Lancaster Region

Of all the Mycenaean palaces mentioned by Homer in the Iliad, the only two that have not been located so far are the palaces of the two protagonists of the Homeric epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey: the palace of Achilles in Phthia and that of Odysseus in Ithaca. The Mycenaean Spercheios-Valley Archaeological project combines archaeogeophysical survey, excavation, and digital technology to evaluate an excellent candidate for a potential regional palatial center on the ancient citadel (Akrolamia) of Lamia, Greece. In the summer of 2019, a test trench was dug on the Akrolamia to begin verifying if this is indeed a palatial site, and possibly the long-lost palace of Achilles. Mr. Wagman was a member of the excavation team and will discuss the Mycenaean civilization in general, and the 2019 dig season results from Akrolamia.

By the time we have entered a retirement community, we are facing the end of life. Because of this, we spend a lot of time thinking (and discussing) death and dying. Practical issues like pain, dependency, loneliness, financial burden, and spiritual issues like life-after- death and fear of the unknown become increasingly important. This presentation focuses on the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of aging, and how we can best prepare for the next stage of our journey.

“It is difficult/to get the news from poems/yet die miserably every day/for lack/ of what is found there.” William Carlos Williams, Asphodel, That Greeny Flower After participants share past experiences with poetry, we will engage poems that delight and evoke a sense of well-being, even laughter. Then we will read aloud and respond to poems on the pandemic, climate change, and systemic racism. We will tune in to voices of resistance and cries for justice and empowerment in poems written by poets of color, immigrants, refugees, and other marginalized persons. We will savor poems that nourish our souls, offer hope, evoke joy, and inspire loving action.

The Spangler farm has long been overlooked as one of General George Meade’s keys to victory and the most important farm in the Battle of Gettysburg. Also, there were two big hospitals on the Spangler farm during and after the battle. Hear the stories of sacrifice and heroism of the wounded and dying, surgeons and nurses, and Spangler family.

At the crossroads of Europe and Asia lies the Caucasus, ancient homeland of the Georgian and Armenian peoples. Part history, part travelogue, this course highlights the hidden treasures of these two little-known countries. We’ll explore their scenic beauty, their enduring Christian roots, their architectural gems, their distinctive musical traditions, and their dramatic political evolution. Long beset by foreign powers – Rome, Persia, Turkey, Russia – Armenia and Georgia have now emerged from their tragic past, with a renewed sense of cultural heritage and national pride.

This course will cover the origins of our government and how the framers of our constitution established a government that divided power between three separate branches, created a system by which no single branch had more power than was necessary to carry out its duties, and existed by the consent of those people who would be governed by it. It is the concept of a government made of three branches that fulfills the premise that there is a separation of powers within the government, and it includes a system of checks and balances. Explanations will be provided about how each branch: legislative, executive, and judicial was created and what their specific duties are with regard to a government designed to represent its people. The similarities and differences between the three branches will also be reviewed.

In 1994, Rwanda suffered an ethnically based genocide in which nearly 1,000,000 people were killed. Through slides and comments, this presentation will reflect on that event and the country 26 years later. It will include a virtual visit to Akagera National Park with its colorful birds and animals and a description of the work of Mennonite Central Committee to support agricultural development, education, and peace building.

Join us in watching (or re-watching) a series of classic Hollywood films. The instructor will select one film a week being shown on Turner Classic Movies (TCM). You will be given a schedule listing when the films will be shown (mostly at 6:00 pm or 8:00 pm). During the class session, Roger Godin will do a 45-minute presentation about the film, discussing the filmmakers, the stars, and the significance of the film in American film history. He will also analyze the film utilizing stills from the movies and clips of certain key scenes. A question and answer session will follow during which class participants can offer observations about the movie or ask questions.

This course will cover the origins of our government and how the framers of our constitution established a government that divided power between three separate branches, created a system by which no single branch had more power than was necessary to carry out its duties, and existed by the consent of those people who would be governed by it. It is the concept of a government made of three branches that fulfills the premise that there is a separation of powers within the government, and it includes a system of checks and balances. Explanations will be provided about how each branch: legislative, executive, and judicial was created and what their specific duties are with regard to a government designed to represent its people. The similarities and differences between the three branches will also be reviewed.

This Mere Existence is a celebration of our true human nature and a call to embrace that human nature for the sake of those with whom we share the planet. This Mere Existence attempts to: remind us that we are highly evolved beings capable of empathy and reciprocal altruism, and naturally endowed by our creator with inalienable human rights; motivate people to join worldwide efforts to restore those rights to all of our sisters and brothers, and provide nonviolent strategies for restoring human rights to their central place in human existence. People of all spiritualties are welcome to join the conversation.