Tag: questions

Pre-Confirmation Class Session #1

Today we began our Pre-Confirmation Class– and boy, were we delighted and amazed (once again) at our young people — what they’re interested in, the questions they have, and their already deep understanding of worship.

We were blessed that Dean Robyn Szoke was with us to help facilitate the conversation about the beginning part of our Holy Eucharist Service, touching on the topics of: how we come into worship, how (and by whom) are we welcomed, and the Collect for Purity (who says it and why).

Dean Robyn Szoke teaching

Each young person contributed to the conversation and they busily wrote their amazing questions and thoughts in their special journals provided for them.

Great ideas, amazing questions

What was best of all though were their questions! It was so great to offer them the safe space to ask all the burning questions on their hearts. That makes me so happy that we have young people who are thinking and wondering and coming to us to ask our thoughts.

I also introduced them to the exercise they will do with the Bishop when she is here in two weeks. I have asked each one to bring with them something from home that is sacred. We talked about what that word “sacred” means and they came up with the definition of something that’s special or important. With this item to share, they are then going to offer why it is sacred to them. After everyone has shared (including me and the bishop), we will give the young people an opportunity to tell the bishop what it is about church that is sacred (special or important) to them, whether it’s taking communion to the residents of The Episcopal Home, or playing their musical instrument, or being an acolyte, or washing feet on Maundy Thursday. I am so happy our bishop will get to know these amazing young people.

Our next Pre-Confirmation Class will be on February 25th at 11:15 a.m. in the upstairs PLC. Parents and grandparents are always welcome to come to the class too!

It’s a family event!

 

Simply Scripture opens up exploration of new ideas and great insights.

This past Saturday, our parish library was crammed full of people hungry to learn more about our scriptures for the upcoming month and to share their thoughts, reflections, and wonderings. We studied the Epistles for the month, which are largely from the book of 1 Timothy.

One of the topics that I think was most fruitful was an exploration of what to do when there is a word of phrase in the scripture that you don’t like.

  • Do you just skip over it?
  • Do you look up the word in the original language to see what it meant then?
  • Do you look at other translations and pick the one most congruent with your understanding? Or the one most irritating to you?
  • Do you settle into the tension and reflect upon why this word or phrase is causing such a reaction in your own soul?
  • Do you talk to others to see if this worried them as well?

The answer, of course, is “all of the above” (except the first one!).

It is always important to know the context of the passage, to look up the original word in Greek or Hebrew and look at all the possible meanings ~ and it is very important to know why this word or phrase grabs your attention. Often it’s God’s message to you to pay attention to what’s happening within you.

questionsQuestions are a good thing, in the Episcopal Church. So bring them on!