Confirmation

Confirmation Classes have begun for youth (10th grade & above).


The purpose of Confirmation is to prepare candidates for Confirmation, Reception into the Episcopal Church, or Reaffirmation of their Baptismal Faith. In each, it is a journey that leads to a "renewal of faith."

Adults who are new to St. Peter's Church and wish to be prepared for Confirmation and/or Reception into the Episcopal Church are encouraged to participate. For yet others who are already confirmed or received, there may be a desire to reexamine their faith journey and "refresh" their commitment to Jesus Christ. Adults who are interested should speak to Rev. Kurt.

The Book of Common Prayer describes the Sacrament of Confirmation as: "...the rite in which we express a mature commitment to Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop."

Come join us!

Recommended online resources for studying the Bible

There is a nice article on on-line resources for studying the Bible over at the Episcopal Cafe.

Follow this link.

or go directly to the source
here.

(Also look in the comments section for additional resources.)

Centering Prayer

Come join us for a morning of exploration into a type of contemplative prayer that will ground your soul with God.

Coming in December.  Stay tuned!

In Centering Prayer … little by little, we enter into prayer without intentionality except to consent
… and consent becomes surrender … and surrender becomes total receptivity
… and, as the process continues, total receptivity becomes effortless, peaceful.
… It is free and has nothing to attain, to get, or desire …
So, no thinking, no reflection, no desire, no words, no thing … just receptivity and consent.

Thomas Keating, ‘Centering Prayer’ segment, Heartfulness: Transformation in Christ

The goal of contemplative life is unitive seeing: not so much "union with God" understood as wanting God to the exclusion of all else, but rather, gradually coming to realize that really, there is nothing that is not (in) God. God is the dots and the spaces between the dots; nothing can fall out of God, and all is tenderly and joyously held.

Cynthia Bourgeault, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, p 158

Fall Study: American Religions

Come join us!

Wednesdays this Fall – 10:30 AM & 7:30 PM

October 5: Christian Science
October 12: Mormons
October 19: Jehovah’s Witnesses
October 26: Adventists
November 2: Shakers
November 9: Scientology & Pentecostals

Primary Texts:

“America: Religion & Religions” by Catherine L. Albanese (1992)
“American Scriptures: An Anthology of Sacred Writings” ed. By Laurie F. Maffly-Kipp (2010)
Websites from the religions themselves



Secondary Texts:

“Dictionary of the Christian Church” (3rd Ed.) ed. By FL Cross & EA Livingstone (1997)
Chronological & Background Charts of Church History” by Robert C. Walton (1986)
Wikipedia

Fall Study: American Religions

As we did with our interfaith study; we will look at American religions and examine their similarities and differences to us.

Study will begin near the end of September. Stay tuned!

We will cover:

• Mormons
• Shakers
• Adventists
• Christian Scientists
• Jehovah's Witnesses

One text we will be using: "American Scriptures: An Anthology of Sacred Writings"

Come join us!

Weekly Reflections for Practicing Gratitude

Giving thanks comes easily when life is going well, but when things are not what we want them to be, it's really hard to be grateful. Yet, as the late priest and author John Claypool writes: "Only when life is seen as a gift and received with the open hands of gratitude is it the joy God meant for it to be."  Recognizing that one of the best ways to embrace gratefulness at the core of our being is to reinforce it over and over again, starting November 1 explorefaith will unveil a dynamic new section on our site designed to provide you with reflections and suggestions for PRACTICING GRATITUDE for the next year.

Read about it here and sign-up for their free weekly emails and practice gratitude in your life!

Online Bible Study

Found this great resource...

This free online weekly reading program allows you to explore God's Word, beginning in Genesis, with the guidance of an outstanding biblical scholar who has a deeply personal Christian faith.

Not only will you learn from your guide, but beginning in November you'll have the option of "going deeper" in your study of each week's Scripture passage through links to other commentaries and resources. And each Lectio comes with related artistic renderings of the passage.

Over the course of four years, you'll encounter a majority of the Bible – and do so in tandem with the Seattle Pacific University community as students, faculty, and staff focus on the same weekly Scripture in Chapel, community Bible studies, and other weekly worship events.

To sign-up or learn more, go here.