Come and See our Keynote speaker Emily Keniston, Director of Faith Formation for the Episcopal Diocese of Maine, talk to us about finding God after the Pandemic. Streaming on St. John’s in Barrington YouTube Channel starts at 9am on Saturday, March 18th. Click here to access stream: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoC6LP37Ql_ovQTMm9Qw9wQ
Bexley-Seabury Offerings
Bexley Seabury Seminary Preaching Sermon Camp Registration
Now is the time for lay leaders who are called to serve as licensed Preachers to sign up for Bexley Seabury Seminary’s Preaching Sermon Camp. In order for Bexley Seabury to reserve the correct number of spots in the class, those who have either gone through Education for Ministry or who are completing the series of three pre-requisite courses need to register as soon as possible to reserve a space in the program. The Preaching Sermon Camp will be held April 11- June 12, 2022.
The Bishop will license a lay person at the request of the priest in charge. In order to be considered for licensing, a lay person must be a confirmed communicant in good standing. The license is issued for three years and may require additional training before renewal. Lay preachers “have at least two years of seminary education, successfully completed Education for Ministry, or other equivalent training or preparation accepted by the Bishop.” Equivalent training includes either successful completion of the three pre-requisite classes offered by Bexley Seabury or graduation from Education for Ministry, followed by the Preaching Sermon Camp at Bexley Seabury. REGISTRATION LINKS ARE BELOW.
The Diocese of Rhode Island, as part of Province I, has partnered with Bexley-Seabury Seminary to offer Pathways for Baptismal Living. Currently there are two courses we bring to your attention:
Backstory Preaching’s Sermon Camp
Over the course of seven weeks, you will learn an adaptable rhythm of sermon preparation so you routinely complete your sermons by Friday. This rhythm incorporates your spirituality so you preach Good News you believe, and preach it more effectively. This process of studying the sermon text is adapted from the ancient rhythm of Lectio Divina: read, study, express, and pray. While you will learn to employ this process over five contiguous days, it is expected you will adapt this process and schedule to suit your personality and calendar. In addition, you will learn and apply BsP’s “Heart of the Message” process to clarify and articulate your sermon’s message and content. You will also appraise sermons based on BsP’s definition of an effective sermon, with two sermons of your own and two of your peers. By the end of this course you will:
- Write better sermons faster
- Consistently complete your sermons on your desired schedule.
- Grow closer to God in the process of sermon prep.
- Create a sermon prep process to sustain you throughout your ministry.
- Preach into the uncertain state of the world.
This course is for those preparing for a Lay Preaching License and is meant for those who have gone through Education for Ministry, or taken the pre-requisite courses. Additional information on this course is here. If you are interested in becoming a Licensed Lay Preacher or Minister, please begin here.
More information and registration for Bexley Seabury courses is found here.
Discerning my path for faithful living
More than a course, this innovative communal process invites participants into a time of deep listening, practice of ancient and modern spiritual disciplines, and insights offered and received regarding individual gifts and passions — all within a brave/safe circle of trust. In addition to monthly synchronous Zoom meetings in small groups of 6-8 with a trained facilitator, participants will engage classic and current texts, videos and articles on discernment, spiritual practices, and the ministry of the baptized. Our journey together will be enriched with activities for self-reflection, guided conversations with others, and exploration of our own contexts. Our goal is to encourage each person to practice discernment of their call as a baptized Christian and equip them to actively be the Body of Christ in daily life.
This discernment process is meant to assist persons in finding their lay vocational ministry; it is not intended as a step towards ordained ministry.
More info here.
You can watch informational videos from the Instructor, and past participants.
Complete this online form.
The Diocese of Rhode Island is offering to pay $100.00 towards each tuition; it is expected that the participant and their parish will make up the difference. There is scholarship funding available, based on need.
Other formational opportunities with Bexley-Seabury will be coming. Please stay tuned.
Congregational Development Commission
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Learn and Lead 2023- Finding God (and sharing God) in the new world – Materials.
Video of Emily Keniston’s Keynote Presentation
Emily Keniston’s Keynote Power Point Presentation
The Congregational Development Commission (CDC) provides funds for programs that strengthen congregations, especially those that are field testing new programs/initiatives on behalf of the diocese, done in partnership with other churches, or are part of a plan to spur significant growth, expand ministry, etc. CDC meets on the first Tuesday of every month.
Mustard Seed or Vineyard Grants
The CDC announces an ongoing grant program available to all congregations in Rhode Island. Do you envision a program or new ministry to help develop your congregation into a more faithful and vibrant expression of the Body of Christ? Do you have plans for making your congregation more responsive to the local challenges and opportunities before you in your community? How about ideas for transformative collaborations with other congregations that fit with your unique mission or vision for ministry? CDC Mustard Seed or Vineyard grants offer your congregation the financial support to put your vision into action. You can read about past recipient programs here.
Apply now for a Mustard Seed or Vineyard grant.
Mustard Seed grants are for proposals up to $2000. These grants can be approved immediately by the CDC at its monthly meetings.
Vineyard grants are proposals over $2000 and require both CDC and Diocesan Council approval. The application review and approval time for the Vineyard grants is two-three months.
Application Process:
The link above will take you to (a Wufoo) form which will serve as your application. You will be asked to upload an income statement. The application and your statement will be reviewed by the Grants and Loans Committee and if applicable forwarded to CDC and then if over $2,000.00 the grant request will be forwarded to Diocesan Council. You may be asked for additional information before a decision can be made. Grants and Loans Committee meets every Monday. CDC meets on the first Tuesday of every month. Diocesan Council meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month.
