Adults
Sunday Mornings
Adult Learning Communities
A variety of small group learning communities are available for adults on Sunday mornings. Many of these offer additional fellowship and service opportunities outside of Sunday morning. Guests are always welcome. Groups gather beginning at 9:45 a.m. and conclude at 10:45 a.m.
Fellowship Time: We serve coffee and donuts each Sunday morning beginning at 9:15 am. Adults may enjoy these in the Community Gathering Area located on third floor at the top of the stairs.
Each small group class is listed below.
College Class
Demographic: College Students
Teacher: Emily Harbin
Format: Meet together on Tuesday evenings sharing fellowship, Bible study, and discussion. Also opportunities for involvement in the life of the church outside of Sunday mornings. Contact Emily Harbin for more information.
Families in Action
Families in Action Meets: Room 321
Age Range: 30s-mid 40s
Demographic: Young adults beginning families and careers
Teachers: Craig Ellis; Bill Hopper, and Daniel Hulsey
Format: Combining Bible study and book topics and regular action in mission. The group comes together for fellowship, relationships, and support. Teachers rotate weekly.
Young Adult Community
Young Adult Community Meets: After Worship for lunch
Age Range: 20s
Demographic: Young adults single and married
Teacher/Hosts: Emily Harbin
Format: Bible study and topics utilizing media and group discussion. Group also meets most Tuesday evenings for fellowship, meals, and topical discussions. Contact Emily Harbin for more information.
Ten-Ten-Ten
Ten-Ten-Ten Meets: Room 322
Age Range: Mid 40s-70s
Demographic: Intergenerational
Teachers: Ches Smith, Jennifer Baxley, Connie Ivester
Format: Bible study designed for group discussion and input using Connections materials. Teachers rotate weekly.
Callaway-Wilcox
Meets: Room 324
Age Range: 50s-70s
Demographic: Adults married and single
Teachers: Larry Divers, Ray Noblet, Alan Reddish, Daniel Haygood, , Anne McDonald, LaReece Stewart
Format: Bible study with connection and application to daily life using Formations material. Teachers rotate weekly.
Disciples
Meets: Room 325 or Fellowship Hall
Age Range: 50s-80s
Demographic: Adults married and single
Teachers: Bob Cain, Marcia Caskey, Al Henderson, Wayne Jordan, Ken Greene, Nancy Moon
Format: Bible study providing creativity and variety in presentations and discussions using Formations material. Teachers rotate weekly.
Friendship
Meets: on Zoom
Age Range: 20s-70s
Demographic: Intergenerational
Facilitators: Janice Hume, Dan & Mary Colley, Erica Spackman
Format: Various books , podcasts, blogs, and journal articles are used to fuel discussion on spiritual topics from diverse theological viewpoints. Facilitation rotates weekly.
Aderhold-Farrall
Meets: Room 328
Age Range: 50s-70s
Demographic: Adult Women
Teachers: Elizabeth Eidson, Sharon McArthur, Anne McDonald, June Robertson
Format: Bible study and class interaction using Formations materials. A caring fellowship of women with a committed mission-oriented focus. Teachers rotate weekly.
Karen
Meets: Room 160
Age Range: 60s and above
Demographic: Adults married and single
Teachers: Randan Ashmore, Sallyanne Barrow, Tony Dillard, Doug Martin, Helen Mills, Don Nelson, Wayne Rogers
Format: Sessions are focused on the weekly Sunday Lectionary Scriptures. Participants engage in discussion of scriptures in search of God’s message and application for daily living. Teachers rotate weekly.
Young Adult Community
Sunday Bible study and discussion draws from various sources incorporating scripture and current tropics.
Our group gathers on most Tuesdays. Weeks alternate between a Bible/book study and meeting for dinner at one of our local Athens spots, trivia, or even a home cooked meal. You may also contact Emily Harbin with your questions and for more information.
Be Our Guest! Dinner Parties
Fellowship was the name of the game for our summer 2022 Be Our Guest! Dinner parties. Different members of the congregation hosted up to 10 guests in their home for great food and conversation. This was a wonderful opportunity for members to get to know each other better. Watch this space for Summer 2023 offerings.
Summer 2022
While we won’t be studying or discussing a book, the conversation around the table will be guided so that we get to know one another.
Wednesday Evenings
Discipleship Opportunities
Adults have opportunities for Christian discipleship and Bible study on Wednesday evenings, September through April. The meeting time is from 6:30 – 7:00 pm. Bible study, book studies and special interests and topics are offered. Please see our current schedule for specific dates, locations, and topics.
Tuesdays
Noon Bible Study
Bible Study is offered on Tuesdays at 12:00 noon from August through April. This group meets in Rm. 328.
Read the Bible Entirely in One Year
If you are interested in reading through the Bible during the next 12 months, a reading plan is available for you to use. This plan provides for a systematic way to read through the entire Bible by reading a few chapters each day. The plan is undated so that you can begin on any day, of any month you choose. You may download and print this copy for your reference. Hard copies are also available at church.
About the Plan
The Bible can be read in a year using different plans and approaches. This particular plan divides the scriptures into 7 basic and traditional sections:
Epistles Law History Psalms Poetry Prophecy Gospels
During the week you will read a selected passage from each of the 7 sections. This provides for a combination of the variety of the types of material in the Bible, and continuity of each of the books of the Bible as you read week after week.
How to Use This Plan
The chart is organized with one row for each week. The rows are number 1 – 52, representing the 52 weeks in a year. (See the column on the far left with the “Wk” heading). Each row contains a column for each day of the week. Each day contains a specified passage of the Bible to read. Beginning with week 1, read across the chart, Day 1-Day 7, then move down to the next row, Week 2, and read in the same manner. Each section has a small box to the left which can be used to place a check, helping you to keep track of your place in reading through the Bible.
Information about selecting a translation and version of the Bible is on the back.
Bible Versions: Translations and Paraphrases
Bibles are available in a variety of versions. Some versions are translations while others are paraphrases. Versions of the Bible that are translations are ones translated into English from the ancient Hebrew and Greek languages. Versions that are paraphrases use existing English translations of the Bible to produce a more modern and updated version. There are two types of translations, verbal and dynamic. Verbal ones make the attempt to reproduce the best English equivalent of the ancient word being translated. Dynamic ones seek to provide a translation of the ancient thoughts and ideas into modern English equivalents. Verbal translations seek to find the best match for the words of the ancient languages, and dynamic translations seek to find the best match for the contextual meaning behind the words of the ancient languages.
The choice of version is up to you. This brief description and list is provided to give you more information in making your selection.
Verbal Translations
King James Version (KJV)
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
New International Version (NIV)
New American Standard (NAS)
Dynamic Translations
New Living Translation (NLT)
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Revised English Bible (REB)
Paraphrases
The Message
The Living Bible (LB)