|
 |
Adult formation & spirituality
Opportunities for adult education and spiritual renewal
Adult education -- on Sundays
As adults we are all on a journey of discovery and we invite you to come to the Sunday series if you have more questions than answers. Grab a cup of coffee and join Finn
Pond, Pete Wyman, Jonathan Steinhart, Bob Mills and Deacon Char Mills for discussion at
10:00 a.m.
On March 3, 2013 we started the DVD series, "History of the Bible: The Making of the New Testament Canon." The scope of this course will deal with some of the most fundamental questions about the New Testament Scriptures.
Adult education – during the week
"In Transition: Hearing the Spirit"
5-week course, dates to be announced
(Hoping to start in late April, probably on Tuesday evenings)
This course on discernment will be taught by Pat Kowal. Pat Kowal completed a two year program in Spiritual Direction in 2011 at Gonzaga University and has practiced as a spiritual director since then.
More information will be posted here when the schedule is firmed up. If you have any questions about the course, please call or email Pat.
Library book clubs (see article on the Fellowship ministries page)
WOMEN’S CONTEMPLATION & CONVERSATION
1st and 3rd Wednesday mornings at 10:00 a.m.
by The Rev. Char Mills
Are you wishing to deepen your prayer life? All women are invited to this group which meets on the first and third Wednesdays. Facilitated by Char Mills and others, the group enjoys twenty minutes of silence together based on a theme and then shares their experiences with the group. New women are welcome to join at any time. For more information, please speak with Char.
Cursillo: growing Christ-centered leaders
A number of St. David's members are active leaders in Cursillo (cur-SEE-yo), a movement of the church, under authority of the diocesan bishop. Cursillo aims to support ministries throughout the diocese by inspiring
and developing leaders within the parishes, and providing a structure
that can support their further spiritual growth and development
A Cursillo weekend brings together a diverse group of adult Episcopalians from Thursday night through Sunday afternoon. The three days
are filled with talks and group discussions on aspects of our faith, plus fellowship,
singing, good food, and time for privacy, meditation and prayer. Eucharist is celebrated each day. Lay people lead the weekend, with 2 or 3 clergy members as spiritual advisors. Cursillo is not intended to be a conversion experience,
but rather to enrich and deepen your spiritual life.
After the weekend, small groups of friends gather regularly for continuing encouragement and fellowship ("Group Reunion"). Larger groups from throughout the area meet monthly for the same purpose ("Ultreya"). Spiritual direction from skilled lay persons or clergy is also encouraged, to provide help in deepening one's relationship with Christ.
For more information, and details of the next Weekend, check St. David's communication center and the Cursillo website.
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of sharing faith journeys, experiences of prayer, and spiritual stories with a listener who helps to focus on seeing how God is working in our lives. The director serves as a witness to the spiritual experiences of the directee and may ask questions or just listen to encourage the seeker on his or her spiritual path. Another term for spiritual direction is spiritual companioning—to have someone to chat and pray with to discern God‘s will.
Through the ages this ministry has been part of the great religions. Within Christianity, spiritual direction has its roots in the early church and continues to this day. One modern author and Episcopal priest, Margaret Guenther, director of the Center for Christian Spirituality, likens spiritual direction to being a midwife to the soul: learning how to be present and patient, waiting on the Spirit.
Outside of a retreat, spiritual direction usually involves a one to two hour meeting every four to eight weeks. Normally it is conducted in a quiet place, free of distraction. It is a holy time reserved to invite in the presence of God and to prayerfully listen to the Spirit’s nudging. The sharing is both sacred and confidential. A donation is generally offered.
Pat Kowal, a member of St David’s, offers spiritual direction. She can be reached by email. Please feel free to ask her any questions you may have regarding this ministry.
Pat completed a two year program in Spiritual Direction in 2011 at Gonzaga University and has practiced as a spiritual director since then. She has offered programs in spiritual formation over the years at St David’s. Pat has a Masters Degree in Social Sciences from Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA. She is a consultant and group leader for Onsite Workshops where she has led groups in personal recovery and growth for 20+ years.
