Interested in any of the classes below? Click here for Registration information.

Sunday Morning 9:15am
Planting Trees - Sharing the Stories of Your Christian Legacy (1/10-2/7)
Why Are We Here? (1/10 - 2/14)
Looking Forward to Retirement (1/10 - 2/14)
The Purpose Driven Life (1/10 - 2/14)
Faith Lessons: God Heard Their Cry (4/18 - 5/23)
Encountering Christ in the Old Testament (2/21 - 3/28)
Life of David (4/18 - 5/23)
Raising Great Kids (4/18 - 5/23)

Sunday Morning 10:30am
UnChristian (1/10 - 2/14)
Early Saints of the Church (1/10 - 2/14)
Following Jesus’ Footsteps to the Cross (1/10-2/14)
Jewish Roots of Faith continues (1/10 - 2/14)
Encountering Christ in the Old Testament (2/21 - 3/28)
More Theology from the Twilight Zone (4/18 - 5/23)
The Sanctuary Windows Speak (4/18 - 5/9)
Dealing with Hard Questions of Faith (4/18 – 5/23)


Sunday Morning 11:45am
Running the Rapids (1/10 - 2/14)

Sunday Morning Special Presentation 9:15am and 10:30am
Christ in the Passover (4/11)

Monday Evening 7:00pm
A Pilgrimage to Israel (4/5 - 4/26)

Tuesday Evening 7:00pm
Martin Luther continues: 1/5 - 2/9)

Thursday Morning
9:30am--Precept Bible Study: Exodus (2/4 - 4/29)
10:00am-- Pastor’s Bible Study (1/7 - 5/13)

Planting Trees - Sharing the Stories of Your Christian Legacy. The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you don’t expect to sit. --- Nelson Henderson. Too often, as part of our estate planning, we concentrate only on the tangible possessions we wish to leave our loved ones. Isn’t it even more important to leave them the stories relating to our Christian faith? This participative class will serve as the jumping off point for your storytelling. You will have the opportunity to share your stories on topics such as: a favorite Bible verse, a favorite hymn, what your Christian faith means to you, etc. Time will be allotted during each session to write your stories. Each class is a separate storytelling module. Attending all of the sessions is desirable, but not mandatory. Journals will be provided. Mary Estelle Amberg will facilitate this 5 week class. Cost for journal is $5.

Why are we Here? This 6 week class, led by Elliott Gappinger, examines the age old questions about why the world is the way it is. What is God’s purpose for us? Why do we have to struggle so to figure it out? References include the Bible and The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis. The class follows previous classes concerning How We Got Here and What Happens When We Die? Attendance at those classes is not a prerequisite to get full value from this one.

Looking Forward to Retirement. One of our Covenant groups spent over a year exploring the many facets of retirement, e.g., relationship changes, lifestyle adjustments, health care concerns and financial/estate planning issues. Come and explore these topics, utilizing the group’s developed information; as well as sharing your own ideas, questions and experiences. Previous attendees have left with new insights and specific action items as they plan for their retirement. This is especially helpful for those over 45, but all ages are welcome. Ken Smith will lead this 6 week class.

The Purpose Driven Life. The Purpose Driven Life is the best selling book of all time second only to the Bible. It is a life changing book. As a congregation we read and discussed this book together about five years ago. This class is being offered for those who were not here at that time and for those who would like to study this book again. It will help you understand God’s purpose for your life. Knowing God’s purpose for creating you will reduce your stress, focus your energy, simplify your decisions and give meaning to your life. This 6 week class will be led by Mike Thomas. Cost for the book and workbook is $17.

Faith Lessons: God Heard Their Cry. If you have had the opportunity to experience other studies in the Faith Lesson series by Ray Vander Laan you know how inspiring and stimulating they can be. God Heard Their Cry is the eighth volume and newest study. It focuses on the Israelites and their persecution by the Egyptians, the plagues and how they leave Egypt. The DVD is filmed on location in Egypt and the Red Sea. You will study how God heard their cry and led his people from Egypt on their way to the Promised Land. This series will transform your understanding of God and challenge you to be a true follower of Jesus. Ed Cocca will lead this 5 week class. The cost of the Discovery Guide is $8.

