A few Sunday's ago during our worship service, I asked folks to reflect on where God is calling you to grow and learn in faith - and then to share with me what types of 'educational' experiences will help you nurture and deepen your faith. These are 'educational' experiences in the sense that when we are aware of what helps us grow and we seek out those things in order to help that happen, then they are intentional 'educational' experiences. I wasn't seeking simply specific types of study or books - although that can be what helps us grow at certain points in our journey. I was seeking any reflections you wished to share. I was pleased that most folks did this, because we are each created differently and it helps me to understand and connect better. So - Thank you! for sharing. If you weren't able to be in worship or simply didn't have enough time to reflect and write, please feel free to reply to this post, or send me an email letting me know your thoughts.
I thought you might like a summary of what I heard: Some comments were pointed and helpful - things that we are not offering that can easily be 'fixed' - like making sure we have fully staffed kids' classes beginning with pre-K, or offering kids' options and not just childcare in conjunction with adult events. There seems to be some interest in a 'self-paced' or on-line option for study and community forming. There were many comments related to creating experiences where we would have the opportunity to learn from one another's experiences - sharing our faith walks. There is interest in learning how to be better parents, partners and spouses, financial stewards, and friends. There is interest in deepening faith through serving others - both through our current ministries and through other ministry in our local community. There is interest in learning how to better share our faith with others, and learning about other faith traditions and how we are different and how we are the same.
In some ways the responses are as varied as we are. In other ways, the responses all say 'I'd like to learn about making sense of the happenings of life' - there are simply different ways that work better for us at different times of our lives. Yes, I knew that - but it was helpful to be reminded of both the variety and the commonality.
I had lunch with a friend yesterday and she shared that one way she is seeking to deepen her relationship with God is through deepening her relationship with others. Jesus taught that our relationship with God was reflected in how we relate to others. Trying, as much as possible, to see the image of God in other people is something that we can all do (in all situations, and at all times) to deepen and nurture our faith. It can help us come to understand God better, and understand other people better.
Thanks, again, for sharing your thoughts. They will be helpful to me over the next few weeks as we prepare for our 'fall start up' at the end of August. ...And please feel free to keep the ideas coming!
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