Episcopal

In the coming weeks we will unveil some new spiritual development programs for adults.  Starting the first Sunday of Lent, March 1st, we will have a program after church for adults.  Then in March we are going to have a confirmation/reception into the Episcopal Church class as well, to which, the entire congregation is invited.

During Lent, after coffee hour, we will begin adult forum where we explore a program called Signs of Life.  SoL is a simple program of reading and reflecting created by Virginia Theological Seminary and the Society of St. John the Evangelist that will help us dive into how the elements of light, water, food, shelter, and community, shape our spiritual life and our church community.

To make this program simple for folks to attend, rather than move to another building, we will set up tables on the right side of the church and all that wish to stay will join in conversation about Signs of Life immediately after coffee hour.   Each session is 1/2 hour in length so one need not feel they will be spending their entire day at church. And I love this program because each of the elements are independent of each other to some extent.  You don’t have to attend all five to get the meaning of the program.  In fact you can come in and out of the program as your schedule permits.

Sunday schedule during Lent will look like this:  Church from 9:30-10:30;  coffee hour 10:30-10:50;  Adult forum 10:50-11:20.  As usual Sunday School and Communion will be celebrated on weeks one and three of each month, Morning Prayer weeks two and four.  In March there is a fifth Sunday which will be a Service Sunday.

One might ask why spiritual development for adults.  We can see it for kids, they don’t know what they don’t know or believe.  But adults?

For me spiritual development is an ongoing, life-long enterprise.  I have been a student of our faith (and other faiths) for almost 50 years (yikes) and I don’t see stopping until I die.  We all need to look at our faith and consider new thought or reinforce old thoughts in our walk with God.  And while one might say they know what they believe and thus don’t need to really discuss it, one thing we have discovered at Christ Church in the last two years is that isn’t always the case.  We have been challenging us to think about our faith and make it real since the beginning.  And I think one of the reasons people love Christ Church is that we do provide that challenge and questions and doubts are ok, rather than a threat to our faith.

I hope you will plan to attend the Adult Forum starting in March and maybe even consider joining the confirmation/reception program as well.  Whatever you do, don’t stop thinking!  reading!  evolving!  As we said the last few weeks, God needs us to be his body, mind, heart, hands and feet.  To live up to our side of the bargain we need to never stop growing.

peace,

Kurt+