Resident Opportunities
Prayer - Formation - Service
PRAYER:
Residents will be steeped in a life of prayer in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition, utilizing the rhythm of the daily office according to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Residents will also incorporate themselves into the life and worship of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, attending Sunday and weekday services of Holy Eucharist and exploring a variety of contemplative prayer practices from the breadth of the Christian tradition as well as other faith practices.
FORMATION:
In community, residents will engage weekly in a variety of faith formation opportunities including the study of scripture, companion texts, guided theological reflection, and intentional fellowship. Each resident will meet monthly with a spiritual director as a resource for their life of faith and the continued discernment of their Christian vocation. Additional formation opportunities at St. Mary’s include Sunday Christian formation hour, Discipleship and Theology Roundtables, Monday morning Bible Study, and a variety of seasonal Christian education offerings. Other local and regional immersions will be complemented by access to online formation workshops provided through the wider network of the Church, including Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary and Second Breath Center in Greensboro.
service:
Seven census tracts in High Point are considered food deserts (a low-income area in which at least 33% of the population live more than one mile from a grocery store). The High Point-Greensboro area ranked the worst in the nation for food insecurity in 2014 and is now ranked 14th. Residents of The Friendship Table will spend a portion of their time each week serving the community to alleviate food insecurity through volunteerism, learning from the community to identify needs and collaborating alongside others to design unique ways to address those needs, both individual and systemic. Service includes harvesting, gathering, washing, and delivering fresh produce to local residents through Growing High Point’s Senior Produce Program, assisting in the development, implementation and maintenance of a Good News Garden on the grounds of St. Mary’s, and assisting in the implementation and day-to-day responsibilities of a mobile grocery store which will provide affordable food items throughout the city of High Point.
living by a RULE OF LIFE:
For seekers, intentional living requires patterning one’s life after the way of Jesus, a way marked by love, truth, and justice. Each resident of The Friendship Table will join together to commit to a Rule of Life. Br. David Vryhof writes, “A rule of life allows us to clarify our deepest values, our most important relationships, our most authentic hopes and dreams, our most meaningful work, our highest priorities. It allows us to live with intention and purpose in the present moment.” A baseline rule of life for intentional living will be provided; however, over the course of their time together residents will have the opportunity to collaboratively develop and expand that rule of life to reflect their collective experience.
vocational discernment and development:
The Friendship Table will nurture a fruitful environment for the continued communal discernment of each resident member’s vocation. Residents will be provided with an array of opportunities for professional and personal development based on each individual’s particular interests (e.g. community advocacy, food systems, theological engagement, social entrepreneurship, photography, music, writing, etc.). Residents will have access to the St. Mary’s community as a network for continued growth and support, exploring a diverse range of lay and ordained Christian vocations. Residents will also broaden their perspectives at the intersection of food systems and faith by participating in various visiting programs and discussions with organizations and leaders within High Point and beyond.