Simpson for Seniors
In Memoriam
Glenn and Nancy Schaefer have been part of the Simpson community for 51 years. They were married for 63 years. Nancy was known for many things: baking, crafting, sewing, gardening, hospitality, and love – and then came her grandchildren who were everything to her. Nancy was living in Redding, California when she passed away on March 26, 2025 after 15 years with Parkinson’s Disease.
Interactive Lifelong Learning in a University Setting for Adults of Any Age
Simpson University offers exciting learning opportunities at our Redding campus for adults of any group.
Our unique month-long courses are not-for-credit, open to the public, and meet three times a week for a total of 10 one-hour instructional sessions. Presented by current or retired university professors and professionals in their field of expertise, these courses are designed to enhance your joy of learning. They are held in classroom settings on Simpson’s campus for an authentic university experience –only without the required homework, tests or grades.
Registration
Registration fees are $95 per individual, per course, or $145 per couple, per course.
Students registering and paying tuition for three courses in a given year can take a fourth course at no additional expense.
Upcoming Classes
September 2025 (8 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 17 / 19 / 22 / 24 / 26 / 29)
Jeremiah, The Man and His Message
10:20-11:20 AM – The prophet stood at the historic “crossroads” of the Old Testament to serve as God’s spokesman. He has been dubbed the “Weeping Prophet” because it hurt him to deliver the Lord’s word—only to see it rejected by his countrymen. We will seek to show him in his context—and to see how his “times” have striking parallels to our own. Presenter, Glenn Schaefer
More Undiscovered Gems and Hidden Places of America
11:30 a.m.-12:30 PM – We will explore such places as the last Confederate offensive of the Civil War, beautiful majestic statues few people ever see, and the highly unusual story of Tabasco production-and much more. Presenter, Larry Porta
October 2025 (6 / 8 / 10 / 13 / 15 / 17 / 20 / 22 / 24 / 27)
The Study of Messier Objects in the Northern Hemisphere
10:20-11:20 AM – This study will take us through a tour of Messier’s brightest objects in the Northern Hemisphere and will show which constellation each object lies in, and many details about each object. We will go through the four seasons, starting with winter. This catalogue includes most of the astronomical deep-sky objects that can be easily observed through a small amateur telescope. Presenter, Bob Hollenbeck
Great Britain: Stonehenge to Bosworth Field
11:30 a.m.-12:30 PM – The history, geography and culture of the peoples of Great Britain during the Pre-Celtic, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Norman eras up to the pivotal Battle of
Bosworth Field and the rise of modern Great Britain. The unprecedented story of a world-changing nation created through both isolation and vulnerability.
Presenter, Don Claspill
November 2025 (3 / 5 / 7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 17 / 19 / 21 / 24)
How the West Was Lost
10:20-11:20 AM – California’s resources have long been at the center of debate on land and water usage. From the gold fields that brought California to statehood, to the creation of Yosemite National Park, debates have raged about how to protect and use those resources. This class will explore both the political and biological impacts of those decisions. Learn how the past will influence the future, as we deal with mega-droughts and mega fires that the future will bring. Presenter, Nadine Bailey
Sermon on the Mount
11:30-12:30 AM – Matthew the former tax collector knew the importance of records, so he carefully wrote down what Jesus taught. The most comprehensive teachings of Jesus are found in the Sermon on the Mount. It is imperative for His followers to know what Jesus taught about being part of the Kingdom of God. The topics we will address are the Beautitudes, murder, divorce, oaths, fasting, revenge, loving one’s enemies, prayer and worry.
Presenter, Jim Voss
January 2026 (7 / 9 / 12 / 14 / 16 / 21 / 23 / 26 / 28 / 30)
The History of Christianity in America
10:20-11:20 AM – A survey of the Church in America from its beginnings in Europe to the present day. The focus will be on the people and influences that created the current religious scene. Presenter, Glenn Schaefer
A Study of our Sun and the Motion of other Stars in our Galaxy
11:30-12:30 AM – We will explore our sun, a “garden-variety star,” our visible and changing sun, the sun’s outer layers, the sun’s stability to sustain life on earth. Then we will look far out into the cosmos to determine how stars move relative to earth, by observing their light, knowing the wave nature of light as illustrated in the doppler effect. Finally, we will look at the death of stars smaller and much larger than our sun and their final cataclysmic deaths. Presenter, Bob Hollenbeck
February 2026 (6 / 9 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 20 / 23 / 25 / 27)
Patterns in Literature-Patterns in Life
10:20-11:20 AM – David and Goliath, the tortoise and the hare, the mysterious forest. Both literature and life are filled with these patterns referred to as Archetypes. These common patterns appear throughout time in a variety of places and cultures and artistic expressions: literature, movies, plays, and even in life itself. Some of the larger patterns like comedy and tragedy reflect important ways of responding to life, thus reflecting important themes within the Christian faith. Presenter, Brian Larsen
Union Jack: The Rise and Fall of the British Empire
11:30-12:30 AM – The history and geography of the mightiest empire in human history-at one time dominating one-fourth of the earth’s land surface and one-third of all humanity. The story will take us from the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 to the return of Hong Kong to
China in 1997. Presenter, Don Claspill
March 2026 (9 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 20 / 23 / 25 / 27 / 30)
The Politics of Iran
10:20-11:20 AM – In this course we will look at Iran’s imperial tradition, the 1905 constitutional revolution, the rise of the Pahlavi dynasty, a US- sponsored coup of 1953, the Islamic revolution, and even the positive role played by two Americans in the early 1900s. Presenter, Ryan Brasher
Authentic Christianity
11:30-12:30 AM – Together we will discover how to recognize and deal with the prideful masks we often hide behind. In addition, we will look at Satan, our enemy, so we can better understand—and defend ourselves against his strategies. Although we are opposed by our flesh within and the devil from without, God is faithful to release His power in our lives to fashion us into trophies of His grace. Presenter, Bob Hollenbeck
April 2026 (8 / 10 / 13 / 15 / 17 / 20 / 22 / 24 / 27 / 29)
The Four Hundred ‘Silent’ Years Between the old and New Testaments
10:20-11:20 AM – Israelite history from 400 BC to the Fall of Jerusalem to the Romans AD 66-70 presents an intriguing backdrop for surveying the extra- canonical literature. The gradual finalization of the Hebrew canon of scripture provides a basis for understanding the categories of Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Septuagint, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Presenter, Glenn Schaefer
Modern Israel: From Ben-Gurion to Netanyahu
11:30-12:30 AM – The unprecedented story of a state, extinct for nearly 2,000 years, “miraculously” returning to existence in the 20th century. Eretz Israel has become both the most powerful state in the Middle East as well as the most controversial nation in the world. Presenter, Don Claspill
