People at St. Paul's have the opportunity to grow their faith in a variety of ways. Here are some of the special studies offered this fall:

• Disciple IV ... the best book discussion group ever
• Past Studies

For more information, follow a link above or scroll down ...

DISCIPLE I: Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study

34 weeks, beginning Friday, January 6
9:30-Noon, Room 132

If you've ever thought of taking Disciple, come learn more at our information session!

• 17 weeks of Old Testament completed by May
• 17 weeks of New Testament beginning in September

Come experience this exciting overview of the Bible.
Led by Nancy Fidler and Brenda Younker

Childcare available

DISCIPLE IV: The New Testament
The Gospel of John, The Letters of John, & Revelation

Sunday evenings, October 2-February 12
6:30-11:30 p.m., Room 132

Please join us as we explore the writings and teachings of John. Please contact Susan Sonye with questions or to enroll (get her contact information from the Church office).

Falling Upward:  A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life
by Richard Rohr
Led by Rev. Latha Ravi
Mondays - a six-week class starting January 9, 2012
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., Room 132

Most of us tend to think of the second half of life as largely about getting old, dealing with health issues, and letting go of life, but the whole thesis of this book is exactly the opposite.

What looks like falling down can largely be experienced as "falling upward." In fact, it is not a loss but somehow actually a gain, as we have all seen with elders who have come to their fullness.

…. we grow spiritually much more by doing wrong than by doing right--a fresh way of thinking about spirituality that grows throughout life."

God's Echo
by Sandy Sasso
Led by Rev. Latha Ravi
Thursdays - a six-week class beginning on January 19, 2012
1:00 p.m., Parlor

We will be studying midrash.  Midrash is the discovety of meanings other than literal ones in the Hebrew Bible.  It is derived from the root darash (to inquire). 

Bring your Bibles and get ready to investigate and really delve into scripture.  Learn amazing stories from the Hebrew Bible that will "change for the better the way we all look at Scripture. 

Not as magic but as spiritual meaning for our times.  Not as mystery, but as a new and real presence in our own lives."  Sister Joan Clhittister

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PAST STUDIES

All-Church Sunday Morning Lenten Study
Opening Ourselves to Grace

The adult Sunday school classes looked at God’s Grace – what it is, how it works in our lives, and some practical ways we can experience it more fully.

Again this year, St. Paul's offered Parenting with Love and Logic classes.

Imagine Life God's Way: Life Lessons from the Parables
June /July 2011

We seek to uncover vital life lessons from Jesus’ parables.

Summer Bible Studies for Women, Men and Teens
An opportunity for women, moms, dads and teens to come together one night a week to fellowship, gather in a small discussion group and talk about how we put our Faith First. The studies all had a common theme: When we keep our eyes on God, He can do something bigger than ourselves, in and through us.

Gathering in the Garden
A series of thought-provoking ideas, wonderful music, and fun around the Faith First theme: Way Out in the World -- Expressing our Faith in the Community and the World.

Scripture by the Fountain
An easy way to connect with the Bible during the work week, we gained insights for our lives by examining how the scripture passage for Sunday speaks to us, what the scholars say about the context, setting, and purpose of the text, and some basic language and linguistics observations.