On Sunday, June 8th, following our worship service at Claybanks United Methodist Church we will be sharing a meal together and watching the film “Bonhoeffer”. I am announcing this in my Pastors Ponderings in this May Newsletter so that you can get it in your calendar for June the 8th. The movie will be about two hours in length, and we will take an intermission about halfway through so that we can refill our popcorn containers and take a short break.
The movie we will be watching “Bonhoeffer,” was released in November of 2024. Reba and I were blessed to see the movie in the theater with Dave and Sandi Henson. Dave, as you may remember, preached for us at Claybanks United Methodist Church on World Communion Sunday. Dave is a retired Dean of North Park Seminary and deeply knowledgeable about Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life and writings. Many call Bonhoeffer the greatest theologian of the 20th Century. My knowledge previous to watching the movie of Dietrich Bonhoeffer included reading one of his many books, “The Cost of Discipleship,” while I was in seminary. Other books of Dietrich’s include “Letters And Papers From Prison, Bonhoeffer Ethics and Bonhoeffer on The Psalms.”
Just a little background on the film. The movie is set primarily in the 1930s in the United States and in Germany in the 1940s. Diedrich was a German theologian, pastor, author, and seminary instructor who stood up to the Nazis during the Third Reich. Prior to the ending of World War II, Bonhoeffer was accused of being associated with a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Dietrich would be placed in prison, moved to a concentration camp, and ultimately executed by the Nazi regime.
I want our church family to see this film with discussion to follow on one of the succeeding Sundays in June during a special coffee and sharing time. I plan to make the DVD available to anyone who is not able to view it on June 8th so that they might be able to join in a discussion with others later in the month.
Our plan for June the 8th is to have hot dogs, potato salad, chips, and assorted dipping vegetables along with ice cream sundaes for dessert. I will be making popcorn. Coffee, iced tea, and soft drinks will be provided.
As we approach the presentation of this film, I will be sharing additional details and background on Diedrich Bonhoeffer so that we may better understand what will be presented to us in the film. This special Sunday would be an exciting time to invite family, neighbors, and friends to join us for this very historical movie presentation.
Pastor Gary
Claybanks United Methodist Church 