Adult Formation

We use the word “formation” to name the fact that what we do when we engage our Christian faith isn’t simply an intellectual exercise, but a daily practice—one that takes place over a lifetime. We are formed into whom we are called to be as we study, pray, and live out our faith together.

In addition to Sunday worship services, we have an online daily Morning Prayer offering through Facebook Live. During the seasons of Advent and Lent, we hold contemplative Wednesday evening services in our Chapel. Our adult studies take the form of Sunday Forums, book groups, movie nights, and special offerings sponsored by various ministries.

Sunday Forums and Other Formation Opportunities

Epiphany and Lenten Series in 2026

Deepening and Renewal: Preparing for the Next Chapter in our Parish Life

With the calling of its next rector, St. Paul’s is about to enter the next chapter of its parish life. To prepare for this, we are offering Epiphany and Lent programs for both youth and adults aimed at deepening our grasp of what it means to be in the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement and committed to our Baptismal Vows — the core of Christian life.

This season of renewal will culminate on Easter, April 5, with baptisms and a renewal of baptismal vows for the whole parish, and on April 19, 2026, when Bishop Sam Rodman will make his Episcopal Visitation, offering confirmation for youth and adults and reception of adults into The Episcopal Church (reception is for adults who have been confirmed in another denomination).

All are welcome to join us for this series. To express interest in being received into The Episcopal Church from another tradition or to be confirmed in The Episcopal Church, please fill out this short form. You may also reach out to Fr. Robert Fruehwirth at robert@stpaulscary.org.

January 18 Catholic and Reformed: The Spirit and Joy of Anglicanism I
January 25 Catholic and Reformed: The Spirit and Joy of Anglicanism II
February 1 Doubt Cafe
February 9 Christ’s Own Forever: Confirmation and Renewing our Baptisms
February 15 Jeremy Gilmore about Chaplaincy
February 22 Believing in Christ
March 1 Praying with Christ
March 8 Cleansed and Confessing Christ
March15 Attending Christ in All People
March 22 Justice and Peace in Christ

Past Sunday Forum Series

Advent 2025: Faith, Hope and Love are all in the Waiting

Advent is a season of waiting. This waiting is spurred on by a poignant honesty that God is not fully present in our lives and that we can’t think our way to God or force God’s arrival. During this Advent, we offer times of quiet reflection for our community to enter this waiting more wholly, with an Advent Quiet Day on Dec. 6, weekly contemplative Eucharists at noon and 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, and a Sunday forum presentation, “Stillness Dancing,” offered by Fr. Robert.

October 2025 Series: Love Your Immigrant Neighbors

God has stirred us up at St. Paul’s to love our neighbors, and for years we’ve had a special ministry to love our neighbor immigrants and migrant workers. Our lives in Cary are supported by our immigrant neighbors, and now, more than ever, they need our understanding of their situation and spirited support. This October St. Paul’s is offering a series of formation programs to help us understand our immigrant neighbors, what they face, how God is with them in a special way, and what we can do to support them. Come to grow in active love of neighbor.

October 12: Bearing Witness to the Work of Solidarity with Migrants Neighbors
with the Rev. Isaac Villegas, author of “Migrant God”

October 13: ICE Verification Training at St. Pauls
with members of Siembra NC

October 19: Understanding Basic Rights and Legal Pathways for Immigration
with immigration attorneys Meghan Deutsch Blanco and Alice Glover

2025 Early Fall Forums: Affordable Housing in our Community

In the first session, you will hear about an exciting partnership that St. Paul’s is joining to bring over 60 new affordable homes to Cary. The remaining sessions will introduce other partners in this endeavor and open a conversation on how St. Paul’s can more fully engage in expanding affordable housing options right here in our own town.

September 14: A New Housing Ministry Launch
with Katie Bricio, Chris Reddinger and Kim McCombs-Thornton

September 21: The Carr Center
with the Rev. Wesley Spears-Newsome, Greenwood Forest Baptist Church

September 28: The Carying Place
with Lesley Covington, Executive Director

October 5: “Yes, in God’s Backyard”
with Rick Beech, Vice President of Faith Relations, Habitat for Humanity

2025 Easter Forums: Telling Our Story — Easter Hope in a Time of Transition

May 4
Telling Our Story in a Time of Transition
with the Rev. Sarah Phelps

May 11
Let Your Life Speak: Discernment in the Christian Tradition
with the Rev. Javier Almendarez-Bautista

May 18
Hear, O Israel: The Habit of Listening in Public Life
with the Rev. Javier Almendarez-Bautista

2025 Lenten Forums: Spiritual Renewal in Lent

March 9: What is Lent all About?
March 16: Spiritual Tools and Practices
March 23: Acting on our Faith through Service: Relationships and Boundaries
March 30: Interim Rector’s Forum with the Rev. Sarah Phelps
April 6: Here Comes Holy Week: Practices and Wisdom for the Journey

2025 Winter Forums: The Gospel of Luke

January 12: Introduction (Luke 1)
January 19: Birth and Preparation (Luke 2-4)
January 26: Break – No Forum Today
February 2: Galilean Ministry (Luke 5-9)
February 9: On the Way to Jerusalem (Luke 9-19)
February 16: Teaching at the Temple, Betrayal, and Arrest (Luke 20-22)
February 23: Bishop’s Forum on Confirmation Sunday with the Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson

