ADULT CHRISTIAN FORMATION

  

GOSPEL POSITIONING FOR THE SOUL AT CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD

It's what Adult Christian Formation at Church of the Good Shepherd is about...

GPS... a space-based global navigation system providing reliable location and time information in all weather, at all times and anywhere on or near the Earth.

GPS@CGS... a Gospel-based navigation tool for life - the metaphor for what Adult Christian Formation at Church of the Good Shepherd is all about: providing reliable life guidance ... "at all times in all places" ... "always and everywhere..." through the Anglican/Episcopal way of Christian life - in a constantly changing world.

...mapping our life journey as Adult Christians toward its ultimate direction, as the Baptismal liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer puts it: "...to grow into the full stature of Christ."

Our life journeys that often take unexpected directions, occasional wrong turns, encounter closed road, detours, new highways - we sometimes even get lost. The map of our world, our culture, and our lives changes.

Jesus Christ, through his Word and Spirit, is a companion who knows the way; traveled the roughest roads; knows the places of refreshment, food for the journey, and safe haven; can always "Recalculate"; and knows the way home, and calls us each by name.

GPS@CGS is about increasing our trust in Jesus, our Companion on the way. It's the pilgrimage of day-by-day living out the Baptismal Covenant (BCP pp. 304-05).

Associate Rector Bill Bennett coordinates Adult Christian Formation with a team of lay leaders. If you are interested in being a part of the ongoing discussion about GPS@CGS, contact Bill at bill.bennett@cgs-raleigh.org.

WHAT DOES GPS@CGS LOOK LIKE?

Last year, after a Summer Forum on "Christians and Creation" using The Green Bible (http://greenletterbible.com/), we began our fall program year with a special "Forgiveness Weekend" featuring Episcopal auther and retreat leader, Mo. Barbara Cawthorne Crafton (http://www.geraniumfarm.org/home.cfm) . Some retreatants found this to be a life-changing encounter with the Christian practice of forgiveness. Later, Dr. James M. "Mickey" Efird, Professor Emeritus at Duke Divinity School, led us in a fascinating four week-night study of the Book of Genesis. The Rev. Nancy Allison led us in an Advent Season weeknight series on The Mystical Way of Anglican Spirituality, and then came back during Lent to lead a Lenten mid-week study of The English Mystics. There is also a book discussion group that meets once a month on a week day and is open to anyone interested. "Prayer and Discernment Groups" are periodically organized as there is interest by CGS Associate Rector Miriam Saxon.

On Sundays several series were available on each Sunday morning at the Christian Formation hour (9:15-10:15), including an in-depth study of the Gospel according to Luke; video based series on "Embracing an Adult Faith" featuring Episcopal biblical scholar Marcus Borg, and Bishop N. T. Wright's "Surprised by Hope," which explores what the Scriptures really say about matters of life after death, resurrection, heaven and hell. Both of these generated vigorous and exciting discussion and personal insights and discoveries. We also offered a class on personal financial planning and issues with Jamey Bass, a financial adviser and Good Shepherd member; and we also did a study of the issue of malaria in Africa using materials from Nets for Life (http://www.netsforlifeafrica.org/), led by Good Shepherd's Lisa Towle. This led to a successful campaign to buy 1200 mosquito nets as part of Good Shepherd's participation in the effort by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. The goal for fundraising for this project was met by the people of Good Shepherd several months ahead of our January 2012 deadline.

Adult Christian Formation at Church of the Good Shepherd includes Sunday morning and weekday/night Bible study, book discussions, prayer and discernment groups, topical discussions and life issue seminars (such as personal finance and parenting), and a variety of other events and series.

At Church of the Good Shepherd, Adult Christian Formation is about being on a journey, not learning a rule book. It's a journey we experience as individuals and as a community. That is why the theme of our Adult Christian Formation ministry  at Good Shepherd is "GPS@CGS: Gospel Positioning for the Soul at Church of the Good Shepherd." We want to provide special times, places, people, teaching, and resources to chart our pilgrim journey, with the "Anglican GPS" of Scripture, Tradition, and Reason. Come journey with us!

The Compass Rose is the symbol of the Anglican Communion, the world-wide fellowship that is rooted in the historic Church of England and includes The Episcopal Church. From this tradition we get our distinctive ways of being followers of Jesus Christ as part of his "One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church." The Compass Rose is a kind of "GPS for Anglicans," and is a symbol identifying those who belong to the worldwide Anglican Communion. The center of the Compass Rose contains the cross of St. George and is surrounded by the inscription in Greek, "The truth shall set you free." The points of a compass reflect the spread of Anglican Christianity throughout the world. The mitre at the top indicates the role of Episcopacy (the office of Bishop) and Anglican Order that is at the heart of the traditions of the Churches of the Communion.