My Blog

Tag: Godly Play

  • The Practice of Intentional Faith Formation

    (Continuing a series of reflections based on Bishop Robert Schnase's book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.)

    Intentional Faith Development refers to all the ministries that help us grow in faith outside of weekly worship, such as bible studies, Sunday School classes, support groups, and prayer teams.  Congregations who practice Intentional Faith Development offer opportunities for people to learn in community for people at all stages of faith.  They offer ministries that help people grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of God.  Intentional refers to deliberate effort, purposeful action, and high priority.

    51Ze2TSFhfL._SX260_Around the time I entered ordained ministry in the early 1970’s, a number of articles were published concerning the state of religious education in various Christian denominations. The articles reported on several studies and surveys that showed declining attendance. The post-World War II Baby Boomers had reached adulthood and were not as committed to Christian education for themselves and their children as their parents’ generation had been.

    My second appointment after seminary was on the staff of a Bishop who wanted me to get out there and address this situation before it got any worse in his jurisdiction. “I want you to help our churches turn the Sunday school around,” he said. I can’t say we actually accomplished his “turn around” objective, but we did at least find some new energy and stop the slide.

    One nationally recognized authority on Christian education sounded the warning: “As goes the Sunday School, so goes the Church.” He was right. Declining participation in Christian education, especially on Sunday mornings, preceded – some would say precipitated – declines in worship attendance, membership, and giving in mainline Churches.

    During the same half-century, we witnessed a dramatic rise in participation in more theologically conservative “evangelical” congregations and a concurrent increase in their level of influence in American politics and culture. These Christian movements have offered absolute answers and simple rules that comfort a generation that wasn’t well-formed in faith and suddenly found themselves adrift in a world-wide cultural change. The more conservative theological and moral principles provided a sense of security and a place to drop anchor. This generation demanded options in every aspect of life. But when it came to faith, they wanted something that is changeless.

    Many of our members joined them. The Episcopal Church has been baffled by the decline and uncertain about what to do. In our attempts to respond, we have not wanted to inconvenience one another and we’ve tried less demanding offerings for faith formation. But most of our attempts at accommodation have not been faithful to the Baptismal Covenant and have failed to form people in the Christian faith. Members have drifted away or sought to shore up their feelings of theological and biblical inadequacy in other faith communities.

    Now, we see a generation emerging that isn’t so comfortable with a faith that possesses all the answers, is always right, knows the absolute truth, and tells them what to think. They want space for mystery and wonder. They are less interested in what is changeless than they are in seeking that which is ageless. There is a difference!

    Our Church has the theological, liturgical, sacramental, and moral heritage to respond to this generation. We need to listen to their questions and provide an environment in which it is safe to ask them. This is a unique opportunity to leave our comfort zone and join them in their spiritual quest. They are calling us to awaken from our complacency and journey with them into a new era of wonder, love, and praise.

    Therefore, let us take seriously the call to Intentional Faith Development for our Church, ourselves, our children, and those who come to us seeking a living relationship with “the author of peace and lover of concord, whom to know is eternal life and to serve is perfect freedom,” to paraphrase The Collect for Peace.

    One of the things potential applicants for Rector will be curious about is the commitment of the parish to faith formation. Currently, St. Martin’s has a somewhat small number of options. However, we are beginning to explore ways to expand our offerings. On Saturday, The Rev’d Dr. Suzi Robertson will be here to train Godly Play leaders for our children’s Sunday School. We will soon have a Christian Formation Commission and its first task will be to help the parish envision the kind of opportunities that are needed to nourish the faithful. A team that was appointed last summer to assist in finding a youth minister is actively engaged in that process, which we hope will lead to the rebuilding of a dynamic, lay-led program of formation for our youth.

    It’s a new beginning! I hope you and your household will be involved in intentional ways to strengthen faith formation for all ages at St. Martin’s.

    I’ll see you in Church!

    Ron Short Blue Sig Cropped

     

     

     

     

    The Very Reverend Ron Pogue
    Interim Rector
    St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
    Keller, Texas

  • An Epiphany From the Table of the Good Shepherd

    Yesterday, I went with Deacon Lois Howard to see how she exercises her ministry with a group of preschool children and a group of adults who have Alzheimer’s.  The preschool and the day program for the adults are in the same building in a church in Lexington. Every Wednesday morning for the last five years, Deacon Lois has gone there to minister to them in a very special way.

    The Adults had their chairs arranged so that they could see Deacon Lois use the Godly Play elements as she told a story.  The children paraded in and took their seats on the floor in front of the adults.  Then Deacon Lois did her thing!

    She told the story of “The Table of the Good Shepherd.”  The story starts out in a sheepfold.  Deacon Lois pointed out that each of the sheep is a different color.  I think the children had already noticed that because there was glee all around.  The Good Shepherd leads the sheep out of their fold and over to a Deacon Lois Howard large table.  After they arrive, others are invited to join them.  The others, Deacon Lois pointed out as she carefully arranged them all around the table, were all kinds of people.  Different from one another, just like the sheep.  There were older people and children.  There were men and women, boys and girls.  There were people from far away and people who looked more familiar to us.  She pointed out that everyone is welcome at the Table of the Good Shepherd.

    For me, this was a wonderful prelude to the Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as “Good Shepherd Sunday.”  It helped me pay more attention to the flock in the passage from John. The character of the flock reveals something about the one who guides and cares for it. The fact, for example, that there are different kinds of sheep indicates that the shepherd values diversity along with unity.

    I’m very grateful that the Good Shepherd values this sort of unity in the midst of diversity, yet I am aware of how difficult it is to achieve and how challenging it is to maintain.  We tend to associate with people with whom we share racial, cultural, economic, and religious characteristics and values. At times we may even ridicule those who appear to be different.

    The Good Shepherd calls us all, “from every nation, race, people and tongue.” Unlike the societies in which we live, in the Good Shepherd’s flock our differences are to remain as distinctions but not as separations. They enhance the color and texture of the community of believers rather than alienating or marginalizing. There is no dominant or superior group in this flock. We are all God’s people, "one flock, one Shepherd."

    It is a paradox of our faith that the Good Shepherd is also the Lamb of God.  Of his own accord, he laid down his life for the sheep. He paid for the undisputed right to lead us by the shedding of his blood. If we hear his voice and follow him, he will make it possible for us to live together in peace.  If we can do that, as diverse a flock as we are, perhaps the flock of Christ can offer hope to our divided world. This is reason enough to cry out: Alleluia!