What I gained by participating in Shaping the Parish
Parishes of adoration, awe and service
This morning's offering is a blatant commercial for Shaping the Parish. Sister Michelle and I are the lead training staff for the program. I hope you’ll consider joining us this fall.
What I gained by participating in Shaping the Parish
How do we shape parishes that are characterized by prayer and service? Parishes of adoration, awe and service that also are making use of the best methods of parish development?
Shaping the Parish has drawn participants from the United States, Canada, Zambia, Dubia, and Haiti. They are in rural and urban settings, large parishes and small, thriving along with struggling congregations. Lay and ordained, young and old.
Here are three participants sharing what they have gained.
Greater perspective by entering the world of the other
Shaping the Parish is an extraordinary opportunity to walk alongside others, lay and ordained, to learn from each other. Guidance and insights are distilled from the leadership team, but the real work comes from translating these principles and theories into actionable ways of being in our own unique context. One size does not fit all, nor should it, but we are encouraged to create concrete, specific, and measurable ways to understand and create the space for the Spirit to move. Although the contexts of the participants are widely divergent, including the balance between lay and ordained, we learn from others and their experiences in their unique contexts. Understandably, some things do not readily or easily translate from setting to setting, especially for me in an international context, but I gain greater perspective by entering the world of the other. That is more powerful and transformative than many may realize on the surface, but it certainly grants me insight and often triggers a thought or possible direction to explore more fully in my context. I am also encouraged to adapt things to fit my context and situation. The Rev. James Young, Parish priest, Christ Church, Dubai
It recalled me to the reason I became a priest
I enrolled in a course with the Order of Ascension to gain a deeper insight into church vitality and healthy development amid today's complexities. I discovered serious teachings on parish structure that make community a priority and that are firmly rooted in Anglican prayer practices. It recalled me to the reason I became a priest - to love and live in a community of beautiful, messy human beings in the name of God; one built on healthy relationships and ever deepening prayer practices. The Reverend Carey Connors, Rector , St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, Springfield, Virginia
A contemplative approach to parish leadership rooted in Benedictine spirituality
In a world of quick fixes and simple solutions, Shaping the Parish has been a breath of fresh air. As a priest and rector, this accessible course has given me tools to take a contemplative approach to parish leadership rooted in Benedictine spirituality. We have been challenged to remember and lean into the purpose of the parish church: the adoration and awe of God, the formation of God’s people for the sake of the world, and being a sanctifying presence in the community. And we have been encouraged to start from our strengths as a community instead of our deficits, trusting that the Holy Spirit is already at work and inviting us to join in. I cannot recommend this course enough for both lay and ordained leaders. The Rev. Mark Nabors, Vicar, St. Alban's Episcopal Church, Stuttgart, AR
Time: Sixty hours of class time over two years
Beginning: The St. Benedict Cycle begins October 10, 2025
On-line: Meetings are on Zoom
Cost: $100 for an individual; $300 for a parish team of three to six people plus the cost of your books (Est. $125 – 200)
More information: Overview – Reading List – Training Staff
Registration
Shaping the Parish is sponsored by the Order of the Ascension.
This abides,
Brother Robert, OA