Christian Formation Replenish the spirit, teach the faith, and make visible the love of Christ Winter/Spring 2016 St. Margaret s Episcopal Church The journey of a lifetime Inside Financial Peace University Learn how to get rid of debt, manage money, save for the future, and much more. Lent 2016 During Lent, there are two different opportunities to renew the faith that gives life to your soul. Participate in one or both! 5 7 Sunday school isn t just for children We know that God has given us gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. (Ephesians 4:13) St. Margaret s offers opportunities for all ages to grow in faith. Wherever you are in your journey, and whatever your interest, you re sure to find something here to replenish your spirit, and nourish your soul.
New to St. Margaret s? St. Margaret s Episcopal Church Spring 2016 Welcome to St. Margaret s, Y all! Offered twice this season: Sundays, January 24 February 14, and again April 3-24 9:30 a.m. in the Upstairs Classroom Led by Vivian Blair and Cindy Minor If y all have something you need to know about St. Margaret s or about being in the Episcopal Church, then this is the place to get started! All are welcome, y all! Faith Renewal Workshop Saturday, January 30 9:30 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Led by the Rev. Mary Vano Recognizing the need that we all have for ongoing faith renewal, you are invited to spend a morning with the Rev. Mary Vano for a time of study, discussion, prayer, and fellowship. We ll also enjoy lunch together. Those who are participating in the Confirmation and Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows on January 31 are asked to attend as their final preparation. Also, this workshop is open to anyone who would like an opportunity for retreat and renewal. Please email Mary at mvano@stmargaretschurch.org if you plan to participate. There s more inside Children s Formation 3 Youth Formation 4 Financial Peace University.5 Bible & Breakfast..5 Sunday Mornings for Adults..6 Lent 2016 7 Institute for Theological Studies at St. Margaret s...8 Seeking Silence. 8 2
Let the little children come to me. Mark 10:14 Age 3 Grade 5 Sundays, 9:30 10:15 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Living the Good News Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an approach to children s formation, which focuses on the fact that the child already has a relationship with God. Trained leaders, called Catechists, present stories and manipulatives that give the children language to help express this relationship. Class time is child-led, and based on the teaching of Holy Scripture and church tradition. Children gather in an atrium, a room prepared for them which contains simple yet beautiful materials that they use. Ages 3-Kindergarten Shepherd s Atrium, Room 106 Grades 1-3 The True Vine Atrium, Room 110 Living the Good News is a lectionarybased Sunday school curriculum in which kids engage the readings appointed for each Sunday using story, craft, drama, games and more. Fourth and Fifth Graders get even more out of worship when they ve engaged the readings with their Sunday school group, too. Grades 4 & 5 Room 101 Children s Chapel Every Sunday during the 10:30 worship service (children follow the leader from the service at the Gospel reading, and return at the peace) 3
St. Margaret s Episcopal Church Spring 2016 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. Psalm 71:17 Episcopal Youth Community Episcopal Kids Community Episcopal Kids Community provides a time for 3 rd -5 th Graders to develop friendships, grow in their faith, and have lots of fun! Maturing teenagers need a safe and loving community in which they can explore the questions of their faith, practice kindness and compassion, and receive the guidance of friends and mentors as they grow into adulthood. Sunday mornings, 9:30 10:15 a.m. 6 th 8 th graders meet in the Youth Room with Millie Lockwood and Richard McKay to dig into the scripture readings for the day. 9 th 12 th graders meet in the Rector s Office with Ronnie and Sharon Beggs for engaging discussions in Christian faith. Sunday afternoons, 5:00 7:00 p.m. Second Sundays of Each Month September May Grades 3-5 4:00 5:30 p.m. Led by Alice Kunce and Scott Stricker All 6 th 12 th graders join together for fun, fellowship, service, and dinner, too! EYC Arkansas Events Winterstar Youth Retreat (6 th -12 th Grades) March 11-13 Camp Mitchell Happening (10 th grade and older) April 29 May 1 Camp Mitchell For more information, visit eycarkansas.org 4
We all need a plan for our money. Financial Peace University (FPU) is that plan! In a curriculum offered by Christian financial expert Dave Ramsey, this class teaches God's ways of handling money. Through video teaching, class discussions and interactive small group activities, FPU presents biblical, practical steps to get from where you are to where you've dreamed you could be. This plan will show you how to get rid of debt, manage your money, spend and save wisely, and much more! January 10 March 6 Sundays, 5:00 6:30 Cost: $97 (includes book, workbook, and DVDs) Led by Dr. Leigh Anne Bennett Lesson 1: Super Saving Seven baby steps will guide you throughout FPU. Learn the reasons you need to be saving. Lesson 2: Relating with Money Single or married, parents or not, learn how to communicate and work together with the people in your life. Lesson 3: Cash Flow Planning Learning how to take control of your money starts with a budget. Unlock the secrets of developing a monthly spending plan that really works. Lesson 4: Dumping Debt Make a plan to walk out of debt with confidence. Lesson 5: Buyer Beware Learn to make better decisions with your everyday purchases. Lesson 6: The Role of Insurance Take a walk through the world of insurance, carefully examining what you need, and what you need to avoid. Lesson 7: Retirement and College Planning Figure out your best retirement plan, and if you have kids learn how to plan and save so that your kids can graduate debt free. Lesson 8: Real Estate and Mortgages Learn the ins and outs of mortgages, and how to win when buying or selling a home. Lesson 9: The Great Misunderstanding Learn how generous giving can completely revolutionize your attitude, and improve your finances, business, and relationships. Bible & Breakfast Tuesday Mornings, 7:30 8:30 a.m. Panera Bread 11525 Cantrell Rd. Led by the Rev. Mary Vano What better way to start your day than with a good breakfast and the Good Book? Join us anytime on Tuesday mornings for a small group discussion on the Gospel for the upcoming Sunday. Our Tuesday preparations make Sundays even more meaningful. BYOB(ible)! For more information and to register, go to www.daveramsey.com/fpu. Find a class near you and register for the St. Margaret s location. Please email Elizabeth Connery (econnery@stmargaretschurch.org) by January 3 rd if you need childcare. 5
