Fall 2008 Adult Christian Education News

Southminster has several adult groups that meet each Sunday and during the week for study, prayer, fellowship and mutual support.  Each of these groups welcomes newcomers, visitors, school parents (and grandparents), and friends from the community.   Child care is often available for groups that meet at the church.  [Please contact Kathy Coble, Church Child Care Coordinator for more information].

Please check out the Fall 2008 Adult Christian Education Offerings that are listed below.  We're sure you will find something to interest you and we look forward to having you participate with us.  For more information contact the individual group leader or one of the Pastors for more information. 

1. Rally Day:  On Sunday, August 24 at 10:15, all members and friends of Southminster are invited to gather in the sanctuary to “Walk with Jesus” into a new church program year.  Teachers and classes will be introduced at this time, and then children and youth may leave with their teachers for a fun, abbreviated first Sunday School class of the year.  Adults will find many opportunities to Walk with Jesus in the Fellowship Hall, where classes, study groups, and ministry teams will have        information and sign-up sheets for the coming season.  Please join in the ministry of Southminster on this exciting day.  Feel free to contact Rev. Becky Downs at the church for more information, or if you’d like to reserve a table to display your ministry on Rally Day.

2.  Adult Sunday School Offerings, Fall 2008

 3.  Other Adult Discipleship Opportunities

·          ChristCare Groups

·          W.O.W. (Women on Wednesdays)

·          Horizons Bible Study

·          Bethel Bible Study

·          Evensong

·          Men’s Morning Group

·          Midweek Manna (Resumes on  Wednesday, September 10th!)

·          Special interest groups (Book Group, Ministers of the Cloth, Bridge Group, etc.)

***See insert for a complete description of the above classes and Christian Education programs***

August-October Classes

·        Presbyterian 101:  What does it mean to be Presbyterian?  Where did our denomination come from?  This dynamic class, taught by Jon Schwartz and David Bauer, will help us to better understand our traditions and history.  The class will meet in room 356.

 

·        Wired Word:  Confront the news with scripture and with hope.  Each week, the Wired Word class takes a VERY current topic—usually something that’s been prominent in the news that week—and examines it from a Christian perspective.  All are welcome to join this group of very caring, (mostly) younger adults.  The class meets in room 358.

 

·        American Christianity and American Politics:  The role of individual faith and religion in the American  political process is one of the prominent issues that voters will bring into the polling booths on November 4^th.  Join us as we discuss, debate, and seriously consider the intersection of faith, religion, and politics in America.  This eight week class will use Rev. Dr. Gregory Boyd’s recent book – The Myth of A Christian  Nation: How the Quest for Political Power is Destroying the Church – as a catalyst for discussion.  We’ll start out this discussion-based class with a overview of historical Christianity in America as a lead-in to the question that is at the heart of Rev. Boyd’s book – Could the quest for a Christian nation undermine the kingdom of God?  We’ll examine this challenging question from Biblical and historical perspectives.   Elder Scott Meddaugh will lead the discussion in room 359.

 

·        Sprinting Through the Bible:  Get a quick but thorough overview of the entire Bible in this eight week class.  You will come to understand the Bible as a coherent message of God’s dealings with humankind, the revelation of God’s amazing love for us, and as a presentation of God’s consistent redemptive plan for fallen humanity.  The Bible will be studied as literature, poetry, history, travel and drama.  If you feel like you’ve never really gotten the big picture, this is the class for you.  George Plummer will teach the class in room 360.  Check out the study plan and download class handouts here!

Looking Ahead:  November/December Classes

·          History and Culture of Jesus’ Time:  What was it really like to live in Jesus’ day?  This class will explore the physical, political, social and religious lives of people who lived when Jesus lived.  In so doing, you will come to a better understanding of the words and stories of the Bible itself. The video series “That The World May Know”, by Dr. Ray Vander Laan, will guide us in this class, led by Elders John Tomlinson and David Bauer.  The class will meet in room 356.

 

·          Wired Word:  see above.

 

·          Job and the Question of Suffering:  Why do people suffer?  And what does the Biblical witness have to say about suffering?  These questions are at the heart of this discussion-based class that will look at some of the many “answers” that appear in numerous places in the Bible such as the Wisdom books of Job and Ecclesiastes, the prophetic voices of Isaiah, and Jeremiah, as well as the words of Jesus and Paul.  We’ll also look at how various theologians have addressed the question of human suffering throughout the history of the Church.  We’ll use portions of Dr. Bart D. Erhmans’s recent book – God’s Problem – in an effort to at least begin to answer what Dr. Erhman calls our most important question – Why do people suffer?  Elder Scott Meddaugh will lead the discussion in room 359.

 

·          The Seven Churches of Revelation:  The book of Revelation continues to intrigue, mesmerize, and confuse followers of Jesus everywhere.  This class will study one element of the Book of Revelation, the messages given to the seven churches.  As those first ancient churches were confronted and challenged, so we hope you will also find practical advice and challenges in those words from God to the churches of today.  George Plummer will teach in room 360. This class has been been POSTPONED.  Please drop Becky or George Plummer a note if you are interested in this class.

 

Christian Ed Class Descriptions

 

Other Adult Discipleship Opportunities

 

·          ChristCare Groups are Christ-centered small discipleship groups (6-12 people) that meet for   approximately 90 minutes twice each month to build Christian friendships, care for each other, study God’s Word, pray and worship, and reach out in missional service to others.

 

·          W.O.W. (Women on Wednesdays) meets for Bible study every Wednesday morning at 9:00 and  will start up again for the fall on September 3.  The group will be studying 2 Corinthians.  Elders Jennifer Plummer and Leslie Crosley lead this group, which meets in the Choir Room.

 

·          Horizons Bible Study - Join us at the morning group in studying “Jubilee!”, Luke's Gospel for the Poor.  We meet in the Choir Room  the second Monday of each month at 9:30 a.m., beginning  September 8.  For further information contact Joyce Smith at 281-438-6103.

 

·          The Evening Horizons Group will study the short film series “Liquid.”  This group will meet in different group members’ homes at 7 p.m.  Locations will be announced in the bulletin each month.  Join us for a time of Bible study and fellowship.  For further information contact Ginger Jones at 281-835-9137. 

 

·          Bethel Bible Study meets on Wednesday evenings following Midweek Manna (about 7:30), beginning September 10.  Bethel will spend the year systematically studying the New Testament.   Don't miss the first lesson covering the period from about 400BC to 1AD, when nothing happened. . . . . . . . .Or did it????  Elder John Tomlinson and John Ryan lead this group, which meets in room 356.

 

·          Evensong meets year-round on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. in the chapel.  Evensong is a small group worship experience which incorporates scripture reading and discussion, prayer, liturgy, music, and Holy Communion.  Elder Julie MacLemore leads this group.

 

·          Men’s Morning Group meets 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 9:00—10:30am.  They rotate members homes for meetings.  This is a gathering of men for the purpose of sharing meaningful thought and ideas about their lives, interests, dreams, goals, concerns, and joys. 

 

·          Midweek Manna

  Bethel Bible Study

  Evensong

  Evening Classes

  Middle School Youth Group

  Chancel Choir Rehearsal

 

·          Special Interest Groups/Ministries

  Book Group

  Woodworking/Stained Glass

  Ministers of the Cloth

  Bridge Group

  Adult Handbell Choir

  GraceNotes

  Chancel Choir