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!
April 13 –Easter Egg Decorating for All Ages
Easter Eggs are a symbol of Resurrection. A chick hatching from the egg is a symbol of Jesus rising from the tomb. To participate in this Easter tradition, everyone, of all ages, is invited to the undercroft for refreshments and egg decorating. There will have wood eggs, plastic eggs, balloon eggs, and other ways to decorate eggs for Easter.
April 20 – Easter Egg Hunt and Party at the Grand next door to our church.
All are invited to the Grand for refreshments, fun, and our traditional Easter Egg Hunt. Come join us for fellowship and an Easter celebration!
April 27 – Community Sunday
Fellowship with extra refreshments and time to connect in the back of the church. No formal education hour on this day.
May 4 – Separation of Church and State – WHAT?????
It is a phrase deeply ensconced in our American language and history. But what does it really mean? And what does it really mean for “the church” – much less OSP! Maybe it is a good time to explore this concept and muse about its impact on our country. And maybe it is a good time to explore what it might mean for our faith decisions and actions. Come gather with the Rev. Flo Ledyard and discuss WHAT???
May 11 – How To Share Your Faith
The world is hungry for a spiritual message of Good News. And we have a communal faith story and you have a personal faith story that needs to be told. Yet this can be a challenging and daunting task, especially for us Episcopalians. How do we talk about our faith without sounding preachy or morally superior? Come to this forum led by Mark Stanley to get some insights on how to non-judgmentally share the good news of your church and your faith.
May 18 – The Religious Art of Michelangelo.
Michelangelo was an artistic genius of the Italian Renaissance who created some of the greatest sculptures and paintings of all time. The subjects of his works were so often the key figures and moments of the Judeo-Christian faith. What did it mean for him to sculpt David looking out with slingshot in hand? Or to paint God at the moment of touching Adam’s finger to bring him to life? Join Mark Stanley to explore some of the religious art of Michelangelo including the David, the Pieta, and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
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.