Monthly Adult Education Class
The Rector’s Forum is an important resource for Christian formation at Calvary–St. George’s Church. Designed to delve deeply into the central topics of the Christian faith, The Forum offers classes that will lead you to a richer understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Forums take place in St. George’s Chapel on select Sundays at 12:30pm.
The Forum classes provide real tools, based on scripture, to give wisdom for living a full and joyful life in Christ. Topics include: “How do I really forgive?”, “How does a Christian make important decisions?”, “Dealing with Anxiety”, “What is prayer and how does it work?”, “How does healing work?”, “Managing relationships in my family.”
The class is interactive and may include some film clips, music and laughter. You can drop in at any time!
Winter 2023–2024 Series
The Winter 2023–2024 Forum will include exciting guest speakers presenting on a variety of topics.
Check out our events page to see what’s coming up next!
Sunday, May 17, at 12:30pm
St. George’s Church
Guest speaker: The Rev. Canon Victor Lee Austin
Topic: The Emergence of the Distinction of Humans and (Other) Animals
Summary: Human beings, Canon Austin claims, are called to make distinctions in a world that resists those distinctions. This surprising character of distinction-drawing goes back to the first day of creation, when right after light and darkness have been separated, evening and morning appear.
A significant distinction that humans are called to learn to make is between us and the other animals. Canon Austin will give a close reading of Genesis 2, before concluding with thoughts on how the male-female distinction is different.
Sunday, January 28th, at 12:30pm
St. George’s Church
Guest speakers: Dr. Eric Nelson, MD and Dr. Rachel Belfer, MD
Topic: Serious Mental Illness: What Is It, and What Should I Do?
About the speakers: Rachel Belfer and Eric Nelson are both medical doctors and psychiatrists in the New York City area for psychotherapy and medication management. During their residency training, Rachel and Eric (as both psychiatrists and people of faith) began giving talks and having conversations at places of worship to discuss how communities can best support their members who are having a mental health crisis.
Sunday, December 17th, at 12:30pm
St. George’s Church
Guest speaker: Krystyna Sanderson, psychoanalyst, author, and lecturer.
Topic: The Psychological and Emotional Aspects of Waiting
Summary: Revelation is all about waiting for the second coming of Christ who will take us to our heavenly home. It is about eschatological hope. Advent is also about waiting:
We wait for Christmas with all our memories, nostalgia and longing.
We wait for Christ to be born.
We wait for the weekend.
We wait for summer vacation.
We wait for our child to grow up, to graduate, to get married.
We wait . . . We love to wait and we hate to wait.
The presentation will address psychological and emotional aspects of waiting, how to negotiate our expectations and how we can fortify ourselves with endurance, patience and perseverance.
To learn more about the speaker, visit: https://www.drkrystynasanderson.com/
PAST FALL 2023 SERIES
Sunday, September 17th, at 12:30pm
St. George’s Church
Guest speaker: Rev. Tim Jones, Former Dean of Trinity Cathedral in Columbia, SC
Topic: Our Relatable God: How the Trinity Transforms Life and Prayer
Bio: Rev. Timothy Jones is a Visiting Scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary. He has been a Rector and a Dean at parishes large and small. He was an associate editor at Christianity Today and a special projects editor for Upper Room Books. He’s also over the years been active in authoring noted books on the possibilities for everyday spiritual growth. He has a special calling to make the difficult and daunting in faith seem inviting and accessible. He has written for Ekstasis magazine, Fathom magazine, and The Christian Century. He blogs at revtimothyjones.com and is working now on a semi-memoirish exploration of the doctrine of the Trinity.
Sunday, October 15th, at 12:30pm
St. George’s Church
Guest speaker: Katelyn Beaty, CalStG parishioner and author of “Celebrities for Jesus”
Topic: Celebrity in the church
Bio: Katelyn is a Calvin College graduate who went on to study theology at Oxford University. After college, she worked at Christianity Today and served as the magazine's youngest and first female managing editor. Katelyn has also written for The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and The New York Times on light topics such as politics, gender, and theology, and has commented on faith and culture for CNN, ABC, NPR, Associated Press, Religion News Service, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. She currently serves as editorial director of Brazos Press.
Sunday, November 5th, at 12:30pm
St. George’s Church
Guest speaker: Rt. Rev. Graham Tomlin, President of St. Mellitus College and Director of the Centre for Cultural Witness
Topic: Sharing the gospel in public
Bio: Rt. Rev. Graham Tomlin served a curacy in the diocese of Exeter, and among past roles he has served as Chaplain of Jesus College, Oxford, and Vice Principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, where he taught within the Theology Faculty of Oxford University on Historical Theology, specializing in the Reformation period. He was appointed the first Dean of St. Mellitus College before being made Bishop of Kensington in 2015. He has spoken and lectured across the world, and in 2016 was awarded the Silver Rose of St. Nicholas, a global award recognizing a significant contribution to theological education and learning.
Past Classes
The Book of Revelation
January 15th, 22nd, and 29th, 2023 at St. George’s Chapel
Presented by Dr. Michael Straus and the Rev. Janet Broderick
Our first Forum class of 2023 journeyed into the world of John’s Revelation. “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near.” (Rev. 1:3)
A Christmas Memory
By Truman Capote, read on film by the Rev. Janet Broderick and Matthew Broderick (approx. 28 minutes)
The gospel-filled narrative focused on country life, friendship, and the joy of giving during the Christmas season, and it also gently yet poignantly touched on loneliness and loss.
The Astounding Power of “Imputation”
A 50-minute interactive course on the power of imputed love. “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John)
Witness to Dignity
November 13th, 2022 at St. George’s Chapel
Presented by The Rev. Dr. Russell J. Levenson, Jr.
On November 13th, we heard from The Rev. Dr. Russell J. Levenson, Jr., rector of St. Martin's Episcopal Church, the largest Episcopal Church in the country. Dr. Levenson discussed his new book "Witness to Dignity: The Life and Faith of George H.W. and Barbara Bush.”
Forgiveness
October 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th, 2022 at St. George’s Chapel
Presented by the Rev. Janet Broderick
Our first four classes of the Fall 2022 Forum were on the theme of forgiveness. Jesus said: “Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)