Encountering Christ in the Old Testament. Our Lenten journey in 2010 will take us into the pages of the Old Testament to catch glimpses of the New in the Old. Starting with Ash Wednesday (February 17), Wednesday night services will feature a sermon/Bible study by Pastor Lloyd Wallace on the week’s theme.
Week 1: Living by Promise
Week 2: Reflecting Christ
Week 3: Trusting God to Provide
Week 4: Celebrating Christmas All Year
Week 5: Standing Beneath the Cross
Week 6: Waiting and Watching

A booklet of thirty readings, five per week, will provide biblical examples and background for each of the themes in a devotional manner. Cost of the booklet is $5.At the Saturday night and Sunday morning services we will meet people from the Bible in first person sermons. In addition, there will be a small token given to each person in attendance each week to serve as a reminder of that week’s theme.
Small groups will meet weekly, including on Sunday mornings, to watch a DVD presentation by the pastors and to discuss how the week’s theme impacts our lives today.
We need small group hosts! If you are interested and able to host a group in your home or at the church, Pastor Peters would love to hear from you soon!

Life of David. King David’s life was one of complexity and controversy. Considered to be the Lord’s servant and “a man after God’s own heart” he also is considered to be a murderer, adulterer, opportunist, warmonger and cruel monarch. You will discover principles for living and encouragement as you study how David handles the troubles of his life. Every man and woman can identify with his struggles. Join John Tassone for this 6 week study to explore the life of Israel’s king and his spiritual journey.

Raising Great Kids. What does it take to raise great kids? Conflicting opinions may leave you feeling confused. Get tough! Show acceptance. Lay down the rules. Lighten up, already! There’s got to be a balance – and there is. This course will work to equip parents of elementary school children (ages 6 to 12) with practical strategies for developing character, responsibility and a Christ-centered spiritual. Join Richard Bailey for this 6 week class. You will learn how to provide both the care and acceptance that make grace real to your kids, and the firmness and discipline that gives direction.

Unchristian. Come join Pastor Jeff Ruby for a 6 week study as we explore the book UNCHRISTIAN together. This is a seminal book on the future of the Christian faith. Why do so many non-believers think Christians are self-righteous? What are the attitudes and outlooks many of us display to non-believers that are not loving but indeed turn people off to Christianity? Why do so many think the Christian church is so judgmental on social issues of the day? How can we witness to our faith in the workplace and community by standing firm but also being loving? This book is a bestseller and will challenge your faith and life! Cost for the book is $11.

Early Saints of the Church. Learn about the early saints of the church such as Ignatius, Polycarp, Perpetua, Anthony of Egypt, Athanasius, Augustine, Benedict of Nursia, Catherine of Siena and St. Francis of Assisi. Who were these people? Why are they on the Lutheran liturgical calendar? What can we learn from them? Take a journey through early Christian history and meet some amazing heroes (and heroines) of the faith who have shown how to live the Christian life amid trying times. Pat Faur will lead this inspiring 6 week class.

Following the Footsteps of Jesus to the Cross. As we approach the season of Lent, we know that it leads to Good Friday and the cross. To understand how and why this happened, we will look at passages in the Gospel of Luke – the primary Gospel for this year – to study the circumstances that brought about the Good Friday cross. We will deal with questions like: * Why did it happen this way? * What does this mean for us today? * How important is it for us to remember? Pastor Phil Gangsei will lead us in this timely study for 6 weeks.

Jewish Roots of Faith. The purpose of this class is to increase your awareness, knowledge and understanding of the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. The class continues for 6 weeks. It will focus on the gospel as it is told through the Old Testament scriptures. We will trace the history of the faith from Abraham to the present, help you better understand the Jewish heart and mind-set and look at the issues facing modern day Israel. You are welcome to join the class even if you did not attend the first 6 weeks. Join Diane Frankenfield as she shares this “highly-praised” class.

More Theology From the Twilight Zone. Rod Sterling’s Twilight Zone debuted 50 years ago, but it continues to be popular with audiences today. Nearly each episode was a small morality play, and several episodes explored issues such as heaven and hell and the relationship between God and humanity. This 6 week class will watch episodes from the Twilight Zone and discuss them from a Christian perspective. If you attended the first class in 2007, come again, or if you didn’t you are most welcome. We’ll be watching six different episodes this time around. Pete Faur will facilitate this class.

