Blessed Events

TRI-FAITH DISCUSSION: The Faith Forum on Sunday at First Central Congregational Church, 421 S. 36th St., will focus on the Tri-Faith Initiative. Executive Director Nancy Kirk will lead the discussion on the initiative, a combined project of Temple Israel, the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska and the American Institute of Islamic Studies and Culture. Kirk will provide an update on the progress of the collaboration. The forum begins at 9:10 a.m. in the Fireside Room.

NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES: On Sundays in July, the Sunday School hour at First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St., will focus on the Indian people of Nebraska. The Native American Studies class will examine the tribes in and around Nebraska: the Omaha, Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), Santee, Ponca and Oglala Sioux. Participants will explore the history of the tribes, learn about their spiritual traditions and examine current issues that Indian people face on reservations and in urban settings. Members of Four Directions Intertribal Church will participate in the discussions. The sessions begin at 9:35 a.m. in Room 112.

SCHOOL FOR PASTORS: Hastings College is hosting the 53rd annual Omaha Presbyterian School for Pastors through Wednesday. Presbyterian clergy and commissioned lay pastors from 13 Midwestern states were invited to the eight-day residential program. Participants are attending daily worship services, as well as lectures and group discussions on a variety of topics presented by four invited theological faculty.

FROM BICYCLE TO PULPIT: The Rev. Rick Jensen, co-pastor at First Christian Church, 6630 Dodge St., is back from sabbatical and plans to preach about his experiences biking 2,400 miles along the route of the Underground Railroad. His bike trip took him from Mobile, Ala., to Owens Sound, Ontario. He plans sermons on his trip July 19 and July 26, and will lead a Bible study in the fall that uses his trip to address exodus and exile. On July 19, his sermon topic will be “Finding Our Way to Joy;” on July 26 his theme will be “This Any Way to Run a Railroad.” He also plans to lead a Bible study in the fall that parallels his experiences with the biblical themes of exodus and exile.