The Servant Course is adapted from the Willow Creek Network Course. It sets out to explore something about the way God has made you – we look at what interests you, how God has gifted you, how you prefer to work, your personality and your passions – It will help you to identify how best you can serve God and yourself in tune with the way God made you in order that you be fulfilled and effective in all areas of your life.
We now have an established team running the Servant Course here at St Mary’s & St John’s. It has proved to have been highly valuable to all those who have participated and we have had outstanding feedback from every single course we’ve run since introducing it in 2016.
“This course is a journey of discovery about the way God made us, combining Spiritual gifts as well as our personality and passions. We encourage you to come on the course as others have found it immensely helpful. But don’t take our word for it…”
Comments from people on previous courses:
Excellent. Affirming. It confirmed what I thought. I have never done anything like this before.
Life changing. I loved it! Releasing.
The number of places available for each course is limited, so we invite you to register as soon as possible to ensure you get a place. If no dates are advertised get in touch and we will make sure we contact you as soon as new dates are released.
To learn more, please speak to one of the Servant Course Team
Cathy Blair (cathy@waltonparish.org.uk)
Sally Eckes (sally@waltonparish.org.uk)
Berenice Page, Harriet Barker or Clare Rolton.
Online
We successfully ran an online course via Zoom during lockdown. This is something we hope to replicate in the autumn term. We will provide all the course materials we just ask a fee of £7 that covers the cost of the book.
In person
The course runs at St John’s on a Friday evening 7 – 9.00 pm then on Saturday 9.00 am – 3.00 pm. We are also looking at being able to run the course in an evening over 3 weeks. This is something we will look at doing in the future. Again we will provide all the course materials we just as a small fee of £10.00 which includes these and an evening meal on the Friday.
Testimonies
I had heard the readings in church so many times that we all have gifts which we must use to further God’s kingdom. But I, like many others, had probably volunteered for ‘jobs’ that needed doing rather than finding out what God had blessed and equipped me with to do.
The servant course allowed time to explore what my gifts and passions really are and as a result I have actually stopped doing some things, said NO to others and focused on the things I can and enjoy doing. It has given me a freedom to do the things God wants me to do not what the things others were pushing my way.
I pray that everyone does the course, even if it means that lots of ‘jobs’ are left vacant as a result. We will become a stronger more supportive family if we do.
I had heard many good reports on the Servant Course since it was introduced in Walton. Parish. The time seemed right for me recently to sign up. I was very touched by the way the leaders worked together and the ease with which they worked as a team to deliver this course. It consists of an introduction to the course contents on the Friday evening, including a relaxed supper, followed by a day of exploration on the Saturday.
Although I had some awareness of what my God-given spiritual gifts might be the course confirmed this. The ‘Personal Style’ part of the course was one of the most interesting parts of the day for me not just in terms of confirming my own personal style but also to get to know the personal style of the other participants on the course. I do feel that this knowledge as a church aids communication and understanding.
There is a lot to ponder on after the course and the book that accompanies the course is a very helpful resource.
I believe we are fortunate as a parish to have the course running for us and would recommend it if you haven’t already done it and are thinking it might be for you.
On returning home from something like this it usually takes me a long time to wind down but I felt at peace. I was struck by how cherished I felt – it’s because of the authentic love that was present through the Holy Spirit.
May 2017
I found the Servant Course to be refreshingly honest, very interesting, numerous & very to the point. It was good getting to know the other people on the group.
June 2017
I found the course to be enlightening and inspiring as well as learning how many Spiritual Gifts that are mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments.
This, along with the discussions with the other members on the course, helped me affirm what gifts I have and, therefore, how best I could use them to support the work of the parish.
The great thing was that amongst us there was a wide range of gifts which re-enforced St. Paul’s teaching that we are the ‘Body of Christ’ each having a part to play to help deliver God’s mission in our parish.
Oct 2016