Adult Formation 

After the 10:00 service, we hold lectures and discussions on a variety of topics in our Parish Hall, accompanied by mid-morning snacks and good coffee.

Upcoming Lectures: January-February 2025

On Sundays from 11:15am to 12:15pm in SPR’s downstairs Parish Hall, you are invited to go deeper in your spiritual life through engaging with Scripture, theology, philosophy, psychology, art, social justice, and prayer. Here are the upcoming forums during the Christian season of Epiphany:

January 5 | Conversation & Fellowship 

January 12 | Navigating Anxiety with Honesty, Faith, and Hope—Part I (Jonathan Foiles)

January 19 | Navigating Anxiety with Honesty, Faith, and Hope—Part II (Jonathan Foiles)

January 26 | Navigating Anxiety with Honesty, Faith, and Hope—Part III (Jonathan Foiles)

Jonathan Foiles is a psychotherapist in private practice in Chicago. He is a lecturer at the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice and clinical associate faculty at the Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis. He is the author of This City Is Killing Me: Community Trauma and Toxic Stress in Urban America and (Mis)Diagnosed: How Bias Distorts Our Perception of Mental Health.

February 2 | Centering Prayer as Individual Practice—Part I: Self & God (Alan Krema)

February 9 | Centering Prayer as Communal Practice—Part II: Self, World & God (Alan Krema)

Alan Krema is a student of Cynthia Bourgeault and has attended multiple Wisdom Schools since 2010. Alan has recently completed the Living School program at the Center for Action and Contemplation, founded by Fr. Richard Rohr. Alan has been a long-time centering prayer facilitator and serves as coordinator for Contemplative Outreach Chicago chapter.

Selected Lectures: 2019-2020

May 2020 | Theology of Prophetic Dialogue | The Rev. Jaime Briceño | Part 1 | Parts 2 & 3 | Part 4

March 1, 2020 | Christian Moral Foundations for Community Healing | The Rev. Catherine Healy

January 5, 2020 | Responding to Climate Change | Jennifer Jeck

October 13, 2019 | Eat, Build, Love: Reading 1 Corinthians in Greek | Fran Spaltro

September 29, 2019 | How to Read the Letters of Paul | The Rev. Catherine Healy

Here's a sampling of past Adult Formation one-offs and series:

  • This City Is Killing Me, reading a text on the intersection of racism, public policy, and mental health in Chicago (part of a Small Group series)

  • Faith & Justice: How does our faith compel and inspire us to work for justice?

  • Reading Genesis Together, exploring the first book of the bible with experts in biblical studies, hermeneutics, and theology (part of a Small Group series)

  • Vision for SPR, roundtable discussions with the Vestry on our future

  • The Meaning of Advent, a Godly Play presentation for all ages

  • Death and Dying, from Theology to Practical Concerns

  • Responding to Hatred including learning about Islam, the refugee crisis, and how to work against racism.

  • What Is At Stake?, parishioners give talks about why they are part of a church and what difference it's made to them (part of a Small Group series).

  • Understanding Privilege, a continuation of our antiracism work, exploring how privilege works through expert lecturers and personal testimony.

For the current or upcoming Adult Formation series, check out Coming Up at SPR.