Adult Forum at Saint Mark's Episcopal Church,
a Center for Christian Ministry in Mystic, Connecticut

The Sunday Adult Forum usually takes place in the Undercroft between the 8 AM and 10 AM services. It provides an opportunity for lively discussion and learning, as well as a chance to get together for a cup of Fair Trade coffee. During the summer, we gather informally for "Lemonade on the Lawn" instead of holding the Adult Forum.

The Adult Forum is led by different people over the course of the year. When a Bishop makes a visitation, for example, we have a chance to get a wider perspective on what is happening in the Episcopal Church.

Lent 2012 brings several guest speakers to the Adult Forum for the series "God's Mission and Our Ministry: Claiming Our Ministry in God's World"

See the details on the 2012 Lenten Activities Page.

Lent 2011 brought the series Sustainable Faith: God, the Environment, and Human Responsibility to the Adult Forum. Please visit the Lenten Programs for 2011 Page for details.

During the Fall of 2010 the Adult Forum Series Living Islam: Beauty, Truth, Compassion helped us learn more about our Muslim sisters and brothers.

Lent 2010 found us focusing on Haiti during the Adult Forum. The series Haiti: Problems and Promise enabled us to learn about the January 2010 earthquake, its aftermath, and the plans for the future. Please visit the Lenten Programs for 2010 Page for more information.

During Lent 2009 the Adult Forum series Praying with the Poets explored the connections between poetry and prayer. In the Sunday evening series Grounded in Love: Ecology, Faith and Action we reflected upon our life together on Earth and the relationships among ecology, faith, and action. Please visit the Lenten Programs for 2009 Page for details.

Lent 2008 brought a special series to the Adult Forum: Sowing Tears, Reaping Joy: The Bible and Brahms's Requiem. The Page Sowing Tears, Reaping Joy: The Bible and Brahms's Requiem. lists the scriptures for each of the movements. Some of us liked the Requiem so much that we bought a copy of it and listen to it as an aid to meditation and prayer. The WebMaster often plays it while he updates this Web Site.

In late 2007 people from Flavours of Life (external Site), a fair trade store in New London, CT, visited St. Mark's Adult Forum to tell us about the fair trade concept. In a nutshell, "fair trade" means that the people who grow food or produce products receive a reasonable price for their work. St. Mark's serves fair trade coffee at Adult Forum, Coffee Hour, and other times as one means of showing support for our world community.

      Page version 5.02     2 February 2012