Discipleship & Spiritual Life

In the fall of 2020, many people participated in the Zoom Discipleship offerings, ranging from the active Center for Spiritual Growth programs—Centering Prayer, mindfulness meditation, and spiritual direction—to five weekly Bible studies, to Sunday morning Adult Forum and Coffee Hour, to monthly book groups. More than a dozen people joined a lively book discussion and conversations based on Bishop Michael Curry’s book, Love is the Way, which proved incredibly timely around the election. In fact, the Wednesday evening programming was so successful after the completion of the Bishop Curry book that it transitioned into an Advent group focused on “Dwelling in the Dark Together.”

Way of Love Wednesdays

Wednesdays | Starting February 17th | 7:30-8:30pm
For the 7 Wednesdays in Lent, Discipleship will offer two classes running during the 7:30-8:30 pm hour: Domenica Rafferty, a psychotherapist, pastoral counselor and parishioner, will lead a book discussion and conversations based on Joyce Rupp’s book Your Sorrow is My Sorrow: Hope and Strength in Times of Suffering. This book relates the Seven Sorrows of Mary to our own sufferings and is a timely Lenten (and pandemic) meditation that offers compassion, comfort, healing, and companionship in the journeys of life. The Rev. Emily Zimbrick-Rogers will lead a video-based program for discussion and reflection using the marvelous resources of the Work of the People, featuring interviews, music, poetry, and prayer.

New Ways to Engage Stations of the Cross

The Lenten devotional is already in the works and will feature something new this year! Parishioners will still find thoughtful meditations from parishioners and the clergy, but will also discover a wonderful Stations of the Cross resource at the end, featuring art and reflections from the arts collective, A Sanctified Art LLC.

New Evening Bible Study

Tuesdays | Starting January 12th | 7:00-8:00pm
Even though St. David’s has five active Bible studies, some parishioners have not found the right one for them, or are uncertain about jumping into one. Thus, a new Bible study is being formed, specifically for those who have never joined a Bible study, or are worried they don’t know enough about the Bible to join one, or currently don’t have a Bible study to attend. This practical, application-focused study will be parishioner-led and for those who need an evening study. Details to come in the Catch Up with St. David’s Newsletter in January.

Experiencing the Way of Love in Lent

Sunday Coffee Hour | Starting February 21st | 10:30am
Last, but certainly not least, for the 6 Sundays in Lent, the Center for Spiritual Growth and the Discipleship Commission will be partnering to offer “Experiencing the Way of Love,” a series of interactive and contemplative classes during the Adult Forum and Online Coffee Hour. This series will include classes led by the Theologian-in-Residence Dr. Ilia Delio, spiritual directors Gillian Waldron and Buff Barnes, mindfulness teachers Clayton Platt and Laurie Robinson, The Rev. Emily Zimbrick-Rogers, and labyrinth guide Louise Haley. These interactive and contemplative offerings are based on the success of the series “Praying in the Way of Love” with spiritual director Amy Nobles Dolan, which were held in Advent.