Confronting Death Study

A Christian Approach to the End of Life with Walter Wangerin Jr.

Every Thursday at 7:00, Sept. 9 - Oct. 14

Join the conversation...

Click the button below on Thursday before 7:00 to connect to the Zoom meeting!

What we'll talk about...

"You and I sooner or later are going to experience what comes to all people, we are going to experience dying. But there is a difference between us and the world—the world looks away from that fact and tries to hide it as much as possible—but we as faithful people have the power and ability to look death straight in the eye and understand it."

Coming from his own experiences of living with life-threatening cancer, Christian writer and pastor Walter Wangerin speaks directly from the heart in this poignant and instructional study. He speaks about how cancer has changed his life and how his faith has sustained and prepared him to face death itself. But Confronting Death is not for the Christian idealist; it is for every Christian, as we learn how to be different from the world: by learning to look forward to the world to come without dismissing our responsibilities here and now.

Participants will explore together:

Discovering serious illness
Grieving before death
Caring for the one who is not sick
How do we handle the pain
Confronting the dying itself
What we'd like to share with our loved ones about our life and death

How and when we will meet...

This 6-week study will be held each Thursday September 9 through October 14 at 7:00pm.

We will meet online via Zoom video conferencing. If you are new to Zoom, please contact Pastor Mike and he'll be happy to help you get set up. Details will be e-mailed to participants and a link on this page available to join the meeting.

There is no book or preparation material for participation in this study. Each session will consist of Bible study, watching a video of Walt Wangerin together, and discussion.

Please let us know you plan to join us by clicking the link and completing the sign-up on this page.

Sign up to join us...

Please let us know you'll be joining us by filling out this form:

NEW TO ZOOM?

STEP 1: CONNECTING THROUGH ZOOM

If you are on a computer . . .

Click the "Join Now" button to open a new page and launch Zoom.
If this is your first time, click "download and run Zoom." You may be asked permission to install the Zoom software, and will need to agree.
If you've already downloaded Zoom, you can just click "launch meeting." Give it a minute or two to work!
If downloading and installing the software fails, go back to that Zoom page and you will now have the option to "join from your browser. Zoom works with the Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox browsers, but not Safari (native to Macs). If you have one of those browsers installed on your Mac, you will need to click the link from within one of the usable browsers.

If you are on a smartphone or tablet . . .

Click the "Join Now" button to launch Zoom.
You will be prompted to download the app from either the Apple or Google Play app stores. The download is free, but it may take a few minutes to download and install.
After the app is installed one time, it will launch automatically every time you click the "Join Now" link.

STEP 2: ENABLING VIDEO AND AUDIO

Connect to audio

If not asked, look for the microphone button in the bottom left of the window and click "Join audio" or "Start audio."
Choose "Connect with Computer Audio" (or Device Audio).
Your browser, antivirus, and/or device will likely pop up a box asking you to confirm that you're okay with this. You must click "Allow, "Yes," or "OK" however many times and ways it asks you. (You can skip this step in the future if you have the opportunity to check a box, "Remember this decision."
It may take up to 30 seconds to connect to the audio. When completed, you should be able to hear others, and others hear you.
If there is a red slash through the microphone,
you are either muted or unconnected.
If this does not work, click the up arrow by the microphone to see if you need to connect using a different audio device.

Connect to video

If not asked, look for the video camera button in the bottom left of the window and click "Start video."
Choose "Connect with Computer Audio" (or Device Audio).
Your browser, antivirus, and/or device will likely pop up a box asking you to confirm that you're okay with this. You must click "Allow, "Yes," or "OK" however many times and ways it asks you. (You can skip this step in the future if you have the opportunity to check a box, "Remember this decision."
You should now be able to see yourself in one of the video boxes and we'll be able to see you, too.
If this does not work, click the up arrow by the microphone to see if you need to connect using a different audio device.

If you have any trouble connecting, keep trying. You can also call Pastor Mike (use the cell phone number in your e-mail) for help getting connected.

A FEW NOTES BEFORE CONNECTING BY ZOOM . . .

You may need to enable your video and microphone every time.
When you connect, you will be placed in a "waiting room." This is a security feature to ensure only participants can join our meeting. Once in the waiting room, wait for Pastor Mike to admit you to our meeting.
Use your real name (at least your first name) when signing on so we know how to address each other, and so that Pastor Mike knows who he is admitting to the meeting. You can change your name by clicking on the "Participants" button.
We communicate online as we do in person, with respect for one another and speaking as Jesus would have spoken.

TIPS, TRICKS, AND TROUBLESHOOTING:

The software often remembers your preferences, but you may need to follow Step 2 to reconnect your audio and video every time.
Sometimes the bar with the buttons disappears. To bring it up again, tap the screen (or your mouse) to make it reappear.
The audio tends to work better if you have a headset or earbuds with a microphone, such as the one that comes with smartphones.
By default, the person who is speaking (or making the most noise) will automatically move to the big video in the center. To see everyone at once, click the gallery button with little squares in it near the upper right corner.
You can see a list of the participants by clicking the participants button at the bottom of the screen.
You can change your displayed name by clicking the participants button, which will pop up a list of participants and the option to rename yourself.
You can also text chat with the group or individual participants by enabling it. Please be positive, kind, and uplifting to one another, including in side chats. The pastor can see it all!