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| Spiritual Formation Classes & Studies
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 The Christian life is not static. It is a journey - a journey that involves learning and growing and being transformed into the likeness of Jesus. The Spiritual Formation Ministry Team at Saint Mark UMC put together a number of offerings in our adult education and spiritual formation program referred to as "Growing YOU". This program is for all adults in our church at every level of spiritual maturity. Its simple mission is to "lead people into a growing relationship with Christ by providing practical opportunities for spiritual growth." Many of the Spiritual Formation studies and other opportunities take place in a small group setting where there is more opportunity for discussion and the participants often discover that they develop close bonds with each other during their time together.
Our "Growing YOU" schedule of classes follows a “quarter” system. Each quarter, Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer we will offer new learning opportunities for you to select from, both long and short term. Are you growing as a disciple of Christ? Below are descriptions for some of the small group studies that will be offered during our Winter - Spring quarter of “Growing YOU" to assist you as you grown in faith and as Jesus' disciple.
SUNDAY MORNING CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Sunday School classes meet on a weekly basis and offer a place to connect with others and grow in faith. Together each group determines the topics for study. You are welcome to visit on any Sunday. There is no need to register for these classes. The class listed below is a new class that was formed since the initial "Growing YOU" information booklet came out in August, 2007.
Please click here for a list of all other adult Sunday School classes.
OUR NEWEST ADDITION TO OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL LINEUP:
COLLEGE CLASS AND CAREERS CLASS (also known as Fish Sticks) for college students and young (late teens and 20’s)employed people.
Curriculum: Topical studies targeting the faith life of young adults. If your young adult comes home for holidays, this is a class they will enjoy.
Location: 100A – Library
Contact: Andy and Lisi Campbell – 864/710-8942 (Andy’s cell) or 864/710-5821 (Lisi’s cell)
ONGOING SMALL GROUPS
Men for Christ (meet Wednesday mornings at 6:30 am from August through May. For more information, contact Jeff Childress)
Covenant Groups These are groups of 4-8 people who "covenant" together to help each other move to the next level on their faith journey. Each group will be able to select a structure to help facilitate growth, support and accountability. Are you ready for this next step?
SPIRITUAL FORMATION
The mark of a maturing Christian is that he/she is intentional about finding ways to grow in faith and Christlikeness. You will discover many different opportunities to learn and grow through the variety of classes, workshops and retreats that are offered at Saint Mark. Listed below, you will find the small group study offerings for Winter and Spring 2008. You WILL need to register to attend these studies.
The two COMPANIONS IN CHRIST small ggroup studies will continue through spring of 2008. The Tuesday morning group meets with Lynn Dobson at 9:15 am and the Thursday evening group meets with Joyce Carney and Toby Childress at 6:00 pm, both meeting in the Acts classroom (A204). If you were’t able to sign up for this year’s Companions series, but would like to participate at a later date, we will plan to offer this popular spiritual formation small group study beginning in the fall of 2008. Let us know if you are interested.
THE LETTERS OF PAUL is a 16-week study based on the last half of the Disciple III Bible study series. It covers the thirteen letters traditionally attributed to Paul. Through the study of this apostle’s letters, we gain insight not only into the expansion of the church from its Jewish roots into the Greco-Roman world but also insight into the struggles of the earliest Christian communities as we explore Paul’s wrestling with their conflicts, problems, successes and failures. The course offers a disciplined and structured way to approach this important part of our New Testament. There is no prerequisite.
Day and Time: Tuesday evenings at 7:00 pm, beginning on January 8, 2008.
Cost: $30 (includes the cost of the study manual) If you attended the Old Testament Prophets study in the fall, you will not need to pay the $30 fee for the Disciple III book.
Facilitator: Pastor Steve Morgan
PROACTIVE PARENTING: DISCIPLINE WITH CHILDREN AND TEENS. As a follow up to the popular series offered in the fall, we are going to continue to assist parents with the sometimes difficult task of raising children. This next 6-week series will help parents develop reasonable boundaries, limits, and consequences for their children at each stage of childhood development. Sessions deal with setting limits, determining consequences together, parenting as a team, and empowering your children. Parents, don’t miss this great opportunity!
Day and Time: Wednesdays, January 9, 16, 23, 30, February 6 and 13 from 6:00 - 7:00 pm (during CROSS Club for Kids). You may want to eat supper at 5:30 pm in the Saint Mark Center, then attend the class at 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $10 (per individual and no extra cost for a couple)
Facilitator: Sandy James
THE JESUS I NEVER KNEW is a 14-week series that answers the question, “How does the Jesus of the New
Testament compare to the ‘new, rediscovered’ Jesus of today’s generation, the Jesus we think we know so well?” This popular series uncovers a Jesus who is brilliant, creative, challenging, fearless, compassionate, unpredictable and ultimately satisfying. This honest book will help you discover a different Jesus from the flannel graph Sunday school figure, the sweetly smiling Victorian Savior, and all the cultural clichés that have tamed Jesus and kept Him in comfortable religious boxes.
Day and Time: Wednesday evenings, January 23 through April 30 from 6:00 – 7:30 pm.
