Christmas Comes To Theology On Tap
If you’re looking for an event where you can just relax and enjoy good conversation and discussion during the hectic holiday season, consider this item crossed off your Christmas list. The winter Theology On Tap series is celebrating the church’s season of Advent with a series of free discussions and presentations, “ADVENT-Ageous,” the latest of which takes place at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Missipi Brew, 107 Iowa Ave., Muscatine.
“The holiday of Advent, leading up to Christmas, is a reflective season of hope, in preparing for the Christmas holiday and the coming of Christ,” said Tommy Fallon, organizer of the event and coordinator of youth and young adult ministry at St. Mary and Mathias church in Muscatine. “It’s also a time of reflection and slowing down. Since this season seems to be more and more hectic and about rushing around, getting all your shopping done, preparing everything for Christmas, we thought it would be nice to have some time to slow down and relax and reflect on things and the year and the season.”
While the events are held by a religious group and have a religious bent, they’re open to all and the discussions are free-flowing and inclusive to all belief or non-belief systems and questions, Fallon said. For example, while the program doesn’t specifically get into the pagan connections to the holiday and the coinciding of the winter solstice with Christmas and several other religious and cultural celebrations at this time of year, those topics are open for question and answer and discussion during that portion of the evening after the presentation.
“The presenters are really good at answering questions and we’ve had some good discussions,” Fallon said. “It’s really more of a dialogue than just a presentation.”
There are four or five Theology on Tap series’ each year, Fallon said, geared around specific seasons and holidays, with the next coming up around Easter.
“We try to spread them out, make them special and have them geared around topics and holidays that will lead to good discussions and programs,” he said.
In general, though, it’s a way for people to expand their minds, enjoy good company and have some good conversation, Fallon said.
“We invite people to come down, have a drink, get something to eat, listen to some ideas and experience some different counter-cultural things and have a discussion about what we’ve talked about in a casual way,” Fallon said. “The only goal is to just have a relaxed time and we hope that people leave the event maybe more inspired and filled with hope about the season.”
The next event, the last of the year, is at 7 p.m. Dec. 21. The topic is The Discovery Of Hope, and it’s hosted by Father Ross Epping.
“I think it’s going to be a great program and a great way to wrap up this series and lead into Christmas,” Fallon said. “We hope that everyone comes out and enjoys it with us and that they have a very happy Christmas season.”
For more information, see https://www.facebook.com/events/188515578364996/?event_time_id=188515591698328.
