Foundations of Faith
Sundays, 10:15 to 11:00am, in the Parish Hall
The life of faith always offers new depths to plumb. St. Ann’s Faith Forum welcomes newcomers and longtime parishioners alike to consider foundational topics from a fresh perspective.
Each Sunday morning between services, clergy, parishioners, and special guests lead accessible conversations about Christianity and The Episcopal Church. Together, we explore beliefs, worship, and practices, bringing tradition into conversation with our own questions and experiences.
New understandings open up new possibilities, changing how we relate to ourselves, the Divine, and the world around us. As we discover more fully what it means to follow Jesus Christ, we are empowered to claim a faith that is truly our own—a faith that sustains and uplifts our lives beyond St. Ann’s.
UPCOMING SPEAKERS AND TOPICS
September 20, “The History of Christianity: 2,000 Years in 45 Minutes”
Presented by Fr. Craig Townsend
Fr. Craig will offer a speedy overview of the history of the Christian Church by looking at a few dichotomies that have driven the institution’s development over the centuries: Church and State, faith and culture, inclusion and exclusion, hierarchy and mysticism, are all examples of historic continuity as problems to be worked on—rather than solutions to be achieved—in every age and location. Let’s see how it goes!
The Rev. Dr. Craig Townsend is the Associate for Faith Formation at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church and Pro-Cathedral.
September 27, “Diversity in Christian Practice and Tradition”
Presented by Rev. Freddie Pearson-Nunez
Christianity encompasses a remarkable diversity of traditions, practices, and ways of encountering God. Drawing on his own multidimensional spiritual background, Rev. Freddie Pearson-Nunez invites us to reflect on the traditions that formed us, what brought us to The Episcopal Church, and what we value in other expressions of Christian faith.
Since 1993, the Rev. Freddie Pearson-Nunez has dedicated his life to the study, discovery, and dissemination of faith and holistic well-being tools. He is Licensed and Ordained in the Gospel Ministry (Missionary Baptist) and is a Master Holistic Health Practitioner and Certifying Instructor (Ideokinesis – Embodied Anatomy, Pilates, Yoga, Qigong, and Usui Reiki). A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Rev. Pearson-Nunez continues to cultivate his expression of a life in faith through the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Way. He also serves as a member of St. Ann’s Vestry, the elected lay governing body of the congregation.
October 4, “The Sacraments and Sacramental Rites”
Presented by Rev. Brendan Nee
What is a “sacrament,” and what distinguishes the sacraments from other “sacramental rites”? On the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, we’ll explore how finite, tangible things can become vessels of divine grace, and consider what it means to live sacramentally: encountering God through our bodies, our communities, and the created world.
The Rev. Brendan Nee is Associate Rector for Parish & Community Life at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church and Pro-Cathedral.
October 11, “Anglican Belief and Belonging”
Presented by Rev. Brendan Nee
The Episcopal Church belongs to the Anglican tradition, a worldwide family tree of churches with shared roots in the Church of England. Building on our conversations about Christian history, tradition, and sacramental life, we’ll explore some of Anglicanism’s defining theological instincts and practices—in particular, what it means to belong to a communion held together not by perfect agreement, but by common prayer and practice.
The Rev. Brendan Nee is Associate Rector for Parish & Community Life at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church and Pro-Cathedral.
NO FAITH FORUM ON OCTOBER 18. All are welcome to join us in packing holiday care packages for Interfaith Prison Partnership.
October 25, “The History of the Episcopal Church”
Presented by Fr. Craig Townsend
Fr. Craig will trace the historical currents that gave rise to The Episcopal Church, from its roots in the Church of England to the denomination we know today. Along the way, he’ll shed light on such distinctions as “High Church” and “Low Church.” Come for the explanations, stay for the complications!
The Rev. Dr. Craig Townsend is the Associate for Faith Formation at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church and Pro-Cathedral.
November 1, “The Communion of Saints”
Presented by Canon John Denaro
The Rev. Canon John Denaro is Rector of St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church and Pro-Cathedral.
November 8, “Incarnational Theology”
Presented by Fr. Mark Genszler
The Rev. Mark Genszler is Rector of Christ Church Cobble Hill.
November 15, “Instructed Eucharist: Part I”
Presented by Rev. Brendan Nee
The Rev. Brendan Nee is Associate Rector for Parish & Community Life St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church and Pro-Cathedral.
November 22, “Instructed Eucharist: Part II”
Presented by Rev. Brendan Nee
The Rev. Brendan Nee is Associate Rector for Parish & Community Life St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church and Pro-Cathedral.
NO FAITH FORUM ON NOVEMBER 29. All are welcome to join us for a service project decorating holiday cards for people who are incarcerated.
NO FAITH FORUM ON DECEMBER 6 due to the Annual Meeting.
December 13, “Instructed Eucharist: Part III”
Presented by Bp. Bill Franklin
The Rt. Rev. R. William Franklin serves as Bishop-in-Residence at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church and Pro-Cathedral. He is an adjunct professor of Episcopal and Anglican Studies at Union Theological Seminary. He recently completed his service as Assisting Bishop of Long Island, following his tenure as Bishop of Western New York from 2011 to 2019. A scholar of church history, he has served in academic and ministerial roles in New York, Philadelphia, New Haven, and Rome.
December 20, “Instructed Eucharist: Part IV”
Presented by Fr. Craig Townsend
The Rev. Dr. Craig Townsend is the Associate for Faith Formation at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church and Pro-Cathedral.