themessenger Monthly Newsletter of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church SEPTEMBER 2013
SEE INSIDE FOR THE 2013-2014 FALL CHRISTIAN FORMATION BROCHURE! [pull-out section]
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The fall worship schedule begins on September 8. Christian Formation for all ages will begin on September 8.
VOLUME 102
Adult Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation Overview We know that we are members of the Body of Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, forgiven and given life eternal through our baptism; these are the deep truths and also the mysteries of our faith. But what does all that really look like in our day to day lives? By growing in our knowledge and understanding of what it means to be a disciple and of the symbols and ritual actions of the church – their history, meaning, and purpose – we begin to appreciate these mysteries, and in so doing, prepare ourselves to encounter the living God in more deeply transformative ways. Goals What are your goals? Seriously. While a weekly game plan is prepared, it’s important to know what you’d like to get out of this class. So be thinking about it: what do you want and need? We will discuss this in our first class. Expectations Each class builds on the previous classes, so plan to attend every session. That said, life happens, so a make-up session can be scheduled. If you desire to be confirmed by the Bishop on Sunday, November 3, attending each class is a pre-requisite. Our class meets from 10:10-11:00a.m. each Sunday morning in Dean Richardson room on the 2nd floor. As all of our time is valuable, please arrive on time. We will have coffee and snacks provided by the church. We will also gather at the Bishop Jones Center one Saturday along the way to share a meal, meet the Bishop, and cover some additional ground. The date for this will be decided together at our first class, so bring your calendar. Questions are always encouraged. We’ll do our best to answer or find someone who can answer when we can’t. We are all always learning and being formed in the faith.
ST. MARK’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 315 E. Pecan St. San Antonio, Texas 78205 (210) 226-2426 www.stmarks-sa.org stmarks@stmarks-sa.org Office hours: Monday thru Friday 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m. Emergency Pastoral Care: 210-507-0256
ISSUE 08
If you have a Book of Common Prayer (1979), bring it. Jot notes in it as we go. (It won’t hurt the book, really.) Who knows? Your notes might speak to you on some upcoming Sunday morning in the middle of worship. If you don’t have one, consider purchasing one…or you can always borrow one from the church. (The downside is you can’t write in those.) There is no required reading for this class. However, we’ll provide a recommended reading list of books and resources that we will reference throughout the class.
CLASS SCHEDULE Dean Richardson Room (2nd floor) Sunday mornings at 10:10a.m. Sunday, September 8 The Life of Faith: What is a Disciple? Sunday, September 15 Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi: We are Always Being Formed Sunday, September 22 Tools of the Trade: The BCP, The Liturgical Calendar and Sacred Space Sunday, September 29 Initiation Rites: Baptism as Full Inclusion, Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation Sunday, October 6 Eucharist: Feast of Thanksgiving, Remembering and Sending Sunday, October 13 Anglicanism: The Episcopal Church’s Broader Context Saturday, TBD Half Day Retreat at Bishop Jones Center Sunday, November 3 10:10-11:00a.m. Adult Forum with Bishop Reed; Confirmation at 11:15a.m. service Interested? Contact the church at 210-2262426 or email cmorehead@stmarks-sa.org for further information or to sign up.