The Rev. Catherine Hicks
All that we do—our time together and our serving the world together in God’s name is educational, because we always learn something when we’re together. We have done a LOT of Christian education together this year under that broad definition.
Specific Christian Education also took place in a variety of ways.
Even though the children’s Sunday morning class has come to what I hope is only a temporary end, and children have joined in with adults on Sunday mornings for education, we also had several educational activities specifically for young people. Over approximately six weeks this summer, the children met weekly, along with children from the neighborhood to do various activities together. At the end of the summer, I did a Eucharist and blessing of the backpacks, to which all kids were invited. We had an instructed Eucharist and each child present received a back pack tag to place on the back pack. By serving as acolytes, the children also have a way to learn about worship and why we do the things we do. I am very grateful to the Dukes and to the Fishers for serving as acolytes in 2019.
The weekly ecumenical Bible study continued and thrived. Our time consists of praying for one another and then delving into each of the upcoming scriptures for Sunday.
Thanks to the help of TryTank and the Latino Ministry in a Box experiment, we started a new Bible study during Lent. This Bible study is geared toward Spanish speakers. During Lent, we listened to a short talk in Spanish, followed by a discussion. Since Lent, the group has continued to meet, and our current study consists of each person bringing a Bible scripture that illustrates a certain theme such as faith or blessing. We share a meal together and then join in conversation around the theme of the evening. All are welcome at this Bible study, even those who don’t speak Spanish.
Several of us participated in the way of love breakfast, which took place on the last Wednesday morning of the month over the course of six months. At each of the sessions we took one of the rules of life and discussed the impact of that rule on our lives and how we might support one another in being faithful to the rule. We used the material on The Way of Love provided by The Episcopal Church.
Christian Education on Sunday mornings has included a study of the Letter of Paul to the Romans which we did in conjunction with The Good Book Club, and a study of I Corinthians, in which we all took on the parts of people who would have attended the early church. Bishop Ihloff played the part of Paul during his visitation with St Peter’s. We also had a series on pilgrimages in which we learned more about Israel, Ireland, Guatemala and Hawaii, and current day issues related to these areas. The Rev. Deacon Carey Conners led a series of discussions on mission. During Advent, we spent some time studying the women that appear in scripture around the birth of Jesus—the women in Matthew’s genealogy, Elizabeth, mother of John, and Mary, mother of Jesus.