The Rector’s Forum is a weekly class, held during six months of the year at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays, led by Father Sloane and guest speakers. The Forum offers teachings on a variety of topics which seek to cover “the basics:” the Book of Common Prayer, Anglicanism, church history, Scripture, Rule of Life, spiritual healing, sin and forgiveness, prayer, and issues of church and society. It is a good introduction to Christian Formation for adults at Saint Paul’s and ideal for those who are unable to commit to regular or extended classes or groups. Feel free to drop in whenever you can – there is little or no homework and while it is best of course to catch a series as a whole, each week can also stand alone.

Topics for 2011-2012

October 9 – 30, 2011 (4 weeks) “SO WHAT?” This has to be an inevitable question on all sides after a six-month sabbatical leave on the part of the rector! This four-week series will provide an opportunity for conversation and discussion between the Rector and the congregation as a ‘de-brief’ for everyone following the Rector’s return in August from sabbatical leave. Our conversation will be guided by probing questions from the Lilly Endowment, who gave the parish a grant to help make the sabbatical leave possible. The questions encourage reflection on the goals and impact of a sabbatical leave for the priest and for the congregation. Areas of discussion: October 9, “Goals”; October 16, “Consequences”; October 23, “Continuations”; October 30, “Suggestions”. Please do be a part of this process that in turn will provide a basis for a report back to the Lilly Endowment.

November 6 – 20, 2011 (3 weeks) PREACHING TO THE CHOIR led by Dr. E. Davis Wortman, Director of Music and Organist, St. James’ Church, New York City. Deep within the Anglican Tradition is the devotion to and active participation in singing during worship. In addition to the historic choral tradition, psalmody and hymnody engage the worshiper deeply during Mass, Evensong, Benediction, and the celebration of Feast Days. Where did this music come from, and how do we read the coded notational markings over psalm texts or the simplified staves of chant? Dr. Wortman will combine history, tradition and some practical techniques to assist both the newly arrived and those who wish to understand and enjoy more fully the rites of active musical participation from the pews.

November 27 - December 18, 2011 (The four Sundays of Advent) THE CALLOUSED HANDS OF CHRIST
In this four-week series, Mr. Matthew Welch will discuss how Christian ministry in a broken world illuminates for us God’s redemptive love and accomplishes Christ’s vision of people redeemed. Using his two-year experience in Jerusalem reporting on the abuses of human rights and religious freedom for the U.S. State Department, Matthew will explore how to exercise our faith through mission work – both in our neighborhoods and in the wider world – and how, in so doing, our appreciation of Christ can become deeper. If we are to be “practicing Christians”, what does that look like to those with us in the wilderness, and how does our living out our faith mirror Christ? Is mission work the fruit of our faith
or merely a byproduct? In the final sessions, Fr. Andrew will lead a discussion of how the series may have an impact on the mission and outreach of St. Paul’s Parish.

January 22 – February 19, 2012 (5 weeks) FORAIN: THE BODY ENSOULED Part of Fr. Andrew’s sabbatical leave was spent researching and reflecting on the work of the early French impressionist artist, Jean Louis Forain. This five weeks series with three guest speakers will provide a background for and introduction to the religious work of Forain that will be the focus of the Rector’s Forum on the Sundays in Lent.

January 22 and 29, 2012 REMBRANDT: Godfather to Forain’s Religious Works, led by Dr. Andrew Robison, Mellon Senior Curator of Prints and Drawings, National Gallery of Art. Dr. Robison will also host a private visit for forum attendees to the National Gallery to view works of art that are relevant to this series. Date to be announced.

February 5 and 12, 2012 REDEEMING THE SAVAGE GOD: Faith, Doubt and Art at the Fin de Siecle, led by Dr. John R. Orens, Parishioner and Professor of European History, George Mason University

February 19, 2012 IN THE FLESH: Forain’s Pilgrimage, led by Ms. Nancy Work, Parishioner and Forain scholar

February 26 – March 25, 2012 (The five Sundays in Lent) SENSUAL SPIRITUALITY: BODIES BROKEN AND BODIES GLORIFIED Fr. Andrew will lead reflections and meditations on some of the religious works of Jean Louis Forain – as well as non-religious works with religious surprises! – and invite responses from the forum.

