Soul Journers Web References

Mission Statement

To enable participants to respond to the Gosel with both mind and emotion
and to help them live as Christians in their daily places
(at work, at home, in the community, as citizens of a nation, at leisure, and at church).

What is Soul Journers?

Souljourners is a wonderful opportunity to form closer relationships with fellow parishioners in a fun, friendly, and Spirit filled community.
Souljourners is a Christian formation process where we share a simple meal, sing, worship together, and have small group discussion.
We will take a deeper look at the promises we make in our Baptismal Covenant and learn about things that are unique to our faith.
There is more information on Christian Formation linked here.

Souljourners begins with an initial information and inquirers meeting on Oct 28 at 6pm in Miller Hall.
The program then meets on Sunday evenings at 6pm for 18 sessions. We'll take a break for the Christmas Holidays then resume in January.
The Souljourners process ends with the Great Easter Vigil and will make Holy Week so special. We'd love to have you join us on the journey!
Become a Souljourner! Call one of us if you would like more information. Child care will be provided.

Diane Gudger 885-8428
Beth Lamb 966-4419

The Planning Team has been forming since September. Diane Gudger will be our convener. There will be facilitators for discussion and sponsors for each our participants. There will be a team providing meals. There will be a team providing prayer support before each session and during small group bible reflection. Speakers are being scheduled. The team would welcome volunteers for sponsors and music and any one wishing to participate in this fulfilling process.

Everyone has a sponsor! We need sponsors!

Sponsors are enriched by supporting a participant in seeking a deeper relationship with Christ and His Church while gaining a better understanding of Anglican spirituality and tradition. The goal is to support your candidate in drawing closer to a loving, transforming God (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit) by the talks presented, by Biblical reflection in small groups, by sharing your spiritual autobiography, and by nurturing a connection with the blessings of the Church.

Specific Responsibilities of Sponsors include:
1. Attend all possible sessions with your participant. Sit with them. Be a friend. Call to let them know if you must miss a session.
2. Follow up with them periodically regarding the Souljourners process and ask how they are feeling about it. Address any questions or concerns, calling on the team for help when needed.
3. Encourage and attend worship services with them as much as possible. Sit with them and introduce them to others when possible.
4. Encourage their spiritual growth with books and tools that have been helpful to you.
5. Encourage their participation in the many ministry opportunities available at St. Philip's, beginning with the ones you participate in if suitable.
6. Most importantly, PRAY for your participant and let them know you are praying for them.

What do we do each night?

We start with a simple soup supper at 6pm. Breaking bread together is part of the fellowship that leads to spiritual growth. After supper we are blessed to have a wide variety of speakers talk with us about various aspects of what it means to be an Episcopalian ranging from the vocabulary of all the things we say and do and use in worship to an in-depth look at the Baptismal Covenant. After the speaker, we meet in small groups to discuss the Gospel reading from church that Sunday. There is a link to the Gospel appointed for each week below. While the groups are meeting, other members of the team will be in the chapel praying for the participants. The discussion format we use is as follows:

Ground rules:

1. All may, some should, none must.
2. Everything that is shared in the group is confidential and stays in the group.
3. We each respond to the Gospel message not to each other -- this is not a forum for debate but for personal growth.
4. One talks at a time -- listening is a skill of spiritual growth as well.
5. Each speaks to the group -- not the facilitator -- he/she is not a "teacher" but a guide who is growing too!

Model for Spiritual Reflection:

1. Each person shares his/her experiences in the area of prayer from the previous session. (The first session begins with Step 2 below.)

2. Read aloud or quietly review the Gospel appointed for the day. (Link to the Gospel can be found in the table below.)

3. Are there any words in the passage for which the meaning is unclear?

4. What does the passage say to me about God, Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit?

5. What does the passage say to/about me?

6. What are some of the implications from the Gospel message for my daily life? (Home, work, church, leisure, citizenship, etc.)

7. From what I have heard and shared, what is God asking me to do or be in the coming week?

8. Each person prays for the person on his/her right, naming what that person shared in Step 7 above.
They pray for that person daily until the next meeting. (See step 1.)

9. End with the Lord's Prayer or a Closing Prayer.

The SoulJourners Schedule for 2007/08

The Gospel reading for the first session on 11 Nov will be from Matthew 16 -- not the Gospel appointed for that day. The text is:

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’
14 And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’
15 He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’
16 Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’
17 And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’
20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Christian Spiritual Formation

Where do we find the Basis for Soul-Journers?

Soul-Journers is a modern adaptation of an ancient process, the Catechumenate, whereby adults were prepared for entry into the Christian faith and life by Baptism. Put in its simplest form, it is a directed spiritual process in which Christian Formation occurs within a community of faith.
Information is given, but the essence of the process is God's Word as heard in the Gospels, which affects the life of each participant. Soul-Journers is lay-led and grounded in scripture, prayer, worship, and fellowship.

It is a five-month course in the "basics" of the faith and its practice. The Catechumenate meets one evening each week for about two hours over a five-month period. The study is led by a lay team from our parish with the support of our clergy. (See Clergy Comments). It culminates in either Confirmation or Reception, or in the Renewal of Baptismal Vows at the Easter Vigil, the Saturday prior to Easter Sunday.

Why do we offer Soul-Journers?

St. Philip's is a healthy and thriving community of faith. We offer many ministries in which everyone can identify and use their spiritual gifts. We are Christ-centered. Soul-Journers is another opportunity to see Christ, deepen faith, and strive to develop into the full stature of Christ.
The Catechumenate process, though nearly 2000 years old, is important to the Episcopal Church in the 21st Century for many reasons.

First, a church that values tradition will obviously look to the early church's model of forming Christian commitment.

Second, this process forms people in faith as they live out the basic experiences of Christian life in individual prayer, corporate worship, study, service, and in building a more just society.

Soul-Journers will assist participants to recognize, reflect on, and live out their ministries - not just in church but in their daily lives.

Who should participate?

Anyone! Everyone!

Soul-Journers will provide the means to learn more about the Episcopal faith, explore the Baptismal Covenant, and experience the power of the Holy Spirit - all while being nurtured and supported by the parish community.

Newcomers from other denominations
Active members seeking to deepen their commitment
Nominal members seeking basic information
People seeking out the church for Marriage or Baptism
Young people (over 16) preparing for confirmation
Anyone wishing to know more about being a part of St. Philip's

What are the Goals?

To help each individual develop a deep, personal commitment to Jesus Christ and openness to the work of the Holy Spirit.
To provide knowledge and understanding of the basic tenets of the Christian Faith, the sacraments, and the history of the church.
To help each individual establish healthy patterns of prayer and spiritual discipline.
To help each individual discern his/her personal ministries and spiritual gifts.
To experience the power of Christian community and Fellowship.
To have a lot of fun together in the process.