An Outline for New Communities - St. Stephen`s Episcopal Church

An Outline for
New Communities
1805 West Alabama,
Houston, TX 77098
713-528-6665
www.ststephenshouston.org
Kadosh Adult Formation
Adult Formation has taken a new shape at St. Stephen's.
Each Sunday, we methodically encounter a topic about life, faith, and
holiness. Our weekly liturgy includes poll-by-text, neighborly discussion,
Scriptural meditation, and group reflection. Though the topic may change,
the liturgy remains the same.
Each movement is detailed below:
I. Gathering-opening chant, instrumental, song, poem or brief
meditation.
II. Self-personal engagement through anonymous polling
III. Neighbor-expansion of topic through engagement with neighbor
IV. World-brief video/audio/image challenges us beyond
V. Divine-Scriptural reflection and meditation
VI. Commission-participants verbally call us out into the world
Liturgy is characterized as "work of the people." So... actively join our
discussion!
If you are considering using Kadosh Adult Formation in your particular
setting, please contact The Rev. Brandon Peete,
bpeete@ststephenshouston.org. We want to help support your efforts and
seek contextual feedback.
R
itual is formative. While each liturgical movement
is uniquely expressed from class to class, the six
movements remain the same.
R
emain accessible. The consistent liturgy and
methods of engagement provide comfort and the
ability for a newcomer to enter “mid-season.”
C
onnect with social norms. Our team utilizes current
technology to enhance creative liturgical
movements.
W
e all contribute to formation. Personal and
relational interactions create a distinct sense of
ownership with all participants.
The Rhythm of Preparation
The leadership team.
In addition to the Assistant Rector (facilitator), we have 7 dedicated leaders
in Kadosh Adult Formation at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Our weekly
rotation calls for a co-facilitator, gatherer, and two greeters. This means
that 4 of the 7 leaders are “on” during any particular session.
The co-facilitator typically receives an outline of the liturgy from the
facilitator by Thursday afternoon. A phone meeting is set on Friday
morning to brainstorm together the ideas in the outline. The co-facilitator
helps to decide what Scriptures, quotes, images, videos, audios, etc. would
be most suitable for the topic and corresponding liturgical movement.
Most of the important work goes into how to word the questions we seek
the participants to engage. This discussion usually takes 30 minutes.
We have experimented with a more hands-on role for the co-facilitator
throughout the spring of 2014. In this model, the facilitator sends a couple
of informative articles on the topic that was selected by the community by
Tuesday afternoon. Then, the two meet over the phone on Wednesday.
This discussion is more about brainstorming creative ways to engage each
liturgical movement, as opposed to simply refining the outline provided for
them. This model is preferable in an ideal world.
The gatherer is charged with finding a topic-appropriate way of gathering
the community to engage. This may be, but is not limited to, a chant,
instrumental, song, poem, or brief meditation. The gatherer must submit
this material to facilitator by Thursday evening to be incorporated into the
slides.
The greeters are expected to arrive early, greet participants, note attendance,
and obtain contact information for newcomers.
This rotation is best determined at a social gathering hosted by a member
of leadership. Calendars are essential – wine is optional (but perhaps
necessary).
The technology.
We utilize http://www.polleverywhere.com/ for online poll-bytext. The $65/month presenter plan enables us to attach keywords
instead of using random 6-digit codes. For example, if the multiplechoice poll includes the options “temple” and “tabernacle,” we
could use those keywords instead of assigned numeric codes. This
greatly reduces the texting errors. This paid service also allows us
to poll up to 250 people at once. The results pop up on the screen
almost instantaneously.
We utilize https://basecamp.com/ for planning and collaboration. As with
Facebook, this enables us to contribute to designated discussion threads at
our own leisure. This service is $20/month. Basecamp has been such a
great tool that we have begun using it for task forces and liturgy
preparations.
We utilize “screenshot” recording for Kadosh Adult Formation sessions.
We have purchased a sound receiver that plugs into the laptop and sits
centrally located in the room to pick up voices. This way, the audio is
recorded as the screen moves from slide to slide.
