Large Group Meetings

Friday Large-Group Meetings are held twice a month, either on UNC campus or at the beautiful home of Drs. Fred and Nancy Brooks. (map and directions to the Brooks' home) Depending on the location, meetings start around 6:30 pm. These meetings provide time to socialize (and eat! Dinner is either potluck or provided by Focus volunteers), pray, and worship with other believers in academia and the local working world.

After dinner, most evenings there is a presentation or discussion on a topic relevant to Christians living in an academic context, usually starting around 7:45-8:00 pm. Invited speakers include professors, pastors, and our own FOCUS members. Afterward, we may head to a coffee house on Franklin St. or to the home of a Focusite to continue the discussion.

For examples of past large group topics, see the old Spring 2006 Large Group calendar.

Large Group Schedule, Spring 2008

  • January 18th, 6:30-9:30 pm: Dr. Joe Flora, Professor of English at UNC will be our speaker. Potluck dinner.

  • February 1st, 6:30-9:30 pm: Dr. Drew Trotter, from the Center for Christian Study in Charlottesville, VA, will come to talk about Bob Dylan! Potluck dinner.

  • February 15th, 6:30-9:30 pm: Summer Kinard will be our speaker. Dinner provided: Hunger Banquet for Lent.

  • February 29th, 6:30-9:30 pm: Dr. Amy Laura Hall, from Duke Divinity School, will speak to us about Protestants and the issue of contraception. Potluck dinner.

  • March 7th-March 16th: Spring Break!! :-)

  • March 21st: Good Friday

  • March 28th, 6:30-9:30 pm: Dr. Ken Myers from Mars Hill Audio Journal will comes to speak about Theology of Food. Potluck dinner.

  • April 4th, 6:30-9:30 pm: Dr. Michael Gorman, from St. Mary's Seminary and Ecumenical Institute of Theology in Baltimore, will speak to us about the apostle Paul. Potluck dinner.

  • April 18th, 6:30-9:30 pm: Dr. Ian Baucom, chair of Duke's English department, will be speaking about different theories of interpretation, and how Christians should view them. Potluck dinner.

  • April 25th, 6:30-9:30 pm: End of year cookout!

Large Group Schedule, Fall 2007

This semester, our speakers will focus on the topic of vocation in the life of Christian academics.

  • Sept. 7th, 6:30-9:00 pm:The Rev. Dr. Jo Bailey Wells, Associate Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry and Bible and Director of Anglican Studies at Duke Divinity School, will be speaking on our semester topic of vocation. Brooks' House. Dinner provided.

  • Sept. 21st, 6:30-9:00 pm:Dr. Jim Thomas, Professor of Epidemiology at UNC's School of Public Health and Pastor for Cross-Cultural Mission at Chapel Hill Bible Church, speaking on "Vocation and Calling." Potluck dinner.

  • Oct. 5th, 6:30-9:00 pm: Father John Durbin, Pastor of St. Thomas More Catholic Church, speaking on vocation. Brooks' House. Potluck dinner.

  • Oct. 26th, 6:30-9:00 pm: Our own Matt Harper will be speaking for us tonight. Potluck dinner.

  • Nov. 2nd, 6:30-9:00 pm: Jason Harrod, local musician is providing a CONCERT for us at the Brooks'! Potluck dinner.

  • Nov. 16th, 6:30-9:00 pm: We will meet on campus at the Campus Y to hear from a panel of speakers from local service organizations. Come to find out more about how to get involved in our community! Dinner provided (pizza).

  • Nov. 30th, 6:30-9:00 pm: Pastor Leslie Venable, pastor at Christ the King Moravian Church in Durham will finish out our semester's discussion of vocation. Potluck dinner.

  • Saturday, Dec. 1st, TBA: End of semester celebration party.

For more information, please refer to the Focus calendar or sign up for the listserv.


Friday FOCUS Discussion Group

The FOCUS Discussion Group meets weekly to discuss 5-10 pages of reading chosen in advance by group members. Readings are posted or linked on the FOCUS Fridays Discussion Blog. Topics vary widely; subjects covered in past years include St. Patrick & Celtic Christianity, Just War & Pacifism, Political Correctness in the Academy, euthanasia, capital punishment, the Shroud of Turin mystery, and a host of other issues. If there's a particular topic you'd like to discuss, feel free to post it to the blog. All are welcome -- you can sit and listen, or come prepared for battle.

  • Location: Student Union, Room TBA
  • Day & Time: Fridays at noon, starting on Friday, September 14 TBA

For more information, please contact Hank Tarlton at htarheelton at mac dot com.


Prayer Groups

For several years, FOCUS has sponsored one or more on-campus prayer groups. These groups usually meet in the morning before class or during lunch, and give us an opportunity to focus less on ourselves and more on God. This semester, everyone is welcome to come to the small chapel of the Chapel of the Cross to join us as we pray through the noon office of the Book of Common Prayer. We meet in the small chapel of the Chapel of the Cross, on Franklin St. immediately beside the Morehead Planetarium parking lot. The best way to enter is through the office door entrance and then into the sanctuary. Feel free to bring your lunch.

  • Location: Chapel of the Cross on Franklin St, in the older chapel nearest Morehead.
  • Time: Monday, 12pm

Service Events

More information to come!


Socials, Cookouts, and Parties

Social events

Our goal (though we don't always reach it) is to organize at least one official FOCUS social per month. Examples of socials include movie-and-discussion nights, dinner on Franklin St., bowling, ice-skating, ice cream consumption at Weaver Dairy Farm, BBQs or picnics, museum outings and sight-seeing trips, game nights, scavenger hunts, Christmas caroling, or sporting events. Details will be announced over the listserv and Focus calendar.

If you have an idea for a social, or if you're willing to host but prefer to leave the organizing to us, please let us know!

Cookouts

There are at least two cookouts per year -- the Welcome Cookout in August, and the End of the Year Cookout in April or May. See the calendar or listserv for more details.

Parties

    Regularly scheduled parties include:

  • The Christmas/Advent Party, featuring singing, speakers, and (sometimes) a white elephant gift exchange, held jointly with various UNC and Duke graduate Christian fellowships; and
  • The Brooks' Yard-Raking Party. One small way we thank our faculty sponsors is by coming together once or twice a year to help them care for their beautiful yard. Highlights of Yard-Raking Parties in years past include the Great Ice-Storm Clean-up of 2002 and Lessons in Pouring Cement (and how to say "Ce-ment" the Southern Way). Good times!

Beach Retreats

At least once per year, we retreat to the Brooks' Beach House, on Caswell Beach, NC. It is AMAZING. Come relax and hang out, or bring your work -- you'll enjoy the peace either way. Stay tuned to the listserv for details.

  • Date: TBA, but likely Fall Break
  • Directions: forthcoming