How We Learn and Grow in Faith

ADULT CHRISTIAN FORMATION

Our parish has a long history of offering adult forums for presentation and robust discussion of how we, as individuals and as a parish, develop an understanding of how to live out our faith in the world around us.

These forums encourage parishioners to share their views on a variety of topics, often under the guidance of a member of the parish, a retired priest, or occasionally an ‘expert’ from outside the congregation. Forums are on Sunday mornings after the 10:00 service but sometimes in the evenings if the subject requires more time.

We have considered issues of social justice for the past 50 years, taking up subjects such as the role of moral values in political and economic areas, taxation, the free market, the ecological crisis, sexuality, and affordable housing. These and other moral issues challenge and inspire our spiritual formation and offer opportunities to understand morality’s application to the world beyond our congregational boundaries. In addition to these social-justice focused forums we have had presentations on church music and light-hearted sessions on “how to become an Episcopal millionaire” testing our knowledge of hymns and other aspects of Episcopal liturgy and history. We also have monthly adult Bible study onSunday mornings. We have tried to provide a forum on a bi-weekly basis.

CHILDREN’S CHRISTIAN FORMATION - GODLY PLAY

Godly play is a program for children ages 2½ and up to learn stories of the Bible, baptism, and church seasons. It is held on the second, third and fourth Sundays of each month at 10:00. The main storyteller and another adult are always there to help. A story is told very simply with simple props and without interpretation or moral instruction. Next is what is called Feast, with water and snacks introduced by a song to serve as a grace. Then the two adults help the children to work with the story props or to use clay, markers, or other materials which each child chooses in response to what they found most important or interesting in the story. The program is finished by forming a ring to pass the peace to each other and let anyone give thanks for something that happened in their life that week. Then the children join their families in the church for the rest of the service, usually between the confession and the passing of the peace.