We embed all audio and video into the PowerPoint slides. This provides a
seamless liturgical movement and enables us to cleanly record each session.
To learn basic instructions on how to do this, click on the link below.
Embedding and Recording (this should be a link to the PDF file of the
same name)
The research.
When doing research, we recommend the following sites:
www.textweek.com; www.blueletterbible.org; http://bible.oremus.org;
www.brainyquote.com; www.openbible.info; www.newadvent.org;
www.bbc.co.uk/ethics; www.npr.org; http://video.pbs.org;
www.youtube.com; www.philosophyofreligion.info; www.time.com;
ATLASerials for Alumni, as well as various online news services.
Bridging the liturgy and creative expression.
In Kadosh Adult Formation, though the topic may change, the liturgy remains the
same. This means the “bones” of preparation are consistent. Each liturgical
movement will be engaged from week-to-week, so begin with those bones.
Gathering-opening chant, instrumental, song, poem or brief meditation. This
is an opportunity for a member of the leadership team to get creative and
engage with the topic. They will also lead this portion of the liturgy. This
segment is usually 2-3 minutes long and takes on the character of the
leader. At the conclusion of this offering, we always stand together and
recite these words from Lamentations 3:24-26:
‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘therefore I will hope in the Lord.’
The Lord is good to those who wait,
to the soul that seeks.
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
The combination of repetition from week-to-week (Lamentations) and a unique
way to be gathered provides creatively alongside stability.
Self-personal engagement through anonymous polling. This movement is
usually a question to personally connect with the topic chosen. It could
be an open-ended question or multiple-choice question. Participants are
sometimes asked to define in their own words a key concept of the topic.
Sometimes they are asked to think of a way in which they have personally
engaged with the topic. No matter how you proceed, participants are
invited to first engage the self and take “inventory” on the topic at-hand.
After the responses are seen streaming on the screen, the gathered
community is asked to reflect on the collective responses.
Neighbor-expansion of topic through engagement with neighbor. This
movement of the liturgy invites participants to acquire further insights
about the topic through conversation with neighbor(s). The phrasing of
this next question should direct participants to begin considering other
ways of approaching the topic. These discussions are best had when the
questions generate open-ended responses, as opposed to yes/no
responses. Encourage deeper investigation through the phrasing of the
question. The facilitator may lead into this movement with a brief
personal reflection. The questions are clearly visible on the screen during
the discussion so participants may refer back to them.
World-brief video/audio/image challenges us beyond. This movement is
typically a 4-5 minute clip that invites us to consider what may not
be obvious. This is a good time to bridge other religions, cultures,
realities, circumstances, pertinent news stories, or faith practices.
This video/audio/image is followed up with question(s) for
reflection. Participants are asked to pair up with a different
neighbor to engage these questions. The questions are clearly
visible on the screen during the discussion so participants may refer
back to them.
Divine-Scriptural reflection and meditation. After researching and
considering many Scriptures, theological quotes, or excerpts from
The Book of Common Prayer, the facilitator and co-facilitator decide
on the three most provocative. These are then flashed on the
screen through PollEverywhere, as participants are invited to give
one-word responses to each set of words. The co-facilitator is the
Lector. After a substantial number of responses pop up on the
screen, the facilitator invites the gathered community to give verbal
additions. This enables anyone without a phone (or the ability to
use one) to participate. There is no further discussion on any set of
words. The facilitator concludes that offering with “Amen” and
moves on to the next one.
Commission-participants verbally call us out into the world. Each week
participants stand and commission the gathered community out
into the world. These words will help them to brainstorm.
Prayerfully send us out with words of
challenge,
surprise,
sentiment,
feeling,
empowerment,
and provocation.
After all have had the opportunity to send us forth, we conclude with the
following words of commission from Isaiah 6:8, week in and week
out.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and
who will go for us?’
And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ Amen.
As they depart, the class is then invited to vote on the topic to be engaged
next Sunday in Kadosh Adult Formation (poll-by-text).
