Adult Formation
Sunday Forums
Sunday Forums take place from September to June about once a month from 9:10-9:50 am. These forums explore various topics of interest to parishioners, and how we apply our beliefs as Christians and Episcopalians to our everyday lives.
2/9/2025 YES Information Session Youth Enrichment and Support, or YES, is a brand-new ministry (Coming this Spring!) supporting children and families experiencing poverty. Join Pastor Kathy and George for a presentation about the impact of childhood poverty and how we can help with this new initiative as a partner to local agencies that are engaged in this meaningful work.
2/16/2025 Book Group “Bible Stories for Grown-Ups: Reading Scripture with New Eyes” Chapter 4 - Jesus in Unexpected Places: the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). The Study Guide can be found HERE. We meet in the Parish Hall lounge between services. All are welcome!
2/23/2025 Open Choir Rehearsal and Sing at 10:00 AM Service! Have you ever wanted to try out singing in the choir? Now's your chance! On Sunday, February 23rd, we will be holding an open choir rehearsal between the two services, where we will work on a simple choral piece for the 10:00 AM service that day. All are welcome - no prior experience needed! Just bring your voice and a desire to worship the Lord in song.
3/2/2025 Altar Guild Ever wonder how the colors of the altar cloths change, or where the palms come from on Sunday, or who makes sure there are lovely flowers on our Altar each Sunday? The quiet prayerful work of the Altar Guild prepares our sanctuary for worship. Come learn more about this ministry of care and reverence that helps to set the tone for our holy liturgies.
3/9/2025 Laity Worship From readers to Lay Eucharistic Ministers and acolytes, lay members of Church of the Good Shepherd play a vital role in our worship services. Join Pastor Kathy, George and our vergers to learn more about this important ministry.
3/16/2025 Book Group “Bible Stories for Grown-Ups: Reading Scripture with New Eyes” Chapeter 5 - When Repentance isn’t Enough: Looking for Zaccheus (Luke 19:1-10) The Study Guide can be found HERE. We meet in the Parish Hall lounge between services. All are welcome!
3/23/2025 Episcopal Liturgy “Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi” is an old Latin saying that directly translates to, “The law of prayer leads to the law of belief leads to the law of living.” The way we pray has a direct impact in our beliefs and, through those beliefs, our lives as Christian. This forum kicks off our focus on Episcopal tradition as we take some time to explore the liturgy that shapes us.
3/30/2025 Creeds (Need for Creed?) Have you ever sat and wondered what is the Nicene Creed anyway? And what about that Apostles Creed, what is that all about? Or what even is a creed and where did these creeds come from? Delve deeper into these challenging and engaging statements of faith as we explore the history and meaning of the creeds.
4/6/2025 Eucharist Each week we gather, remembering the life, death and ressurection of Jesus in the sharing of this holy meal. Join us as we dive deeper into the meaning and theology behind the eucharist within the Episcopal tradition.
4/13/2025 Making Palm Crosses After each service we will gather in the fellowship hall for coffee and have the opportunity to learn how to make Palm Crosses from our palms.
4/27/2025 Baptism “I becomes we” Our baptism and baptismal covenant is at the core of who we are as Christians and Episcopalians. Come to this forum to learn more about it's meaning and history, and the evolution of the Baptismal sacrament in the Episcopal Church.
5/4/2025 Nashua Shelter and Soup Kitchen Part of our Meet our Neighbors, Help our Neighbors Series, we will be joined by a staff member of NSKS to tell us about their programing and how CGS can help.
5/11/2025 Front Door Agency Part of our Meet our Neighbors, Help our Neighbors Series, we will be joined by a staff member of FDA to tell us about their programing and how CGS can help.
5/18/2025 Book Group “Bible Stories for Grown-Ups: Reading Scripture with New Eyes” Chapter 6 - Updating our Lenses: Healing the Man (Mark 8:22-26). The Study Guide can be found HERE. We meet in the Parish Hall lounge between services. All are welcome!
5/25/2025 Greater Nashua Mental Health Part of our Meet our Neighbors, Help our Neighbors Series, we will be joined by a staff member of GNMH to tell us about their programing and how CGS can help.
