The Adult Forum
The Forum
Sacred Conversations about Life
The Forum is an adult education program hosted on Sunday mornings (other than “Community Sundays” that are focused on fellowship) during the Education Hour, from 11:05 to 11:45 a.m. We invite all to join us in the church sanctuary for these “Sacred Conversations about Life” where guest speakers, clergy, and leaders from our Church will stimulate deeper thought and questions about what it means to live as Christians in a complex world. Detailed schedules of the topics and speakers will be made available through the parish newsletter, in Sunday leaflets, and on our web site. We hope that members and their friends will look over The Forum schedule and attend those programs that are of the most interest. No preparation is needed and there is no homework assigned.
Schedule
Hosted by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Sundays from 11:05-11:45 in the church. All are invited to join us!
September 21 –Franciscan Spirituality – Engaging the Other
Special guest presenter, the Rev. Canon Kristofer Lindh-Payne, will explore the relevance of the life of Francis of Assisi – 800 years ago – and how he can impact our common lives today. With emphasis on discernment of our call to ministry in 2025, our time together will focus on interfaith cooperation, stewardship of creation, the work of justice for those in poverty, and caring for those on the margins. The Rev. Kristofer Lindh-Payne is Canon to the Ordinary for Leadership in the Diocese of Maryland as well as being a friar in the Anglican Order of St. Francis.
October 12 –Good News about Religious Decline?
For decades, there has been a steady decline in religious affiliation in the US, including across all parts of Christianity. Surprisingly, the Pew Research Center has found that the Christian share of the US population has been relatively stable in recent years, and the religiously unaffiliated population, after rising rapidly for decades, has leveled off. Is this good news? The Rev. Dr. Joseph Stewart-Sicking will explore these findings and situate them in broader sociological trends, identifying the ways in which congregations can respond to the “signs of the times” and be faithful to their mission. This forum will be led by our special guest The Rev. Dr. Joseph Stewart-Sicking, who is an Episcopal priest as well as a professor and a counselor educator at Loyola University.
October 19 –Belonging and Identity: Where Do I Fit in the Church?
The church community can help us know who we are and that we have a place where we belong. This can be done in many informal ways but also by more formal moments such as Confirmation, Reception, Ordination, and Baptism. With an upcoming bishop’s visit, join Mark Stanley to explore together these sacramental rites and their meaning for us and our community.
October 26 – Celtic Spirituality
Led by The Rev. Flo Ledyard. It’s about perspective, space and pace. So where do you see God? What kind and amount of verbiage is helpful? And how fast are your conversations with God? Maybe a new perspective, space and pace might be intriguing.
November 2 – Faith Stories from Our Own Members
Come listen to members of our congregation talk about how God and this church have made a difference in their lives. Let the stories of these faith journeys inspire and strengthen you. Currently participants include Letieri Schnor.
November 16 – Anglican Poets and Priests: Finding Inspiration in the Poetry of John Donne and George Herbert
Two of the greatest poets of the 1600’s were also priests in the Church of England. Join the Rev. Mark Stanley to examine some of their religious poems such as “Batter my heart” and “Come my Way,” for the spiritual insights these works offer for us today.
Past Forums
November 10 – Progressive Theology – What can a modern person believe?
Progressive scholars have been exploring how 21st century Christians can engage the doctrines and traditions of the church in a new way. They are rethinking such topics as how to read scripture, the person of Jesus, the Resurrection, miracles, and even the nature of God. Do some of these scholars go too far? And how might they open up inspiring ways of understanding our faith? Join Mark Stanley to look at some liberal scholarly views on the Christian belief.
November 17 – Discovering God Through Black Girlhood.
Our special guest speaker is the Rev. Khristi Lauren Adams – author and the new Executive Director of Community & Belonging at the Saint Paul’s Schools in Brooklandville. In her new book, Womanish Theology: Discovering God Through Black Girlhood, Khristi reflects her faith journey, inviting readers to learn from a new perspective and guiding them to a deeper understanding of their own spirituality. Khristi introduces a new branch of theological thought she calls womanish, as a play on the womanist tradition (the theology of Black womanhood). “Womanish,” is a term Black mothers used for young girls as they grew more interested in doing grown-up things. In this forum Adams will draw on her own life story as well as the life stories of other Black girls to explore theological concepts such as Scripture, salvation, prayer, neighborly love, and the image of God. This conversation will reveal that theology is for everyone and that the whole community of God can learn from the spiritual insights of Black girls.