Spiritual formation is a rather general term referring to all attempts, means, and disciplines intended towards deepening of faith and furtherance of spiritual growth. It includes educational endeavors and prayer as well as the more intimate and in-depth process of a covenant group or spiritual direction.
Adult Formation 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Thistle Farms Education Room unless otherwise noted!
Nov. 2nd: No Sunday School due to All Saints
November 9th: Becoming a Grief Companion led by Nita Andrews
Explore key ways to support loved ones during the darkest hour of their life. Nita Andrews, a local grief therapist, will focus on practical ways to show you care. Grief originates in the body and is expressed in waves of sadness and feelings of powerlessness. If you are interested in knowing specific ways to support someone’s journey, come join us. It always the right time to refresh your skills as a companion to the broken hearted.
Nov. 16th: This World is not (yet) Our Home led by Logan Pollock from Larkspur Conservation
This world is not my home; I’m just a-passin through. This is a folk-hymn that has grown so popular that many treat it as scripture. If asked, most Christians would profess that the beginning of this lyric came directly from scripture. Most are surprised to learn that this phrase is not derived from scripture at all, and is instead a sort of shorthand slogan for a theological posture that fundamentally misreads much of the New Testament, specifically the apocalyptic literature of the New Testament.
This class will explore what scripture does say about this world, our relationship to it, our role within it, and the shared destiny of humanity and creation. Furthermore, it will describe ways in which acts of creation care—such as conservation burial—bear witness to that God given relationship, and create a bridge between the troubles and grief of this current world and the glory of the renewed creation that awaits us.
Nov. 23rd: No Sunday School due to the Fall Festival at the Welcome Garden
Nov. 30th: Intergenerational Sunday School for Advent Wreath Making
Questions? kate@staugustineschapel.org
Wednesday Morning Women’s Book Study
9:45 a.m. - 11 a.m.
at the Center for Contemplative Justice, 5201 Alabama Ave, 37209
Starting September 10th, we’ll be reading “Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi” by Amy-Jill Levine.
Pop in & out as your schedule allows.
Questions? christy@staugustineschapel.org
September 10th - Intro - How We Domesticate Jesus’s Provocative Stories
September 17th - Chapter 1 - Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Lost Son
September 24th - Chapter 2 - The Good Samaritan
October 1st - Chapter 3 - The Kingdom of Heaven is like Yeast
October 8th - Chapter 4 - The Pearl of Great Price
October 15th - Chapter 5 - The Mustard Seed
October 22nd - Speaker
October 29th - Chapter 6 - The Pharisee and The Tax Collector
November 5th - Chapter 7 - The Laborers in the Vineyard
November 12th - Chapter 8 - The Widow and the Judge
November 19th - Chapter 9 - The Rich Man and Lazarus, Conclusion and Potluck Brunch
Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction is a time-honored term for a conversation, ordinarily between two persons, in which one person consults another about what it means to live with God in mind. Unlike counseling or psychotherapy, spiritual direction is focused not on problem-solving, technique, or intervention but on relationship with God, questions about suffering, the true self, and vocation. As Thomas Merton once said, “Spiritual direction is, in reality, nothing more than a way of leading us to pay attention to the real Director — the Holy Spirit hidden in the depths of our soul."
Although spiritual direction has had a burst of new life in recent times, it is really quite ancient and simple. Throughout the ages and across faith traditions, we find people seeking guidance on how to choose appropriate directions in response to felt questions, leadings, and inclinations.
For more information, email Scott Owings at scott@staugustineschapel.org.
Grief as Praise: A Conversation with the Rev. Dr. Scott Owings and tallu quinn From the January 31, 2021 Home Church Service at St. Augustine’s Chapel