Holy Spirit is a Learning Community
Studying Together
ABC Course
Join Us 7:00 Wednesday Evenings
Adult Baptism and Confirmation Preparation
This course will provide an introduction to the Christian life and the Anglican Church.
We will be reading two books:
1. To Serve and To Love by Scott Gunn and Melody Wilson Shobe
2. Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years by Diarmaid MacCulloch
Please contact The Rev. Jack Risk with any inquiries.
Bible Study Materials
We have started our discussion of the Gospel of Mark, the first stop on our exploration of the New Testament.
How we will proceed:
1. Watch one or both of the two performances of Mark linked below.
2. Prepare your own video of a performance by you of a story from Mark. Select a short passage from Mark. Aim for at least a 30-second performance. If you are loving it, maybe you could rein it in at less than ten minutes.
You might find the links to other biblical story tellers give you inspiration.
3. What is the direction the story is taking me. Is it straight line, circular, up-and-down or something else? Prepare something visual to represent the shape of the story. This can take whatever form you like – a line, a drawing, a timeline, a vector diagram or whatever you come up with. There are no right answers. We will put our diagrams together and help each other get a sense of the plot of Mark. You might find it helpful to look at a list of episodes in Mark. I’ve posted one such list.
4. Ask yourself, “What is the point Mark’s Gospel is trying to make? What response does it hope to elicit in its audience?” Try to avoid the “so we can believe and be saved” kinds of answers. The idea is to look at what Mark’s objective was in stringing together all these stories in the way he/she did.
Other Story Tellers
You can find inspiration for your Mark video by watching other story tellers. Here are a few sites:
Network of Biblical Story Tellers International
Network of Biblical Story Tellers on Vimeo
Stories Sojourn
Carbon Fast
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Actions 23-03-22
A list of actions people shared at our Wednesday get-together:
- Gardening
- Insulating basement
- Reducing kitchen waste
- A vegan meal each week
- Buy from local farmers
- Buy organic
- Fermented foods: kambucha, sauerkraut
- Reduce water waste e.g. cooking
- Window blinds
- Solar panels
- Clothes line
- Composting
- Read happy news stories
Climate and Environmental Justice
Materials to Guide Your Study
Diocesan Environmental Network
An active group in our diocese works to keep us informed on environmental matters. They have a website and a weekly newsletter.
Human-Caused Climate Change Inevitable and Irreversible
Read the latest IPCC report issued on August 9, 2021 which gives a comprehensive summary of the science on climate.
Kairos Climate Action Month
Kairos Canada offers five weeks of themes and actions for the Season of Creation.
Walking the Talk
This resource from the World Council of Churches offers several inspiring stories of Christian communities living according to the covenant between God and creation.
Reconciliation
Right relations between Canada's Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Peoples
TRC Calls to Action
The list of calls to action issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in order to redress the legacy of residential schools and
advance the process of Canadian reconciliation.
Doctrine of Discovery: Stolen Lands, Strong Hearts
A film about a devastating decision, made over 500 years ago, which continues to have a profound impact on Indigenous and Settler people worldwide. Pope Alexander VI ruled that the lands being discovered by European explorers at the time was “empty” land and its millions of Indigenous inhabitants were “non-human”.
A First Look
A pamphlet produced by the Anglican Church of Canada introducing the issue of the Doctrine of Discovery
Mission and Ministry
Commitments that Guide Anglicans Around the World
The Five Marks of Mission
To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
To teach, baptize, and nurture new believers
To respond to human need by loving service
To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation
To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth
The Baptismal Covenant
Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
Will you persevere in resisting evil and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
Will you proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ?
Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbour as yourself?
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
Will you strive to safeguard the integrity of God’s creation and respect, sustain, and renew the life of the earth?
Gospel-Based Discipleship
As Gospel-based disciples we commit:
To engage the Gospel regularly.
To take seriously our own spiritual formation.
To nurture and foster the spiritual formation of others.
To live the Baptismal Covenant.
To live as a community of disciples.
To foster reconciliation, healing and vision.
To pray and worship regularly.
To respect the spiritual traditions, values and customs of our many peoples.
To take full responsibility for our local ministries.
Materials for the Study of Paul
Presentation Slides for the Study of Karen Armstrong's Paul the Misunderstood Apostle
Online book study conducted winter of 2021.
Materials for the Study of Mark
Presentation slides used in an online study of Mark's Gospel spring 2020.