The
Mitten Tree
by
Carol Gross
Convinced
that homeless men are The Forgotten Ones at Christmas, the Family and
Adult Formation Groups at St. John’s, Oromocto, are sponsoring a Mitten
Tree. Members of the groups made mittens, scarves, hats and socks and
placed them on the tree as decorations. We added a few store-bought
extras as well, including new underwear, baby powder and pure chocolate
bars. We will remove the decorations from the tree and taken to the
Men’s Shelter in Fredericton on Christmas Eve Day.
 We have also decided that since Christmas trees are
evergreen, we will continue this ministry year round.
Here at
St. John’s we use the term Formation Class instead of Sunday School
because we feel the term is more accurate.
During the
industrial revolution, when poor children worked in factories during
the week and didn’t attend school, the Church offered school for them
on Sundays. The children were taught to read and write. When laws
changed so children could go to school during the week instead of to
work, Sunday School was no longer necessary for this basic academic
training so it took on religious education.
The
primary objective of Sunday school, then, was to help "form" the
Christian Community according to the baptismal promises. We feel
Formation Classes more accurately describes what happens in these
classes. Since we are all being formed, in one way or another and at
all times, we offer our formation classes to everyone.
In
reality, we are more often formed by secular society than by Christian
community. As followers of Christ we need each other’s help to conform
to his image and likeness, so formation is more than Sunday school. It
includes formation by every aspect of the Church’s mission and work.
Formation, therefore, includes our worship, study, meetings and
outreach.
The
Rev. Carol Gross
is honorary assistant at St. John’s, Oromocto.
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