February 5 • Class Debrief & Discussion
- Sunday, February 12 • Sunday Morning Mixer / Shalom Richmond will not meet
- Sunday, February 19 • Louis & Marti Williams of Miss Marti’s House: Loving God and Others in Southern Barton Heights
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