We commit ourselves to: A Life-long Journey in which “the greatest truths are given to the youngest child” and during which teens and adults can wrestle with their faith in order to more uniquely bear Jesus’ image to God’s beloved world.
Church of the Beloved believes that there should never be a point in our lives when we stop growing spiritually. At Church of the Beloved, no one has all the answers or is going to make you feel inadequate for what you do not know. We don’t make assumptions. Every opportunity offered for adults attempts to meet people where they are, and aims to integrate spirituality with the realities of daily life.
In our religious tradition, adulthood begins at sixteen years of age, so we do all we can to both prepare older teens for adulthood as well as treat them as equal adult sisters and brothers in Christ.
Christian Formation for Adults and Children is called the Beloved Beehive and follows the hospitality time immediately following worship.
On scheduled Sundays, older teens (15+) and adults meet for 20 minutes to participate in a topical study led by the staff. The enrollment is open and you are welcome to participate any of the Sunday mornings that adult formation is offered!
In addition to Sundays, many other faith-enriching and fellowship opportunities are offered for adults during the week. Many of these require advance registration.
2008-2009 opportunities:
Sunday Morning Adult Formation
Spiritual Living Book Club (Monday evenings)
Upcoming Congregational Fellowship Events
Beloved Men's Fellowship
Beloved Women's Fellowship
2008-2009 Sunday Morning Adult Formation
We gather for forty-five minutes following worship and hospitality time to find a meaningful way to live life, to take Christianity seriously as a way of life. We will be using a curriculum called Emmaus: The Way of Faith. During the year we will cover five topics; Being Church, Growing in Worship, Growing in Prayer, Growing in the Scriptures, and Life, Death, and Christian Hope. We will seek to deepen our Christian spirituality through shared discussion and Bible study, to form ourselves as people of faith in the midst of community
Being Church: [October 12, 19, 26, November 9th]
This topic looks at the corporate life of the people of God. We will develop an understanding of the calling and purpose of the Church and what it means to be a part of the gathered people of God.
Sunday, November 2, All Saints Day Celebration and Baptism reception
Growing in Worship: Understanding the Sacrements [November 16, 23, December 7, 14, 21]
This topic looks at worship, particularly the sacraments. We will develop an understanding of the passion, death, and resurrection as the central event of the Christian faith which forms our worship.
Sunday, November 30, Thanksgiving Holiday weekend
Sunday, December 21, "Hanging of the Greens"
Wednesday, December 24, Christmas Eve "Christ Mass" at 7pm
Sunday, December 28, Christmas Holiday Weekend
Sunday, January 4, New Year's Holiday Weekend (Bring calendar/planner for New Year blessing)
Saturday, January 10, Epiphany Pageant Rehearsal @ 10am
Sunday, January 11, Epiphany Pageant
Growing in Prayer [January 18, 25, February 8, 22]
This topic is based on the Lord's Prayer. Our aim is to help people grow in prayer, not simply talk about it. We will practice praying in groups and experiment with various prayer exercises between sessions.
Sunday, February 15, President’s Day Holiday Weekend
Wednesday, February 25, Ash Wednesday Liturgy @7 PM
Growing in the Scriptures [March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29]
This topic gives a basic orientation and overview of the Bible. Handouts are provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own Bibles and do assigned readings between sessions.
Life, Death, and Christian Hope [April 5, 19,26]
The aim of this topic is to think about the Christian meaning of the last things: death, resurrection, judgment, eternal life, and Christ’s coming again. We will develop an understanding of the vital truth that resurrection life begins now.
Sunday, April 5, Palm Sunday
Thursday, April 9, Maundy Thursday Agape Meal and Footwashing @ 7pm
Thursday, April 9, Maundy Thursday Watch (9pm-9am)
Friday, April 10, Good Friday Liturgy @ 7pm
Saturday, April 11, The Great Vigil of Easter and Festival Easter Party @ Sunset
Sunday, April 12, Easter Sunday
Adult Small Groups [May 3, 10 17]
These follow-up small group sessions will build on the work we have done in Emmaus: The Way of Faith and bring closure to our year of building community as we make connections between faith and life.