Education for Ministry (EfM) is a program of theological education and reflection on ministry offered by extension through the School of Theology at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. It is specifically designed for adults to pursue a program of study within their own parishes. It is a four-year curriculum of Old and New Testament study, church history and theology. Individual participants belong to an EfM seminar group, facilitated and guided by a mentor trained by the School of Theology. Seminar groups meet weekly through the academic year, generally for two to three hours. They discuss the week’s reading assignments, worship together, and learn a process of theological reflection which helps them to connect their theological study with their own experience.
Although it is a four-year program, members make a commitment to register for one year at a time. The tuition for one year is $340.00, which includes all books and materials. For more information about EfM classes that may be scheduled in our area, contact the diocesan office. You may also contact any of St. David's former EfM students for more information and feedback. They are: Char Mills, Barbara Gronberg, Martha Lou Wheatley-Billeter, Jim and Nadine Grady, Jeanne Mitchell, Steve and Kathleen Kellen, and John Finlon.
Travis library
Located on the lower level of our parish hall, the Travis
library was established in memory of The Rev. Ronald James Travis, a
27-year member of St. David's. Ron was ordained a deacon in 1981, and
died in 1998. He was an avid reader and many of his religion books were
donated to the library.
The library has a unique color-coded
classification system that makes it easy to find what you're looking
for. It's maintained by volunteer members of the Library Committee and
contains both fiction and non-fiction resources primarily on religious
and spiritual topics. Books and other resources are donated by parish
members, who then feel a part of the library and check out more books
themselves - a win-win situation!
Current selections are
displayed atop the shelving units by the windows, and on a display shelf
in the hallway outside the library. The check-out book is on the
counter, ready for your use.
Lent Madness
The Saintly Smack Down
What do you get when you combine a love of sports with holy saints? Lent Madness, of course! Based loosely on the wildly popular NCAA basketball tournament, Lent Madness pits 32 saints against one another in a single-elimination bracket as they compete for the coveted Golden Halo. But it is more than that: Lent Madness is really an online devotional tool designed to help people learn about saints.
Lent Madness began in 2010 as the brainchild of the Rev. Tim Schenck, an Episcopal priest and rector of St. John’s Church in Hingham, Massachusetts. In seeking a fun, engaging way for people to learn about the men and women comprising the church’s calendar of saints, Schenck came up with this unique Lenten devotion. Combining his love of sports with his passion for the lives of the saints, Lent Madness was born on his blog “Clergy Family Confidential.”
Starting last year, Schenck partnered with the Rev. Scott Gun, Executive Director of Forward Movement (the same folks that publish Forward Day by Day) and Lent Madness went viral, reaching over 50,000 people and getting mentioned in everything from the Washington Post to Sports Illustrated (seriously).
Here’s how it works: on the weekdays of Lent information is posted about two different saints on www.lentmadness.org and then participants vote to determine who goes on to the next round. Each pairing remains open for a set period of time – usually 24 hours – and people vote for their favorite saint. 16 saints make it to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen; eight advance to the Round of the Elate Eight; four make it to the Faithful Four; two to the Championship; and the winner is awarded the Golden Halo.
The first round consists of basic biographical information about each of the 32 saints. Things get a bit more interesting in the subsequent rounds as we offer quotes and quirks, explore legends, and even move into the area of saintly kitsch. It’s fun, it’s informative, it’s the saintly smack down!
To win in 2013, will take grit, determination, holiness, and perhaps some good old-fashioned luck. This year Lent Madness features a slate of saints ancient and modern, Biblical and ecclesiastical including John the Baptist, Martin Luther King, Hilda of Whitby, Luke, Dorothy Day, Benedict of Nursia, Martin Luther, and Harriet Tubman as they vie to fill the shoes of 2012 winner Mary Magdalene.
This all kicks off on “Ash Thursday,” February 14, and will continue throughout the 40-day season of Lent. To participate, log onto www.lentmadness.org, where you can also print out a bracket and fill it out to see how you fare or “compete” against friends and family members. Like that other March tournament, there will be drama and intrigue, upsets and thrashings, last-minute victories and Cinderellas.
If you’re looking for a Lenten discipline that is fun, educational, occasionally goofy, and always joyful, join the Lent Madness journey. Lent needn’t be all doom and gloom. After all, what could be more joyful than a season specifically set aside to grow closer to God?
|
|
