In a cheeky series of public relations posters from the Episcopal Ad Project in the late 1970s, the value the Episcopal Church lays upon learning heralds loud and clear.
On one you’ll see an image of Jesus wearing the crown of thorns with the following words: “He came to take away your sins. Not your mind.” At Saint David’s, we are always learning. What are we always learning? We are always learning about how connection, how God builds us for relationship, , how human fear drives wedges between ourselves and God, others and Creation, how the Spirit moves us toward reconciling activities… how to make a perfect cookie.
If Jesus is our teacher -- in his prayers, words and deeds -- then we all share in his ministry of teaching. All of his time being present with others, his miracles of healing, his proclaiming of the Kingdom of Love, his storytelling… all these are forms of teaching that transformed and renewed spirits among those who walked with him. Likewise, we form spirits through our thoughts, words and deeds. Paying careful attention to the need for spiritual formation through life’s many stages, we become learning teachers of young children, youth and adults.
We meet on Sunday mornings for Christian Formation between Rally Day (the second Sunday of September) through the Feast of Pentecost. Both our starting and ending days are punctuated with a potluck breakfast and some intergenerational experiences, such as a scavenger hunt or a game on Kahoot.
Though we follow our various age-appropriate curricula during most of the year, summers hold surprises. Some summers we have done an all-ages Vacation Bible School, while during others we have had intergenerational conversations on old Andy Griffith television shows.
While there are many “cradle Episcopalians” among us, our unchurched, Baptist, Catholic and other-denominations population is growing. Our Christian formation programs for adults respect the many different life stages of learners but are ultimately designed to challenge heart and mind as it fosters an encouraging learning atmosphere. In other words, no question or statement is too elementary nor too lofty. If you could sum up our curriculum for Adult Formation, you would find it in the Baptismal Covenant (BCP, p. 304-305): continuing in the apostles’ teaching, we keep Christ as our magnetic North as we prepare and practice proclaiming by word and example the Good News of God in Christ, seeking and serving Christ in all persons, and striving for justice and peace among all people, respecting the dignity of every human being.
The Adult Forum meets on Sunday mornings from 9:15 to 10:15 from September through May. This gathering consists of presentations, book readings and topical interactive discussion led by clergy and/or laypeople. Topics offer a wide variety of material in the areas of theology, Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, hymnody, the sacraments and liturgy of the Episcopal Church, as well as timely book discussions and videotaped seminars.
The Lectionary Explorers Bible Study takes place year-round from 11 a.m. to Noon each Monday. (You may want to come around 10:30 a.m. for an impromptu coffee and fellowship hour that involves tasty pastries, good coffee and news about each other’s lives. With more of a “traditional Bible study,” Lectionary Explorers enter into an exploratory discussion about the texts of the coming Sunday’s lectionary. While the rector moderates the conversation, participants almost always find their own questions lead them to consider the texts in new ways. No special knowledge or advance preparation is required. Come once or come each week, whatever fits your schedule.
Inquirers, Seekers and Anglicans begins each fall and continues for about 16 weeks. While some participate in this series on Episcopal theology, liturgy, history and spirituality as preparation for Baptism, Reception or Confirmation, others join simply to gain a greater understanding about why they are at Saint David’s or why they choose to follow Christ in the first place. The Rector leads this series of discussions and uses a hybrid collection of sources from various sources.
Education for Ministry (EfM) is a unique four-year learning certificate program in theological education based upon small-group study and practice, following the course of the traditional school year. A mentor guides the course of study, taking participants through the Hebrew Bible (Year 1), the New Testament (Yr 2), Church History (Yr 3), and Theological Philosophy (Yr 4). Participants can be in different years of study within a single group, adding richness and depth to the experience.