a missional approach to Forming Lutheran Disciples
Latest News
Christianity in Ethiopia
Today’s banner photo is a baptismal font from Bete Amanuel (House or Church of Immanuel), one of numerous monolithic churches in Lalibela, Ethiopia, named for King Lalibela (r. ca. 1181-1221).
Travel Reflections: Cathedral at Reims, France
Notre Dame de Reims Cathedral has a rich history of martyrs, bishops, and royals. As part of the Roman Empire, there is evidence of a Christian presence in Riems in the middle of the third century. The first church on the present site of the cathedral was built around 400 by St. Nicasius (Nicaise), a […]
Travel Reflections: Mont Saint Michel
Kent has passed the blogger’s baton to me (Rhoda) for the month of July. Having just returned from travels in Europe (where Christianity is waning) and Ethiopia (where Christianity is flourishing), I’ll be sharing some of my pilgrimage experiences, reflecting on baptism, Christian formation, and the presence of Christ in and through the church now […]
Catechumenate Formation for Pastors and Deaconesses-to-Be: Immediacy of Baptism and Implementing the Catechumenate
Throughout the course over the last two years two issues have surfaced repeatedly: immediacy of baptism and implementation of the catechumenate. Some brief observations on both of those issues. Certainly, the desire for immediacy of baptism with adult candidates reflects the priority of the gospel and the gifts that God gives in baptism. We want […]
Events
Upcoming Events: Help Us Plan What You Need
Although we are beyond the grant-funded phase of Forming Lutherans, we are still eager to share the results of our research and our knowledge of adult faith formation with LCMS pastors. These are ways in which we can do so at no cost to participants. All options require equipment for a Zoom gathering (strong internet connection, projector and screen, good microphone, and tech person on your end to manage the technology in the room with multiple people).
Congregational Meeting
If you, the pastor of a congregation, would like to introduce congregational leaders to a process of adult faith formation, we could meet virtually with you and your lay leadership, offer resources to introduce the idea of the adult catechumenate to the leadership, and/or lead a session on the type of Scripture study appropriate for […]
Pastors’ Retreat
If one or more circuits has a one- or two-day retreat, we could offer an extended program with a mix of presentations, discussions about current practices for receiving new members, and visioning about how individual congregations might benefit by introducing aspects of adult faith formation incrementally in a congregation. For a successful event, the retreat […]
Winkel Gatherings
Looking for a topic for an upcoming Winkel gathering? If your gathering place has the equipment for a Zoom meeting with a small group, one or both of us could lead a short presentation and discussion on the benefits of an adult catechumenate model. We can tailor the presentation to various times, from a minimum […]