2024 Advent Forums: Preparing the Way

December 8: Advent: The In-Between Time with the Rev. Stephanie Yancy
December 15: Advent: A Season of Deeper Listening with the Rev. Carr Holland
December 22: The Prophets in Advent with Will Lee, Diocesan Intern

2024 Fall Forums: The Book of Exodus

September 22: “Now a new king rose over Egypt…” (1:1-2:25) with the Rev. Javier Almendarez-Bautista
September 29: The Commissioning of Moses (3:1-7:7) with the Rev. George Adamik
October 13: The LORD and Pharaoh (7:8-15:21) with the Rev. Javier Almendarez-Bautista
October 20: The Wilderness Journey (15:22-18:27) with the Rev. George Adamik

October 27: The Revelation at Mt. Sinai (19:1-24:8) with the Rev. Javier Almendarez-Bautista

2024 Easter Forums: Sharing Our Story

April 14: How Stories Build Communities with Mary Kintz, St. Paul’s Community Connector
April 21: Of Thine Own Have We Given Thee: Planned Giving at St. Paul’s with the St. Paul’s Endowment Board
April 28: I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me: The Refuge for Refugees Ministry with the R4R Ministry
May 5: A Great Cloud of Witnesses: Artist’s Forum with Kelly Latimore, part of a weekend-long exhibition of icons by Kelly Latimore at St. Paul’s
May 12: In Sure and Certain Hope: Burial at St. Paul’s with the Rev. George Adamik
May 19: Seek the Welfare of the City: Dorcas Ministries and Stable Homes Cary with Jill Straight, Senior Director of Client Services and Advocacy, Dorcas Ministries

Selected Recordings

2022
Gun Violence in North Carolina with Sara Smith, Organizing Director, North Carolinians Against Gun Violence
Scripture and Midrash: “What is his name, what shall I say to them?” (Ex 3:13) with Rabbi Raachel Jurovics, PhD, Rabbi-in-Residence, Episcopal Diocese of NC
Scripture and Illustration: the Psalms with the Rev. Canon Earnest Graham
Scripture and Poetry with the Rev. Javier Almendarez-Bautista
The Daily Office with the Rev. George Adamik
Praying the Psalms with the Rev. Alice Graham Grant
The Lord’s Prayer with the Rev. Javier Almendarez-Bautista
Seek and You Will Find: A Conversation with Rhonda Mawhood Lee with the Rev. Javier Almendarez-Bautista & the Rev. Rhonda Mawhood Lee, Ph.D.

2021
The Song of Mary with the Rev. Javier Almendárez-Bautista
Episcopal 102: What does it mean to belong to the Episcopal Church? with the Rev. George Adamik
Family Promise: Helping Families Find Safe, Affordable, Permanent Housing with Carey Phelps, Development & Volunteer Manager, Family Promise
The Liturgical Year in the Jewish Tradition with Rabbi Ariel Edery, Beth Shalom, Wake County

2020
Anxiety in the Midst of the Pandemic with Phillip M. Bass, MDiv, ThM, MA, LCMHC, NCC
Resilience: Childhood Trauma, Prevention, and Hope with St. Paul’s Resilience Ministry
Faithful Citizenship: Where Do We Go From Here with the Rev. Javier Almendarez-Bautista & Aleta McClenney

These and other recordings are available on St. Paul’s YouTube channel.

Other Adult Formation Offerings

Below you will find some of our other adult formation offerings, ranging from movie nights, book and Bible studies, as well as retreats. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the ministry contacts on this page. Learn more through our most recent adult formation news.

Daytime Book Group

The Daytime Book Group is open to men and women. We meet in the Youth Wing on the second Tuesday of the month from noon to no later than 1:30 pm. We read and discuss a varied selection of fiction, historical fiction, non-fiction, biographies, etc. Members volunteer to be discussion leaders as desired. All are welcome! Upcoming reading selections for 2025:

February 11: “The First Ladies” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
March 11: “The Book of Longings” by Sue Monk Kidd
April 8: “Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth” by Nora Tishby
May 13: “The Briar Club” by Kate Quinn
June 10: “The Things We Keep” by Sally Hepworth

Contact: Joyce Loughlin (loughlin1@mindspring.com)

Movie Night

You are invited to join us each month for Movie Night, a discussion of recent and not-so-recent movies, hosted by Fr. Javier, Tad Richard, and Neil McClenney. We meet once a month on Sunday evenings. The location rotates, usually a local pub or restaurant, and we ensure that non-alcoholic drinks are also available. Check adult ministry news for specific movie selections and updates.

Cursillo

Cursillo is a three-day weekend of Christian refreshment and renewal, sometimes called a short course in Christian living or “Christian Boot Camp.” Bishop Curry said, “Through the Cursillo experience and community countless men and women have come to know our Lord more deeply and profoundly. Through the ministry of the Cursillo community lives have been transformed and disciples of Jesus both formed and renewed. This is a sacred and holy ministry for which I truly give God thanks and praise.” The North Carolina Cursillo website is www.nccursillo.org.

Contact: The Rev. Candy Snively (Candy.Snively@att.net)

Morning Prayer

The Book of Common Prayer contains the Daily Office, a set of prayer services with monastic roots that help the average person enter into the practice of prayer in daily life. St. Paul’s offers Morning Prayer over Facebook Live every Monday through Friday at 8:00 a.m. The service is short (usually about 20 minutes) and it is led by clergy and lay people alike. Anyone is welcome to join in this rhythm of prayer, and the services remain available for viewing if you cannot join at 8:00 a.m.

Contact: The Rev. Javier Almendárez-Bautista