![Christian Education and the Pandemic]()
May 10, 2021
Susan Tarr, retired librarian from the Library of Congress and active layperson discusses her activities in the church during Covid-19. The pandemic prompted a number of changes in providing Christian education for members at The Church of the Covenant (Presbyterian) in Arlington, VA. As an active layperson in the congregation, she described her interest in Christian education. With the development of the Covid-19 she was challenged to expand her familiarity with technology. She talked about involvement with two classes within the congregation: the adult Bible class and the confirmation class with youth. Her particular concern was for the youth. After her retirement from the Library of Congress where she was the Executive Director of the Federal Library and Information Center Committee for the last 10 years of a 30 year career in the system, she completed a Theological Studies degree at Wesley Seminary in D.C. In the program she discussed how that educational experience prepared her for the challenges of teaching during this pandemic.
April 6, 2020
Jason Hatch is a retired U.S. Army soldier who served for 20 years including in Iraq and later as a military attaché at embassies in sub-Saharan Africa, before retiring as a major in 2013. Jason shares his personal journey and how his experiences led him to advocate for those children who find themselves caught in the horror of war as victims and even as soldiers themselves. His recent work includes a drama called Rope Tension about two Civil War drummer boys, one Union and one Confederate, thrown together one night after a battle. Jason was the Artist in Residence at the Gettysburg National Military Park in early 2020.
Additional thanks to the Seminary Ridge Museum on historic Seminary Ridge in Gettysburg, PA.
February 10, 2020
Seven years ago, Phoebe Doscher and her family experienced the shooting in Sandy Hook first hand. Phoebe’s younger sister attended elementary school there. Fortunately, she survived, but twenty other children and seven adults did not. When Phoebe arrived at Gettysburg College, the emotional impact of this experience came rushing back, and she resolved to respond by founding a chapter of Students Demand Action. Her top priority is “to get a conversation going” so that all sides can understand the need to take sensible steps--not the removal of all guns, but universal background checks and restrictions on automatic, military-style weapons.
July 15, 2019
Gettysburg photographer and resident Gregory Christianson talks about his new children’s book, Gettysburg Kids Who Did the Impossible. Christianson has walked Seminary Ridge and other sections of the Battlefield since he was a child. While working as an inn-keeper in Gettysburg he was frequently asked to recommend books for children about the Battle of Gettysburg. This led to his own research and discoveries, and to a book which fulfills what he had so often been asked to provide.
Thank you to Waldo’s on the Square, our host site for this episode.
October 22, 2018
Pope Frances has called a special meeting in Rome for February 2019 to address the scandal in the Roman Catholic Church concerning the abuse of boys by priests, but will it be enough?
Dr. Christopher Bellitto, Professor of History , Kean University, and author of “Renewing Christianity.”, explores the history and future of this ongoing crisis. How it has been handled and ignored in the past and what is being done about it now. He believes that–despite the bishops’ historic reservations toward “secular” interference—the first call when abuse is suspected must be to the police.
May 21, 2018
In the second of two interviews (the first on immigrating to the United States), Odila describes the circumstances of his arrest, imprisonment, brutalizing, and eventual escape. He was apprehended while working with the Red Cross in the Republic of Congo because he opposed the use of children as soldiers in Congo’s civil war, some as young as seven or eight. He continued his counseling during the 17 years he lived in an immigration camp in Zambia.
Recorded live on Sunday, May 6, at St. James Lutheran Church, Gettysburg.
April 9, 2018
Judy and David Young from Gettysburg for Gunsense share the efforts being made by this group to promote common sense gun legislation and responsible gun ownership. Learn how things have changed since the tragedy in Parkland, Florida and what the group’s hopes are for the future.
Fro More information email: gettysburg4gunsense@gmail.com
November 21, 2016
Dr. Strobert sits down with Dr. Richard Stewart, retired Associate Professor of Church Administration and Practical Theology, Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and Dr. Joseph Donnella, Chaplain of the College and adjunct Professor of Religious Studies, Gettysburg College to discuss the Black Lives Matter movement.
This wide ranging discussion explores the realities of being a member of a minority in the United States. Some topics covered include how people of color (even retired pastors) are often perceived as a threat; living a life in tension; ambivalence vs. practicality; theology beyond traditions; laws may be passed but they don’t change attitudes; and the lessons that Black parents must teach their son’s when encountering police.
December 7, 2015
Jay Eckman, a second year student at Gettysburg Seminary, talks about his involvement with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 2015 Youth Gathering in Detroit. He explores the importance of the Youth Gathering for the life of the church as well as the importance of the gathering for his own preparation for pastoral ministry.
