adult education

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Adult formation at St. John’s includes adult forums offered on Sundays at 9:00 am, book discussion groups throughout the year, inquiries classes, advent book studies, and Lenten midweek programs.

  • Adult Forums have included guest speakers on current topics where faith is discovered in the secular; video series offered through The Episcopal Church such as “The Way of Love”; a video series entitled “The Story”; Report of the Annual Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, Report of The General Convention.
  • Book Studies have included Debby Irving’s Waking Up White; The Pilgrim Series: A Course for the Journey—a series from the Church of England; other courses from the same series covered The Eucharist and Church and Kingdom; Rachel Held Evans’ Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again.
  • Lenten Series have included speakers from the Connecticut Council of Interreligious Understanding, a local Rabbi speaking about anti-Semitism, planned lay and ordained Episcopal speakers on racial healing, justice, and reconciliation, speaker on religious architecture.
  • During Advent, parishioners were invited to write a reflection for the Season of Advent based on Holy Scripture. These reflections were offered daily via the St. John’s electronic news.
  • Men’s Book Discussion Group, on Saturday mornings, this group gathers to discuss various books they have selected to deepen their spiritual journey with authors like Henri Nouwen. They gather to build community, support one another in faith and learn from their books and each other.
  • Inquirers’ Class, held periodically through the year for those interested in formally joining the Episcopal Church or wanting to know more about the Episcopal tradition. Discussion includes familiarity with The Book of Common Prayer, important history of the Episcopal Church, our governance, our liturgy, and what makes us unique in our Christian faith as Episcopalians who are part of the wider Anglican Communion.