Category Archives: Catechumenate
Inwardly Digest: The Prayer Book as a Guide to a Spiritual Life
One of my current pursuits is to develop a more spiritual path in catechumenate ministry. I am looking for personal guides as well as those that I can use in the catechumenate. Inwardly Digest caught my attention because of its … Continue reading
Changes in the Book of Occasional Services
This is an article that I wrote for the Journey to Baptismal Living e-news. It is longer than most of my posts: For Episcopalians, the first authoritative set of rites for the catechumenate was published in the 1988 Book of … Continue reading
The Grain and the Weeds — Mt 13: 24 – 30
This Sunday (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost) we hear the Parable of the good seeds, the wheat, being choked by the weeds. The pericope skips verse 31-35. There are two more parables, that of the yeast and that of the mustard … Continue reading
Romans 6: 1-11
Before I begin this reflection on the Epistle for the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost, Year A, I want to comment on Jeremiah 20:7, the beginning of one of the two possible Hebrew Bible readings for the day. “O Lord, you … Continue reading
Catechumenal Ministries–Who Does What?
“Q. Who are the ministers of the Church?” A. The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons.” [The Episcopal Catechism in the BCP] The catechumenate is primarily a ministry of the laity. — [Jim Dunning and … Continue reading
Luke 24: 44-49 — Catechesis vs Didactic Teaching
Today we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus. Luke 24: 50 – 53) is about the actual ascension. The “Great Commission,” as Luke expresses it, is in Acts: “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and … Continue reading
The Catechumenate — A Process of Spiritual Formation
Will you open your heart and mind to receive the Good News of Jesus Christ? Answer: I will, with God’s help. (Rite of Admission of Candidates) Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship…? I will, with God’s help. … Continue reading
Easter 2020
Many have commented that, because of the Covid 19 pandemic, this Easter is unique. Christians have not gathered physically to celebrate and worship. We have not heard the readings together. We have not shared communion. I recommend researching the many … Continue reading
What to do with the 3 conversion stories: Jn: 4:5-42; Jn 9:1-41; Jn 11: 1-45 ?
When there are catechumens who are candidates for baptism at the Great Vigil of Easter, it is appropriate in any year with the consent of the Bishop to use the Sunday lectionary for Year A during Lent and the Great Fifty Days of Easter. (BoS 2018, p. 136) These three conversion stories — The Samaritan Woman at … Continue reading
Invite Welcome Connect
Mary Parmer began an evangelism ministry around 2007 that she came to call Invite Welcome Connect. The story of how she came to create and lead this dynamic ministry is contained in Chapter One of her book, Invite Welcome Connect. … Continue reading