Adult Faith Formation:

May 4th, 11th, 18th:

We are all familiar with saving the whales and saving Pvt. Ryan, but our adult faith formation class for May 4th, 11th, & 18th, we will focus on saving Jesus.  Saving Jesus is a DVD presentation by several of today’s top theologians speaking on topics like:

Who was Jesus? What is atonement?  Who really killed Jesus? Join Fr. Greg as he leads this provocative series.  Class meets Sunday at 9 a.m. in the St. Andrew Room.

Adult Christian Education

The Adult Christian Education program at St. Andrew and

St. Charles seeks to foster a more informed understanding of Christian faith and a more thoughtful appreciation of what that faith means to us in practice. Working with the rector, the members of the Adult Christian Education committee (several of them teachers in their professional lives) offer a varied program of classes on a broad range of subjects. They also invite suggestions for new ways to meet the educational needs of newcomers and seekers as well as those of long-time churchgoers.

Sunday Morning Classes

Experienced volunteers, along with occasional guest speakers, lead an informal class discussion every Sunday at 9am during the school year, from September to June. Each session lasts about 40 minutes, and so can be easily combined with attendance at either the 8am or the 10am service. Refreshments are provided. Classes are grouped into short series of two to five weeks, depending on the theme and the season of the year. No special commitment or preparation is required, although in some cases a particular book may be recommended for those who have the time to read it. Each class is self-contained and combines the presentation of material by the leader with free discussion by the group as a whole.

Classes cover the broad range of Christian scripture, tradition, and spiritual experience. We begin each year with a class by the Rector on issues of basic theology, such as forgiveness. Other classes may focus on:

• A book or group of books from the Bible. Recent examples include the Wisdom books of the Old Testament, and the Epistle of James.
• Guided spiritual reflections related to a season of the liturgical year, especially Advent and Lent.
• Discussion of practical issues such as the role of religion in the work place, or ethical decision-making from a Christian point of view.
• The analysis of a classic work such as C. S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters or M. Scott Peck's The Road Less Traveled, or a newer and more controversial book by a contemporary theologian or Biblical critic.
• A more meditative approach to spirituality, using the imagery of the Stations of the Cross or the spiritual meaning of the hymns of Anglican and other traditions.

There is something for everyone, and suggestions for new topics are always welcome!

Lenten Soup Suppers

Each Wednesday at 6 pm during Lent, these suppers provide occasions for both fellowship and interactive discussion, led by the Rector, a theme or book of the Bible is chosen to help make the journey to Easter more spiritually rewarding.

Education for Ministry

For those seeking more systematic, in-depth education in a small-group setting, we offer Education for Ministry, a four-year program developed by the School of Theology at the University of the South (an Episcopal institution better known as Sewanee). This program is designed to give lay people the intellectual and theological resources to deepen their understanding of their various ministries within the church and in the world. The program consists of two years of Biblical studies, followed by church history and theology. Complementing and enriching this academic study is a more experiential process of theological reflection based on group interaction, under the guidance of a specially trained and experienced mentor. Participants need only commit to one year at a time, although they are encouraged to pursue the entire program. EFM, as it is known, is used by thousands of people in churches of the Anglican Communion around the world. We are proud that

St. Andrew and St. Charles makes it available here in the

San Fernando Valley.

Children's Education

Children's education is offered to children from pre-Kindergarten through the eighth grade.

Pre-Kindergarten through Kindergarten is available for children starting at age three. A variety of creative thematic activities are planned for this age group. The children learn Bible stories and Christian morals through active hands-on participation in story-telling, craftwork, artwork, music and play. Snacks are also available at this level and are usually tied in with the lesson of the day.

Children in the first through third grade begin course work in our curriculum entitled Share the Joy. The Children are guided through lessons on Christian history and morals through stories, hands-on activities, and discussion. Share the Joy is continued in the fourth and fifth grade class. The children learn Christian history, church vocabulary and what it means to be a Christian in today's world through guided discussion, story-telling, reading and creative projects.

We have added a Middle School class this year. This class is designed to offer our sixth, seventh and eighth graders the opportunity to learn and discuss subjects such as Church history, sacraments and beliefs with experts from our own congregation.

Children's Chapel

Children's Chapel is offered from 10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. All children meet in the St. Charles room for a modified version of the Service. The children, guided by a volunteer (drafted parent or grandparent), run the show, from lighting the candles to reading the Bible passage. The children learn how the "big church" works including when to respond during the Liturgy and how to make the sign of the Cross.