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Adult Sunday Morning Formation

An integral part of our Christian growth and development comes in the form of learning.  We are taught a great deal in the course of the events and circumstances in our lives.  But, to give that learning a foundation informed by our faith, we also need periods of study and learning about the Christian faith.  If you lay a seed down on a table outdoors, and let it experience the events and circumstances of weather and nature, not much will happen.  The seed needs cultivated soil to flourish and grow.  The same is true for our Christian lives.  And so, with that in mind, the goal of our Sunday morning Adult Christian Formation hour is to provide time both for formal instruction as well as for integrating that information in our lives through informal discussion.  Whether it be a class on Paul's writings, the meaning of Sabbath, or global climate change, the intention is the same:  to help each of us grow ever more deeply into the person God has created us to be, and to live that life out faithfully.  The classes are typically led by our Rector, although we are certainly open to having others lead the instruction and discussion.

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Wednesday Bible Study

As a part of our Wonderful Wednesdays, we offer a weekly Bible Study.  The Bible is the core of our faith and our understanding of God.  As most of us will woefully concede (we can all include ourselves here), we tend to be more unfamiliar with this core than we would like to be.  The richest form of Bible study comes in the context of community, where many gather together to share in this learning experience.  As no single person can possess all the knowledge and experience of God, we need one another to learn and grow.  This year, we will using Living the Good News curriculum as our Bible study guide.  It is based on the Sunday readings, making it beneficial in several ways.  First, we can explore more deeply what we will be hearing on Sunday morning during our worship.  Second, it engages the Old and New Testaments each week.  Third, it is wonderful in helping us to integrate the words and teachings of the Bible into our lives.  Fourth, it allows room for the group to "go off-road," and explore more deeply particular subjects (e.g., women of the Bible, the sources of Genesis, etc.).  And, finally, each week's lesson is self-contained, so that individuals who cannot make a weekly commitment can still attend when they are able.

Education for Ministry (EfM)

Every baptized person is called to ministry.  The Education for Ministry (EfM) program provides people from all walks of life with the education "to be" Christians and to carry out their ministry.  All Christians need a Christian education which supports their faith and which prepares them to express that faith in day-to-day events.  EfM is a worldwide program developed by the School of Theology of the University of the South.  It holds before us that the foundation for bringing Christ to the world lies in a church empowered by an active, theologically articulate laity.  Thousands of persons have completed this four year program.  Students enroll one year at a time, can transfer almost anywhere in the USA and in many foreign countries, and can obtain 18 Continuing Education Units per year by participating.

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