At Advent, we are striving to become a community of deeply committed Christians. Spiritual formation is a key ingredient to our being shaped by the Spirit of Christ. Bible study and faith formation in the intimacy of small group gatherings help us to deepen our faith and connect with others on the journey.
Sunday School for Children
Advent offers grade level Children’s Sunday school for K3-5th 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 1st-5th 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!
Connect Sunday School at 11:00 am
1st-5th Graders, come Connect at a New Faith Formation Opportunity on Sunday Mornings!
On Sunday January 22, a new Children’s Sunday School class - Connect - will be offered from 11:00-noon. Based on the Faith Connections Curriculum, the class will combine hands-on activities with a weekly Bible story to help reinforce each week’s Bible Truth. This one-room class is for any child in 1st-5th grade and will meet in Education Building Room 105. For more information, please contact Laurie at laurie@advent-umc.org.
At 11:00 am, K3-K5 Children are welcome to attend Live BIG Children’s Worship in Education Building Room 104. Following fellowship time, the children will worship together, share a Bible story and watch a corresponding video.
Remember to register your child(ren) for Sunday School. This way you will be added to our email list!
Sunday School for Youth
Advent's youth are active participants in this family of faith. Sunday school is offered for all youth in the Christian Life Center. Three classes are offered at 9:55 am. High School students meet in the Youth Room with Brian Eddy and Julie Allison. Middle school girls meet in CLC Room 208 with Carrie Prochaska and middle school guys meet with Bob Smith in CLC Room 209. Bonnie Ashmore serves as middle school shepherd. At 11:00 am, students in grade 6-12 meet with Kirk & Anne Vogt, Ann Gale and Leigh Randall in the Youth Room.
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.
Beginning February 26, classes will begin an Adam Hamilton study on the Final Words of Christ. Here's a brief description of the study:
Final Words from the Cross
In life and in death, Jesus’ words were powerful and meaningful. Despite the serious effort and increased pain required for Jesus to speak as he hung on the cross, Jesus spoke seven “final words”—statements that have much to teach us about Jesus, his Father, and ourselves:
Father Forgive Them
Behold Your Son…Behold Your Mother
My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?
Today You Will Be with Me in Paradise
I Thirst
It Is Finished
Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit
In 24 Hours That Changed the World, Adam Hamilton took us on a Lenten journey through the last day of Jesus' life. Now in this inspiring follow-up book, Hamilton explores these final words as seen and heard through the eyes and ears of those who stood near the cross.
Each chapter begins with the biblical account followed by a first-person story as might have been told from the viewpoint of one of the characters at the cross. Then the chapter explores the meaning of Jesus’ dying words for our lives today. Following the last statement, a postscript recounts the words Jesus spoke following his resurrection, including what truly were the final words Jesus spoke while walking this earth. Join the crowd now and experience the final words from the cross.
If you are not currently involved in a Sunday school class, Pastor Beverly can help you find a group that “fits.”
- New Each Day at 8:45 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: Education Building, Room 109
- 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
- Connections at 11:00 am
Connections meets immediately following the 9:55 worship service for coffee and casual conversation followed by Scripture based study and meaningful discussion beginning at 11:15. We use a variety of contemporary curriculum – usually video based.
Group Leaders: Michael & Linda McAllister
Location: Christian Life Center, Room 207
- 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 108
- 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, Room 209