Adult & Youth Formation

We hope you will be able to join us for St. Mary's Christmas Carol Sing following worship on the Sunday after Christmas. This will be a sing-and-learn event, as Twila Garletts will briefly explain the history or meaning behind each carol selected.

You can take part in this event! Please send your favorite Christmas carol to Twila Garletts at twilagarletts@verizon.net

Before you get too excited, though, there are a few restrictions. Please try to contribute a carol that hasn't been sung a lot in worship throughout the season, but that you'd love to sing. Here's your opportunity. The entries must be religious, not secular. We're sorry if every contribution is not able to be included, but we will do the best we can to accommodate all.

To get you into the mood for learning about Christmas carols, a tease - where is the theological comma in "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" and "The Twelve Days of Christmas" will be included because it is a religious, not a secular carol. Come and join us to find out what it all means and Who the Partridge in the Pear Tree really is.

Twila Garletts will be leading our singing and learning and Ellen Buerklin will be accompanying. There will be no spiritual formation class at 9 a.m. on Dec. 28. Please come and give your vocal cords a Christmas carol workout!

On two Sundays in  January, the 11th and the 18th at 9 AM in the Navajo Room, Erlis Wickersham will continue a discussion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's theology, social activism, and resistance to Hitler. These classes are based on his Letters and Papers from Prison and are 40 minutes in length. There is no homework. All are invited to attend. 

On January 25th, we begin a new series, presenting essential information about the charities to whom we have donated the proceeds of the Fall Food Festival. This should be most interesting and informative. Our speakers on January 25^th are Peter Burke, Geoff Aigeltinger and Scott Scheidt, who will discuss the inner workings of the Little Free Pantry. Everyone knows that charity begins at home, but we may not know how the pantry is supported, stocked, and maintained. 

We will continue with invited guests on February 8th, 15^th and 22nd.

The Lenten Quiet Morning will take place on Saturday, February 14th. Coffee will be served at 9:30 AM. From 10-11:30 Father Conor will introduce a new series for Adult Formation explaining the liturgy. This will be followed by a modest lunch of soup and bread. 

On Sunday mornings at 9 AM on March 8, 15 and 22, Father Conor will continue his presentation about the liturgy. Everyone is urged to attend.

There will be no Adult Formation on Palm Sunday or Easter.