Spring 2011 Courses

Feasting, Fasting and Writing Through Lent  (General Interest, Consistory Training)

Instructor: Beverly Kipp, Preaching Elder, writer, speaker, Focus Phrase ™ Moderator, LPN & Health Ministry Coordinator for St. John’s Reformed Church

Dates: Mondays, March 14, 28, & April 11, with April 18 snowdate, 7- 9 p.m.

Location: Wallkill Reformed Church, 45 Bridge Street, Wallkill, NY

Tuition: $35

Participants will walk through Lent together Feasting on God’s Word and studying the spiritual discipline of Fasting.  We will use Scripture verses as daily lenses to view our journey from the garden to the cross and on to resurrection.  We will use the Radmacher Focus Phrase process to write our experiences in assigned three paragraph segments supported with email contact throughout the course. Each participant will choose an individual fasting plan that suits his/her need, desire and  ability.  It may be a one-day fast or a one day a week fast.  It might be full or partial, food or non-food based.

Prior to Ash Wednesday participants will receive email information regarding Scripture readings and one or two short writings to prepare for the first class.

Lord, Teach Us to Pray (General Interest, Consistory Training)

Instructor:  Ellen Ratmeyer, RCA Coordinator of Consistory Training & Ministry Services

Date: Saturday, March 19;   9:30a.m. -1:30 p.m.

Location: New Paltz Reformed Church, 92 Huguenot Street, New Paltz, NY, 12561

Tuition: $25, plus books and materials.

Serving as church leaders offers an exceptional opportunity to pray regularly for and with the members of your congregation.  Praying “for” someone is one thing, but praying “with” someone is quite another!  Even Jesus’ disciples needed help in learning how to pray.  Discover what prayer is, easy ways to construct prayers, and how to pray “with” people in times of illness, grief, loneliness, unemployment, hospitalization, death, fear and any range of human experiences.     

This workshop will provide experiences of intercessory prayer and share what it means to be the presence of Christ.  Prayer resources and suggestions for developing a daily discipline of prayer will be included in this interactive workshop.  Together we will consider ways to nurture our faith and encourage our desire for prayer. 

“We do not want to be beginners, but let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else but beginners, all our life!”  (Thomas Merton, Contemplative Prayer)

Scholarships are available. Contact the Registrar, Desiree Albizu at albizu@valstar.net or 518-537-4221.