FORMATION
CHRISTIAN FAITH FORMATION IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IS A LIFELONG JOURNEY WITH CHRIST, IN CHRIST, AND TO CHRIST.
(Developed by the Standing Commission on Lifelong Christian Formation and Education in conjunction with the Proclaiming Education for ALL Taskforce, Christian Educators throughout The Episcopal Church, and the Office of Adult Faith Formation for The Episcopal Church.)
(Developed by the Standing Commission on Lifelong Christian Formation and Education in conjunction with the Proclaiming Education for ALL Taskforce, Christian Educators throughout The Episcopal Church, and the Office of Adult Faith Formation for The Episcopal Church.)
NEW! Weekly Teaching Series:
Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul: an ancient/new spiritual foundation for our lives.
Join our Clergy-in-Residence, The Rev. John Hall (read more on him below), starting Thursday October 21st at 9:00 a.m. from the comfort of your own computer via ZOOM.
About Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul:
In his newly published book, author John Philip Newell shares the long and often hidden tradition of Celtic Christianity. Our study reveals how this grounded spirituality moves us to rediscover the natural rhythms of life, and to deepen our spiritual connection with God, with each other, and with the earth.
By embracing the wisdom of Celtic Christianity, we can learn how to listen to the sacred and see the divine in all of creation and within each of us. We will share the ways in which human beings are inherently spiritual creatures. We intuitively see the sacred in nature and within one another. But, our cultures — and even our faith traditions — can cause us to suppress or forget what our souls already deeply know. Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul offers an ancient and new spiritual foundation for our lives, one centered on encouragement and hope, for creating a better world.
Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, says of Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul, "This wonderful book draws deeply from the well of Celtic wisdom across the centuries to help us to recognize the sacred both around us and in us, calling us to wake up and see that there's no going back to small, limited notions of God and the sacred."
Join our Clergy-in-Residence, The Rev. John Hall (read more on him below), starting Thursday October 21st at 9:00 a.m. from the comfort of your own computer via ZOOM.
About Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul:
In his newly published book, author John Philip Newell shares the long and often hidden tradition of Celtic Christianity. Our study reveals how this grounded spirituality moves us to rediscover the natural rhythms of life, and to deepen our spiritual connection with God, with each other, and with the earth.
By embracing the wisdom of Celtic Christianity, we can learn how to listen to the sacred and see the divine in all of creation and within each of us. We will share the ways in which human beings are inherently spiritual creatures. We intuitively see the sacred in nature and within one another. But, our cultures — and even our faith traditions — can cause us to suppress or forget what our souls already deeply know. Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul offers an ancient and new spiritual foundation for our lives, one centered on encouragement and hope, for creating a better world.
Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, says of Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul, "This wonderful book draws deeply from the well of Celtic wisdom across the centuries to help us to recognize the sacred both around us and in us, calling us to wake up and see that there's no going back to small, limited notions of God and the sacred."
Pastor in Residence,
The Rev. John Hall |
Pastor in Residence Biography: In his first three decades as an Episcopal priest, The Rev. Dr. John C. N. Hall served eight churches in five dioceses around the country, with parishioners numbering from a handful to hundreds. His work is highlighted by successful efforts in congregational and intercultural faith development, notably helping to triple the size of one congregation, to begin a weekly ocean-side beach church service, and to create Matthew's Crossing Food Bank, a community-based non-profit now serving more than 50,000 clients each year. John has also earned degrees from the University of Arizona (B.A.), Virginia Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Bexley Seabury Seminary (D.Min.).
A native New Yorker, half of John’s life was lived in Arizona. Now newly retired, he has returned to the mountains of northern Arizona living at an altitude of a mile above sea level. At home, you will find that John is an avid woodworker, making lots of noise in his woodshop, producing redwood furniture for the lanai, wooden toys and clocks for the kids, and finish molding for the house. A gardener, as well, John’s raised gardens and tiny orchard produced a fine crop of rare Hopi lima beans, baskets of tomatoes, and many pounds of heirloom apples. John is married to his best friend, Jean Hall. As a child, Jean lived in the Philippines, Brazil, and Mexico as well as several stops in the United States. She earned her Master of International Management degree from Thunderbird School of Global Management. Jean enjoys handwork, knitting, and quilting. If it has fibers, she loves it. Her sewing studio is right next to John’s woodshop, and it’s a lot cleaner. John thinks Jean makes the best cookies – ever. John and Jean enjoy restoring antique furniture, especially chairs with cane seats. Many of their projects may be seen on their Raising Cane Facebook page. Together, John and Jean have four adult sons, three daughters-in-law, five grandchildren (and one on the way), and a Silver Labrador Retriever named Oakley. John and Jean are delighted to join in ministry with the wonderful folks at Christ Memorial Church this October and November. More About the Teaching Series Book: Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul
John Philip Newell shares the long, hidden tradition of Celtic Christianity, explaining how this earth-based spirituality can help us rediscover the natural rhythms of life and deepen our spiritual connection with God, with each other, and with the earth. Newell introduces some of Celtic Christianity’s leading practitioners, both saints and pioneers of faith, whose timeless wisdom is more necessary than ever, including:
Pelagius, who shows us how to look beyond sin to affirm our sacredness as part of all God’s creation, and courageously stand up for our principles in the face of oppression. Brigid of Kildare, who illuminates the interrelationship of all things and reminds us of the power of the sacred feminine to overcome those seeking to control us. John Muir, who encourages us to see the holiness and beauty of wilderness and what we must do to protect these gifts. Teilhard de Chardin, who inspires us to see how science, faith, and our future tell one universal story that begins with sacredness. By embracing the wisdom of Celtic Christianity, we can learn how to listen to the sacred and see the divine in all of creation and within each of us. Human beings are inherently spiritual creatures who intuitively see the sacred in nature and within one another, but our cultures—and at times even our faiths—have made us forget what each of us already know deep in our souls but have learned to suppress. Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul offers a new spiritual foundation for our lives, once centered on encouragement, guidance, and hope for creating a better world. |
CENTERING PRAYER - Until further notice, we are holding a Tuesday Centering Prayer & Scripture Reflection every Tuesday, 9:00 am-9:45 am on ZOOM.
Centering Prayer is a wonderful way to quiet our minds and be present to our God. There are many gifts that come with a centering practice: relieving stress and anxiety, creative inspiration, awakening of the senses, and a sense of becoming one with Mary, Jesus and our God.
Most of us know Dr. Matt Miller from Sunday worship as the guitarist with the beautiful bass voice, who wrote several music settings to the Advent scriptures. Dr. Matt graduated from UCLA with a PhD in Medieval English Literature in 1993, and decided the most useful thing he could do would be to teach people literacy skills. He did so until 2016, working at various locations including Island School and Kauai Community College. Now he is doing something even more useful — teaching Centering Prayer, a discipline he says is “paradise.” |
