by Mary Alford
May 2009
St. John the Divine is a community of worshipping churchgoers. However, to be healthy communities, churches need to offer their members social and educational opportunities as well as service to the society at large. We build communities best when we worship, work, and play together.
There are many different ways of being part of the community at St John’s. I have chosen to talk about three of them: The Book Club, The Walking Group, and Education for Ministry. Each group has members who are not part of the St John's congregation. Each group invites and enjoys the participation of friends and relatives of members of St John's. It thereby broadens the community and maybe the influence of the church. Certainly we get to know each other more deeply through our common secular interest as well as through our church membership.
The Book Club has a small membership of avid, talkative, curious people. We all read the same book and, of course, we each bring different gifts to the animated discussions. Sometimes everyone talks at once!
Members of the club belong to other groups in St John's, but this club gives us the opportunity to share other interests. The Book Club meets on the third Monday of every month from 1:30pm to 3:00pm. We read books recommended by one of the members. The books are usually novels. Occasionally, they are non-fiction. The only criteria are that the book is an enjoyable read and is worthy of discussion.
The recommender is responsible for a brief introduction to the book's background and a profile of the author. The responsibility of the other members is to read the book before the meeting and to listen to what the others thought about the book. This is not always an easy task.
The books for the next few months are:
You don't have to be a member of St John's congregation to join the book club. You just need to like to read and to talk about books.
This is essentially a social group of people who like to walk and to talk and to have a meal together. Most of the regulars are from St John's, but we all invite friends and relatives to join us.
The walks are planned for 31 weekends over the spring, summer, and fall. The schedule is available at the church office, in the church itself, and on the website. The schedule describes the meeting place and the pub where we meet for supper.
The walking group provides a very good opportunity for newcomers to the church to get to know some of their fellow members socially and to discover the variety of interests available to them in the church itself.
The best part of the walking group (apart from the people that is) is that the walks always provide beautiful views and fresh air. Also you have an opportunity to try out different pubs and to learn which ones to avoid.
On Friday evenings, the walks last about an hour and a half. On public holidays, the walks are more ambitious and usually last about two and a half hours. These walks are not workouts; they tend to exercise the tongue as much as the legs. They provide an opportunity to get to know each other and to maintain friendships.
This "club" is a real community builder. Never have I experienced more laughter, more tears, more careful reading, more thinking, or more corporate and private prayer than I have in Education for Ministry.
This is not officially a club. Officially it is a course in the tradition, theology, history, reason, and worship of the Anglican Church. There are twelve members at a time. The course lasts four years.
During the four years, members attend three hour-long meetings for thirty five weeks each year. The first year they read large parts of the Old Testament with commentary. The second year they read whole of the New Testament. The third and fourth years are an introduction to the history of the church from Acts to the modern day with expositions of the theologians who influenced and were influenced by the changing history and culture of their times. There is a lot of personal discussion. There are no wrong answers, but there is often a lot of rethinking and personal reflection. It is amazing how much the Sunday readings in church leave out.
All the discussion is infused with respect and appreciation for each person's life experience. Each person experiences the opportunity to examine the nature and depth of his or her own faith in an atmosphere of trust, confidentiality, and safety.
After four years together, the group does not like to disband. Consequently, they arrange to meet informally and somewhat irregularly to reflect theologically on a movie. Theological Reflection is a key element of the course. Its intent is to help us to develop the habit of reflecting theologically on every day events in our lives thus becoming more aware of the sacred.
Education for Ministry builds knowledge and confidence in one’s own Christian belief. It either confirms or redirects individuals in their care for God's creation. It builds trust and understanding in their community. It is an intentional organization.
One member of an EFM group recently ended the meeting with this prayer:
Lord we gather in your presence to learn more about our faith. In our own diversity, we celebrate our common bond through your love. Help us, we pray, to explore our faith and share our journey with the untainted enthusiasm of the young. With the guidance of your Holy Spirit, help us to be always mindful of our privilege in being able to worship and learn in freedom and peace.
In the name of the risen Christ.
Amen.