We have found that the best way to enter into a church is to embrace questions and explore the answers together. A method of incoorperating new members and helping those who are seeking a deeper knowledge of the Christian Faith was developed by our last assistant, Fr. Stuart Higginbotham (now rector at Grace Church in Gainesville, GA).
He called this The Obedire Project and it continues to be a resource at St. Benedict's parish that offers an experiential framework for learning about the Christian faith within the distinctiveness of the Anglican/Episcopal Tradition. It is designed for those who are new to the Episcopal Tradition, but also serves very well as a "refresher course" for anyone! We focus on a model of evangelism that is contemplative, in that it seeks to embrace and explore the varied spiritual experiences of those who come to the parish seeking a deeper awareness of God.
There is a difference between "learning about" details and information and learning about a faith practice through experiencing the richness of the practice itself. Obedire seeks to offer a space in which people can explore the richness of a truly LIVING faith practice.
We spend a great deal of time sharing experiences of prayer, meditation, intentional dialogue, discernment, and reflection. Above all, the grounding of The Obedire Project is a deep listening to the Presence of the Spirit within the individuals who come to the parish community to explore their own yearnings and wonderings, their own curiosities and struggles.
There is also an important component of Obedire that offers continued guidance and availability for at least three years for those who complete the Foundations of Faith Course and are confirmed or received into The Episcopal Church. In this way, there is an emphasis on the spiritual journey continuing well beyond Confirmation or Reception--indeed for all of life!
To learn more, contact the rector Brian Sullivan or click here to explore the separate blog site for The Obedire Center. You can learn more about how Obedire is being offered throughout the wider Episcopal Church and in other spaces throughout the United States.
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