50 Minutes on Nov. 27th: Share Your Thoughts about the Faith in Action Speakers Series

On November 27th, parishioners will have an opportunity to talk about all they have heard and learned from our "Faith in Action for the Next 250 Years" Speakers Series; that Sunday's 50 Minutes will be devoted to discussing what we have been challenged to think about, and what the implications might be.  

This fall, St. Peter's welcomed a veritable festival of fresh thinking and insight through the "Faith in Action for the Next 250 Years" Speakers Series.  The series gave us an opportunity not only to celebrate all we've done in our 250 years at 3rd and Pine, but to reflect on what God might be calling us to do next.

The Speakers Series brought noted theologians, dreamers, and revolutionaries who take as their mission rethinking the city of Philadelphia, the Episcopal Church, and the wider world.  We have been invited--called--challenged to think about what their ideas mean for our faith community.

Themes and threads that have emerged during the series focused on the place of a faith community in a changing city, the obligations of the church and its partners to respond to inequality and injustice, the shaping of a new generation of the faithful, and asking who we are as citizens and as Christians.  Gary Dorrien's call for a transformative social gospel; Paul Levy's and Jeremy Nowak's ideas for a vibrant Philadelphia with opportunity for all; Carol Howard Merritt's and Shane Claiborne's visions for a vital community-centered ministry:  all have given us much to ponder as we reflect on how we are going to be Christ's hands and heart for our neighborhood and our city, how we are going to live out our faith here and now--and in the future. 

Members of St. Peter's have been welcomed over the course of the fall to share their feedback, questions, and thoughts about what they have heard, whether in comment cards at each event, on the special Speakers Series blog, or in one on one conversation.  St. Peter's thrives at the intersection of legacy and innovation, in the words of speaker Jeremy Nowak.  We invite you to think about how we might continue to do so, and to possibly rethink what church might look like.  How do we respond to the words and ideas of our speakers?  What do you think about what you have heard?  What are the implications for St. Peter's?  Is there action to be taken, and how?

Our Speakers Series has given us a chance to engage in a process of discernment, and we welcome everyone to join in that process.  Please join us on November 27th, post your comments here on the blog, or email Janine Utell with your thoughts.  Check out this Google Doc for notes on the talks.

Faith in Action @ 50 Minutes: Shane Claiborne, Author and Activist

This Sunday, October 30, author and activist Shane Claiborne will be speaking at 50 Minutes.  Shane is the co-founder of The Simple Way, an intentional faith community in North Philadelphia.  With tears and laughter, Shane unveils the tragic messes we’ve made of our world and the tangible hope that another world is possible through peacemaking, social justice, and faith in Jesus Christ.

Shane will share his experiences in ministry, his ideas about new monasticism and community, and what it means to follow Jesus in the 21st century.

We invite you to attend the event, and think about:

+ What do the ideas of The Simple Way mean for St. Peter's?

+ What do the experiences and work of Shane Claiborne and Carol Howard Merritt say about the church moving into the 21st century?  Who are we trying to reach, and how?

+ What can we take away from Shane's ideas and experiences for both our faith community and for our own individual lives?


Visit the St. Peter's Adult Ed page for more information, and we'll see you Sunday!

Faith in Action @ 50 Minutes: Carol Howard Merritt, Pastor and Author

This Sunday, October 9, The Rev. Carol Howard Merritt will be speaking at 50 Minutes. Ms. Merritt is an influential voice for young Christians, both as the author of the books Reframing Hope and Tribal Church and as the pastor of Western Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. She will also lead an afternoon discussion from 2:00 to 4:00.

Drawing upon her knowledge of postmodernism and her experience as a young mainline pastor, Ms. Merritt proposes hope as the virtue for vital Christian community, especially for the younger -- often missing -- generations. Her work at Western Presbyterian, an intergenerational congregation committed to serving the poor of DC, gives her a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the church today.

We invite you to attend the talk and discussion, and to think about:

+ What can we at St. Peter's learn from Ms. Merritt's work?

+ What do you think of her ideas as a response to some of the other issues raised by our last two speakers, Gary Dorrien and Paul Levy?

+ Thinking especially about Mr. Levy's talk and his comments about social and economic changes in Philadelphia, what does it mean to be a church in an urban setting? Do we have a special mission?

+ Ms. Merritt's work focuses on those who are sometimes forgotten or excluded by the church, especially young adults. In a recent blog post she asks, "What sort of church would work in a new generation? What is our vision for the 21st Century?" What do you think the answers might be, especially thinking about young adults at St. Peter's?

Visit the St. Peter's Adult Ed page for more information. You can also check out her blog and subscribe to her feed on Facebook.

Faith in Action @ 50 Minutes: Paul Levy, President and CEO of Center City District

This Sunday, October 2, Paul Levy, President and CEO of the Center City District, will be speaking at 50 Minutes. He'll also lead a discussion at 12:30.

As a champion of urban renewal and the redevelopment of Center City, Mr. Levy will reflect on what has been achieved in this neighborhood and throughout downtown in the last 50 years and what challenges and opportunities are before us in the coming decade.

Mr. Levy is the founding chief executive of Philadelphia’s Center City District, serving in this capacity since January 1991. He directs the $18.7 million downtown management district, which provides security, hospitality, cleaning, place marketing, promotion, and planning services for the central business district of Philadelphia.

Visit the CCD website here; you'll find reports on residential life, employment, and infrastructure. You can also visit the 250th anniversary speakers page on the St. Peter's website for more information.

+ How might we think about Mr. Levy's comments in the context of Gary Dorrien's words last week?

+ What role do you envision St. Peter's playing in Center City as the neighborhood continues to grow and change?  What's our mission in Center City, if any?

+  What challenges does the city face, and how might we meet those challenges?

Please share your comments on Paul Levy's talk, or any other aspect of the 250th anniversary speakers series.

Welcome to the St. Peter's 250 Speakers Series Blog: Faith in Action

St. Peter's Church has an exciting lineup of 50 Minutes speakers this fall to celebrate our 250th anniversary:  "Faith in Action."  This blog has been created to give everyone in the congregation an opportunity to share thoughts, questions, and feedback about the topics raised.


Over the next few months we'll be thinking about the challenges posed by the speakers, the connections between their words and our work at St. Peter's, and how we might respond in the future to their calls to action.


Everyone who attends the 50 Minutes lectures is invited to post comments here!  Each week we'll pose a few guiding questions and provide information about the speakers, and we encourage you to leave comments, questions, challenges, and feedback at any time after the talks.


Our first speaker on Sunday, 9/25, will be the Rev. Dr. Gary Dorrien; he will focus on economic globalization, the economic crisis and the opening for initiatives in economic democracy (worker ownership, infrastructure banks, et al) that exist today–all in the context of Christian social ethics and ecumenical Christianity.  His books will be on sale during 50 Minutes.

+ What was a highlight of Gary Dorrien's talk for you?

+  What was something you found challenging or something you'd like to question?

+ If we at St. Peters were to put some of his ideas into action, what would that look like?

Please share your thoughts in the comments, and we look forward to some exciting conversations this fall!

Visit the St. Peter's Church website for more information about the 250th anniversary speakers and events.


Edited to add: Check out more from Gary Dorrien in an interview with Bill Moyers here.