(Note: the blue horizontal menu bar directly above lists the subsections of the third component, "Content." Be sure to read each of these subsections before moving on to the fourth component, "Community.")

Themes/Seasons

To provide theological clarity, it is helpful to match Adult Formation with the Christian year, or with the preaching concerns of the clergy staff. Each season, therefore is assigned an overall theme—taking its cues from the larger traditions of Christian liturgy.

A full Advent schedule might, for example, have the theme, "Waiting." Offerings could include:

• a Sunday morning Bible study of Advent lectionary texts;
  
• a Saturday workshop on Centering Prayer or Walking the Labyrinth;
  
• a Wednesday small group study on the practice of discernment or the practice of saying yes and saying no; and
• a book offering of Wendy Wright's The Vigil.

Imagine how many different ways to communicate the theological and spiritual dimensions of "waiting" across the congregation. At Christmas, incorporate the sense of expectation built from "waiting" into the liturgy or other holiday celebrations—and don't forget to include the Children's Ministry Coordinator in the theme. He or she can help you turn "waiting" into a family practice for Advent (the parents will thank you!). By plugging a theme and content into the already established template, Advent becomes a wholistic experience for Christian exploration and growth.

Questions to consider:

• Does your Adult Formation schedule make liturgical sense?
  
• Does it teach about the Christian year or the liturgy in its offerings?