Appendices
Outlines:
1. Scapegoat Mechanism
2. Demons and Exorcism
3. Death and Dying
4. Angels
Embedding Audio and Video
Kadosh
“Scapegoat Mechanism”
November 3, 2013
1. Gathering – Megan
2. Self – View the following images: http://voiceofthepersecuted.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/scapegoat1.jpg;
http://www.toonhole.com/comics/2011-03-14-056_ScapegoatCon.jpg
a. Name a scapegoat in popular culture, past or present.
3. Neighbor –
a. In what ways/how does Jesus become the 1st century scapegoat? In what ways/how is Jesus a scapegoat
today? We will then explore Leviticus 16 and Rene Girard’s Scapegoat Mechanism.
4. World –
a. Possible Videos
i. http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=141359915&m=141379
976 (Being Bartman: On “Catching Hell”)
ii. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4zvYLxZuf8 (“Scapegoat” –Atmosphere)
iii. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEgkduD6wtA (China, The New Scapegoat)
iv. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlJ7A3X0RaI (“Scapegoat” –Josh Abbott Band)
v. http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=91692445&m=9169243
2 (Obama as Scapegoat)
b. What would a political campaign look like without scapegoats? Could the candidate be successful?
5. Divine –
a. Possible Scriptures
i.
1 Peter 2:24—He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for
righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 2
ii.
Hebrews 9:28—so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time,
not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
iii.
Romans 14:14—I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is
unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 3
iv.
Acts 9:17—So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul,
the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight
and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’
v.
Luke 23:11—Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an
elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate.
vi.
Leviticus 16:20-21--Aaron shall present the live goat. Then (he) shall lay both his hands on the head of
the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all
their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and sending it away into the wilderness.
vii.
Isaiah 64:6—We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy
cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
b. Possible Quotes
i. There's no way you can win when you're the president; you've got to be the scapegoat for America's
issues.—Wale
ii. When things go badly, individuals look for scapegoats. I just do not believe that barbed-wire fences or
guns on our border will solve any of our problems.—Ron Paul 1
iii. Too often, when people are in trouble they look for scapegoats.—Miep Gies
iv. And when you're desperate and scared you scapegoat people. It exacerbates latent tendencies toward well, toward racism or homophobia or anti-Semitism.—Henry Louis Gates
6. Commission – the gathered community
Kadosh
“Demons and Exorcism”
October 27, 2013
1. Gathering – Hailey
2. Self – Respond to the following image:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Johann_Heinrich_F%C3%BCssli_053.jpg
(Henry Fuseli - The Nightmare)
a. How do you imagine a demon?
3. Neighbor –
a. If you were to create the ritual, describe what would take place in your exorcism.
b. We will then explore various components of the ritual.
4. World –
a. Possible Videos
i. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4838962 (Exorcism of Emily Rose)
ii. http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=4838962&m=4838963
(My Internal Demon, a Rat that Gnaws by Andrei Codrescu)
iii. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hfELaukPX0 (Exorcism Dance)
iv. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF6fotVKz8k&noredirect=1 (The Exorcism of Honey Boo Boo)
b. How does cleansing take place in the world? What does deliverance look like?
5. Divine –
a. Possible Scriptures
i.
Isaiah 5:20—Ah, you who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
ii.
1 Peter 5:8—Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around,
looking for someone to devour.
iii.
Luke 10:19—See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of
the enemy; and nothing will hurt you.
iv.
Acts 19:11-12—God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons
that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out
of them.
v.
Ephesians 6:13—Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on
that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
vi.
Luke 9:42—While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus
rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
vii.
Mark 5:9—Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He replied, ‘My name is Legion; for we are many.’
viii.
