Josh Moore & Jim Morrison have recently stepped in to serve as co-leaders of Adult Discipleship. Together with their committee, they plan and teach Adult Sunday School and other opportunities for adults to grow in their walk with Christ. Last week we featured Jim Morrison, and this week Josh thoughtfully answered some of our questions and gave us a better insight into his life and how he’s serving All Saints’ Church!

What brought you to ASC and what drew you to serve?

When Sarah and I moved to the area, we knew we wanted to visit an Anglican church. Waiting on our doorstep when we moved in was a new copy of the Yellow Pages. We paged through and All Saints’ was the first Anglican church listed. We visited our first weekend and never went anywhere else. Once at All Saints’, it was only a matter of time before I was asked to serve in various ministries. Over time, that has focused into serving with Adult Discipleship by teaching and leading. 

What is your role as an Adult Discipleship Leader? 

In practical terms, Jim and I complement each other with gifts, interests, and time availability. Working together, we’ve been able to have a presence at staff meetings without an Adult Discipleship staff member. We’ve also been regularly meeting with Fr. Scott since neither of us is on staff. We also work with the rest of the committee to find new teachers and leaders to come join us. 

Why Anglicanism?

I grew up in the Baptist tradition and didn’t encounter most of the broader church until college. When I did, I quickly began to appreciate a more formalized liturgy and written communal prayers. Then I spent a semester in England where I encountered a specifically Anglican liturgy. The liturgy strongly resonated with me, but my initial experiences in Anglican services left me wondering how much many of those around me in the pews actually believed what the liturgy said. It left me with a hope to find a church where I could have both the beautiful and powerful liturgy and people who really believed it. I have consistently found that at All Saints’. 

What is the process for deciding what to study for Adult Education? 

As a group, we try to listen for where God is leading All Saints’ and how we can best follow and help others to follow as well. We work with Fr. Scott to give guidance on where he sees God leading so we are in agreement with his vision. And, we try to be responsive to requests from fellow parishioners. 

What are you currently reading?

One book I’m currently reading is “The Good and Beautiful God” by James Bryan Smith. And anyone who is interested is welcome to come read it with me, we meet in the Bishop’s Conference room on Sunday mornings at 9:45. I’m also a little more than halfway through my 2nd Circumnavigation of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin series. 

What book or author has had the biggest impact on your walk with Christ?

For me, that would be the Book of Common Prayer. Over the last ten years or so, I’ve worked with varying degrees of success to follow the BCP’s pattern of daily prayer. At times, it’s been a blessing, at others a chore, and more than once I’ve wondered if it was helping much at all. But seeing formation in the short term has been rare in my life, and in the long term, I can truthfully say that it has made an enormous impact on who I am and what my faith looks like. 

What is your favorite part of the Bible to study/read?

For the last couple of years, I think I’ve spent more time in the Psalms than anywhere else. This is partly because of the breadth of emotion and language that the Psalms show us for interacting with God. But it has also been because in finding sung versions of the Psalms, they have entered into my head and heart in a different way than just reading does. So, I frequently find psalms, or portions of psalms, coming to mind unbidden as I go through my day, particularly in moments when they are a help or comfort. 

How can we pray for you? 

Parenting young children is tiring. Doing that while serving the church can be more tiring. More than once during an Adult Discipleship meeting, I’ve done my best to focus while our three girls were upstairs seemingly interested in seeing how loud it was possible for them to be. I’d say that Sarah and I both, and probably any other parent you see serving in some way at church, would appreciate prayers for good rest. 

Fun facts?

I love board games, though I struggle to find and make time to play them regularly. The favorite for Sarah and I recently has been Splendor Duel.