Going deeper

We’ve just begun a new year, a time where we pause to take stock of our lives.  If you’ve been reflecting on where you are in your growth as a follower of Jesus, maybe you feel like there are some ways you could go deeper in your understanding of what our faith teaches.  Maybe you have questions like:

• Does it really make sense to believe that there is one God but with three “persons”?
• I keep hearing about the Book of Common Prayer, but I don’t really know why we use it and it seems intimidating.
• Why do we baptize babies who have no idea what they believe?
• What do I say when people ask me why I would be part of a church that was started by some king (Henry VIII) who really just wanted a divorce (I would offer you a slightly different interpretation of the history)?

If these kinds of questions have been on your mind, then I’d love to invite you to be part of the small group that I’ll be leading starting on January 22.   We’ll explore the basics of our faith like the trinity, scripture, prayer, the origin of our creeds, and the history of the Anglican Church.  Some of our time will involve learning new information, and we’ll also spend time praying for and supporting each other in understanding what these concepts mean for our lives.

This small group will also serve as preparation for confirmation.  If you’re wondering what that is, the simple answer is that it is a rite in which a baptized Christian makes a public declaration of his/her faith.  Whether you were baptized as a child or an adult, confirmation is an important step in the Christian life when you reaffirm that you intend to follow Christ in the context of our church community.  There is a time of preparation (my small group – did I mention you should join it?), after which the bishop comes and lays his hands on you to pray for the Holy Spirit to strengthen you and to signify that you are part of a church that extends far beyond Restoration.

If you would like to be confirmed, you must be part of this small group.  But the small group is open to everyone, whether or not you’re interested in confirmation.  We’ll meet on Thursday nights, 7:30-9pm, at my house in Cherrydale.

You can sign up on the church website this Sunday, when registration for Tri1 small groups begins.  Feel free to let me know if you have any questions (clay@restorationarlington.org).  I look forward to getting to know you and exploring the beauty of our faith together.

Clay