Find a Place to Belong

• The Aldersgate Class: Please come and join the Aldersgate Class as we embark on a 6-week study of the book of Luke by best-selling author and pastor, Adam Hamilton. In Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts, and Outlaws, Hamilton explores the life of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Luke. Through Luke’s stories, we find Jesus’s care and compassion for all as he welcomes sinners and outcasts. As we study Luke and see Jesus’s concern for those who were considered unimportant, we hear a hopeful and inspiring word for our lives today.  This lesson series will be led by Hal Hanlin and David Anderson.   Please join us in the Aldersgate classroom for a donut, coffee, and excellent fellowship as we dive into the Gospel of Luke. Our class meets in the Aldersgate classroom on the 2nd floor at 10:00 am. If you have any questions, please call David A. Anderson at 803-318-8821 or email him at danderson@richardsonplowden.com.

• The Dawsey Class: This Sunday, June 4, Hunter Rentz will teach Chapter 7, “Leavening the Imperial Loaf” from The Underground Church: Reclaiming the Subversive Way of Jesus by Robin Meyers. Next Sunday, June, 11, Jim Seigler will lead a discussion of Chapter 8, “Jesus Followers on the No-Fly List.” Members who join from home use FreeConferenceCall. Class members should call in between 9:50 and 10:00 am. The call-in number is (701) 802-5115. The access code is 7252934. For more information about the class, contact the class president Mary Slade at marydslade4@gmail.com.

• The Grace Class:For three weeks, Jim Tuell will be leading discussions generated by a book by Bishop Peggy A. Johnson, The Ever-Expansive Spirit of God: For All Who Feel Left Out. The summary at the back of the book tells it well — “Perhaps sexual orientation and gender identity are the most controversial of all the issues in family life today, and nowhere is it causing more tension and division than inside religious communities …Into this fray comes Bishop Peggy A. Johnson to share her remarkable experiences in a lifetime of ministry, which are at various times painful, courageous, embarrassing, inspiring, sad, happy, and even humorous.” Bishop Johnson has had to deal with these issues both in a large-scale, public setting – debates within the Annual Conferences which she served – and in a very personal setting — her spouse of 30 years came out to her as transgender in 2010, and she kept that private until she officially retired. We will discuss how these issues have affected both our public and our private lives. Join us in person on the third floor or contact Jim Lane at jlane@columbiasc.edu for the Zoom link to gather Sunday mornings at 9:45 am for fellowship and at 10:00 am for spiritual reflection.

• The John Harper Class: The John Harper class discusses lessons from Adult Bible Studies published by Cokesbury. For more information, contact Tracy Powers at tjpowers65@gmail.com or meet with us in the classroom on the first floor by the elevator.

• The Joy Class: The class is currently partnering with Solomon’s Porch studying Luke’s gospel and spending time with our neighbors. If interested, please contact Lee Haynes at lelandhaynesjr@gmail.com or Sylvia Stevens at sylviasaundersstevens@gmail.com for more information.

• The Open Door Class:  Over the next two weeks, the Open Door Class will complete its word study on the Old Testament Hebrew Shema prayer using The Bible Project as our guide. Visitors are always welcome! The class meets both in person on the third floor and via Zoom each week. For Zoom link information, contact Ann Jessup at jessup.ann@gmail.com.

• The Paul Harmon Class: The class is participating in a study from The Great Courses titled “How Jesus Became God” by Professor Bart D. Ehrman at the University of North Carolina, where he is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor. Dr. Ehrman is a New Testament scholar who focuses on the origins and history of early Christianity. We are enjoying the lessons and our discussions. All are welcome to join us on the third floor. If you have questions, please contact Suzanne Joye at sjoye@sc.rr.com.

• Solomon’s Porch: This class is meeting in the Traxler Classroom on the second floor and is led by Christine Taylor. The class is doing a slow read through the Gospel of Luke. Anyone interested is welcome to join! For more information, contact Christine at christine@wsmethodist.org.

• The Youth Class: The Youth Sunday School will continue with the curriculum by Illustrated Ministry called Mini Revolutions which connects to the liturgical calendar. Grades 6-12 are welcome to join in on Sundays at 10:00 am in the Youth Room on the third floor. Contact Sarah-Kate for more information at sarahkate@wsmethodist.org.