Thursday, May 21, Ascension Day worship @ 7pm
Sunday, May 31, Pentecost Celebration
2008-2009 Weekday Adult Formation Opportunities
A variety of Sunday afternoon and weekday opportunities are available to help nurture your life in Jesus Christ. Try one or more and see the difference it can make in your faith life!
Year 2 (2008-2009), Becoming an adult Son or Daughter of the New Covenant
Anyone who has attended a bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah of a Jewish friend has experienced how important a rigorous time of preparation is in these young people’s experience of taking on the adult responsibilities of our faith. Building on insights gained from year one, participants will wrestle and dig deeply into a study of scripture and Christian doctrine, gaining a clearer understanding of how Christian identity and theology affects their current and future life choices. Attendance at one of two diocesan Happening weekends is encouraged.
Those who desire confirmation (confirming their baptismal vows as an adult) will assist in the preparation of particular Beloved Sunday worship celebrations, including (in the same way our Jewish sisters and brothers do) preaching the sermon on that day, before their confirmation at the bishop’s visitation to Beloved.
An adult (non-parent) sponsor is paired with each teen during this year.
Year 3 (2009-2010), Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus
Pilgrimage preparation sessions precede a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Derek and Clifford King Harbin from December 26, 2009-January 4, 2010.
This pilgrimage is open to all adults, but is limited to those teens who have successfully completed years one and two of the process.
Estimated cost is extremely reasonable (cover the total cost by saving approximately $90/month from September 2007 until the pilgrimage) and includes all expenses except a few lunches, tips and spending money for gifts. Some scholarship and fund raising opportunites will be available.
To view our Pilgrimage draft itinerary, click here.
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Flyte (age 15-18 youth group)
Integrated with Beloved Pilgrimage is Flyte, Beloved's newest adventure and service centered youth group for those 15-18 years of age. From movies to field games, whitewater rafting to skiing, the possibilities are endless...not counting the bonus of human needs projects we do in the name of Jesus that will count toward those High School Community Service Requirements!
Stay tuned to learn more about the Fall 2007 inaugural event of Flyte! • Return to top
Monday evenings: Spiritual Living Book Club 7-8:30pm
The Spiritual Living Book Club seeks to help us become a spiritual community on pilgrimage together to a deeper, more meaningful life, helping each other to make sense of our doubts and questions, our longings and experiences, honoring our unique paths, finding new ways to navigate our fragmented world. This year’s books will focus on spiritual memoirs. Through the lens of each author, we will explore the ways life in a community faith both repels and attracts those on the outside and how it ultimately comes to shape the lives of those who choose it. Purchasing of the books on your own is required.
Blue Like Jazz: Non-religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller [January 7, 21 & February 4]
Lenten Study: Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker Palmer [Monday evenings, February 18, 25, March 3]
[Sunday middays, February 17, March 2, 16]
The Easter life is based on finding our true identity in God and in responding to the call God has given to each of us. Call engages us in such questions as “Who am I?” “What does God want me to do with my life?” “How can I make a difference in the world?”
Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott [April 28, May 5, 19]
To register for any of these offerings, click here. • Return to top
Tuesday mornings: Discovering the Bible @ Beloved Garden
10:30am-Noon
(Beloved Garden is located next to Duron Paints on the Park Road side of The Terraces at Park Place (anchored by Bi-Lo), 9101 Pineville–Matthews Road. For a map, click here)
In 26 sessions, spanning nine months, participants will gain clear knowledge and understanding of the entire story of God’s story of Salvation as recorded in the words of the Bible. No advance knowledge is assumed in this Kerygma Bible Study! With Fr. Derek Harbin as our guide, Discovering the Bible invites adults into a new adventure of learning as we explore biblical people, events, ideas and places. Some advance reading and summarizing work is required in advance of each session. $30 for materials; a minimum number of advance registrants is required for the class to proceed. [September 25, October 2, 9, 23, November 6, 13, 27, December 4, 11, January 8, 22, 29, February 5, 12, 26, March 4, 11, 25, April 1, 22, 29, May 6, 13, 27, June 3, 10] Register
An evening class option is available with enough participants. To indicate interest, click here. • Return to top
