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While the phrase “unprecedented times” is the refrain we often hear to describe these days, the deep polarization and the challenge of forming a collective identity are by no means new to the church. Explore the struggles of the early church reflected in the Book of Acts and the letters of Paul as they wrestled with how to pull together Gentile and Judean, slave and free, women, men, and so on into a new community, forging a new communal identity in response to the ground- shaking new things God was doing.

Explore “All Things Nebraska,” a free online platform designed to help users access, analyze and visualize community data across the state. Learn how to navigate the platform’s tools, including the Nebraska Map Room, which hosts over 30,000 mappable data layers, and the Nebraska County Report Card, which provides county-level insights compared to statewide metrics. Through demonstrations, we will better understand available mapping resources, data querying and visualization, and be empowered to make data-informed decisions in our communities. Get equipped with knowledge to leverage Nebraska’s rich data resources effectively.

What’s new in cancer research and care right here in Nebraska? Learn how the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) is working with public health leaders throughout the state to reduce cancer incidence. Obtain updates about screening strategies that can detect cancer early and how survivors can deal successfully with post-cancer treatment challenges. Find out how UNMC researchers are developing new ways to detect pancreatic cancers and to target gastrointestinal tumor cells while limiting side effects. Explore new multidisciplinary care strategies specifically designed for older adults who have cancer. Surprising discoveries will be revealed about how bacteria that live in our intestines influence both the onset of cancer and the effectiveness of treatments for it. Innovative findings about prostate cancer will be covered. Capping off the course, you will hear how foundational cancer research can lead the way toward the treatments of tomorrow.

Click here Course Syllabus to learn what will be discussed at each of these six amazing class sessions:

When lions hunt, the females hide in the grass while the males sit on a hill and roar. Unsuspecting gazelles then hear the roar, and naturally run away from it, right into the clutches of the waiting females. So, if you are ever in the Serengeti and hear a roar, you are better off running toward it, not away from it. We often hear the internal roar of emotional lions such as shame, depression, grief, anger and anxiety. When we do, our instincts are to run the other way. Learn the techniques and benefits of radical acceptance that encourage us to embrace difficult emotions to stay focused on what really matters in our lives. Participate in a positive atmosphere filled with humanizing metaphors, teaching stories, and the charming language of poetry.

Christian denominations splinter along the fault line of whether one is saved by God’s grace or through a sacrifice for sin. Insight into this plaguing issue comes from the sacrificial system used in the Temple and how it differs from the sacrificial systems of the Greco/Roman world. How does the Temple’s system fit with scripture and with Western Christianity?

Across the fields and prairies, along the roadsides and wooded streams grow rare native wildflowers, whose beauty rivals that of anywhere in the world. Join horticulturist Bob Henrickson on a guided pictorial tour of regions across the great state of Nebraska which show beautiful images of Nebraska wildflowers growing in their natural habitat. These prairie gems are increasingly rare to see in nature. Learn more about the rare wildflowers of Nebraska, where you can find them and why it’s important to preserve the land that they still occupy.

College students today, part of “Generation Z,” are navigating coming-of-age in a time of unprecedented challenges. One in three young people report experiencing loneliness much of the time, over half of young people report feeling stressed or anxious all of the time, and all are doing the important work of figuring out who they want to be as they grow up. The longing for connectivity, belonging, and authentic community drives the work of campus ministry. Explore the particular and timeless needs of Gen Z through the lens of faith-based care, through cross-generational learning and multiple denominational perspectives on spiritual nourishment through campus ministry.

From the Lincoln Plat of 1867 and the original Lincoln High School of 1871 to Lincoln Public School’s newest high schools (Northwest and Standing Bear), Ed Zimmer will explore the history of one of Lincoln’s most important institutions through his unique perspectives of an architectural historian, a 19-year member of the LPS Board of Education, and his 35- year career in the Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Department.

Learn about contemporary Otoe-Missouria history post-removal to Indian Territory (1881-present), the survivance of Otoe- Missouria people and ways of life, and language revitalization and reclamation among the Otoe-Missouria and other Nebraska tribes. The course will cover major U.S. Indian Policy such as the Dawes Act, Allotments, Termination, Indian Claims Commission, and Relocation. This offering is part of the “Walking in the Footsteps of our Ancestors: Re-Indigenizing Southeast Nebraska” project, a partnership of the Center for Great Plains Studies and the Otoe-Missouria Tribe that is funded by the Mellon Foundation.

Join us to continue the discussion of the challenges for citizens in a democracy to get accurate information. This discussion began in 2023 with the course, “The Language and Psychology of Disinformation.” Participants need not have taken the earlier course to get the full benefit of this sequel which centers on the structure of news gathering, the constitutional and ethical underpinnings of journalism, the ever-enlarging footprint of social media on the information landscape, and the modern processes and technology required to best stay informed.

Enhance overall physical fitness and improve the ability to perform daily activities with confidence. Focusing on muscular strength, flexibility, mobility and balance, we will engage in exercises tailored to support functional movement and reduce the risk of injury. Using just a chair, through guided workouts and movement strategies, you will build confidence in your physical abilities, fostering greater independence and overall well-being.

Join in meditation, breath-work, balance, and mindful movements to reconnect your mind, body, and spirit. Class is for all levels, but poses will include a variety of positions requiring students to get on/off the floor. Instructor will provide modifications as needed. Learn some yoga tidbits to use in your future practice both on and off your mat. No equipment is needed but a yoga mat is encouraged. Consult with your physician prior to participating.

Bogie, Bette, Liz, Rock. These names and others are the icons of Golden Age Hollywood, the era from the beginning of the “talkies” to the early 1960s. Embark on a journey through the films, lives, and careers of some of the instructor’s favorite stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Delve into three or four Hollywood stars and their screen clips per class session, and view their most memorable performances. Tentative list of stars to explore: Ingrid Bergman, Humphry Bogart, James Cagney, Montgomery Clift, Gary Cooper, Joseph Cotten, Bette Davis, Doris Day, Marlene Dietrich, Irene Dunne, Henry Fonda, Glenn Ford, Cary Grant, Rita Hayworth, Rock Hudson, Burt Lancaster, Myrna Loy, Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck, Eva Marie Saint, Barbara Stanwyck, Jimmy Stewart, Elizabeth Taylor, Shelley Winters.