6/1/2025 Family Promise Part of our Meet our Neighbors, Help our Neighbors Series, we will be joined by a staff member of Family Promise to tell us about their programing and how CGS can help.
6/8/2025 Improv Through Scripture Sure to provide some new insights into familiar scriptures AND get you laughing! John Budzyna, our Administrator and an amazing theatre actor, director, and teacher will lead us through some fun improv exercises using some of our favorite scriptures. No acting experience necessary, just come ready for some fun!
6/15/2025 Church Tour Join Don Yelton as he takes through a tour of the Church to share some historical perspectives.
6/22/2025 Chair Yoga Join Jane Wilkins as she leads us through a series of gentle seated yoga postures that will stretch your muscles and calm your mind.
Classes and Seminars
Throughout the year, we offer a number of different classes, seminars, and retreats. Some of these are one-day events for inspiration and renewal, some are overnight retreats, and some of them are series of classes over the course of several weeks on a particular book or topic. These classes, seminars, and retreats focus on a wide variety of subjects related to spirituality and spiritual formation. The overriding theme that connects them all is deepening our relationship with God and living out our Christian faith in every aspect of our lives.
Sacred Ground
Sacred Ground is a film- and readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. We will walk through chapters of America’s history of race and racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. The program focuses on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories. The curriculum consists of online videos, assorted essays, discussion, and two core books: Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman and Waking Up White by Debby Irving.
We will be offering Sacred Ground again soon. Please contact our Parish Administrator if you are interested in participating in this program. HERE
Aging & Spirituality: A Course about You,
Aging & Spirituality: A Course about You, is a six-session course for older parishioners who would like to develop an ever closer relationship with God, transition from ego-self to true-self (the you God created to be), and have purpose for everyday living.
We will use lecture, group work (small group and total group) and personal work time. Participants will be asked to do some reading and one computer assignment (enneagram) outside of class. For anyone without a computer arrangement can be made for you to do it in the church office. Spiritual practices will be introduced each week.
There is a $50.00 registration fee that will cover your textbook, a copy of Five Wishes, a copy of the PowerPoint slides, The Enneagram Test, and snacks for the break each week. If you are unable to pay that amount don’t let that stop you. Speak with Pastor Kathy, Deacon Nancy, or John Budzyna for a partial scholarship.
Lenten Study
Kerygma—Discovering the Psalms: Passion, Promise and Praise.
Join us in studying the richness of the Psalms in terms of spirituality, personal growth and worship. Ideally suited to prepare us for the mystery of Easter, this 7 week course provides a broad and deep explanation of the “Prayer Book of God’s People” as well as a 49 day guided reading of selected Psalms. Be part of this Lenten journey and sign up now. Sign up Online at cgsnashua.org/eventspage or call John in the office at 603-882-5352.
· When: After Morning Prayer Wednesday mornings, 10:00 AM-11:30 AM, February 26 through April 9.
· Session Leaders: Robin Hertel and Susan Moyle.
· Size: Limited to 10 participants.
· Suggested Donation: $15
Contemplative Prayer and Brown Bag Lunch and Book Study
Every Monday at 11:30am we gather in the sanctuary of the Church for a half hour of quiet Contemplative Prayer. Contemplative prayer is a practice of centering yourself in prayer and opening to God's presence.
After Prayer we will move to the Lounge for a brown bag lunch and book discussion. We will be reading books that deepen our spiritual journey and challenge us to broaden our theological understanding.
You may join us for both or come just for prayer or for book study. If you come to the book study, feel free to bring a lunch.
All are welcome to join us once, twice or always! Please contact Sarah Patton for more information.
Inquirer’s Class
This class is designed to give a safe place to explore faith and the theology and structure of the Episcopal tradition. All questions are fair game, and it’s a great chance to deepen your faith and your appreciation of the Episcopal Church. The main text that we use is “Your Faith, Your Life: An Invitation to the Episcopal Church” by Jenifer Gamber.
The course is not just for newcomers or those interested in Confirmation - it is for everyone with questions. Offered in October and January each year.