Teaching the Good Word

All Saints Episcopal Church, South Burlington, VT

All churches—if they are at all effective—teach the Word of God. Spreading the message is the very purpose of the Church, after all, according to “The Great Commission”.  “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded of you.” Yet some churches take the
second part much more to heart. Then Christian Formation and Education becomes a paramount mission. Such is the case with St. Andrew’s Church in Colchester and All Saints’ Church in South Burlington, albeit in rather different manifestations.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Colchester, VT

The drive to St. Andrew’s Church takes one along the shore of Malletts Bay on Lake Champlain and by views heartbreakingly lovely. The church itself celebrates its proximity to the lake and its resources with its very iconography.

St. Andrew's Church cross

The cruciform in the sanctuary, rather than being imagery of Christ’s death, is representative of Christ’s life and mission—to make fishers of men.  The cross is made of two large branches of Lake Champlain driftwood found by a parishioner who organized the youth of the parish into twining the pieces together. Draped over the cross is a remnant of an old fishing net.  That net transcends time and cultures to connect the fishing communities of upper Vermont and of Jesus’ disciples. From a distance, the cross appears rough and crooked.  But as one approaches the sanctuary and comes closer to the cross, it straightens and becomes a like a pointer pointing to “the light” (symbolically represented by the recessed lighting). The cross is a conversation piece that leads to prime educational opportunity. Incidentally, the March 24, 2013 issue of Vermont Voices, which you can read on the diocesan website, tells a story about this very special cross.

images of St. Andrew's, Colchester

The curiosity of the cross is one lead into St. Andrew’s education program.  On Wednesdays, a Bible study class is offered to delve into the lessons prior to Holy Eucharist that is celebrated at 12:30pm.  Tuesdays is the “big” day for educational opportunities at St. Andrew’s.  Currently, the Tuesday group is learning is studying a program called “Decoding Christianity” which examines the symbols, icons and rituals of Christianity through the ages.  Primary among Christian symbols is (of course) the cross and the fish—a direct conversational line back to their sanctuary cruciform.  As seasons change, so do the topics of study for the Tuesday programs.  As with adult education, St. Andrew’s also has a strong children’s program with their Sunday School during the regular season (read that as “the academic year”) and Summer Sunday School which is somewhat special. The regular Sunday School teachers are adamantly freed from teaching during the summer.  So other adults in the congregation are asked to volunteer in pairs to teach one Sunday.  (Notice the significance of the pairing! As went the disciples, so go the magisters.)

Christian Ed. rooms at St. Andrew's

Incidental educational opportunities abound at St. Andrew’s.  Along with the contemplative atmosphere in the Memorial Garden and St. Francis Pet Memorial Garden, there are a number of options for introspection and learning.  Several self-improvement groups that meet at the church, including the ubiquitous AA, al-anon, and weight watchers groups, but also, there are two grief counseling/support groups that meet at St. Andrew’s. The congregation gives 6½% of their pledge income to outreach programs.  Leaders of these programs come in from time-to-time to talk about and educate about their programs. Currently, among St. Andrew’s outreach programs are several emergency shelter organizations, Project Warm (emergency assistance for winter heating), Brookhaven School for Boys (in the form of Christmas gift giving), and Rock Point Summer Camps. Of course, the staples of Episcopal Church giving are also represented: UTO, ER-D, local food shelves, etc. Upon completion of the major renovations and building of the new parish hall, paid for in spite of having no endowment from which to draw, these various groups have a lovely and inviting place to meet  and learn in St. Andrew’s Church.

images at All Saints Church, South Burlington

Like St. Andrew’s Church, All Saints Church in South Burlington has a special mission for education.  Only they have a slightly different approach to educating. While St. Andrew’s favors regular structured classes and meetings, the folks at All Saints prefer a more a more randomly creative style, accessing education through the arts and theatrics venues. The creative bent has been articulated in the very walls of the church.  Some of you may recognize All Saints as the “blue church” with its blue glass walls that infuse the sanctuary with a soothing blue cast. The enormous exterior cross has been taken down due to safety concerns (the cross bar was so rotten and riddled with woodpecker holes that it threatened to fall on visitors to the Memorial Garden), but plans are in the works for an 18-foot high replacement cross. 

All Saints Community labyrinth

Recently, All Saints and the community installed an 11-course labyrinth in their back yard that is open all the time to the public.  When it was first installed as a mowed grass temporary version, people from around the community began to frequent it.  Upon receiving a grant to build a more permanent version, a brick-bordered version was installed and volunteers raked over 300 tons of Shur-pak over the pathways.  The installation includes a dolman that on the summer solstice casts a shadow that cuts directly to the center of the labyrinth.  This labyrinth is larger than most, allowing for group visits and simultaneous usage. In fact, future hopes for the labyrinth include self-guided prayer walks and the installation of an interactive project called “Odyssey of Light”.  The current capital campaign to raise funds for the labyrinth will apportion 40% to a maintenance program for its upkeep. The church provides a pamphlet and other resources that teach about labyrinths and offer suggestions for how to use one for personal spiritual guidance.

All Saints’ unique plan for Christian Education includes theater performed by “The All Saints Players.” One

images inside All Saints church

of the parishioners in the congregation is a particularly talented playwright who enjoys composing plays complete with music and dance that give humorous recounting of familiar Bible stories. Sadly, last year was the first time in a number of years that a play was not held due to a lack of a director.  But perhaps the Spirit will stir someone with talent who will see to the continuation of this unique way of teaching God’s Word.  Along with the plays, All Saints has received a degree of fame for their Christmas pageants. Each year, they are featured in an “above-the-fold” article in the Burlington Free Press as the Christmas show to watch! As part of the productions, music and dance are integral to telling the story.  All Saints has been the happy recipient of some very generous donations.  The baby grand piano in the church was a gift from a parishioner and is often used to accompany the productions. Another parishioner heard about an organ that needed a new home once the church where it lived in Winooski closed.  That church gave the organ to All Saints provided they found a way to transport it.  This lovely little Hook and Hastings pipe organ, circa 1880, now graces the nave of All Saints and periodically supplements the musical contributions to worship, the Players and more.

St. Andrew’s in Colchester and All Saints in South Burlington are two examples of how the Spirit of God uses the gifts and talents of a community to drive the same mission in completely different manners.  One hears the whisper, “Go and teach” and creates well-crafted classes, structured and organized for an optimal learning curve.  Another hears the same charge and goes singing and dancing and playing their way into sharing the Good News.  Both are significant and of utmost importance to their audience.  Neither method is better than another, and both serve God in just the manner they are supposed to. Sometimes God’s ways aren’t so mysterious after all!