The Sanctuary Windows Speak. We are blessed with a sanctuary conducive to worship, but do we fully appreciate what messages the magnificent sanctuary windows have to tell? A 4 week class is being offered that will be concerned with an examination of these windows and the stories they have to tell based on their themes rooted in scripture. A book of color reproductions with commentary is available for purchase for $15. The author and facilitator of this class is Lou Romain, a recipient of numerous international photographic awards and honors. Some attention will also be given to the sanctuary’s architectural message.

Running the Rapids: Guiding Teenagers Through the Turbulent Waters of Adolescence. This course features brief videos by Christian psychologist, Dr. Kevin Leman, author of numerous popular books on parenting. It is intended for the parents of our confirmands but anyone is welcome. The class will meet during the confirmands Sunday School hour (ll:45-12:45). The 6 sessions discuss home life, acceptable/unacceptable behaviors, “tough questions that deserve straight answers,” and more. Small group discussion will follow the video each week. Facilitators for the class will be Jerry and Lynn Harper and Dennis and Cheralee Robbins. Cost for a workbook is $8.

Dealing with the Hard Questions of Faith. This will be an ongoing class that will meet weekly, led by Elliott Gappinger, in which the topics will come from the participants. We will do research together using the Bible and other sources. The purpose of the class is to discuss questions that we all have about life and faith and the mysteries of God. The discussions will be lively and fun. Bring your Bible and your brain – you’ll need them both.

Christ in the Passover. Christ in the Passover shows the link between the ancient Festival of Redemption and Christ as the Lamb of God. This sermonic demonstration is visual, so you will actually see a table set with traditional Passover items. Scripture will also be used to walk through a Jewish Passover Seder, weaving the story of Exodus together with the life, death and resurrection of Christ. The words Jesus spoke in the upper room come alive as each Hebraic item is carefully explained. The presentation will be made by Bruce Rapp, Director of the Phoenix Chapter for Jews for Jesus. Bruce was raised in a traditional Jewish home in Brooklyn, NY. As an adult, he visited a church and was shocked to hear the pastor quote Hebrew Scriptures that pointed to Jesus as the messiah. Bruce decided to study for himself and several months later came to faith in Jesus. This presentation will be given the Sunday after our Easter celebration and will be one you will never forget. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the festival. --I Corinthians 5:7b-8a NIV

Pilgrimage to Israel. Come and hear the information about the sites where Jesus walked. The class is designed for those going on the trip to the Holy Land in June, 2010; however, others have attended the class that were not going on the trip and came away with a deeper understanding of the land and how it relates to the life of Jesus and what he taught. Pastor Lloyd Wallace will lead this 4 week class.

Martin Luther - continues. The class on Martin Luther will continue for an additional 6 weeks. Participating in the class for the previous 12 weeks is a prerequisite for this class. Pastor Carol Peters will facilitate each session that begins with a 30 minute video lecture, followed by 30 minutes of discussion.

Precepts Bible Study: Exodus. Suzanne Viehmann will begin a new Precept Bible Study class for 11 weeks. This study entitled Let My People Go is important in understanding the book of Exodus. Watch Moses develop as a leader. See God deliver His people by judging their enemies. Learn powerful truths about His ways. This is a remarkably practical study of deliverance, redemption, the Law and the Tabernacle. Material cost is $25. Precept Bible study is an inductive Bible study that shows you how to discover God’s truth for yourself. This study method will help you get personally, intimately involved with the subject, observing carefully for yourself. You will use a straightforward investigative approach to open the Bible and build the context for each statement it contains. That’s where you will find God’s precepts – or principles – for life. Inductive study is the tool you use to collect those precepts to build a God-glorifying, Bible-centered worldview with clear applications to live the abundant, victorious life in Christ.

Pastor's Bible Study. Join Pastor Andy Garman as he continues this popular Bible study class. New students, visitors and “beginners to Bible study” are welcome at any time. This session will resume the study of “Great Characters of the Bible”. Each week will center on a new biblical character. Who are they? What did they do? What do they say to us today? This study will continue until Lent and then class participants will join the all-congregation Lenten journey, Encountering Christ in the Old Testament. The Bible study will begin again after Easter. Come to gain more insight into God’s word so it can enrich your life and encourage you in your every day living.