Adult Discipleship Ministries
At Grace Church, we recognize several keys to becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ. Among these is Discipleship, which is the process by which we grow in our knowledge and understanding of who we are, what call God has on us, and how we can best respond to that call. Our Adult Discipleship ministries aim to nurture faith through a number of different venues, including small groups, Sunday morning classes, and periodic short-term studies highlighting specific fundamentals of the Christian faith.
WHAT'S NEW...
It's a word you hear all the time in church settings--"stewardship." Most often, it is used simply to mean fundraising or charity. It's a word that sends many of us ducking for cover, because we've learned from experience that we're going to be asked to cough up some money. But there's much more behind the biblical use of this rich and illustrative word. The Bible's call to stewardship is at the heart of God's relationship with every one of us, and affects every aspect of our lives. This study goes back to square one and uses history. literature, and Jesus' [parables to build a sound understanding of what stewardship is all about, and why it's so vital.
Learn to Write Devotionals:
Karen Heslink will be offering this summer Sunday school class at the 10 – 11 am hour. Participants will analyze the components of devotional writing (like the entries in Our Daily Bread, and the Cup of Comfort books), practice writing devotionals, learn critiquing strategies, group share and possibly publish! All those interested in trying this writing genre are encouraged to attend! No experience necessary. Open to anyone who has completed at least 6th grade! Please sign up on the board in the Narthex or the Family Life Center.
Extreme Devotion Downloadable Study Guide: (to be used in conjunction with the book Extreme Devotion, published by The Voice of the Martyrs.) We owe it to our persecuted brothers and sisters to educate ourselves and our neighbors about their plight, and then to use the freedoms we enjoy to provide them comfort and support. But there is also much that we ourselves can gain from an increased awareness of worldwide persecution. In important ways, our freedoms have made us soft, and too often we lack the fortitude and boldness demonstrated by those who risk all to worship the One True God. They can remind us that faith in Christ is worth suffering for.
ON-LINE ADULT DISCIPLESHIP RESOURCES: Grace Church now maintains four blogsites dedicated to keeping adult members and guests informed of current events, resources, and ministry opportunities. CONNECTIONS: general discipleship; REACH: outreach news & opportunities; CIRCUIT RIDER: small group resources & strategies; E-VANGEL: thoughts from the Director of Adult Ministries.
Downloadable study guides: In addition to its library of purchased small group curricula, we have produced a number of in-house studies. These are now available to download in PDF format:
Freedom of Simplicity Study Guide Intended to be used as a companion to Richard Foster's Book, Freedom of Simplicity, this study explores tghe biblical call to a Christ-centred life, free from the stresses and strains that often spring from our modern, fast-paced lifestyle.
Here I Am to Worship Study Guide This in-depth investigation into the purpose and practice of worship goes back to the Bible to find the scriptural roots of worship. It covers what God himself has to say about acceptible and unacceptible worship, and why we do the things we do in our worship services.
The Essential 100 Journal This daily journal is intented to be used alongside the book The Essential 100 Challenge, which consists of 100 daily reading of the Bible's most essential passages.
Living Out of Control This study takes a comprehensive look at a much-neglected biblical principle--the discipline of Christian submission. Learn the joys and benefits that come from the proper practice of this often misunderstood concept.
Extreme Devotion Written as a companion to the book Extreme Devotion, this study guide introduces readers to the sober but important topic of persecution. In it, we learn important lesson about faith and perseverence.
ONGOING EDUCATIONAL MINISTRIES:
Small Groups
At Grace UMC we believe that discipline and accountability are keys to spiritual maturity and therefore we encourage all of our members and guests to be active participants in a small group fellowship. We offer many ongoing groups that focus specifically on study, prayer, support, and service. In addition, we occasionally offer church-wide studies that provide an opportunity for new groups to come together on a short-term basis. Click here to go to our new Small Group Ministries page, which lists all our current groups as well as providing guidelines and resources for group leaders. Or click here to let us know you are interested in connecting with a small group.
Adult Sunday School
Grace Church offers a variety of Adult Sunday School classes which meet either from 8:45-10:00 am, or from 10:00-11:00. Our current offerings include:
8:45, The Adult Forum: A general-interest class that convenes to study a wide variety of short-term topics;
8:45, The International Class: Uses the International Bible Lesson series of adult studies;
8:45, The Healing Prayer Team: Meets to study topics related to Grace’s Healing Ministry;
10:00, The Grace Class: Another general-interest class that discusses a variety of topics, commonly using recently published guides.
Grace Church Contact: Bruce Heydt
ALPHA
ALPHA is for everyone interested in finding out more about the fundamentals of the Christian faith. It is especially well-suited for newcomers to the church and Christians who want to brush up on the basics. It explores key questions, such as: what is the meaning of life? What happens when we die? Who Is Jesus? And how and why should I read the Bible? Grace Church Contact: Mike Wilson
SHAPE
God has designed each of us for a purpose, and equipped us to accomplish the work he created us for. The SHAPE program is designed to help members and guests identity their own special talents and prepare them for service in the name of Christ. Grace Church Contact: Lisa Horst
Disciple Bible Study
Disciple is based on the premise that the Bible is the key to renewal in the church and maturity on the part of every Christian. During this 34-week study, participant explore the Bible from Genesis through Revelation, reading about 70% of the entire Bible along the way. Disciple calls on persons to submit themselves to examination by scripture, place themselves under the power of the Holy Spirit, and be transformed by God’s word. Grace Church Contact: Bruce Heydt
Healing & Wholeness Ministry
The purpose of the Healing & Wholeness ministry is three-fold:
• to help one another experience spiritual union with God through Jesus Christ;
• to help one another maintain a harmonious balance between body, mind, and spirit;
• to help one another restore or repair the body, mind, spirit, and relationships when imbalance, disease, or lack of harmony are present.
The Healing Ministry offers a monthly Wednesday evening service of healing, and is also available by appointment to minister to special needs. Grace Church Contact: Peggy Manning
UPCOMING EVENTS:
