The Radix Project invites participants of all ages into small groups for scripture study and prayer in a space intended to foster trust and connection with one another and God.


EASTERTIDE 2024 

Holy Movement: Exploring Journey and Pilgrimage in Scripture

Our Scriptures abound with stories of holy movement—people guided by the Spirit’s call to strike out on a journey to discover God, discover oneself anew, and to see the world with fresh eyes. Radix 12 will draw from six scripture passages that bear witness to how a journey changed their lives, and by extension, all who have followed in their footsteps as people of faith.

OPENING PLENARY: SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 7–8 P.M., online via Zoom only
Join Dean Thomason and the Radix planning team for a reflection on the role of journey and pilgrimage in scripture and in our own lives.

SMALL GROUPS MEET: ONCE A WEEK STARTING THE WEEK OF APRIL 22, THROUGH MAY 27 (Zoom or In Person).

Sunday groups begin April 28 and conclude on June 2.  *New* meeting time this season -- Sundays at 12:30 p.m. 

Registration required; deadline to register April 12.

Check out Dean Thomason's video invitation to the Eastertide 2024 offering of The Radix Project below:

Radix is an opportunity for people to participate at various times of the year as an ongoing part of their spiritual life. Radix participants regularly share how small groups have been formative to their faith journey. Below are comments shared from Radix participants:

“Radix is nourishing in a way that I didn't expect a virtual small group could be. I first participated during Covid when I felt especially isolated and met the most generous and interesting group of people. Not only does Radix provide new insights and references, but everyone is willing to sit together in moments of discomfort and struggle and support each other. Radix allows me to strengthen my connection not only to St. Marks but also to the community within.”
—Hannah
“I love getting to explore familiar passages with new eyes. I find that the intergenerational nature of the group brings such unique perspectives, life experiences, and wisdom to each passage, discussion question, and piece of art.”
—Kate
“Reading, reflecting and discussing scripture passages and art helps me dig deeper to explore new perspectives on familiar scripture passages and discover the meaning of Scripture for our lives today.  Radix helps me find a deeper personal connection to our parish community by introducing me to parishioners I have not met before and by encouraging me to get to know them better.  As we share stories of our lives, engage in earnest conversation about scripture, and pray for each other over six successive weeks and beyond, we build a small community of friends in Christ, grounded in mutual trust, confidentiality, and prayer.   My encounters in Radix with parishioners who are active in various ministries inspire and encourage me to become more active in ministry at St. Mark’s.”
—Bob

 

About the Radix Project

What is a small group? A group of people gathered to get to know one another through shared stories, scripture, and prayer. It is not a working group and you don’t have to be a biblical scholar to participate. Radix is about getting to know scripture with one another through our shared stories and connections with God.

What is the format?
Each Radix series starts with an opening plenary (a meeting attended by all Radix participants) introducing the theme. Groups, guided by a facilitator, meet for six weeks, which offers the opportunity to get to know one another. Each session is 90 minutes with the opportunity for discussion, reflection, art, and prayer.

Do I have to be a member of Saint Marks?
No. Radix is open to anyone interested. Some of our participants have even joined out of state.

Why “Radix”?
The name for this communal effort—The Radix Project—draws on the Latin word for “root,” which is radix. Jesus modeled small group relationships in his life and ministry, and the early Church was structured on small groups who worshipped, prayed, and cared for one another.

Those are our roots, and in our time, when so many pressures of modern life leave us feeling alone and isolated, Christian community offers us a tangible way of entering into relationships rooted in trust and mutuality. The root word, radix, also gives rise to the oft-touted word we hear a lot these days—radical. A radical is not one who goes their separate way, doing their own thing. A radical is one who is so well-grounded with deep roots that they are able to stretch out to the fringes of existence and offer us all a different way of being in the world. We speak of radical hospitality or radical welcome because we claim our deep roots of this life in Christ, and we are willing to claim a radical vision for our lives and for the world. Radix groups reveal this connection in tangible and life-giving ways.

When did Radix start?
In January of 2020, before we ever knew about a pandemic, Saint Mark's launched The Radix Project: Small Groups/Deep Roots. For that first offering, more than 150 people in 18 small groups met weekly for six weeks to share their stories, reflect on Holy Scripture and sacred art, and pray for one another with intention. This format lent itself perfectly to the transition to an online-only offering when the pandemic happened, and groups met via Zoom for subsequent series in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, we began offering in-person and Zoom options.

Click here to view previous Radix Project themes.

 Selected previous Radix Project themes: 

Click here to view video and materials from previous Radix series.

  • Radix 1:  Small Groups, Deep Roots (January–February 2020)
  • Radix 2: Post-Resurrection Narratives (Spring 2020)
  • Radix 3: The Role of Surprise in the Spiritual Journey (Fall 2020)
  • Radix 4: Stories of Salvation (January–February 2021)
  • Radix 5:  Centering Women's Voices (Spring 2021)
  • Radix 6: Encounters with God in Times of Transition (Fall 2021)
  • Radix 7:  Doing Justice, Loving Mercy (January–February 2021)
  • Radix 8: Creation, Community, and Connection (Fall 2022)
  • Radix 9: Hope in Hard Times (January–February 2023)
  • Radix 10: Gratitude (Spring 2023)
  • Radix 11: Courageous Ancestors of Faith: Ruth and Esther (Fall 2023)