A 4-week interactive Sunday School class taught by Pastor Rockford exploring how we can talk politics and stay in love with God and each other.
Theme text: Romans 12.18 “…so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
This class explores how we can talk politics in and as church while maintaining the bonds of love and peace that are essential to church, family, and friendship. In part, it is also an effort to strengthen the connection and fellowship of McFarlin before the stormy mid-term elections by exploring and learning how faith and grace allow and encourage us to “rumble” about politics in a healthy, constructive way. To “rumble” is to have courageous, honest conversations designed to tackle tough topics, navigating differences while building trust and mutual understanding (Brene Brown).
We will explore some key biblical insights and seek to understand each other as we engage in conversation. Our goal is that we always talk, act, and live peaceably in the church during a time of polarized politics. This class can also help us navigate faith and politics conversations outside the church with family, colleagues, and friends. A helpful precursor to this is the available recording of Pastor Rockford’s September 2024 class—”Faith and Politics Conscientiously.” A link to the recordings of that class is available by emailing Daphne Fix at dfix@mcfarlinumc.org. A related sermon series is “Solid Wisdom in a Shaky World,” preached at McFarlin August 18-Sept 22, 2024—to be found on our McFarlin YouTube channel. Click Here to view the first video.
After decades of increasing polarization in politics and culture, this 2026 election season promises to heat up like the waters of the Atlantic over the summer and is likely to gain momentum and turbulence parallel with the annual hurricane season, June 1—Nov 30th. Political storms may spin up, or already have, that could threaten the ship of faith, the church. Therefore, we can benefit from some preparedness. Thankfully, although we are politically diverse, McFarlin, we are centered in and held together by the core gospel message and mission of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, and are called to do all that is possible to live peaceably even with differences of political persuasion.
