Adult Formation
Learning to Pray at St. Paul's
Coming up:
Sunday 1st March
Foundations of Faith: the Daily Office
Volunteer Room, following 10:30am Mass
Join Max to learn about this very Anglican way of structured prayer that anchors life in ancient rhythms, joining your soul to the unceasing round of praise to God by the saints in heaven and Christians around the world.
Confessions
In its essence, Penance is something extremely simple — we kneel beside another and confess to God our sins, laying bare the real failures of every day which honest thinking compels us to admit. A confession is not a portrait of vague disgust with ourselves, but revealing those concrete occasions in which we have sinned. Confession and the granting of God's forgiveness, or Absolution, not only gives us, but also compels us to seek a new and enriched relationship with the Savior of the world, with our neighbors, and with ourselves. By our penance, we enter into the joy of our Lord. (Anglican Service Book)
Lent is a season to examine our conscience, make a confession to a discreet and understanding priest, and to discern the gifts and graces we must ask of God. Fr Martin Smith is one of the Episcopal Church's most gifted spiritual guides and confessors, and we are fortunate that he is making himself available to hear parishioners' Confessions.
Fr Martin will be available on Wednesday evenings in the Angel Chapel 5 - 5:30pm - February 25th, March 4th, 11th, 18th. Please simply wait on pews outside the chapel until he is available.
About our Formation Program
Formation is never once-upon-a-time, nor a program confined to childhood. Christian formation is a lifelong journey, a journey of moving deeper into the mystery of faith, as we grow into the image and likeness of God.
Our formation programs are open to seasoned parishioners and first time visitors alike, and create space for growth wherever we may be on our faith journey. Some programs are oriented towards newcomers, but still serve those looking to renew their faith foundations. Others may look at Scripture, church history, liturgy, and our sacramental life. Whatever the topic, we are always asked to reflect on how we hear God speaking to us, in this parish and through these traditions, and how we discern and offer our gifts.
Look out for:
- Lent Bible Study
- Saturday Formation Days
- Zoom Book Studies
- Lent Suppers & Programs
- Lent Quiet Days
- Confirmation & Reception Preparation
Formation is not only about programs: it is rooted in the prayer and mission of the Church. Practice what we learn by joining us to pray the Daily Office; put faith into action by volunteering with Grate Patrol. Fr Richard is ready to talk anytime about finding your place in this community, and learning more about life lived in Christ.
A Year of Formation in Prayer, by Fr. Martin Smith
Integrated with our Newcomers & Foundations of Faith Series, Fr. Martin Smith will be leading a yearlong series of formation opportunities with three goals:
- to re-imagine our relationship with God in prayer
- to receive practical coaching in the various facets of prayer
- to be introduced to a range of different ways to pray
Prayer always involves ‘starting over,’ so our sessions of exploration are meant both for beginners, and those beginning again. Our formation year offers a variety of opportunities, and parishioners are encouraged to invite other friends to participate.
Wednesday Evening Lent Sessions “Ways to Pray”
Each session will focus on a particular form of prayer for participants to experiment with during Lent.
- ‘Holy Reading’ A way to meditate with scripture passages (Feb. 25th)
- The Jesus Prayer A way of prayer from the Orthodox tradition that helps us realize the presence of Christ in all places, times and situations, as well as giving us a focus for our prayer times. (March 4th)
- Praying with Scripture Stories A way of prayer which encourages us to use our imaginations to ‘relive’ a gospel story then pray the feelings that emerge. (March 11th)
- First Steps in Contemplative Prayer God often leads us to pare down our prayer to a single word or phrase to center us, helping us through silence to be ‘rooted and grounded in love.’ (March 18th)
Teaching Sermons
Fr Martin will preach a sermon on a topic central to prayer:
- Unlocking our capacity for adoration (April 26th)
