The Commission on Christian Formation, along with the Vestry and Clergy, develops and manages parish programs designed to support each parishioner in their journey of faith. The Commission will be guided by the following values:
- Providing an open atmosphere for spiritual exploration of the Christian faith
- Encouraging spiritual growth based on scripture, tradition and reason
- Accepting the individuality of spiritual journeys and expressions
For further information regarding classes, programs and events
please check the Parish Calendar and News & Events section of website for more information.
Godly Play
She was five, sure of the facts, and recited them with slow solemnity convinced every word was revelation. She said…
“They were so poor they only had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to eat and they went a long way from home without getting lost. The lady rode a donkey, the man walked and the baby was inside the lady. They had to stay in a stable with an ox and an ass (hee-hee) but the Three Rich Men found them because the star lighted the roof. Shepherds came and you could pet the sheep but not feed them. Then the baby was borned. And do you know who he was?”
Her quarter eyes inflated to silver dollars.
“The baby was GOD.”
And she jumped in the air, whirled round, dove into the sofa and buried her head under the cushion… which is the only proper response to the Good News of the Incarnation.
John Shea, The Hour of the Unexpected
While this story isn’t from our own Godly Play classroom, it could be. Having shifted from learning about God to having their very own experiences of God, our children and the grown-ups who work with them find their places in God’s big story, “by heart.” The incarnation didn’t happen because God thought it would be a good idea. The incarnation happened because God loves us and wants us to love one another! Godly Play is a Montessori based program that steeps children in biblical stories, invites them to wonder about those stories, and mirrors our Sunday liturgy in an environment of welcome and love. For questions about Godly Play, please contact Rev. Karen, revkaren@stbbi.org.
ADULT FORMATION
In our baptismal covenant, we are called to “proclaim by word and example the Good news of God in Christ, to “seek and serve Christ in all persons,” and to “strive for justice and peace among all people.” If we wish to do all these things, depending on our childhood understandings of Christianity and this mystery we call church is unwise. All Christians benefit from life-long faith formation. Much of that comes in the form of regular church attendance, through the Bible readings and sermons we hear, the prayer we offer, and the Holy Eucharist we share. But there is much, much more to be grasped in deepening our understandings of the Way of Jesus and the great arc of Christianity. Adult Education programs form an integral part of the life-long learning that makes up our journey of faith.
Interested people gather each week, during the program year, to learn, to discuss, to ponder, to consider a wide variety of aspects of Christianity and the Christian faith. Our goal is to deepen understanding, provide contexts for theological, moral, and spiritual questions or concerns, and to expand our knowledge of our own faith and denomination.
To do that, we use a variety of instructional materials, including texts, articles, scriptural passages, and commercial DVD’s and original materials. Our approach is one of mutual inquiry and appreciation for the views and understandings of each of our attendees. Through interaction with the prepared materials, we hope to answer questions, spark deeper questions, extend knowledge, and delight in the numerous ways that faithful people engage their faith. In so doing, we hope to become better at our baptismal covenant and to deepen our friendships with each other.
Contact: TBD | 206-842-5601
CENTERING PRAYER
The St. Barnabas Centering Prayer Group meets on Tuesday mornings, from 9:00 until 9:45 am, in the church. We are a group of experienced and new practitioners of this practice of contemplative prayer, which places a strong emphasis on interior silence. This prayer of consent opens our minds and hearts to the Holy One – through silence, chant, and readings.
Centering Prayer is based on the wisdom saying of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “….But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6. It is also inspired by writings of major contributors to the Christian contemplative heritage, including John Cassian, the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing, Francis de Sales, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Therese of Lisieux, and Thomas Merton.
Centering Prayer is not a technique but a way of cultivating a deeper relationship with God. It is not reflective or spontaneous prayer, but simply resting in God beyond thoughts, words, and emotions. We find that a weekly Centering Prayer group encourages us to persevere in our individual practices. And it offers opportunity to support and share in the spiritual journey. If you would like to learn more about this ancient method of Christian meditation, please join us on Tuesday mornings. If you would like a weekly reminder to strengthen your individual prayer practice, please join us. All are welcome, regardless of centering prayer experience.
Contacts:
Patricia Robertson | RevPRome@hotmail.com
LIBRARY
The library provides the parish access to adult and children’s religious and spiritual literature. Our librarians have an opportunity to help shape the library and learn how to catalog, shelve books, and keep our library up to date.
Contact: Barbara Herrick | herricks99@msn.com
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