Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Spring 2014 Issue | Page 27

Getting Playful with Formation
Emily Cherry

that would leave her family with the
feeling that they experience after a
parish retreat at Shrine Mont: “charged,
energetic and loving our parish.”

At the same time, members
of Emmanuel were engaging in
focus groups. One of the results:
“Overwhelmingly, people said they
wish they had more fellowship

(Top) Churches from across Region V
gather for an annual snow-tubing trip.
(Above) Flamingos were the costume

For Amy Blundin, a member of Emmanuel,
Greenwood, and mother of four boys,
church can be something of a “hard sell.”
She was looking for a church experience

du jour for members of the St. Asaph’s,
Bowling Green, Polar Bear Plunge team
in 2012.

opportunities, more time to get to
know different people outside of
Sunday worship,” said Blundin.

Blundin started praying on the
subject, and doing some online and
word-of-mouth research, when she came
across Family-Centered Intergenerational
Religious Education. The FIRE curriculum
became a model for fun family formation
at Emmanuel.

Every month, about 30 or 40 people
gather at Emmanuel to discuss the
Bible and faith in creative ways. Those
ways have included skits, radio plays,
debates and, of course, a group meal.
The program took a few months to catch
on, but has quickly grown through word
of mouth. The age range spans from 2
to 90. “People said they do come away
feeling of Shrine Mont,” said Blundin.
“Everybody finds their inner kid.”

Strengthening Existing Congregations

Congregational development can be a
pretty serious business. But it doesn’t
have to be that way. For members of St.
Matthew’s, Sterling, their annual softball
league is a source of fun and fellowship.
The co-ed league draws members from
a wide age range to play against other
Loudon County parishes – with even
more parishioners coming out to cheer
on the group. Churches in Region V
band together for their church fun on an
annual tubing trip, while Church of the
Resurrection, Alexandria, hosts a Bunco
Night. And at St. Peter’s, Arlington,
100 parent volunteers get in on the fun
with a youth musical, with the goal “to
unite and strengthen relationships of
St. Peter’s youth and bond them to the
church family.”

At St. Peter’s, Port Royal, men and
women alike take part in “Ladies Night
Out,” which in the past has included the
Newlywed Game and a murder mystery
dinner. “Play together in our community is
like the stitching on a crazy quilt,” said the
Rev. Catherine D. Hicks, priest-in-charge
at St. Peter’s. “Play pulls us together,
connects each unique and colorful piece
of fabric, and the resulting creation is not
only a one-of-a-kind work of art, but it is
also warm and comforting.”

At St. Asaph’s, Bowling Green, “fun”
might not be the word many would use
to describe their most creative fellowship
event. Crazy? Perhaps. Brave? Maybe.
Cold? Definitely.

The Polar Bear Plunge draws a
core group of mostly choir members
– plus the Rev. Bambi Willis, rector –
to go jump in a local lake on the first
Saturday of February. It’s a communitywide church effort, explained 10-time
plunger Susan Hafey. Each year features
a different costume theme – jellyfish,
flamingos and polar bear angels have all
been included in the past. All proceeds
benefit local outreach efforts, which
explains their motto: “We get cold so
others stay warm.” t

Youth at St. Peter’s, Arlington, spend 11 weeks
practicing for their musical. “We’re teaching the
kids Bible stories in a way that they remember
forever,” said 20-year play veteran Ed Wilson.
“Although there are lots of laughs, the kids must
learn how to be supportive and patient with one
another,” said Jenny Sokol of St. Peter’s.
Spring 2014 / Virginia Episcopalian

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