Category: Spiritual Growth

  • On-ramps for Adult Formation

    On-ramps for Adult Formation

    A reflection by Cedar team member Taylor Devine.

    Churches in transition, whether this is a transition around leadership, size, or some other issue, often struggle to maintain consistent and robust offerings for adult Christian formation. Common refrains from membership include “We used to have an adult forum,” “People just don’t have the bandwidth to stay after the service on Sunday,” and “I know education is important, but I can’t be the one to facilitate it.” With real constraints on resources, staff, and volunteers, adult Christian formation can get lost in the mix, even though we know that equipping and supporting our members in developing a mature faith is one of the most important things we do as Church.  

    In conversation with leaders across the Episcopal Church, I have heard of a few jump-starts that have placed congregations on the path to more robust adult Christian formation. Here is one example that you may find inspiring, as you consider your space, the kinds of spiritual questions your people are asking, and the kind of time and leadership support you have in your ministry context.

    Sabbath Brew

    Emily Bruner Doane is the Canon for Formation and Lay Ministry in the Diocese of East Tennessee. In Emily’s home parish, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Oak Ridge, TN, she and the rector started an informal Sunday forum called Sabbath Brew that started conversations, gave parish leaders a sense of what people were responding to, and led to more openness for adult formation offerings.

    Steps:

    Leaders got a group subscription to the Work of the People, which offers a collection of faith-based films and visual content ($60/year group subscription). They chose and previewed a short 3-5 minute video, and showed this about twenty minutes into Coffee Hour each Sunday. Then the group had a brief conversation responding to the short film.

    Why it worked in this context:

    This casual format did not replace the fellowship of Coffee Hour, but provided an enriching opportunity in community, that people then realized they valued. The leaders were able to note what kind of questions came up and which topics were of interest to the group, as they considered what else they might be able to offer during that or another time. These Sabbath Brew sessions built momentum, and parishioners began asking for more formation. This led to leaders adopting the Pilgrim course (an adult Chrisitan formation course from the Church of England) as the next chapter of adult formation at their parish, which became their Confirmation class.

    Please reach out with your stories of transformation if this sounds like you! We would love to share more like it. To hear more about how Emily Bruner Doane has co-led Pilgrim, join the Cedar team for a Webinar on Introduction to Christian Faith curricula on September 29.

    For further suggestions on creating on-ramps for adult Christian formation in your congregation, see the “Get People Moving” chapter of Signs of Life. Start with where you are; get to know your people; and invite them and others into more!

    The Rev. Taylor Devine is the Church Relations Coordinator for Discipleship Initiatives at Forward Movement and a member of the Cedar team.

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  • And somehow, Christ met me there

    And somehow, Christ met me there

    A reflection by Cedar team member Taylor Devine.

    “One of the most powerful things a person can say is, ‘Let me tell you what God has done in my life.’ Not because every story is dramatic. Not because every story is finished. But because testimony creates connection.

    When people share honestly about grief, healing, doubt, forgiveness, addiction, loneliness, wonder, or joy…something sacred happens. Walls come down. Shame loses power. Hope becomes imaginable.

    So many people today feel unseen. They carry hidden pain. Hidden questions. Hidden longing.

    And often what opens the door to faith is not argument, but authenticity. Someone saying:

    ‘I was lost, too.’

    ‘I struggled, too.’

    ‘I wondered, too.’‘

    ‘And somehow, Christ met me there.’”

    The above is an excerpt from a new short video course to support you and your worshipping community to grow in faith. Cedar at Forward Movement is excited to introduce “Sharing our Stories” to help you to understand, develop, and pray with your own story of faith in conversation with stories from the Bible, the saints, and other Christians. The course’s three ten-minute videos will also be available as video podcasts and printed transcripts, all FREE at cedar.forwardmovement.org starting August 4.

    Designed for adult formation sessions or leadership retreats, the videos may be watched in person or online in a group with guided conversation, or at home and then discussed later in small group settings. This course is ideal for one 90-minute session or three separate shorter sessions.

    The course features: the Rev. Robert Hendrickson, the Rev. Andrew Stravitz, and Kristin Tovar who teach practices of story sharing that will help you further engage the story of God in your life. Exploring a theology of friendship with Christ through modern and ancient stories, you and your group (formation group, Vestry or church committee, small group, etc.) will be guided through a meaningful and engaging practice designed to help you and your church share your story and to grow in love of God and neighbor.

    If you haven’t already, subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to receive the links to the course in all of its formats. If you would like to sign up for the beta testing group that will provide feedback on this course and its impacts, please email tdevine@forwardmovement.org.

    Later, we look forward to sharing bonus episodes further detailing Kristin and Andrew’s stories and highlighting local Episcopalians based in the Diocese of Arizona whose lives have been transformed in Christ.

