Formation 2020-2021

Book Study: Christianity After Religion

The first offering of The School for Christian Practice will be a book study of Diana Butler Bass’s pivotal work Christianity After Religion. The book study will be on Zoom, and we will offer two times each week, Mondays or Tuesdays from 6:00 – 7:00 PM, for four weeks, beginning January 18.

• More Information

Bible Study

Our Jeremiah Bible Study will meet for the last session on Tuesday, December 15 at 10:00 AM. The link to Bible Study is located in the ON THE CALENDAR section of the email newsletter.

Parenting with Grace

They say parenting is one of our most important tasks—a task that’s often both exhilarating and exhausting, magical and maddening, and our efforts sometimes seem both laudable and laughable…all in one day!! If this sounds familiar, this class is for you!

We gather together to support one another in our parenting endeavors, and explore different ways to parent with more mindfulness and grace. We seek to understand ourselves better, so that we can better understand our children, and be better equipped to help them become the people they were created to be.

Email Director of Christian Formation Cheryl Kelley for information.

Sacred Ground

Sacred Ground is a film and readings based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith.  Small groups are invited to walk through chapters of America’s history of race and racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. The 10-part series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories.

Sacred Ground Introduction | Episcopal Church

Sacred Ground | Episcopal Church

An online dialogue groups is currently meeting. If you are interested in being part of a future group please email Director of Christian Formation Cheryl Kelley for information.

Centering Prayer

Centering Prayer is a contemplative method of prayer that facilitates opening the mind and heart to God. It includes a time of silent prayer followed by reflection and sharing. Our Centering Prayer group is sharing time together on Zoom on Mondays at 5:00 PM! All are welcome.

The link to Centering Prayer is located in the ON THE CALENDAR section of the email newsletter.

Prayer Yoga

With a new year looming and possibly some new intentions to take better care of ourselves being made – come join us for prayer chair or flow yoga classes each week via zoom. Chair yoga meets on Mondays at 2:45 and flow yoga meets Mondays at 3:45 PM or Thursdays from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM. With COVID and so many sheltering in these days, our classes have become a wonderful support group for each other. It is always nice to “see” faces! The classes are free and open to anyone. New participants welcome and no experience is necessary.

Links to yoga are located in the the ON THE CALENDAR section of the email newsletter. Please join the zoom meeting just prior to your class and mute your feed during class so all can hear the instructor.

 

Prayer Practices

Explore some different prayer practices all designed to help us stay grounded, to be mindful, to practice gratitude, to notice the things that bring us joy, and to pay attention to the work of the Spirit in and among us.

• Prayer Practices

Resources for Reflection about Race

To help facilitate our work to better understand issues of racism and justice, we’ve compiled a list of resources you might explore. There are resources for all ages, and in many different formats – books, movies, webinars, blogs, podcasts, websites, and more.

• Resources

Imagine Church

Imagine a renewed approach to online worship through music, visual art, and spoken word. All are invited to join the Diocese of Atlanta as we make Jesus the center of our lives. The monthly video series, Imagine Church, is offered on the fourth Sunday of each month at 7:00 PM. You can watch on the Imagine Church website. There you will find a program for each service, a reflection guide, and a space to chat with the other viewers.

• Imagine Church

This Is NOT Sunday School

Even if we can’t physically worship and learn together, we can still draw closer to Jesus Christ. That’s the aim of a new learning experience called “This is NOT Sunday School.” This free, weekly online resource is intergenerational, making it a perfect tool for families and people of all ages. Free sessions launch 4 days before the upcoming Sunday through December 20. Each week’s session features video teaching by a professional from the Christian formation network, Forma, as well as downloadable lessons and readings.

• This is NOT Sunday School

Movements of Faith with Bishop Wright

In life, we go through movements. These movements (reality, grief, hope, faith, and courage) change in each season, and during this season, these movements within ourselves may feel impossible to overcome. Join Bishop Wright in a 5 part video series that takes a deeper dive into what these movements look and feel like as people of faith.

• Movements of Faith

 

Links to Additional Resources

• Sign up to receive a daily online devotional based on the Revised Common Lectionary readings by email, or simply visit the website each day. It contains daily readings and reflections, but also other ways of engaging our faith each day with activities, and links to other resources.
• Read and comment on today’s Forward Movement Day by Day meditation.
• Pray the daily office.
• For People with Bishop Rob Wright is a weekly podcast focused on responding to tough questions of faith. The purpose at its core is to share with all people conversations of life and faith and where they intersect. Jesus is a cool dude. Listen in to hear honest and fearless dialogue with Bishop Wright centered in faith and the understanding of our call to serve the world by sharing the Gospel of Jesus.
• The Way of Love with Bishop Michael Curry is a weekly conversation featuring Bishop Curry, podcast host Sandy Milien, and a variety of guests center on ways to live a life committed to living the way of God’s unconditional, unselfish, sacrificial and redemptive love. Conversations are framed by the Way of Love—those seven practices of turning, learning, praying, worshipping, blessing, going and resting – and offer listeners stories and lessons about how they can grow closer to God in daily life. Guests include Jen Hatmaker, Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, Teddy Reeves, Jeff Chu, Shann Claiborne and more.

To receive emails with Christian Education reflections at home, contact Cheryl Kelley, the Director of Formation, at ckelley@gracechurchgainesville.org.