Selected Past Topics

January 9 - February 13, 2011 — “Beauty and the Religious Imagination.”  This six-week series will introduce materials for our conversations about faith and the arts as follow up from the November retreat with Esther de Waal, using her book Lost in Wonder. Click here to buy the book from amazon.com. The series will also give us an introduction to the themes of Fr. Sloane’s sabbatical, which begins February 14.

October 31 - December 19, 2010 — A reading and discussion of How Your Church Family Works:  Understanding Congregations as Emotional Systems by Peter L Steinke. In this book Steinke “shows how to recognize and deal with the emotional roots of such issues as church conflict, leadership roles, congregational change...and the effect of family of origin on current relationships.” Click here to buy the book from amazon.com.

January 31 — March 21, 2010 “The Wound of Knowledge.” In this thorough yet accessible book, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams traces the story of Christian spirituality from the New Testament to St. John of the Cross.  Looking at heresies and the voices of the great saints of the Church through the 16th Ccntury, Williams explores the profound contradictions that give rise to an authentic life faith and prayer.  “The questioning involved here is not our interrogation of the data but its interrogation of us.  It is the intractable strangeness of the ground of belief that must constantly be allowed to challenge our fixed assumptions of  religiosity.”  A challenging and invigorating investigation into the roots of faith and spirituality.

November 1 — December 20, 2009 “Why Go to Church? The drama of the Eucharist.” This book written by Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., was the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book for 2009.  Timothy Radcliffe is no stranger to the Rector's Forum.  Recently we looked at his intriguing and challenging book What Is the Point of Being A Christian?  In this book, Radcliffe takes us back to the basics of the Eucharist and opens us to the profound implications for our living not only as Christians but also as human beings. A fascinating, dramatic and revealing “return to basics” which will give us a new appreciation of and devotion to that which lies at the heart of our parish - the Mass.

March 1 to 29, 2009 “In the Heart of the City, In the Heart of God.” This book is the Rule of Life of the Roman Catholic Jerusalem Communities, whose home is the extraordinary Church of St. Gervais in Paris. The Community and its founder, Fr. Pierre Marie, are committed to precisely the implication of the title of the Rule. The Rule is heavily influenced by the Rule of St. Benedict (our Wednesdays in Lent theme) and the Rule of St. Basil, as well as the founder of the Little Brothers and Little Sisters of Jesus, Charles de Foucauld. We can extract from the way of life of this monastic community some principles and themes which may be applied to our own Christian community here at St. Paul’s, as we seek to witness and minister in the heart of a capital city.

January 4 - 18, 2009 Vision, Dissension and Glory: The Oxford Movement and The Tracts for Our Times Led by Dr. John Orens

November 30 - December 21, 2008 “Heaven,” edited by Roger Ferlo (Seabury). This book of short, personal essays by pastors, artists, historians, poets, teachers, therapists, novelists and spiritual guides is a small attempt to break the silence “that surrounds this topic from theologians and preachers.” Yet we claim to be people of hope. This series (and the Advent Quiet Day) will seek to stir up the source and goal of that hope in us afresh. The Advent Quiet Day, led by Fr. Sloane on Saturday, December 13, will also pick up on themes from this series and this book. The book is available from Amazon.com and other booksellers.

November 2 - November 23, 2008 Redeeming Time: T.S. Eliot’s “Four Quartets.” T.S. Eliot’s final “prose-poem” stirs up awe and bliss in some; cold incomprehension in others. Kenneth Paul Kramer gives us an accessible key to help unlock the deep and real treasures of this important and influential poem. One poem for each week! We will use the book Redeeming Time: T.S. Eliot's "FOUR QUARTETS” by Kenneth Paul Cramer (Cowley, $19.95), available at Amazon.com and other booksellers.