Cost: $15 (includes the book and study materials)
Facilitator: Fred Axelberd
The SCHOOL OF PRAYER is an 18-week series (done in 3 parts – fall, winter and spring) that explores the breadth and depth of the prayer experience. Topics will include barriers to prayer, components of prayer and expanding the definition of prayer. The ultimate objective of the study is to be able to experience prayer as more than act, but as a lifestyle. You may attend one or both of the two remaining 6-week series. It is not required that you attended the fall series of classes to attend the next two 6-week series.
Day and Time: Tuesdays evenings from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. The winter series begins on February 19 and continues
through March 25. The spring series will be from April 16 – May 20.
Cost: $10 per six-week series (includes the study materials)
Facilitator: Marla Fuller
THE DNA OF RELATIONSHIPS How you feel about life often boils down to how you feel about your relationships. In this 8-week study, based on the book by relationship expert Gary Smalley, you will learn how we are designed for relationships with others, with ourselves, and with God. This is part of our relational DNA. When relationships are balanced and healthy life is good, but too often we live with strained, damaged, and broken relationships and the pain can be unbearable. In this study you will learn to take personal responsibility, create safe environments, keep your battery charged, listen with the heart, and adopt a no-losers policy. When you are committed to healthy relationships, you could very well change your world, one relationship at a time.
Days and Time: Thursdays, March 6, 13, 20, 27, April 3, 17, 24 and May 1 from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $15 (include the book and study materials)
Facilitator: Pastor Jeff Childress
BILL MOYERS ON FAITH AND REASON is a 10-week study. Are fear and violence the inevitable consequence of clashing beliefs, or is a more tolerant world possible? Bill Moyers on Faith and Reason explores this question with leading thinkers on the relationships between religious fundamentalism and democracy, equality, and human rights. Bill Moyers talked with writers from around the world about Faith & Reason. His guests include Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Martin Amis, Colin McGinn, and more. Our study will be based on these interesting and thought provoking discussions.
Day and Time: TBA
Cost: $10 (includes the study materials)
Facilitator: TBA
MEDITATION is a training event that will take place on four consecutive days. The course is Christian oriented and mantra based. You will receive individual and small group instruction. The course will begin on Saturday with individual instruction. The next three consecutive evenings, you will receive group instruction. On the first day you will learn how to meditate. On the second, third and fourth days you will learn why, how, when and where to meditate.
Days and Time: March 8, 9, 10 and 11 at 7:30 pm, except on March 8, which will be by appointment.
Facilitator: Bonnie Holmes
EXPLORING THE WAY: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY In an attempt to bring spiritual formation closer to you, we are going to offer a small group study in two or three different homes in three different neighborhoods during the Winter and Spring quarters. Exploring the Way is a prequel to the 28-week Companions in Christ core resource, this 6-week study provides an excellent introduction to the language of spiritual formation and some basic practices of the Christian spiritual life. No previous training or experience is required.
Day and Time: At location and time to be determined by the group.
Cost: $12.00 (includes book and study materials).
WINTER AFTERNOON RETREATS
THE ENNEAGRAM: A TOOL FOR SELF-UNDERSTANDING AND LIFE TRANSFORMATION The Enneagram is a self-discovery tool that can help you to identify those things that are blocking your progress in growing in faith and in maturity. This study will show you how to transcend your false self, and come to see yourself as God created you to be.
Day and Time: Sunday, January 27 from 12:30 – 6 pm (lunch included).
Cost: $15 (includes cost of lunch and printed materials).
Facilitator: Marla Fuller
THE PURSUIT OF WHOLENESS It is inevitable that our life circumstances (relationships, losses, trauma, etc.) will produce some level of “damage” to our psyche. Our life task as Christians is to be open to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, who can heal our woundedness. We will explore a variety of ways to assist God in the process of our healing and our progress toward wholeness.
Day and Time: Sunday, February 24 from 12:30 – 6 pm (lunch included).
Cost: $15 (includes cost of lunch and printed materials).
Facilitator: Marla Fuller
SPECIAL EVENTS . . . More Opportunities to Grow
Saint Mark offers special events with the expressed purpose of helping us to grow. Some events are annual, while others are one-time opportunities. If you are feeling the nudge to grow, you may want to start by attending one of these church-wide events.
ADULT STUDY MATERIALS Check out the church library, because we have lots of Bible Study series and topical studies to use in your class or small group. Remember that we have The Thoughtful Christian series in large binders with 1-2 week lessons on a wide range of to pies. You will also find a copy of the Resource Center Catalog that provides you with a wide variety of materials that you can check out from our South Carolina Conference Resource Center - at no cost - except for shipping. If you want to try something different, for a change of pace, check out the library or speak with Marla Fuller at 882-2603. Thanks to Charlie Garcia who has organized these materials in the library.
SPIRITUAL RENEWAL EVENT The Spiritual Formation Ministry theme for 2008 is “renewal” because Spiritual formation is all about renewal. If we become true followers of Jesus, it is incumbent upon us to allow God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to transform our lives from the inside out; that is we become more and more like the Christ we profess to follow. Transformation involves the renewing of our minds, our hearts, our characters, our priorities, our focus, our commitment, our intentions to become the persons God created us to be. In conjunction with our annual Saint Mark Festival the weekend of April 25, there will be a Spiritual Renewal Event covering several days. Watch for details.
For more information, please contact Marla Fuller at the church office (864) 882-2603.
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