Sharing Our Story, the Christian Formation theme for the 2024-25 program year, connects the Resurrected Christ's call to share the good news and the sacred work of living our own faith story in the world. United in the love of God, we have an incredible story to share.

Classes are led by Director of Adult Formation Scott Planting and/or Associate Pastor for Christian Formation Jacob Bolton, unless otherwise specified. Join us every Sunday morning at 9:45 AM in the Haverkamp Room or on Zoom.

Miss a class? Most Adult Christian Formation classes are recorded and available to watch on YouTube by clicking below.

January 5, 12, & 19: "Seventy (or more) Facets: Images of God in the Hebrew Bible and Beyond" with Rabbi Jack Moline
An old Jewish expression describes the Bible as having the facets of a gemstone, each a surface of a single object, but refracting the light differently depending on where one looks. The same is true of how we view God's presence, beginning with the multiple names for the Divine in the Bible and continuing through liturgical and interpretive literature. Is God loving or vengeful? Is God immanent or distant? Does God intervene in human affairs or watch from afar? The answer is "yes," but decoding which facet is the filter of the moment is one of the challenges in understanding the Jewish Bible and subsequent tradition. Rabbi Jack Moline will present (in his freewheeling style) on God's image in the Old Testament, rabbinic literature, and contemporary explorations.

January 26, February 2, & March 2: "Discipleship" with Rev. Dr. Frank Wade
Matthew’s Gospel ends with the resurrected Jesus telling his followers to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” Why is discipleship so important? What does it involve? What does it cost? What are the consequences or benefits of discipleship? And why would people like us undertake to encourage others to be disciples? This adult formation series will address these questions and more.

February 9-23: "Faith and Money" with Rev. Dr. Katherine Grieb
Biblical scholar and Episcopal priest Rev. Dr. Katherine Grieb is an affiliated faculty member and director of the Center for Anglican Communion Studies at Virginia Theological Seminary. Dr. Grieb has written extensively on the New Testament, theological interpretation of Scripture, and preaching, including The Story of Romans and The Word Leaps the Gap.

March 9: "Good News of Church Politics" with Rev. Dr. Ross Kane
Can politics build interdependence, community, and belonging? What role might congregations play in shaping such politics? Drawing from his book The Good News of Church Politics, Rev. Dr. Ross Kane will join us to show how church politics doesn’t have to be frustrating and can even become a spiritual practice. After a long season of national politics in the news, Dr. Kane shifts focus to ask how congregations like Westminster can help heal our fractured public life through local engagement. Dr. Kane is a pastor and professor who teaches ethics and theology at Virginia Theological Seminary. In addition to The Good News of Church Politics, he is the author of Syncretism and Christian Tradition and host of the podcast "Love Your Neighbor."

March 16: "What Does the Barmen Confession Mean Today?" with Dr. Victoria J. Barnett
The 1934 Barmen Confession of Faith (written by Karl Barth) still inspires churches around the world. Many churches, including the PCUSA, have recognized it as an official confession. At Barmen, representatives of all member churches of the German Evangelical (Protestant) Church unanimously approved the 6-point statement at a crucial moment, when it seemed that the Nazi regime was about to seize control of the German churches. What did Barmen say? What was its impact at the time? Does it still have meaning for us today? Dr. Barnett will discuss its history and legacy.

March 23: "Church Architecture" with Joshua Kiehl, AIA, NCARB
Joshua Kiehl, of John Milner Architects, Inc., will give a brief overview of church architecture, exploring common typologies and symbols seen throughout its 2000-year history. We will look at the impact that the protestant Reformation had on church architecture and the role of church buildings today, as well as how architecture affects our experience of worship and discuss whether our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit negate the importance of physical places of worship.

March 30: "Rev. Johnson Goes to Washington: The Early Years of Cliff and Westminster" with Melynda Wilcox
Newly-discovered sermon files from Cliff Johnson's first 14 years as a Presbyterian minister provide further details about both Cliff himself and his young church. Westminster member and author Melynda Wilcox shares some of the new findings, which offer interesting parallels with today's society and political landscape.

Easter Break -- no Adult Formation classes on April 13 or 20.

April 27 - May 4: "Trinity" with Katherine Sonderegger

May 11-25: TBD