Matthew 12:28—But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has
come to you.
b. Possible Quotes
i. Human beings, we have dark sides; we have dark issues in our lives. To progress anywhere in
life, you have to face your demons. --John Noble
ii. I believe in possibility, but I'm not sure I believe in demons. --Jennifer Carpenter
iii. An exorcism is tantamount to a miracle - an extraordinary intervention of God. --Gabriele Nanni
6. Commission – the gathered community
Kadosh
“Death and Dying”
December 22, 2013
1. Gathering – Pete
2. Self – Describe your approach to death in 5 words or less.
http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/getreligion/files/liturgical_calendar.gif
Briefly discuss how the liturgical calendar engages and reflects on death in and with community.
3. Neighbor – When was the last time you died?
4. World –Possible Videos
i. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv_kVbGHvsc (“21 Grams – last scene”)
ii. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vIjDWZR6wc (“Time of Death” trailer)
iii.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCbdX92hbbg
(“Big Fish death scene”)
iv.
http://www.npr.org/2013/10/09/230756192/a-philosophers-afterlife-we-may-die-but-others-live-on (“A Philosopher’s
v.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/11/19/245996903/embracing-life-and-death (“The Death
Afterlife”)
Zone”)
What will your mortal funeral look like? Have you engaged this question before now?
5. Divine – Possible Scriptures
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it. – Ecclesiastes 12:7
Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be
changed. - 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 3rd
‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ - 1 Corinthians 15:55
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they
comfort me. – Psalm 23:4 1st
But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will
transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also
enables him to make all things subject to himself. – Philippians 3:20-21
Then he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.’ – Matthew
26:38
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’ –
Genesis 2:17
Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ –
John 3:3
Possible Quotes
ix.
Do not fear death so much but rather the inadequate life.—Bertolt Brecht
x.
Birth and death; we all move between these two unknowns. –Bryant H. McGill
xi.
Since the day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking toward me, without hurrying.—Jean
Cocteau
xii.
Life hurts a lot more than death. At the point of death, the pain is over. Yeah, I guess it is a friend. – Jim
Morrison 2nd
6. Commission – the gathered community
Kadosh
“Angels”
November 17, 2013
1. Gathering – Brandon
2. Self – I best understand a angels as
a. Attendants at God’s throne
c. God’s messengers to humankind
b. Personal guardians
d. Divine agents governing the world
Luke 1.19: The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you
and to bring you this good news.
In your mind, which of these paintings best portray this encounter?
a. http://emergingyouth.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/annunciation.jpg
b. http://powerpointparadise.com/angel/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/mary-gabriel.jpg
c.
http://saints.sqpn.com/wp-content/gallery/annunciation-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/annunciation-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-03_0.jpg
Briefly review actual Biblical descriptions of angels.
3. Neighbor – How do we recognize the presence of an angel today? Is there a relationship between the Holy Spirit
and an angel?
4. World –Possible Videos
i. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaG9SDxwPBg (“Calling All Angels” –Train)
ii. http://www.npr.org/2011/12/19/143827542/angels-send-message-of-peace-to-juarez-mexico (“Angels Send Message of Peace to Juarez”)
iii. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6673838 (“St. Francis and the Middle East”)
iv.
http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=94064077&m=94118793 (“Artist
Gives Old Saints New Faces”)
How do you find the sacred in the world around you? How do you invite others to remember their own divinity?
5. Divine –
a. Possible Scriptures
i. Hebrews 13:2--Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained
angels without knowing it.
ii. Jude 1:6--And the angels who did not keep their own position, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept
in eternal chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great day.
iii. Psalm 34:7--The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
iv. Mark 1:13--He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts;
and the angels waited on him.
v. Acts 12:23--And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck
him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
vi. Exodus 14:19-20--The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind
them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came
between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it
lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.
vii. Acts 12:7--Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the
side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists.
viii. Luke 2:9--Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were terrified.
b. Possible Quotes
i. We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.-Luciano De Crescenzo
ii. It is by suffering that human beings become angels.--Victor Hugo
iii. An unlocked door means that, occasionally, you might get a devil come in, but a locked door
means you have thousands of angels just walk by.--Ian MacKaye
6. Commission – the gathered community
Downloading from YouTube
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Downloading from NPR
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Embedding into PowerPoint
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Recording Kadosh Adult Formation
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