3427 Olney Laytonsville Road, PO Box 187, Olney, MD 20832
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
“...Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…" Matthew 28:19-20
Christian Formation provides resources that prepares our parishioners for Worship, Bible Study, and Forum leaving them with inspiration and empowerment to continue the work at home. Making disciples is a task easier said than done. We want to be good disciples. We want to raise good disciples. We aspire to become like the apostles, sent by God to teach others to follow. Baptism and an earnest commitment to want to follow Christ are a great start, however, to be successful we need additional tools to move us further along the discipleship path.
Christianity is a PRACTICE
Worship feeds our faith, though it is the in-between times where our discipleship is forged. Given our already busy schedules, the expectation cannot be that formation and education are only happening when you are on church property at a church event. At St. John’s we work to give resources so that when you come to worship, Bible Study, Forum, etc., you leave with inspiration and empowerment to continue the work at home. This equipping may be a new prayer practice to try out, a scripture to meditate on, a reflection that challenges how you have been behaving or viewing the world, or even suggested activities to experience a new way of doing in your household or community.
Christianity is COMMUNAL
It is in dialogue and community that we hear about new contexts or research, are challenged on ideas, and can hear the Holy Spirit working to create a new thing in our hearts. We believe in an apostolic succession of faith, meaning faith is passed from one person to the next, sometimes down through the generations, across generations, and even up through the generations. At St. John’s, households are empowered to do formation together so that all members learn and grow with one another. Our intergenerational focus goes beyond households. Prayer partnerships are created across generations and formation opportunities encouraging every age and demographic of the parish to get involved. We call it cross-pew pollination... allowing God to forge friendships and relationships.