March 28, 2024

Congregation UCC to continue Death with Dignity Thursday

Congregational United Church of Christ will continue a six-week series on Death with Dignity: A Series of Conversation around End of Life Matters from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the church, 308 E. Second St. N. in Newton. The series began on Oct. 6 and will continue through Nov. 10.

Each session can stand alone, so participants are encouraged to attend one or all sessions.

On Thursday, participants will explore the topic from a decidedly Christian perspective through discussing a chapter on “The Right to Die” by the American theologian John B. Cobb, Jr. Cobb examines five arguments against the right to die, namely, playing God, human life as sacred, emotional consequences, the slippery slope, and suicide as unnatural. Reading materials may be obtained by contacting Congregational United Church of Christ. Reading materials may be obtained by contacting Congregational United Church of Christ.

There will be a time for questions.

The purpose of the series is to invite participants into consideration of and conversation around physician aid in dying that they might grow in their understanding of the issue through encountering various perspectives. Each session will begin with a brief explanation of what is meant by death with dignity.

The two remaining sessions will include speakers medical staff and hospice workers on Nov. 3 and a panel of religious leaders on Nov. 10 sharing their thoughts on the issue. The series is not meant to convince participants to either support or oppose physician aid in dying but to engage in conversation and to stimulate thinking about the topic.

This series is free and open to the public.

With questions, call the Rev. Jessica Petersen at 641-792-3773.