Bethany Offers a Wealth of Sunday School Opportunities . . . There's a Class for People of All Ages!
NURSERY
A nursery is provided for babies from birth to age three. Two adults nurture, feed, coddle and cuddle these little ones. Mae Houff organizes the nursery workers and is always in need of volunteers to help.
PRESCHOOL
Children transition from the nursery at around age 2 1/2 or 3 and remain in this class until they enter Kindergarten. Live Big curriculum is used along with a video series featuring Mr. Z and Bongo. They have hands on activities, games, story time and practice new Bible verses. All preschool children are welcome. Leslie Wagoner is the teacher and welcomes questions. She can be contacted at lmwagon@gmail.com.
ONE BIG ROOM
This is the class for elementary children Kindergarten thru 5th grades. They really do have a BIG room!! That means they have plenty of space to play games, make crafts, hear stories from the Bible, watch videos, sing and worship together. They learn a new Bible verse each month and sometimes the older children help the younger ones. There is plenty of room for more children so come and join them. The teachers are Mae Houff and Kim Norman.
JUNIOR HIGHS
The Junior High class is full of open minds, caring hearts, and unstoppable faith. Every high energy lesson helps the kids dive deeper into God's immense love, while playing wacky, inventive games. Over the years the class has grown to become a close knit and loving group. Each and every teen brings a new and special gift to the classroom filling it with light, love and crazy ideas. The "Junior High BUMS" as a whole are a non-stop joyful group with so much to offer the world, the community and most importantly to God. The class is taught by Danielle McMillion.
SENIOR HIGHS
This class is for students in grades 9 - 12 (and anyone else who acts like they are). These students are taught by Jackie Dunsmore with Amy Michael assisting. They just finished a video series on "Knowing God." Currently they are listening to popular Christian and secular music of different genres. They are discovering lyrics and exploring scriptures that speak to the meanings of the songs. The class always includes sharing time, prayer and games.
YOUNG ADULTS
This class is for single and married people in their 20's and 30's. The class is relatively new in that it began in October 2009. They have agreed that initially they will discuss social issues and what Scripture and their faith teach about them, though conversation often turns to the things that concern them at this point in their lives; i.e., work, school, raising children, relationships, and how they can make a difference in the world. Currently they are studying Adam Hamilton's Confronting the Controversies, a book that tackles several tough issues, including the death penalty and abortion. One of the things they enjoy most is the freedom to disagree, ask hard questions, and learn from one another. While they take their subject matter seriously, they try not to take themselves too seriously. They have as much fun getting to know each other as they do studying their chosen material. Bring your Bible and your coffee and join them sometime . . . you'll be glad you did. This class is led by Pastor Brad and Donna McMullen.
WOMEN'S DISCIPLESHIP
This class was formed to enhance the spiritual life of class members while increasing their knowledge of Biblical facts. Since it's formation, several Biblical study guides as well as other books related to issues faced by women have been completed. Currently, the class is studying a book, Jesus Did It Anyway," which uses paradoxical commandments in much the same way that Jesus used paradoxes in his ministry to teach us about the Kingdom of God. This study should enable the participants to get closer to their main goal which is to become servants of God while worshiping Him with honor and love. A pleasant and relaxed atmosphere is provided for this study resulting in a close bonding of the class members. Co-leaders, Kathleen Pollack and Geneva Burns, acknowledge that God is in charge of the lessons as He is in charge of their lives. Class members are encouraged to ask questions and share their thoughts on the materials. Please feel free to contact Kathleen or Geneva for additional information if you are interested in becoming a part of this study. All visitors and members are welcome to join the class at any time.
NEW BEGINNINGS
This class has an eclectic approach to study materials, usually choosing a study of eight to ten sessions. Frequently, a book or a DVD is chosen which applies Biblical principle to current life situations. Other times a study of a specific book in the Bible is chosen. Discussion is encouraged in this class. Spiritual growth which can be measued in life changes is our goal. Lois Tucker is the leader.
SOJOURNERS
This class has been together for a long time. They were at one time the young adult class and have grown older (not old) together. A problem that this class has faced is that many of them have been pulled to teach other classes or perform other duties during the School School time making member's attendance in the class inconsistent. They are in the process of recruiting new members. On the first Sunday in February, they will be starting a new study called "God is Closer Than You Think," which includes a video and discussion about the nearness of God in ones everyday life. At times members of this class visit shut-ins during the Sunday School hour as part of their ministry. Come and join them in the new study.
FAITH BIBLE CLASS
This class is open to all adults. The only literature they use is the Bible. The class always opens with prayer for people in need, for the church, for the community, for the country and for the world. They are currently studying the book of Isaiah and are taking a chapter a week. The class is taught by Pat Lamb and Barbara Somers. Bev Roller taught the class for many years and continues to be a major spiritual leader in the class.
FAITH FELLOWSHIP
The members of this class are 55 years of age and older. Their lessons come from "Adult Bible Studies Quarterly." They enjoy meeting together once a month for lunch with the "Young at Heart" group. One of their projects has been giving to the Saint Andrews Society Potato Project. You will often see Bud Somers leading this class.