God is love, and because God made humanity in his image, we are lovers, too. Jesus said that loving God and loving our neighbors ought to be our highest priorities. We make them our priorities through developing daily and weekly habits of Christian formation. Here are some ways members of the Church of the Resurrection engage in love-shaping, formative practices.
DAILY FORMATIVE PRACTICES
MORNING & EVENING PRAYER
WEDNESDAYS 5:45 PM
IN PERSON AT THE CHURCH
Since 1549, the daily offices (i.e. morning and evening prayer services) of the Book of Common Prayer have provided a way for Christians to read through the English Bible regularly and to draw near to God in prayer and praise.
DEVOTIONAL PRACTICES & BIBLE READING
Our clergy are eager to meet with you and help you develop ways to meet with God on a daily basis (See the Pastoral Care page). Many Rez members use the daily office lectionary, found online here. Others use one of these plans offered by the English Standard Version of the Bible.
CONFESSION & PRAYER FOR HEALING
Confession and Prayer for Healing. St. James wrote to Christians saying: “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (5:16). A normal by-product of Christian friendships within the church ought to be members of the body confessing to one another and praying for one another. In addition, Resurrection clergy are available by appointment to hear confessions and/or to pray for healing. See the Pastoral Care page.
SEASONAL COURSES
REZ FOUNDATIONS
This course is a holistic orientation to the Christian faith as it is understood and practiced at the Church of the Resurrection. It's about both Christian essentials - those beliefs and practices common to Christianity everywhere through the ages - as well as Anglican & Rez distinctives.
The course is built around four texts that the early church used to prepare new believers for baptism, namely, the Bible, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Decalogue (Ten Commandments). We aim to make the course fun and social so that we better know and care for one another by the time we’ve finished.
This course is a pre-requisite to baptism, membership, and greater participation in the church.
CHRISTIAN FORMATION COHORT
Love of God and neighbor. We know that Jesus calls us to these duties. Yet the challenge isn’t in the knowing but the doing of them. For this reason, we all need practice in the art of Christian living, building momentum as disciples through developing healthy habits. This cohort will provide you with both a framework and a small team for growth in following the Lord.
- Dates: Seven consecutive Sunday afternoons, followed by two potluck dinners after the course is completed (schedule is subject to change depending on the time of year)
- Cost: Your highest level of commitment, plus potluck contributions. Joining this course is subject to signing a Commitment Pledge which will be made available upon registration.
- Requirements: You've completed Rez Foundations
REZ GREENHOUSE COURSES
RezGreenhouse offers courses and opportunities for ongoing spiritual formation. These are short-term courses, book discussions, and various presentations on specific topics. You can see upcoming events in the link below.