    The Rev. Taylor Devine is Church Relations Coordinator for Discipleship Initiatives at Forward Movement, and a member of the Cedar team.

    [Photo by RenewalWorks Director Loren Dixon. Nova Scotia, Canada.]

  • How Do We Measure Spiritual Growth?

    How Do We Measure Spiritual Growth?

    A reflection by Cedar team member Regina Walton.

    Years ago I worshipped at a parish that attached the following sentence to the end of the annual statement of financial giving sent to everyone who pledged: “No goods or services were received for this donation except intangible spiritual benefits.”

    So often in the Church, we are dealing with “intangible spiritual benefits.” We talk all the time about spiritual growth—but what does this actually look like in the life of an individual or a congregation, and can it be measured? We are told in the Scriptures that, though the workings of the Holy Spirit are invisible, we can see the “fruits of the Spirit,” the love, joy, peace, patience, self-control, and other qualities that become visible in the words and behaviors of persons who are mature or maturing disciples of Jesus.

    Fifteen years ago, RenewalWorks was founded as an offering of Forward Movement. RenewalWorks exists to help congregations create cultures of discipleship focused on spiritual growth. It is one of few consulting offerings for congregations that exists primarily to measure a congregation’s spiritual vitality and then, in combination with church leadership, to design a spiritual strategic plan for deepening their commitment to growing in love of God and neighbor.

    I interviewed Loren Dixon, Director of RenewalWorks and now a member of the Cedar team at Forward Movement, on how we think about spiritual growth, measure it, and talk about it in our congregations.

    RLW: Loren, please describe to us how you talk about spiritual growth with congregations.

    LD: We define spiritual growth as a growing in love of God and neighbor. Often, we begin RenewalWorks conversations by asking participants to think about spiritual growth in the context of their own faith journeys. Over your life, where are the moments or experiences that drew you closer to God? What has pulled you away? No individual story is the same–reflecting unique life experiences, beginnings, endings, moments of grace given or received, learning, and/or periods of questioning and study. Few people are in the same place where they started or where they were five years ago. Each journey also reflects a relational interdependence with others and God, and our community. Zooming out, we can apply those same conclusions to church communities. Spiritual growth calls us to be moving deeper and to be in relationship. The opportunity is for churches to create dynamic cultures focused on deepening relationships to God, each other, ourselves, and the world around us. That is the mission of RenewalWorks – to assist in that work.

    RLW: What are the most important things that clergy and lay leaders can do to nurture spiritual growth in their congregation? 

    LD:  RenewalWorks talks about “The Heart of the Leader” as a critical element for spiritually vital congregations. By “Leader” we don’t just mean the rector (if there is one), but all clergy, wardens, lay ministry leadership, vestry members, and staff. How is this leadership group modeling, committing and championing spiritual growth in their own lives and through their leadership within the church? How does leadership keep their focus on growing hearts rather than other evaluation metrics like fundraising or attendance numbers? 

    RenewalWorks spends considerable time exploring the role of the Leader’s Heart, including offering practical ways to lead for spiritual growth. RenewalWorks founder Jay Sidebotham’s book, “Signs of Life” goes into much more detail on this. The new second edition is now available on Forward Movement’s website.

    RLW: Tell us a bit about the data side of the RenewalWorks process, and why it’s useful.

    LD:  Anchored in 15 years of research with 400 congregations, RenewalWorks has become a leader in understanding Episcopal churches in the United States, and we hold a unique perspective on key characteristics of vital congregations and what makes them grow. Our methodology provides summary data from your parishioners around what Episcopal beliefs congregants’ most value, how they currently utilize spiritual practices, and how they put their faith in action in the church and community.  

    The process begins with an on-line survey – we call it the Spiritual Life Inventory. Next a small group of appointed lay and clergy leaders participate in four guided workshops exploring their own spiritual journeys while discerning the results from the compiled inventory data. RenewalWorks also shares best practices for spiritual vitality and growth discovered from Episcopal and non-Episcopal churches. Ultimately, each church creates a final report tailored to their unique goals and desires of the church community. 

    RLW: Finally, Loren, tell us your favorite part of working with so many different Episcopal congregations over the last ten years! 

    LD:  It is deeply meaningful to be invited to work with church groups and I am often affected, motivated and challenged by the conversations we have together. Most recently a parishioner asked how in prayer we discern the difference between the voice of God and our own. That question has really stayed with me. While RenewalWorks helps churches create cultures focused on spiritual growth, it is often a meaningful personal experience for the workshop team participants, too.

    Visit the RenewalWorks website to learn more.

    The Rev. Dr. Regina Walton is Editor and Content Developer for Discipleship Initiatives at Forward Movement, and a member of the Cedar team.

    [Photo by septian akbar on Unsplash]