Formation: The Basics
Here at St. Barts, we seek to coach and train people in the spiritual practices of the Anglican church that can provide them life long sustenance as they serve in the world. We regularly offer two sets of courses for seekers and members.
We offer a Christian Basics class once a year, as well as a number of classes listed below.
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Christian Basics
What is Christianity? In this class we look at a variety of ways to understand God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and how the Trinitarian understanding of God can help illumine our personal practices in the church and the communities we serve.
This class explores the central narratives of Jesus and the atonement; the organization of the church; and various Christian spiritual practices. We will end with the biographies of modern individuals who brought their Anglican faith into their work, including Francis Perkins, Thurgood Marshall, and Bono.
(Right - Rasta Jesus)
Regular Courses
We seek to provide a regular steady stream of courses for us to reflect, gather, and serve. We repeat these annually so that everyone has the opportunity to deepen their spirituality.
Anglican Basics
This is a five hour course where we discover the history of the church in America and the world; the specific distinctions between the Anglican church as contrasted with other traditions; the Book of Common Prayer; how to pray, Anglican style; the governance of the Episcopal Church, and how to get more involved.
Prayer: the Foundation of Thought
In this course we learn about the various sorts of reflection. We begin with the Book of Common Prayer, teaching the many options and resources in that book, including the daily office, the collects. We also teach people how to write their own intercessions for public use, and introduce people to various other reflective practices, including contemplative prayer, centering prayer, writing, and physical activity.
The Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the central distinctive text for the Episcopal and Anglican traditions. It places the practice of prayer and reflection in the hands of all of God's people.
Yet many people seem unaware that this book is meant to be used for everyday use. This 75 minute class teaches how any lay person can use the BCP. The rector will teach many of the different secrets of the book, including how to find Easter in 2034, discovering your favorite collect, identifying verses of scripture to memorize, and the importance of rubrics.
REading the Bible; Reading Life
This three hour class (with lunch or dinner) is an introduction to the bible. We walk through some basics about the history of scripture, interpretive methods, and the use of scripture in prayer and personal edification.
Building a Community: Listen, organize, Study, Act
This regular 3 hour class is the foundation for building strong communities. We teach people how to listen; how to gather people effectively; how to run a meeting; and how to create an event.
The Great Hymns
Several times during the year, the organist offers an evening class to people who want to learn some of the great hymns, and some of the harmonies that go with them. We learn a few rounds, some chanting, and gospel.
Your Body in Prayer
In this 75 minute course, we guild people through the various postures, gestures, and breathing techniques that can be used in daily and during our weekly service. The body is where we live, and learning to be attentive to it is an essential part of praise. This class is taught as an "instructed Eucharist" meaning, we walk through the different parts of our weekly services.
Book Club
Every Year, the priest assigns a book for the congregation. We've read Shop Craft as Soul Craft, My Dark Abyss, and others. This year, we're reading Life's Work by Dr. Willie Parker.
