Sunday School for Children

Advent offers grade level Children’s Sunday school for K3-5^th grade from 9:55 am -10:55 am in the Education Building.

Preschool Sunday School Is Rock Solid

Two teachers and two shepherds take turns staffing the preschool classrooms, and these caring teachers serve for year and create a comforting environment for our littlest Advent members. Singing and prayer time help our preschoolers learn how they, too, can connect to God. Then, snack time and playtime/share time help the children connect with one another!

Preschool Sunday School is also a wonderful time of learning, as the children are introduced to the stories of our faith. The Rock Solid curriculum offers an interactive story booklet and a fun page booklet for each lesson. And the children bring home their booklets every week, so parents can review the lessons with their children throughout the week!

Something B.I.G. Is Happening in Sunday School!

Our 1^st-5^th graders are divided by grade and each class is assigned 2 teachers and 2 shepherds who rotate each week.  Because our teacher’s are willing to serve every other week for a year, our children are able to bond with their leaders!  The elementary Sunday School teachers use a Cokesbury curriculum—Live B.I.G. (Believe in God)!  Every Live B.I.G. lesson is based on three truths.

• God is a great big God.

• God loves us with a great big love.

• We are part of God’s great big world.

Each week, the children will participate in activities that will help them connect to one another.  The children will have a chance to connect to God through Bible stories, worship songs, and prayer.  Also, each Live B.I.G. session includes a video segment, set in our time, that helps reinforce the stories from the Bible and helps the children see the relevance of God’s word in today’s world!  Each month, students will focus on a new theme, complete with a B.I.G. idea and a monthly Bible verse.

And be sure to check out the Live B.I.G. website www.ilivebig.com where parents can follow along with the weekly lessons!

Our Leaders Live B.I.G.

This year, your children will see familiar faces each Sunday. We have wonderful teachers who have committed an entire year to Advent’s Children’s Ministry. Each class will be led by 2 teachers who share the teaching duties. Additionally, each class has 2 or 3 shepherds who have also committed to a year of service. The consistency of leaders will help our children connect not only with each other but also connect more strongly with their leaders.

Live B.I.G. at Home

Cokesbury offers a kid’s booklet that is perfect to reinforce at home the lessons learned in Sunday School. These books are available for purchase for $6 and cover three months of materials. If you would like to order a booklet, you may leave the money with your shepherd this Sunday morning or drop it by the church office by Wednesday, September 1. If paying with cash, please have exact change. Or you can make a check payable to Advent and write Live B.I.G. in the memo line.

And be sure to check out the Live B.I.G. website at www.ilivebig.com. The site includes information on the monthly and weekly sessions as well as fun at-home activities including games, recipes, and more!

Sunday School for Adults

Connecting to others through Sunday school each Sunday at 8:30 am, 9:55 am, and 11:00 am, helps us develop our faith in the intimacy of small groups. Adults can choose from various groups ranging in age and class structure. All are devoted to deepening our spiritual connection to God and to each other.

• New Each Day at 8:30 am

The New Each Day class meets at 8:30 am and is especially for those early risers who attend worship at 9:55.
Group Leaders:  Steve & Lin Bloomquist
Location:  Christian Life Center, Room 207

• Adventurers at 9:55 am

The Adventurers enjoy some great discussion concerning our faith journey as we seek to apply God’s word into our daily lives. We celebrate the joys and help relieve the sorrows as we walk this journey together.  We enjoy getting involved with the missions of our church by helping sponsor various activities throughout the year. We also enjoy getting together for fellowship outside of class. Our ages range from late 20s to early 40s. Our class includes couples and a few singles. All are welcome to share teaching responsibilities as they feel led. With a name like Adventurers, we are always interested in a variety of studies that will generate significant, faith forming conversation and encourage us to be disciples in our families and communities.
Group Leader:  Kellie Alexander
Location:  Christian Life Center, Room 202

• Effective Living at 9:55 am

The Effective Living is a class for adults who seek to broaden and deepen their spiritual walk. Ages range from 40’s and beyond. We have quarterly social gatherings usually involving food.
Group Leader:  Lisa Dantzler
Location:  Christian Life Center, Room 204

• Gleaners at 9:55 am

If you are young or young at heart; if you’re single or married; if you have children or none, then you fit right in with the Gleaners! We share an interest in scripture based studies and lively discussions.  For those willing, we offer the opportunity to lead a classroom teaching and discussion session during a course of study.  We are also passionate about demonstrating God’s love through community mission projects and service to Advent.  We enjoy fellowship outside of class through regularly scheduled dinners and other social gatherings.
Group Leader:  Ray Hathaway
Location:  Christian Life Center, Room 205

• Hosanna at 9:45 a.m.
  

Hosanna is our newest class. Comprised of mostly members of the adult choir, this class meets from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. so they are in time for worship warm-ups immediately after class.
Group Leader:  Elizabeth Blair
Location:  Pastor Michael's Office

• Passages at 9:55 am

Passages is comprised of members new to a Sunday School group setting. We are a ‘mature’ crowd in general...some retired, many travel. We are comprised of couples and singles both. All love to read and learn. We enjoy meeting for coffee and discussion on Sunday mornings at 9:55 and plan occasional social outings.
Group Leader:  Jim DeWitt
Location:  Education Building, Room 110

• Sojourners at 9:55 am

Sojourners is a class for those looking for a diverse group of women on a faith journey who enjoy reading and studying scripture through inspirational books that relate to everyday life issues and experiences. Open discussion and sharing thought, feelings, experiences, and ideas is the format for this small group. Ages range from early 40’s to mid 50’s with youth and teens at home.
Group Leaders:  Barbara Smith
Location:  Christian Life Center, Room 207

• Transformers at 9:55 am

Thank you for checking out the Transformers Sunday School class!  We are a diverse group of young adults, most of us with young families as well.  We have exciting, open-minded discussions on a range of topics.  Outside of class we try to find times to get together for fellowship on a monthly basis.
Group Leader:  Carol Warfford
Caregivers: Jeff & Jennifer Braeunig, Cory & Ginny Hughes
Location:  Christian Life Center, Room 206

• Trinity Friends at 9:55 am

The Trinity Friends range in age between late 30's and early 50's. They are mostly couples, but certainly not exclusive. They enjoy lots of good and lively discussions about how to live faithfully every day. Four or five times a year, these Friends gather for socials, and have fun together in and out of their Sunday morning meeting time. They are very supportive of each other in times of need and often are engaged in mission opportunities as a group as well. Lesson leadership is shared amongst the group.
Caregivers:  Pam Barefoot & Jane Smith
Location:  Christian Life Center, Room 203

• Young at Heart at 9:55 am

The Young at Hearts are senior adults, who gladly welcome adults regardless of age.  We encourage each other to participate by sharing different thoughts, insights, and perspectives.  We have accumulated a rich variety of life experiences which enhance our discussions.  Our experiences have taught us that we don’t have all the answers.  As our name implies, we enjoy some laughter and fun as we seek to understand the Scriptures.
Group Leader:  Howard Warren
Location:  Education Building, Room 108

• Parenting Children at 11:00 am

Parenting Children is a new class that meets immediately following the 9:55 worship service and during the new class for elementary aged children called Connect. This class is using materials from the Active Parenting curriculum.
Group Leaders: Eric & Lisa Ireland
Location:  Education Building, Room 112

• Parenting Teens at 11:00 am

Parenting Teens is a new class that meets immediately following the 9:55 worship service and during the class for youth at 11:00 am.
Group Leaders:  Dan & Leigh Randall
Location: Christian Life Center Dining Room