“I was a little faithful lump that sat in the pew every Sunday and knew all the hymns. I didn’t really think about what I was saying or why I was saying it, I just did it.”
If you have ever been to Power in the Spirit you may not believe that the quote above was spoken by Elizabeth Smythe.
With a humble, yet feisty stage presence, Elizabeth Smythe stands in front of hundreds of Lutherans every summer as she is introduced as the coordinator of Power in the Spirit.
Power in the Spirit is an annual adult faith formation event that draws more than 300 participants to explore God’s mission and ministry at Roanoke College.
Elizabeth Smythe during Power in the Spirit 2013 with Michael Card, the musical entertainment that year.
At the opening of the event, the crowd sees before them a confident woman with a sweet southern accent, who not only commands attention but also knows how to inspire laughter. That moment in front of the masses may be where her face has become recognizable, but each year Smythe works for months behind the scenes to prepare everything that go into organizing the impressive event.
Thirteen years ago Elizabeth Smythe would never have been able to imagine herself taking on such a leadership role. Thirteen years ago she described herself as a “little faithful lump.”
So what happened?
In 2002, Smythe took her first ACTS course and in the fall of 2004 she received her certificate that signified that she completed all six courses that the Virginia Synod ACTS Program required for completion.
“It gave me confidence,” she said. “It gave me a firm footing about who I am as a Lutheran and what that means in my life. ACTS made me understand that who I am and what I have to offer as a Christian are really important assets to the whole ministry of Christianity.”
“ACTS made me realize that if Jean asked me to do Power in the Spirit, I really could do it. It gave me courage,” she said.
The Jean that asked Smythe to consider taking over Power in the Spirit was Jean Bozeman, who was then the assistant to the bishop and the founder of the ACTS program.
ACTS is an acronym that stands for Ambassadors Community for Theological Study. The ACTS brochure explains that ACTS provides theological grounding for people who are seeking a deeper, more knowledgeable faith.
The Rev. Dr. Phyllis Milton is the Synodical Minister for Christian Formation for the Virginia Synod and is the current ACTS director.
“People who choose to participate in the ACTS program see their faith grow because their knowledge is expanded,” she said.
“They gain a passion for what they are studying and they want to act on that. For instance in our upcoming course we will be talking about marginalization in the New Testament. Hopefully they will gain a passion for marginalized people in their own communities.”
For a person to complete the ACTS program and to receive a certificate of recognition, six courses are required: Old Testament, New Testament, Foundation of Lutheran Theology (Confessions), Biblical Models of Leadership, Spirituality and Leadership, and the Christian’s Call Today.
There are two ACTS courses offered each year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Each course consists of two large group sessions held on Saturdays and five small group sessions that are held in the evenings.
While the basic topic of the six courses offered remains the same, new themes and speakers are used with each course to offer a new perspective.
The 2014 Fall ACTS Course at First Lutheran Church in Norfolk Taught by Mark Allen Powell
As Milton mentioned, the spring ACTS course for 2015 will be “In the Shadows of the New Testament” and will focus on the New Testament texts from the perspective of those who are often forgotten by history: women, enslaved persons, persons living in poverty, etc.
The Saturday sessions on March 14 and April 25 will be taught by The Rev. Dr. Katherine Shaner, the Assistant Professor of New Testament at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. She holds a B.A. from Luther College in English and German, an M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School, a certificate of Lutheran Studies from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, and a Th.D. in New Testament and Early Christian History from Harvard Divinity School.
After the largest course in the history of the Virginia Synod in the fall, the spring is sure to bring a large crowd. To accommodate for the widespread interest across the state, this ACTS course will be offered LIVE at Grace Lutheran Church in Waynesboro and will be simulcast via Skype at St. Mark Lutheran in Yorktown and at Holy Trinity Lutheran in Wytheville.
“We are all at different levels in our faith journey and ACTS provides a place for people to grow and for people to put that knowledge into action,” said Milton.
Pastors will often use these classes for continued education and others, like Smythe once did, may use these classes to explore for the first time the traditions of their own faith.
“It’s one of the best programs I have ever been involved in,” Smythe said. “Enrolling in an ACTS course would be a giant step forward for anyone”
“Now I am a questioning, connected Lutheran. Now I know what I have learned through ACTS, but I know how much there is still to be learned.”
You can not only see the influence of ACTS in Elizabeth Smythe as an individual, but also in the faith formation event that she coordinates. Each year the caliber of speakers, small group workshops, and musical guests at Power in the Spirit is highly impressive.
This year at Power in the Spirit, July 9-11 at Roanoke College, the band Lost and Found is lined up for the musical entertainment.
Regular attendees of Power in the Spirit may recognize that the event is not just one of consumerism. The 3 day event is one meant not only for personal growth, but also for empowering people to take back what they have learned and apply it in their own churches.
It seems like there is more than one common thread between these two Virginia Synod events.
The deadline to register for the Spring ACTS course is Friday, Feb. 13. Click here for a flyer with details and prices and go online to vasynod.org/ACTS to register.
If you are reading this and your excitement just deflated because you missed the registration date, contact Lenae Osmondson, the administrative assistant in the eastern office of the Bishop, by emailing osmondson@vasynod.org or call 757-622-9421. Don’t let the cost deter you from taking advantage of this opportunity, there is need-based financial aid available.
“I know that the congregations of our Synod have an assortment of opportunities to choose from, in which to invest their time and money for educational and spiritual growth to become better Ambassadors for Christ but I think ACTS is a wise investment of time, money and effort,” Milton said.
“If we step out in faith and seek to equip ourselves, God provides opportunities for us to serve.”
If you have any questions about ACTS please contact osmondson@vasynod.org. More information about the 2015 Power in the Spirit will be released in the coming months.
