Formation
Sundays @ 9:00 am | Adult Formation Class
Sundays @ 10:00 am | Children’s Sunday School (ages 3 through 5th grade) Seasonally—not during summer
Sundays @ 10:30 am | Children’s Chapel (seasonally, during summer)
Wednesdays @ 5:30 pm | Evening Prayer
Wednesdays @ 6:00 pm | Discussion: Time to Live (begins Aug. 20)
The Episcopal Church defines formation as “lifelong growth in the knowledge, service, and love of God as followers of Christ . . . informed by scripture, tradition, and reason.”
“Christian formation is a lifelong process, occurring in community, that shapes you into the person God created you to be.” — The Reverend Dr. Pamela Dolan
Wednesday Evening Prayer & Discussions
Current Schedule:
5:30 pm Evening Prayer on Wednesday Nights
6:00 pm Discussion: Time to Live
Seasonally we have Evening Prayer at 5:30 pm in the church on Wednesday evenings. One of our four daily offices, this is a service of prayer and scripture that concludes a day nicely. At 6:00 pm, we transition into the parish hall for a discussion group, which finishes at 7:00 pm.
You can choose between worship or study or do both.
* * *
On Wednesday, August 20th, we will resume our midweek discussion group with a course called “Time to Live.” Time is a precious non-renewable resource we never seem to have enough of, and even more troubling, none of us knows how much of it we have left. It’s also ubiquitous, surrounded as we are by clocks, watches, and electronic devices that tell us “when” it is. We portion out our lives largely in accordance with our perception of time, shaping our days and our sense of contentment them. Our connection with time also influences our faith, the quality of our relationship with God. But do we really understand time, or is it a mystery beyond our knowing, stranger and less predictable than we think?
We will explore our common understanding of time and its historical development, discovering that the way we regard and relate to time may be much more contingent and artificial than we realize. We’ll also consider how we experience time, why it seems to pass slower or faster, depending on what we’re doing or how old we are. How do we use “our” time, and what does the Bible say about all of this? We speak of God existing outside of time in “eternity,” but what does that mean?
Hopefully, “Time to Live,” will help us reflect on a central aspect of life we take for granted yet may operate differently than we believe, opening new possibilities for gaining a greater appreciation of and a healthier relationship with something that impacts us powerfully, for better and worse.
Sunday Morning Adult Formation Class
Sunday Morning Adult Formation takes place in the parish hall at 9:00 am. Fr. Michael is currently leading a study on the Acts of the Apostles.
Acts is the only book of its kind in the New Testament. Written by the same author who gave us “The Gospel of Luke,” Acts serves as a sequel to that work, chronicling the life of the early Church after Jesus ascended into heaven. It gives us great insight into how the original disciples spread the good news of Christ in a world that was alternatively receptive and violently hostile to the message they shared.
Learning about Acts helps us connect with our deepest roots as a Church community and offers us guidance and comfort. The first Christians encountered a challenging mission field, a crowded marketplace of conflicting ideas, just like we do, and they employed creative solutions to break through the clutter and narrow-mindedness that often prevailed in their society. They enjoyed very fruitful moments and endured struggles and internal conflict, as we often do today. Acts provides a fast-paced narrative punctuated with little speeches, mainly from Peter and Paul, that reveal an energized movement anchored in a sound understanding of who Jesus is and what he means. In studying Acts, we learn more about who we are and who we are called to become as the modern inheritors of the call the proclaim the Gospel.
This class will last for three or four months, but copious notes are provided for each session, so if there are dates when you can’t be here, have no fear. We can get you caught up quickly. And as always, questions and contributions are most welcome.
Foyer Groups & Prayer Circles
Foyer groups are monthly gatherings of 6-8 people who share a meal in someone’s home or out as a picnic or at a restaurant, going Dutch. Nobody needs to be Martha Stewart. Something simple and wholesome works just fine. The whole point of a foyer group is pure fellowship. No other agenda beyond sharing stories and strengthening friendships. Groups will be formed with an eye to geography and compatibility, while trying to help people meet others they may not know well. These are temporary groups, with fresh sign-ups and new groups being formed every 6-8 months.
Prayer circles are weekly gatherings of 4-5 people who meet somewhere for an hour to pray for and with each other. This is a more intimate and purposeful experience, which can also make it a very powerful experience. These small groups provide support and comfort during challenging times and encouragement as we try to live more faithfully in relationship with Jesus. Simple guides will be provided to help structure these groups, guidelines—not rules—that can be modified as the group decides. Prayer groups, because they are smaller and meet more often, tend to grow much closer, so they are not temporary groups and will not be reformed on a regular basis.
