Bible Study surrounded by nature is most inspiring

While Christ Church Cathedral served as a venue for the 2012 World Choir Games, which conclude today,the church's Men's Bible Study group had to find a venue for their Thursday morning study away from the library. The International FriendshipPark provided a perfect venue for the past two Thursdays.

Now the group is pulled between continuing their bible study in the park and going back to the cozy library.

They could hear – and even feel – the Ohio River flowing in the background. Ahead, the picturesque Mount Adams was in perfect view. Surrounded by trees and summer flowers, the sound of chirping morning birds is everywhere.  Every few minutes joggers go by, adding to the conscious awareness of the beauty of life in its fullest.

The park's display of flags from different nations adds to the awareness that all humans are connected to one another and with nature.
 
In meditation for this Sunday’s lectionary lessons from 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19; Eph. 1:3-14; and Mark 6:14-29, the group directed its reflection on the Collect for the day, which asks God to “receive the prayers of Your people who call upon You, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them”.

In the Gospel Reading, Herod Antipas had John the Baptist beheaded even though his conscious was against it. He succumbed to his ego, and the fleshly desire to appease his step-daughter after her sensual dance.

That is a good lesson in today’s world.

The bible study provides such an enriching and inspiring one hour a week that at the end of it, as one in the group remarked, “We have been here only 45 minutes but it feels like a whole day of so much fun”.

Yes, bible study is fun, even more so when surrounded by nature.