Education
Adult Christian Formation
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 between worship services, from 9:35 AM to 10:35 AM. 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. We learn in community, so please, stay late or come early, grab a cup of coffee, and prepare to be transformed!
Click Here for → Adult Forums Schedule 2012-13
Christian Formation for Children and Youth
Welcome!
Children and Youth are vital members of the Body of Christ. We welcome their enthusiasm and wisdom. We understand them as people of faith. We want to nurture that faith.
The Christian Formation programs for children and youth at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity provide support for each of us to uphold the Baptismal Covenant. We want each child to grasp the Good News of Jesus Christ and be empowered to live into the mission of this parish church:
To know Christ, To make him known, and to serve all people according to his example.
This year we encourage children and parents to become immersed in Nativity Life through regular attendance at Church School and Sunday Worship, as well as attendance at special Worship services and activities. Only through events in many areas of life can we build a complete Christian community that nurtures and sustains our life, work, and growth in the world.
The 321 Contact service, initiated in 2010, will be held weekly from 9:00-9:30 am for the 2012-13 Program Year. The 321 Contact service is an intergenerational worship experience, with music from a wide range of sources.
Click Here for → Children & Youth Events and Important Dates for 2012-13
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, and Canon Mariclair Partee
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.
Confirmation Program
Laura Drum and Canon Mariclair Partee
Confirmation is the sacrament that recognizes a person’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 is offered on a two-year schedule. For more information, please contact Canon Partee at 610-865-0727.
Education for Ministry – EFM KNOCK! KNOCK!
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 create community and go forth through the door into our world having better insights about our own theology.
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 James Vorosmarti.
Seasonal Offerings
October 6 – Saturday:
5 PM Diocesan Convention Eucharist
October – Sunday:
5 PM Choral Evensong and Blessing of Pets
October 27 – Saturday:
♦5 PM Holy Eucharist, Guest Preacher, The Rev. Becca Stevens
♦6 PM 1st Annual Priscilla Payne Hurd Lecture on Church and Society, Sayre Hall, The Rev. Becca Stevens (www.beccastevens.org), Followed by Reception
November 6 – Tuesday:
12:15 PM Election Day Eucharist, Sayre Chapel
November 11 – Sunday:
4 PM Diocesan Joint Eucharist with United Methodist Church, Asbury UM Church, Allentown
December 2 – Sunday:
5 PM Advent Lessons and Music (followed by Soup and Advent Wreath making)
December 9 – Sunday:
Evensong at St. Mark’s, Jim Thorpe
December 16 – Sunday:
4 PM Cathedral Classics Concert, Handel’s “Messiah”
December 22 – Saturday:
5 PM The Christmas Pageant with Prayer/Pageant/Hymns
December 24 – Monday:
5 PM and 10:30 PM Christmas Eve Services
December 25 – Tuesday:
10 AM Christmas Day Service
January 6 – Sunday:
5:30 PM Epiphany Party, Potluck & Contra Dance, Sayre Hall
January 21 – Monday:
12 Noon Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Event
February 12 – Tuesday:
5 PM Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner, Sayre Hall
February 13 – “Ash Wednesday”:
Ash Wednesday Services at 9 AM, 12 Noon, 6 PM (family), 7 PM
Weekdays in Lent:
♦7:30 AM Eucharist in Good Shepherd Chapel
♦9 AM Holy Eucharist & Healing Service, Good Shepherd Chapel
♦5:45 PM Taize Mass
♦6:15 PM Potluck Dinner
♦7 PM Programs for Children and Adults
February 17 – Sunday:
♦Evensong, Cathedral
♦ Nativity Youth Camp Fundraiser, Spaghetti Dinner, Winter Youth Camp
March 28 – Maundy Thursday:
7 PM Holy Thursday with Stripping of the Altar
March 29 – Good Friday:
♦12 – 3 PM Good Friday Liturgy, Prayers & Mediation & Holy Communion from Reserved Sacrament, Cathedral
♦5:30 PM The Story of the Passion, Service for Children, Youth & Adults, Cathedral
March 30 – Holy Saturday:
5 PM Great Vigil of Easter with Confirmation, Cathedral
March 31 – Easter Sunday:
8 AM and 11 AM Easter Liturgy
April 21 – Sunday:
12 Noon Annual Meeting, Sayre Hall
May 26 – Sunday:
Last Day of Program Year
June 2 – Sunday:
10 AM Parish Picnic
June 9 – Sunday:
Summer Worship Schedule Begins
Women’s Renewal Weekend
An annual weekend away for the women of the Cathedral, April 12-14, 2013 at Bryn Manor Mountain Retreat Center near Honesdale, PA. Cost TBA. Contact Canon Mariclair Partee at 610-865-0727.
Click Here for Retreat Brochure 2013
