Being Disciples in this Time

Being Disciples in this Time 

a wisdom circle with stories and practices for the journey

with Bishop Porter Taylor and Debra Donnelly-Barton

Three Sundays on Zoom

April 23, 30 and May 7  

5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. EST

Gather with us for a time of learning and growing in conversation, with spiritual practices to guide our weeks in between. Porter will guide us as we delve into Rowan Williams’ work, each person bringing their own story. In-between sessions, we will receive spiritual practice prompts to guide our attention on the journey.

In his book Being Disciples, Rowan Williams asserts, “discipleship is a state of being. Discipleship is about how we live; not just the decisions we make, not just the things we believe, but a state of being.” By that he means disciples ask themselves:  “What is Jesus Christ giving me here and now?” We rethink who we are and why we are here. Moreover, it means we are called and empowered to live out our Baptismal Promises, like “To seek and serve all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself” and what that might look like “with God’s help.” Over the three weeks, we will cover these topics, each of which is a chapter in the book: Faith, Hope and Love; Forgiveness; and,  Holiness. At the book’s end, William writes: “What keeps us going as disciples? Self-awareness and stillness, growth and joy.” The point is about “offering to God our longing to be with Jesus, wherever he may lead.” The goal here is to rediscover the fundamentals of being a Christian in this place and in this time.  Not only is it important for us to understand these virtues, but to discover how we can live them out. 

Discipleship is also tuning our hearts to the song that God is singing within us right now.  That means practice–like a musician practices scales until they are both a tone memory and a muscle memory–we engage in prayer practices. Debra will offer us two practices per week that correspond to the reading for each week. We will let our learning sink into our hearts and our bodies as we practice what it means to live as a disciple. 

REGISTER HERE:  https://tinyurl.com/BEINGdisciples. A suggested donation of $75 will be gratefully accepted. Please don’t let finances keep you from attending! For more information, or, to request a scholarship, please email heather@retreathousehillsboro.org Being Disciples: Essentials of the Christian Life, by Rowan Williams is encouraged for this series and can be purchased here. 

PORTER TAYLOR is the author of a memoir— Are You Persuaded? In and Out of Being a Bishop. Bishop Taylor joined the Diocese of Virginia as Assisting Bishop after retiring as the 6th Bishop of the Diocese of Western North Carolina in 2016. In retirement, he also served on the faculty of Wake Forest University Divinity School. He holds a Master of Divinity, a Ph. D. in Theology and Literature, and a B.A. and M. A. in English. Porter and his wife Jo, an artist, are based in Asheville, NC.

DEBRA DONNELLY-BARTON is a graduate of the Stillpoint School for Spiritual Direction and the General Seminary in New York. As a practicing spiritual director, she has an MA in theology from St. Mary’s Seminary and University. Debra has studied the Ignatian spiritual exercises as well as engaged in an intensive training in centering prayer with Thomas Keating.