The Monteagle Sunday School Assembly in Monteagle continues its 141st consecutive summer season of enrichment through Sunday, Aug. 6, featuring numerous visiting lecturers who will present morning and evening programs in the Auditorium that are open free of charge to the public; unless otherwise noted, morning lectures begin at 10:45 a.m. and evening lectures at 7:45 p.m. Anyone interested in a full schedule of the Monteagle Assembly’s 2023 program is welcome to pick one up at the Assembly Office (tel. (931) 924-2286), or to peruse the schedule on the Assembly’s website at <www.mssa1882.org>.

Rev. Allyn Maxfield-Steele joins us this week as the Wayne & Virginia Jervis Bible Week lecturer. Since 2017, Steele has served as the co-executive director of the Highlander Research Education Center, the organization formerly known as the Highlander Folk Center. Highlander’s historic contributions to civil rights organizing and education continue today; they “work with people fighting for justice, equality and sustainability, supporting their efforts to take collective action to shape their own destiny,” according to their web site. Steele will lecture Tuesday-Friday mornings in Warren Chapel, drawing from his experiences at Highlander and elsewhere.

Grammy winner and 2019 inductee into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, Marcus Hummon will present twice this week, on two very different topics. On Thursday evening, Hummon will share what he learned in writing and staging his most recent musical, American Prophet, which focuses on Frederick Douglass’ life. The musical premiered in Washington, D.C., last summer to sold-out audiences, and it went on to win the Edgerton Award and was nominated for six Helen Hayes Awards. His lecture is “The Making of American Prophet: Frederick Douglass in His Own Words,” takes place at 7:45 p.m. Thursday in the Auditorium.

But that’s not all! Hummon’s career has spanned songwriting, musical performance, playwriting, and writing. Among his many notable artistic contributions are co-writing credits with Rascal Flatts, the Dixie Chicks, Tim McGraw, Winona Judd, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. On Friday evening, Hummon will perform with songs and stories from his own career at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium.

Additional events include the following:

Monday, June 19, 6 p.m., Chapel Porch – Dinner on the Chapel Grounds, followed by Twilight Prayers. Bring a side dish to share and get to know others at the Assembly.

Tuesday, June 20, 2:30-5 p.m., Shady Dell – Canvas Floor Cloths workshop, led by Colby Henderson Black and Bradley Moody-Mims. Advance registration required at MSSA office; $30 class fee + gate ticket required to participate. Continues through Thursday.

Friday, June 23, 2:30 p.m., Writers’ Grove – Don Welch reads from his book, Opening Thoughts on Everyday Life: Digging Deeper, Looking Farther. If there’s rain, this will be moved to Warren Chapel.

The Mission of the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly is to be a welcoming community of Christian faith where people gather to engage in spiritual growth and renewal, lifelong inquiry and learning, recreational, and cultural enrichment, while being good stewards of our natural resources and our Assembly heritage.