Welcome to Deepen
Deepen is the third part of the Grow Circle journey. You might be here because you want to grow deeper roots in your relationship with God, or you want to be trained and equipped for something in your discipleship.
At St Paul’s, deepening looks like finding tools & resources which enable us to ponder, practise and change. Here’s what we have going on and how to get involved:
Resources for 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer
Recommended Reading
For all the Spiritual Disciplines, including Fasting, we highly recommend Richard Foster’s ‘Celebration of Discipline’ which gives a great foundation for why and how we can engage with the practice.
Rule of Life: Fasting Series
As part of the wider ‘Practising The Way’ Spotify Podcast, there are 5 episodes dedicated to Fasting.
The Bible Project: ‘Feasting & Fasting’
A great podcast episode from The Bible Project looking at the relationship of these two ancient practices.
Fasting Factsheet
What happens physically to our bodies when we fast? Have a read of our factsheet linked below.
Rule of Life - A Spiritual Formation Tool
One of the foundations for intentional Spiritual Formation is creating a Rule of Life. Below are two resources which might help you begin to shape your own - one more ‘high-tech’ from Practicing The Way and the other a pdf workbook which you can print off and use with paper and pen..!
Training & Courses
Prayer Ministry Training
Ministry in the power of the Spirit is at the heart of our practice at St Paul's, including at our Sunday morning gatherings. We aim for every member to be trained in prayer ministry, so that all are equipped to minister to each other well.
All regular members of the church are welcome to come along to our Training evenings - the next date is TBC so watch this space!
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Course
The EHS Course has been transformational for many in our church already. Over 8 weeks of material, the course gives biblical teaching on emotional health and tools & reflective questions. It helps us become emotionally healthy in ourselves and in our relationship with God and others.
Many of our Small Groups have completed the course over the past year. If you aren’t in a small group who are running the course but are interested in the course, get in touch below.
Guided Learning Courses
Is God calling you to deepen your pastoral skills? The Diocese of Gloucester has links to a variety of training opportunities. Here are some courses coming up soon:
Prayer & Personal Devotion Resources
‘Lectio 365’ from 24-7 Prayer
Lectio 365 is a free daily devotional resource created by the team at 24-7 Prayer which enables you to pray the Bible every day.
It’s available as an app with guided daily morning and evening prayers.
‘Everyday Faith’ from Church of England
Everyday Faith is a series of resources including prayers & reflections to enable you to connect with God in your daily life.
The Everyday Faith Portal is a digital resource which allows you to take ‘journeys’ through different topics each day which are relevant to your life.
‘St Paul’s Recommends’ Reading & Podcast List
Want to connect with God through reading but not sure where to start? We’ve gathered together a list of reading & podcast recommendations from different members of our church community.
Let us know if you have any recommendations which you think should be added!