Adult Formation

Sunday Forums

Sunday Forums begin in the Volunteer Room fifteen minutes after the Postlude ends - please grab coffee and a snack and join us 

October 11th: Incarnate Splendor: The Radical Mission of Anglo-Catholicism (Dr. Orens)
Anglo-Catholicism is far more than a religion of smells and bells. Since the days of the Oxford Movement, ours has been a radical faith in the original sense of the word, a faith rooted in a sacramental vision that summons us to lives of personal and corporate transformation. Following the story of this vision may help us better understand the mission to which God is calling us as individuals and a parish.

October 18th: Sacramental Rebellion: Conrad Noel and the Catholic Crusade (Dr. Orens)
Conrad Noel, the vicar of the Essex village of Thaxted from 1910 until his death in 1942, was the most colorful Anglo-Catholic visionary of the past century. His liturgical genius, artistic sensitivity, and political daring, turned Thaxted church into a shrine visited by thousands of pilgrims, and besieged from time to time by angry protesters. His saga and that of the Catholic Crusade he founded is inspiring, perplexing, and always entertaining. 

October 25th: More Catholic than the Pope? Anglo-Catholics and the Bishop of Rome (Fr. Richard)

Why do some Anglicans pray for the Pope even though they are not in communion with Rome? If Anglicanism is genuinely Catholic, what is the proper relationship of Anglicans to the Bishop of Rome? We will explore these questions through the Oxford Movement, John Henry Newman, Anglo-Papalism, and the Roman-influenced worship of the Anglo-Catholic tradition. This will include a brief "English Missal 101" and explore the conviction of some Anglo-Catholics that praying for the Pope acknowledges his historic primacy and expresses hope for the reunion of all Christians. Join us for a lively debate of Anglican identity, Catholic unity, and the place of the papacy.

November 1st: Ordered in Beauty: Planning Anglo-Catholic Funerals (Fr. Richard)

November - the Month of the Holy Souls - is a fitting time to reflect on Christian death, pray for the departed, and consider our own funeral arrangements. This forum will explore the spiritual and practical aspects of preparing for death, including wills and advance directives, burial and cremation, funeral planning, practical logistics, and the distinctive character of an Anglo-Catholic funeral. In addition to thinking about recording and discussing our wishes, we will consider how the Requiem Mass unites prayer for the departed with the Church’s confident proclamation of Christ’s resurrection. 

November 8th & 15th, December 6th & 13th - The Last Things: What Happens After We Die? (Fr. Richard)
November, traditionally observed as the Month of the Holy Souls, invites Christians to remember the faithful departed and to reflect upon our own mortality and eternal destiny. As Advent approaches—with its ancient emphasis on the Four Last Things of death, judgment, heaven, and hell—we will offer a four-part forum series exploring what Christians believe about life after death. We will consider death and pagan understandings of the afterlife, divine judgment, heaven, and hell, asking how Scripture, Christian tradition, and the Church’s worship help us approach these mysteries with honesty, hope, and faith. Please join us for one session or for the entire series.