Adult Spiritual Growth
All Adults and Youth (6-12 grades) are invited to participate in a wide variety of conversations about how the riches of the Christian tradition intersect with the realities of everyday life and the biggest questions of existence.
All classes meet on Sundays 10:45 - 11:45.
The Bible is Messy
The Family is Messy
The Universe is Messy
Politics (gasp) is Messy
But religion is often too neat and tidy.
Be part of some humorous, honest, and hopeful conversations about how messy the Bible really is ... and why that’s helpful for our own messy lives.
In this series, we will step outside of the messiness of our own lives to play in the messiness of the Bible. Why? Because when we play in these stories, our brains, spirits, and hearts can be unlocked for new possibilities in our own lives. The tires can get some traction. Some other benefits of this series:
You’ll get a crash course in what is actually in the Bible and how to navigate it.
You’ll get some helpful tools for reading the Bible on your own.
You’ll get a chance to practice interpreting the Bible with others in a safe, judgement-free environment.
Rather than or in addition to giving something up this Lent, consider making a commitment to attend every session of this series: Sundays, 10:45-11:30.
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A crash course in what the heck is actually in the Bible, how do you make your way around it, who wrote it, and why we can’t agree on what it really says.
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Think your family has issues? Let us introduce you to a family that would make Game of Thrones fans blush. Maybe we’ll stop using the term “Biblical family values.”
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Seriously, ever have one of those days where it feels like everything in the world is screwed up and we just can’t fix it? Ever feel like all of life is out to get you? Well, maybe it is. And maybe fixing it means making it messier. Meet Eve.
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Want a moral, god-fearing nation? Good luck with that, say the Prophets. Let us introduce you to these good-for-nothing troublemakers, who screamed mercy, justice, and hope into the wind as their own nation burned around them.
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Isn’t religion about being a good person? Maybe not. Let us introduce you to Job, a story in the Bible about why you can’t just “believe” the Bible. Maybe religion is about something weirder, harder, wilder ... and much, much more life-giving.
Scout Sunday
I’m very proud of Troop 50 and Pack 50, and I am so grateful that we are finding more projects to do together. Scouts will help lead our service, and we’ll bless and recognize them for their work.
After the service, Scoutmaster John Hartman will give a presentation in Founders Hall about what the Scouts have been up to recently. I think it’ll be a fun presentation for everyone, but I especially recommend it for parents of kids who might be interested in scouting.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Building broader connections with our neighborhoods.
This Sunday, we start a brand new Spiritual Growth series: Won’t You Be My Neighbor? I say without a lick of shame that the Reverend Mr. Fred Rogers is a personal saint of mine, and one of the biggest influences on me as a pastor and a person. I daresay others in our congregation feel the same. He imbued deeply within us what it takes to be a neighbor and to invite others to be neighbors with us. Without ever having to say a word about religion, he taught children (and adults) the divine good news which brings life and liberation to everyone.
We’re taking on these themes at an important time in St. Gregory’s story. We are building back our internal fire for ministry, a fire that seems only to be getting stronger. Even as we continue to kindle that fire, it is also time for us, more and more, to let that fire burn for others to see. This series is about creating deeper and broader connections with others and getting curious about the others who are on the journey with us, both in our pews and in our neighborhood.
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Speed Dating
January 12
This Sunday, our Warden Sarah Kettlewell will host a fun, low-stress activity after church. We’re calling it Speed Dating. We’ll provide some questions – questions you probably have never thought to ask another human being – and you’ll rotate to different people, having fresh conversations each time. I highly encourage you to come and participate. Our internal connections with each other have to be strong in order to invite others to join us.
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What Are Those Episcopalians Up To?
January 19
What difference should it make to our neighbors that we are an Episcopal church in their midst?
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Neighborhood Mapping
January 26
We will harness our collective knowledge and relationshiops to transform Founders Hall into a giant miniature of our neighborhood.
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Our Wider Webs
February 2
What are the other important communities, institutuions, and causes in your life? We will find out all the deep connections St. Gregory’s already has just through the things you are already passionate about.
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More to Come!
February 16 & 23
The series continues after the Annual Meeting on February 9
Past Series
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Town Hall
Sep 8
Be part of this important update on the Rector Discernment Process. We will see results from the Church Assessment Tool survey, as well as the Small Group discussions. This will also be your chance to provide any last input into this process and ask questions about where this data points to for St. Gregory's future.
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A Holy Death
Sep 15, Sep 22, Sep 29
We start our new Program Year with ... the end. In Christ, death is not the scary monster it often seems. As St. Francis said, death becomes instead a companion, a sibling, a fellow creature of God's providence. This series will be about equipping ourselves to face our final days with that peace of God which excels all understanding, by not shying away from our death but facing it with confidence and competence. Middle and High School youth are also welcome to attend, with appropriately adjusted activities provided.
Sep 15 | "The Gift of Grief" with Kathryn Kinjo-Duncan
Sep 22 | "Planning Your Funeral ... Is Kinda Fun" with Pastor Dan
Sep 29 | "Legal and Financial Planning" with guest expert speakers
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Harvesting Our Giftedness
Oct 13, Oct 20, Oct 27
Each of us is given gifts that the world needs.
In this series, we will have "fishbowl" conversations, where different members of our community will share deep reflections on their lives, their gifts, and their hopes for the future.
In hearing each others' stories, we will learn how to uncover hidden gifts in our own lives.
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Life After the Election
Nov 10, Nov 17, Nov 24
No matter who wins the many races in this year's election, we will have to find ways of working together.
More info to come.
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Christmas You Don't Know
Dec 1 and Dec 8
Shepherds, Magi, Stars, Angels, Virgins, Roman taxes ... the Christmas stories are a bit crazy. We'll do a deep-dive into the thick symbolism of Matthew and Luke's very different stories about the birth of Jesus. And maybe we'll uncover some ideas about Christmas you never knew were in there.
Education for Ministry
Want to go deeper? Embark on a 3-year journey of college-level learning about the Bible, theology, and the history of Christianity. This program combines engrossing study with deeper connection with others, as you reflect on how your learning intersects with your own faith journey. EfM is a program of the University of the South, that has educated hundreds of adults since 1975.
Enrollment for EfM opens in late fall for the following January.
For more information, contact us.