Go to the profile of Colorado Episcopalian
Colorado Episcopalian

Faith. Formation.

by The Reverend Canon Ken Malcolm, Canon Missioner for Leadership Development & Formation

Two years ago, speaking at the 126th Diocesan Convention on the Feast of Saint Francis, the Right Reverend Robert O’Neill, Bishop of Colorado, relayed the well-known story of Saint Francis’ conversion. “Build My Church,” Francis heard Jesus say to him as he prayed at the foot of the San Damiano Cross. At first, taking this vision literally, Francis set out to build an actual stones-and-mortar church. He then realized the vision was about building spirituality; it was about formation.

Bishop O’Neill challenged us with the words Francis heard — “Build My Church” — asking us:

What is required to take us to the next level in our commitment to evangelize with youth and young adults? If you ask me, it is about formation — embracing those practices by which we ourselves enter into that deep center of life to which Jesus invites us. Formation. Formation. Formation. Substantive resources. Accessible and available opportunities. Regular and consistent invitations. Consistent practice. In every community across this diocese.

The Bishop’s challenge soon produced a formation visioning team. After intensive study and deliberation through 2014, the group recommended the creation of a faith formation office to help every Episcopal congregation in Colorado tap into the collective talent and wisdom of the diocese to create meaningful communities of learning and formation. This new office would work effectively, creatively, and imaginatively. The group further identified its four key principles for faith formation, saying formation should be:

  • relational and transformational.
  • grounded in the Bible, in community, and in prayer and worship.
  • missional, cultivating vocation, service, and human flourishing.
  • intentional, committed, and disciplined.

We have worked diligently to staff the Formation office to honor these key principles. Lara Beckwith now coordinates youth and children’s faith formation, especially summer programming and camps at Cathedral Ridge. Joseph Wolyniak joined the Formation office in August. He focuses his energy on discipleship and theological education, coordinating networks, trainings, and resource sharing for adult and intergenerational faith-formation leaders. Joe also develops year-round programming at Cathedral Ridge.

The job of the Formation office can be explained simply: To increase capacity in all our churches by identifying existing faith-formation resources and making them available (sharing them) with the whole church.

Additionally, we offer theological education and formation online and face-to-face, adopting as our core value: “Living out the mission of the Church by proclaiming the Incarnate love of Jesus through servanthood and discipleship.”

We didn’t stop there: our faith formation website went live in early October at http://faith.episcopal.co.

Faith.episcopal.co is a content-rich, interactive learning platform. It makes resources for transformation available to everyone. We hope you log on every morning for the Daily Office, timely blog posts, commentary, resources for liturgical seasons, preaching, and formation ideas for Christians of all ages. It’s the place where we will host classes and trainings, allowing you to explore biblical and theological topics across our diocese.
The new site also offers inspiration, to help us all “to learn, to form, and to be transformed in the ways of love,” as Bishop O’Neill explained to us in October 2015.

As we continue to develop our online and virtual formation tools, we have put together some events that bring us together as a diocese. We are offering the following programs in 2015–2016. (Note that all but two of the events listed below will be held at The Center at Cathedral Ridge.)

  • “Abide.” An Advent Quiet Retreat, December 11–13
  • “Now What?” Youth Retreat, January 8–11
  • “Longing: A Lenten Journey,” February 26–28
  • Quest Youth Event, April 1–3, Frontier Ranch, Buena Vista
  • HR-EQ Training, May 4–7
  • Family Camp, June 12–18
  • Explore Camp, June 26–July 2
  • Cosmos Camp, July 17–23
  • Youth Service / Counselor Training, June 26–July 2; July 17–23
  • Colorado Youth Leadership Initiative, Year I, July 31–Aug. 6
  • Reading Holy Scriptures Retreat w/ Dr. Greg Garrett, first week of August
  • Celtic Spirituality Retreat w/ Dr. Greg Garrett, last week of October

“Abide,” an Advent Quiet Retreat, December 11–13, prompts us to slow down and to take a deep breath during this the busiest of seasons. Experience the quiet expectancy of Advent as it is meant to be, with daily prayer and spiritual reflection. Spiritual direction will also be offered to those who are interested in deeper investigation into contemplative spiritual practice. For more information about this and other opportunities, visit http://faith.episcopal.co.

The challenge of Ephesians 4:15 — “growing in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” — is something we cannot do alone. It is my prayer that together we can hear what Francis heard and do what Francis did: “Build My Church!”

The Reverend Canon Ken Malcolm is Canon Missioner for Leadership Development & Formation. He can be reached at kmalcolm@coloradodiocese.org.