Spiritual Formation
Adult Education
Every week at 9am, we gather in a hybrid fashion (on Zoom and in-person) to explore an area of faith formation. Over the course of each school year, our Adult Education program rotates through series in the following areas: Bible Study, Progressive Theology, Ecclesiology (exploring different aspects of Christian history and Presbyterianism), Art and Faith, and Social Justice. During the season of Lent, we often do a church-wide book study. We offer two discussion groups during Lent—one on Sunday morning during the Adult Education time and one during an evening time—and community members are also welcome to read along even if they don’t participate in a group.
Scripture Conversation
On Tuesdays, we meet (currently via Zoom only) at noon to explore an upcoming preaching text and offer their observations, insights, and questions. This is not a formal Bible Study—we do share what we know in relation to the questions that are raised, but we also do a lot of wondering and speculating. We end each time by asking how this text “meets us” or speaks to us today. No advance preparation is required and all are welcome!
Special Services
Members of our community often cite our creative special services as some of their most meaningful and moving experiences of the year.
During Advent, we have a tradition of singing the beautiful Holden Evening Prayer service in members’ homes (pre-COVID) and more recently in small groups in the church with extra COVID safety measures. On Christmas Eve, we do a no-rehearsal participatory pageant that invites young and old to help embody the Christmas story (in pandemic times, we have continued this tradition by editing together hilarious and heartwarming videos of our kids enacting the story at home). On Ash Wednesday, we use the spiritual practice of walking the labyrinth as a metaphorical and literal way to begin our Lenten journey and set intentions for the season. During the pandemic, we began a Zoom home Maundy Thursday service in which we eat dinner together at our home tables while taking turns sharing parts of the Biblical story of that evening.
In pre-Pandemic times, our Good Friday service was a favorite for many—a contemplative chant service with a focus on social justice and modern day crucifixions. We have held many other special services in response to current events such as a post-election prayer service, a service lamenting the huge loss of life to COVID, and a service honoring Black Lives Matter activists and lamenting the loss of so many Black lives.
Click above to learn about Sunday School and other offerings for children.
