Learning Together
Reflection, learning and growth are an important part of Christian living. St Matthew’s Church tries to offer opportunities for its members to develop and enrich their faith and help them live that faith in a busy and complicated world. In the course of a year, the sort of opportunities we hope to offer might include the following:
Christian Basics is an informal opportunity to explore the basic building blocks of Christian belief. The emphasis is on sharing our experiences of God rather than learning facts. During this course we expect to cover such topics as God, Jesus, the Bible, Prayer and the Church.
Bible Study provides us with a way into the sometimes confusing world of Holy Scripture. The Bible is not a simple book but a rich library written over many centuries and by many different people. Careful and prayerful reflection on the scriptures can reveal to us the ways in which God has communicated with us in the past, shedding light on our contemporary experience of God’s activity in the world. The New Testament holds a special place in the life of Christians as it reveals to us details of Jesus’ life and provides a way of encountering him in the here-and-now.
Spiritus is a relatively recent and exciting development in the spiritual life of our community. This small group provides a structured way for those who are committed to developing their spiritual lives to reflect on their experience of God’s presence and offer encouragement and support to others.
Contemplative Prayer is a way of praying with stillness and quiet, sometimes using scripture, simple words or images as inspiration. In contemplative prayer we try to be open to the mysterious presence of God. Many people find this form of prayer comes more easily in the supportive atmosphere of a small group which includes time at the end to reflect on the experience. In this sort of prayer we have been encouraged by the writings of John Main, Laurence Freeman and Thomas Keating.
Keep an eye on our weekly news sheet to see what sort of courses are running at the moment and how you can get involved.