Online Fundraising Ideas During Covid19 – Click Here
Rumford pilgrims explore life with Christ
A group of pilgrims at Epiphany, Rumford, has completed an eight-month journey — through a series of books. All 46 participants “graduated” at a Pentecost celebration at Epiphany June 9.
They participated in a Pilgrim Series program, based on a series of short books from Church Publishing that help both long-time and new Christians “explore what it means to travel through life with Christ.” The first four books focus on how to be a follower; the second four explore how to grow into that identity.
“We wanted to help form disciples,” explained the Rev. Jennifer Zogg, Epiphany’s rector. “Our members had tired of Christian formation in an episodic approach. The Pilgrim Series helped us find something more consistent that can deepen our spiritual formation.”
Continue reading “Rumford pilgrims explore life with Christ”Grant money available for your congregation’s Way of Love events
The Congregational Development Commission (CDC) would love to help fund events and programs sponsored and run by YOUR congregation which would invite people across the diocese to experience the different practices in the Way of Love.
Every three months the CDC will focus on one of the specific spiritual practices, and hopes to sponsor at least one congregation’s event each quarter. What is it that you might be able to plan that we can help fund so that you can share it with the entire diocese?
Apply for a CDC grant here.
Which practice we will focus on each quarter:
April-June 2019: Turn
July-Sept. 2019: Learn
Oct.-Dec. 2019: Pray
Jan.-Mar. 2020: Worship
April-June 2020: Bless
July-Sept 2020: Go
Oct.-Dec.: 2020: Rest
How2charist videos and discussion guide
An instructed Eucharist in digital format, available 24/7. All of the How2charist videos for viewing on our diocesan video portal. You can view individual “chapters” or the full-length video.
The Diocese of Rhode Island was one of many sponsoring organizations and individuals who helped fund the project so it would be available to the whole Church for free. A Spanish-language version featuring native Spanish-speakers is currently in production.
How2charist Discussion Guide – black and white (easier photocopying)
How2charist Discussion Guide – full color
The How2charist project website. You can download your own copies of the videos for use in your parish by supplying an email address.
Faith and Leadership
Faith & Leadership is a website that provides a host of resources designed to “create lasting change by strengthening the ecology of Christian institutions that enable U.S. congregations and pastors to flourish.” It is the online magazine of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, which designs educational services, develops intellectual resources, and facilitates networks of institutions.
Every two weeks, Faith & Leadership publishes new content that draws on multiple disciplines. Five days a week they curate News & Ideas, a daily roundup of stories from other news outlets about the church and the world. You can follow their content through email newsletters and social media. They encourage you to share their free content with your colleagues and friends.
How can they do this? Support is provided by a major grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., an Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937.
Healthy Eating
Churches can help its members and members of their community improve their eating habits by offering programs, education and support. Here are some to consider:
Mindful Eating
Americans tend to eat mindlessly. We are unaware of tastes and smells and textures as we focus on conversation or television or reading material. Mindful Eating gives an opportunity to slow down and experience dining in a very conscious way. Eating can become a joyous and spiritual experience as we develop a healthy relationship to food.
Mindful Eating is based on the Buddhist tradition of focusing, of being very conscious of whatever activity one is engaged in. It is developed for use with a group of parishioners who are self-selected. If you have had a program on food, diet or exercise, you might want to use this as a follow-up. It is also very appropriate for use during Lent and Advent.
DOWNLOAD Mindful Eating Program
Just Eating
Just Eating is a free seven-session program on the relationship between our faith and our food by the Presbyterian Hunger Commission includes a Middle School Curriculum and a Leader’s Guide and Participant Guide for adults, teens or intergenerational use.
“The curriculum explores how practicing our faith is foundational to meaningful and healthy living, for ourselves, for the earth and for others in the world. In particular, the program asks us to consider how eating—one of the most basic human activities—is an invitation to experience God and to journey with others in the world.”
Available as a free download from LeaderResources by clicking on the links above or from our site by clicking on the links below:
Just Eating Leader’s Guide
Just_Eating_Participant Guide
Just_Eating_Middle_School_Curriculum
“The Cross and the Lynching Tree” Study Guide
The Center for Reconciliation has created a study guide for “The Cross and the Lynching Tree” by James H. Cone.
DOWNLOAD The Cross and Lynching Tree Study Guide >
This study guide includes evocative quotes from the book, conversation starting questions, suggested prayers, links to thought provoking songs and videos, engaging activities and a variety of resources to help participants continue to deepen their knowledge beyond the five book study sessions.
This guide is especially appropriate for Lent, when we focus on Christ’s death on the cross. However, this guide contains more sessions than can be accomplished in a weekly Lenten study program. Group leaders will need to select which quotes and questions they want to discuss or will use within the first five sessions or consider or consider continuing the study program after Easter.
Questions about the study guide should be sent to the Center for Reconciliations program manager, Elon Cook at elon@cfrri.org.
Go to the Center for Reconciliation Website for more resources and events.
Forward Movement
Best known for Forward Day by Day, a daily devotion providing meditations on scripture readings, Forward Movement continues to build on its history of encouraging discipleship and evangelism. In the past it was mostly known for its brochures along with the Forward Day by Day meditation booklet. Today they offer books and ebooks for small groups, individual study, and prayer, Christian formation courses, leadership events, Spanish and bilingual resources, pamphlets, downloadable resources, a daily podcast, apps for your smartphones or tablets, and online engagement opportunities.