St. Margaret s Episcopal Church Spring 2016 Sunday School isn t just for kids! With just one extra hour on Sunday mornings, you can engage your faith at a deeper level. Every Sunday, there are classes for adults from 9:30-10:15. Beginning January 3 Hazardous Saints They risked it all for the sake of the gospel: Barnabas, Francis of Assisi, Thomas Cranmer, Sojourner Truth, Dorothy Day, and Oscar Romero. In this six-week study suitable for adults and young adults, you ll explore the lives of these six saints who, like Jesus, were change agents in their times. Beginning January 10 Women at the Well: Lent for Families Lent is a great opportunity not only for personal spiritual growth, but for the growth of the spirituality of families. This course is filled with practical tips from long-time educator and canon to the Washington National Cathedral Kim Baker who tells us how Lent offers an unparalleled opportunity for families to grow in Christ. Beginning February 14 Lent: Time to Stop, Pray, Work, Play, & Love Look to the next page for more information Beginning April 3 Humor in the Bible Are Christians allowed to laugh, have fun, and enjoy life? Does God have a sense of humor? In this class we ll reflect on biblical passages that suggest that the answer to both questions is yes! For a cheerful heart is good medicine. (Proverbs 17:22) Women at the Well: For the Love, by Jen Hatmaker More book club than book study, we ll read together For the Love and learn how to escape our impossible standards for parenting and marriage by accepting the standard of mostly good. And we ll laugh. A lot. Jen is FUNNY. Beginning May 1 Food & Faith: Justice, Joy, and Daily Bread Food is itself a joyful gift recall how the gift of food so often mediates the sanctity and preciousness of life. In this group study, readings will focus on the enjoyment and spirituality of good food, ways in which eating connects us to the land and each other, and on the economic, environmental, and cultural impact of daily food choices. Women at the Well: Letters from the Farm, A Simple Path to a Deeper Spiritual Life by Becca Stevens Becca Stevens has written a beautiful book demonstrating the power of God s healing love. Wherever you are in your faith journey, these letters, with their compassion for humanity and passion for justice, will encourage you to deepen your faith; and Becca s work with Thistle Farms will inspire you to openhearted, generous living. 6
Lent 2016 So much of our stress and anxiety derives from our pollution of time. God has given us the gift of time, and called it holy, yet we often experience it as a curse. In this series, the Brothers of the Society of St. John the Evangelist invite us to recapture time as a gift. Sunday mornings 9:30 a.m. February 14 March 20 with the Rev. Mary Vano Lenten Compass Groups This Lent, you ll focus on God as the Chief Gardener of your soul, and seek out ways to grow into the fullness he desires for you. Just as stakes and lattices nurture the growth of young plants, so too can spiritual disciplines support the flourishing of our whole being. This is an exciting opportunity to dig deep and dream big about ways to live into a more abundant life with Christ. Compass groups meet weekly during Lent to share a meal, fellowship, and study. To participate, email the Rev. Mary Vano at mvano@stmargaretschurch.org 7
Faith Seeking Understanding Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. - Noon Thursdays, 10:30 noon January 14 February 25 Led by the Rev. Mary Vano and Skip Cochran The Institute for Theological Studies at St. Margaret s offers a Guild Seminar as a point of entry to the ancient discipline of theology, which is faith seeking understanding. Participants will read and discuss Mysteries of Faith, by Mark McIntosh, and learn classical approaches to major questions. Through this seminar, we seek to create a community of the curious, who will not only grow in their understanding, but also ultimately participate in sharing that gift with others. To register, please email the Rev. Cindy Fribourgh at cfribourgh@stmargaretschurch.org. Christian Voices of Life, Liberty, and Happiness More than a trivial pursuit? Thursdays, 6:30 7:30 p.m. January 21 February 11 Led by Joy Pohl This offering of the Institute for Theological Studies at St. Margaret s is a discussion series led by Joy Pohl beginning with the sometimes forgotten brevity and clarity of the Christian faith and expanding into a discussion of Christianity in America now. The discussions consider differences in religious and scientific secular worldviews and the vocabulary that helps span the differences. To register, please email Joy Pohl at pohljoy@hotmail.com. Seeking Silence Sunday, January 24 1:00 5:00 p.m. Led by Rabbi Barry Block, Congregation B nai Israel The Rev. Susan Sims Smith, Arkansas Interfaith Center Mrs. Sophia Said, Islamic Center of Little Rock All the world s religions encourage silence as a spiritual practice. In this workshop we will learn how to approach silence from a Jewish, Christian, and Muslim perspective. We will pray together in the Arkansas House of Prayer and seek the blessing of the Divine in silence. Cost of the workshop is $35. Email John Willis, Arkansas House of Prayer Administrator, at arkansashouseofprayer@gmail.com for more information. 8