Adult Formation

PILGRIM: A COURSE FOR THE CHRISTIAN JOURNEY

A pilgrim is a person on a journey. The Bible is a book full of journeys, and God’s people are always traveling. God’s call to Abraham was to leave his own land for a great journey of faith. God’s call to Moses was to lead God’s people on a journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the promised land. Jesus took his first disciples on a journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. One of the earliest names for the people called Christians was followers of the Way.

This year we will continue walking with the Pilgrim curriculum from the Episcopal Church to go deeper on our journey as disciples of Christ. Newcomers and longtimers alike are invited to gather in the Bates Room on the second floor at 9:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings.

Each session of each course is rooted in shared prayer and begins with the group exploring the Scriptures together. We continue with a more sustained reflection on the theme and opportunity for questions and discussion. Short readings containing a simple prayer, reflection on a biblical selection using lectio divina, an article by a modern writer, and reflection questions will be sent out beforehand in the weekly email newsletter.

The Creeds: September 10 – October 15, 2023
The Eucharist: October 22 – November 19, 2023
The Bible: January 14 – February 25, 2024
Church & Kingdom: March 3 – April 21, 2024

ADVENT SUNDAY SERIES (NOV 26–DEC 17, 2023)

Watching & Waiting with Poets & Painters

Anglicans often turn to poetry and art to reflect upon who and how this wondrous God of ours reveals Godself to us. In this short Advent series, we will sit with and prayerfully ponder poems and paintings to open a little space to receive the love that God is constantly showering upon us. Emphasis will be placed on connecting what we see/hear/experience in the artworks to the joyful work of daily discipleship and living a life that is truly life: awake, alert, en-joyed, available and responsive to those in need.

Please note, this series will take place in the regularly scheduled Adult Formation slot (Sundays 9:15–10:15 a.m. in the Bates Room).

A PLACE OF SPRINGS: WEDNESDAY NIGHTS IN LENT (FEB 21–MAR 20, 2024)

5:30 PM - Stations of the Cross (Cathedral)
6:00 PM - Potluck Supper (Bates Room)
6:30-7:45 PM - Formation (Bates Room—see below for description)
7:45-8:00 PM - Sung Compline (Chapel of the Resurrection)

Wednesdays during Lent we will gather to pray the Stations of the Cross, share table fellowship, engage in conversation around Bishop Mariann Budde’s book Receiving Jesus and end with Sung Compline in the Chapel of the Resurrection. Join us for this time of preparation for Holy Week and Easter.

Receiving Jesus: The Way of Love by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde

So often we think of the Christian faith as an obligation or as a set of beliefs that we must hold. With this outlook, we can lose sight of what is most important: the invitation to experience a loving, personal relationship with God. It's a relationship we can trust, where we can find refuge and solid ground upon which to stand.

The Way of Love set forth by the Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop Michael Curry is the journey of a lifetime. It's a way of knowing God, receiving and sharing Jesus' love, and being a blessing to the world. Mariann Edgar Budde shares her thoughts on how the reader can come to know—to receive—Jesus more deeply in practicing The Way of Love. Through the seven practices that have been put before us: to turn, to learn, to pray and to worship, to bless, to go, and to rest, she will share biblical stories, wisdom from the Christian tradition, and her own personal stories of spiritual growth.

CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER GROUPS

Wednesdays at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., upstairs in the Colton Library

Join Fr. Tyler, Mtr. Holly, and Michelle Doherty LCSW, for a time of contemplative prayer. Newcomers & beginners are welcome, and instruction in silent prayer is given at each session. Contemplation is a receptive method of Christian silent prayer which deepens our relationship with God, the Indwelling Presence … a prayer in which we can experience God’s presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself.

Contacts: Fr. Tyler: tyler@stmarksutah.org, Mtr. Holly: holly@stmarksutah.org, Michelle Doherty: michelledoherty01@gmail.com

THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION THROUGH SHORT FICTION

Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom

Join Canon Judy Atherton and Father Tyler Doherty on Zoom for a fun hour of discussion and theological reflection using short fiction as our launching pad. We’ll discuss a piece of fiction each week and reflect theologically on how the story can illuminate aspects of our relationship with God, ourselves, each other, and creation.

Contact: Canon Judy Atherton: atherton540@gmail.com

BIBLE STUDY: BIBLE & BAGELS

Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. in the Parlor

Come nurture your faith by dwelling with the living Word revealed in scripture in this time of warm fellowship. We meet in the Parlor over bagels, juice, and coffee. Bring your Bibles! Having explored, reflected, and wondered our way through the Gospels of Matthew and Mark this past year, the group will be studying the book of Genesis this fall. The group requires no previous knowledge of scripture and includes dashes of informative commentary, thought-provoking study questions and experiential group activities that encourage a deeper understanding of scripture.

Contact: Carolyn Ershler: cershler@icloud.com

PSINGING PSALMS & PSILENCE

This small group meets in the Cathedral before weekday mass at 11:30 a.m. to chant the psalms appointed for the day in the Daily Office together and enjoy a time of shared silence and reflection.

Contact: Monica Hymas, monica.hymas@gmail.com

Newcomers

If you are new to St. Mark’s, the Episcopal Church, or Christianity more broadly—welcome! These formation offerings for newcomers are designed to get you oriented in this strange new land. Feel free also to get in touch with Cathedral clergy; we are happy to answer questions, learn more about you, and accompany you on your spiritual path. Click below for more information.