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Current Course Offering
The Fall 2025 Messinger-Williams Family Community Education Initiative at Hood Theological Seminary
A free educational opportunity, open to all.
A Simpler Life
A guide to greater serenity, ease and clarity
“We crave simplicity not because we are simple, but because we are drowning in complexity.”
We live in a complicated, frenzied, and noisy world, filled with too much information, too many products, ideas, and opinions. As a result, many of us long for simplicity: a pared down, more peaceful, and less cluttered life.
But finding simplicity is not always easy: it isn’t just a case of emptying out our closets or trimming back commitments. True simplicity requires that we understand the roots of our distractions and the reasons why things can grow complex and overwhelming.
The book A Simpler Life examines how we might achieve simplicity in our relationships, social lives, work routines, and our approaches to possessions and media.
Facilitated by Trevor Eppehimer, Academic Dean at Hood Theological Seminary, the Fall 2025 Messinger-Williams Community Education Initiative will be devoted to a five-week study of A Simpler Life: A guide to greater serenity, ease and clarity, beginning October 13.
Participation Options
Read independently
Use distributed reading guides to work through A Simpler Life on your own.
Organize your own discussion group
Use distributed reading guides to explore A Simpler Life with co-workers, neighbors, family, and friends.
Join a discussion group
Join an in-person or Zoom discussion group, led by Dr. Trevor Eppehimer of Hood Theological Seminary, that meets one hour per week during the course of the study. Discussion groups are now being formed at the following places and times:
- Mondays 10:30-11:30am EST on Zoom (10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, and 11/10)
- Mondays 12:00-1:00pm EST on Zoom (10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, and 11/10)
- Tuesdays 10:00-11:00am at Palms Grill (Salisbury NC) (10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, and 11/11)
- Wednesdays 11:00-12:00pm at First Presbyterian Church (Salisbury NC) (10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, and 11/12)
- Fridays 11:00am-12noon at Trinity Oaks Retirement Community (Salisbury NC) (10/17, 10/24, 10/31, 11/7, and 11/14)
Five-Week Reading Schedule
Week One (October 13-17):
- Introduction (pp. 7-20)
- “Simpler Relationships” (pp. 25-45)
Week Two (October 20-24):
- “A Simpler Social Life” (pp. 49-70)
Week Three (October 27-31):
- “A Simpler Lifestyle” (pp. 75-133)
Week Four (November 3-7):
- “Work and Simplicity” (pp. 137-154)
Week Five (November 10-14):
- “Culture and Simplicity” (pp. 159-186)
- Conclusion (pp. 191-205)
Questions?
Want more details? Send email to
teppehimer@hoodseminary.edu
Ready to register?
You can click here to register now.
The Messinger-Williams Community Education Initiative at Hood Theological Seminary is an extension of the Hood Theological Seminary’s Messinger and Williams Family Chair in Theology and Ethics. Its mission is to facilitate explorations of topics related to ethics, community, faith, and meaning-in-life for the general public. Courses are free and open to all.
“But
godliness with contentment is great gain.For
we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of
it.”
1
Timothy 6:6-7
Suggested
donation for course: $25. Click
here
to make donation.
