Beginning on Thursday, September 8th (from 6:00-7:30pm) we will begin a four-part learning series around articulating our identity and writing a statement of faith.
- Just as you all have been listening and learning, Peyton and Liv have been too! We’ve heard you all say that churches with clear faith statements/mission statements seem to be really effective at showing up in the world and responding to their community. With that in mind, we thought it would be meaningful to practice crafting such a guiding ethic.
- Please note, this is not an “etching in stone” of anything definitive. Of course, this process of discovering our identity will necessarily involve Hillwood’s full-time pastor, Rev. Jule when she returns from sabbatical. Rather, we invite you to think of this four-part faith statement writing workshop as an exercise that might help us move towards the future together.
- WHERE? Hillwood Presbyterian Church, Library.
- WHO? All of Hillwood! We will be meeting in-person but will set up a virtual option for people to join if they cannot come in-person. It is important that we have as many participants as possible in order to inform this variety of learning.
- WHEN? Four consecutive Thursday evenings (beginning on Thurs., 9/8 and ending on Thurs., 9/29) from 6:00-7:30pm.
- WHAT? “Faith Statement Writing Workshop”
- What it is: A time for us to practice articulating our identity as a church. A time for us to imagine how we will act in the world in our future. A time for us to name who we want to be as we continue to reform. A time for us to determine how we will put what we’ve learned from the Hospitality Experiment into practice. An opportunity to tell Rev. Jule, as she returns, what we’d like to catch her up on!
- What it is not: a time to etch into stone a formalized faith statement for our church. Peyton and Liv intend to honor Rev. Jule’s voice and perspective in this process and do not want to exclude her from what comes of this.
*Several members have informed us of their inability to join in-person for this week’s session (many folks are out of town, etc.). And so, Liv and Peyton will be putting together a “virtual seminar” (video recording) of our final session of the Faith Statement Workshop! This video will be recorded and sent out, via email, later this week. We hope that you find the video offering helpful and insightful as Hillwood continues to imagine its future in our ongoing exercise of discerning a statement of faith!
