Adult Christian Formation

We are all pilgrims on the way, trying to encounter Christ in our lives.  We can only complete our pilgrimage with the help of one another.  In our Baptismal Covenant, we pledge to continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to persevere in resisting evil, to proclaim the Gospel by word and example, to seek and serve Christ in all persons, and to strive for justice and peace, respecting the dignity of every human being. This is our call as Christians and as Episcopalians, but what does it mean in terms of the living of daily life?

The Adult Christian Formation offerings of the Cathedral Church of the Nativity seek to equip each and every one of us to live a life of Christian witness through study, discussion, prayer and fellowship.  Whether wrestling with contemporary issues in a Sunday Forum, or silently contemplating the life of Christ on retreat, gathering for a Bible study tailored to women, or committing to accountability and discipleship in Men’s AnD, there are numerous opportunities to encounter God intellectually as well as spiritually, within this community and always as fellow pilgrims, sharing our burdens and our joys on a long and winding trail.

Adult Forums

Offered Sunday mornings from September 20 through May 23 between worship services, from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., these gatherings are opportunities to learn and live in Christian community. Together with scholars, speakers, and experts, we will grapple with issues of living faithfully as members of the Body of Christ in a world made up of diverse cultures and creeds. This year, we are offering two tracks of Forums, so please, stay late or come early, grab a cup of coffee, and prepare to be transformed!

• “Pilgrims On the Way” – geared towards adults and older teens, typically meets in the Sayre Hall Dining Room.
• “Faith and the Family” – a track of offerings specifically dealing with issues faced by families and couples, typically meets in Room 23.

Baptismal Preparation

Baptism is the sacrament through which people are welcomed into the household of  faith.   In the Episcopal Church, we baptize people of all ages, in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  Candidates for baptism are prepared for the sacrament at Baptism classes held in the weeks before baptism.   Call the office (610-865-0727) if you seek the sacrament of baptism for yourself or your child.  Our Baptismal Prep Team is:  Jenifer Gamber, Tom Kolepp, Julie Heneghan, and Jeff Bernardino

Nativity Youth Camp -Ray Arcario, Director; Chip Montgomery, Assistant Director

Each summer, Nativity offers a week of residential camp for young people who have completed second grade through high school.  Staffed by dedicated Cathedral volunteers and clergy, Nativity Youth Camp offers a unique opportunity for youth to engage in music, games, Bible study, worship and fun in a spiritual environment.  Camp usually takes place late in June at a nearby camp and conference facility.

Men’s AnD Group

Fridays, 6 AM,  or Wednesday at 7:00 PM, year-round, the men of the Cathedral gather for study, prayer, mutual accountability and discipleship. Contact Brian Gordon.

Children’s Chapel

For young children, this Service of the Word is offered during the 10:30 AM Sunday Service.  Its intent is to help young children understand Bible passages through story-telling, song and play.  It will track the readings of the day, when possible.  It also introduces the prayer book liturgy with young children in mind.  The children begin the liturgy in the Cathedral with their families.  During the opening hymn, they follow the children’s cross to the chapel of the Good Shepherd. The children rejoin their families in the main church at the time of the Peace.

Confirmation Program

Laura Drum, Jenifer Gamber and Bob Lynn

Confirmation is the sacrament that recognizes a perso’s adult commitment to the Christian faith. Our teen confirmation program includes regular Sunday worship, commitment to the J2A program, and participation in Confirmation classes. This program will be offered next in the 2010/11 academic year.

Education for Ministry – EFM   KNOCK! KNOCK!

Opportunity knocks and the door waits for you to turn the knob.  There are more doors, knobs, and ways to turn them than we can begin to imagine.  Each way brings its own richness giving and receiving its own glimpse of The Kingdom.  We worship a loving God of abundance!

People of faith face the difficult and often subtle task of interpreting the richness of the church’s teachings in a complex and confusing world.  We need a THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION which supports our faith and also trains us to express that faith in day to day events.  Many people think that one must be ordained in order to be a “minister.”  The fact is that all baptized Christians are called to be active participants in the church’s total ministry.  In coming to terms with the notion that everything we do has potential for manifesting the love of Christ, we discover that our ministry is at had wherever and however we turn the knob.

EFM is an extension program of the School of Theology, The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee.  The program began with a vision of enrolling a few hundred students.  Within a few years it developed into a program reaching several thousand students with groups around the world.  Current numbers show continued multiple worldwide growth.  We have an impressive number of graduates within our own congregation and currently have two groups meeting in addition to an online group.

If all this sounds profoundly serious, it is but let me share that WE HAVE FUN!  We use symbolism and metaphors to make the abstract more concrete and sometimes these can be very humorous.  WE CREATE COMMUNITY with arms that embrace all thoughts with respect, warmth and love.  We go forth through the door into our world having better insights about our own theology and how to turn that knob bringing a glimpse of The Kingdom into the world we know and live.  This Kingdom is full of the glory of God that exceeds all understanding and yet requires our participation.

The following Collect was created by an EFM group after reflecting on this scripture:

Isaiah 40:3-4

A voice of one calling:
In the desert prepare the way for the Lord:
Make straight in the wilderness
A highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
Every mountain and hill made low
The rough ground shall become level,
The rugged place a plain.

♦  ♦  ♦

Dear God, You are ever present in the valleys and on the mountains.
You level the playing field.
We are called to invite You into the highs and lows of our lives and walk together in community.
We pray all of this with the belief that our paths may be made straight and our life and faith
may be made more seamless so that we may serve You
and be Christ to others in Your world.  Amen

EFM is like shopping at Wegman’s.  There is so much to choose from but if you look long enough you find the brand that is right for you.  It jumps off the shelf into your cart (heart!)

We are looking for participants for this coming fall.  Students commit one year at a time for this four year study.  Please contact one of our mentors for further information.

EFM mentors at Nativity are Cathy Bailey 610 261 1106, Jeff Bernardino 610 559 9735, Jenifer Gamber 610 419 0329, Janet Kolepp 610 954 9582, Diane Krueger 610 336 0412, and Beth Vorosmarti 610 789 7729

Foundations

An introduction to the life of faith, for everyone from new Christians to lifelong Episcopalians, this multi-week course is scheduled several times a year, and is an exploration of the Episcopal Church, its history, its major documents, and its worship.  Contact Dean Pompa at 610-865-0727

Men’s AnD Group

Fridays, 6 AM,  or Wednesday at 7:00 PM, year-round, the men of the Cathedral gather for study, prayer, mutual accountability and discipleship. Contact Brian Gordon.

Men’s BBB ( Bible, Beverages and Burgers)

A multi-week summer gathering of Dean Pompa and the men of the parish exploring the Bible over burgers and a side of fellowship.

Nursery

Philia Book Club

Rite 13, J2A, YAC

Seasonal Offerings

Sunday School

Women’s Retreat

An annual weekend retreat for the women of the Cathedral, March 19-21, 2010 at the Villa of Our Lady, Mt. Pocono.  Cost $160.  Contact Janet Kolepp.