Consider this phrase: willing to be changed.This attitude is at the heart of any faith journey: the conscious consent to being transformed by that which we encounter. Perhaps, sometimes, that means the conscious discernment about how we wish to be changed, and the pursuit of experiences that will shape us — though that pursuit can … More Willing to Be Changed
Faith formation means experiencing beloved community, and practicing building it with others. … More Formed by and for Beloved Community
Join your fellow deacons and priests in a day of immersion in practices for a Jesus-centered life. … More Clergy Retreat: The Way of Love
Whether you are an everyday Christian wondering what to do with our Presiding Bishop’s call to evangelism, or a preacher or pastor seeking the ground of your most tender and impactful work, you are welcome. … More What is truth?
Looking for inspiration for your continuing education for this year? Check out this guest post from Katherine Lewis and Tom Sinning. Did you take part in an exceptional formation event? Write it up and share it with us! The Rev. Katherine Lewis (St. David’s, Minnetonka) and the Rev. Tom Sinning (Emmanuel, Alexandria) immersed themselves in … More The Path of Descent is the Path of Transformation
At the beginning of a yoga class, often the instructor will ask students to take a moment and set an intention for their practice. Sometimes that means dedicating the practice to a person or a cause. Sometimes that means having an internal intention — seeking to be aware of one’s breath, or choosing to be … More What’s your intention for this year?
Wherever you are in your own journey of healing and transformation, you are invited to join with others in the Episcopal branch of the Jesus movement, offering your self — your gifts and flaws and skills and delight — in harmony with the Holy Spirit’s work in the world … More Become what you receive
The School for Formation will offer two new courses in 2018-19 that speak specifically to the life and work of deacons. … More Deacons! New courses for you.
If you’ve never taken a course in the School for Formation before, try one of these for free in Fall 2018. … More Take your first course free in Fall 2018
A guest post from the field: Steve Johnson of St. David’s Minnetonka sends this testimonial about Peter Rollins’ series, Atheism for Lent. … More Notes from the Field: Atheism for Lent
This is evangelism: Speaking clearly about why Jesus is good news, about your experience of faith, and – perhaps most importantly – about how you live because of it. … More This is what (good) evangelism looks like
“Christians are not optimists. No. Rather, we choose to see hope where there is no hope.” On a pilgrimage to Israel and Palestine in 2010, I heard these words from a former bishop of the Diocese of Jerusalem, the Rt. Rev. Riah Hanna Abu El-Assal. He had earned the right to speak boldly about ‘where … More Hope where there is no hope
We can be hubs for courageous innovation when we trust that God has given us the freedom and the will to do something new. … More Even now, creativity and freedom
Friends, here are three key questions for your faith community to wrestle with in the wake of the recent events in Virginia. We’ve offered some resources that we hope will support you as you pray through these issues together. 1) What’s the long work your faith community is doing to build beloved community in your … More White Supremacy and Your Faith Community: Three Questions to Consider
Looking for ways you or your faith community can move from tolerance to relationship? … More Partners for Interfaith Learning
Here are five great ways to keep your learning about culture and race alive this spring. … More Five ways to keep learning about race and culture this spring
How do we preach the Gospel when our listeners believe passionately about the right or wrong of our national climate? … More Webinar on March 9: Preaching in a Divided Culture
Here’s a resource the School for Formation is proud to share: a self-led online course at Backstory Preaching called Preaching Through Uncertain Times. Lisa Cressman and her colleagues at Backstory Preaching led the SFF’s Homiletics course last fall, earning high praise and respect from their students. Adam Estrem took the class and wrote afterward, “The homiletics course … More Preaching Through Uncertain Times
Heads up, clergy folk in Minnesota: it can be hard to get perspective on the news these days. The international refugee crisis, the presidential election, mass incarceration, gun violence: all these things are happening in front of our eyes with record news bytes all the time, every day. What we might miss in our struggle … More Preaching in Year A: Isaiah, Matthew, and our own political realities
Guest blogger: the Rev. Anna Doherty, Rector, Christ Church, Woodbury The Missional Leadership Cohort for Episcopal Clergy at Luther Seminary was a mind-altering, wonderful transformative experience for me, and I want to share a little of that experience with you. This past spring, I finished up an 18-month experience as part of a Missional Leadership Cohort … More Discernment, not strategic plans
