Adult Education

St. Paul's strong Adult Education program offers a variety of short- and long-term classes throughout the year. We seek to feed those hungry to know more about God, the church, and the world. Our opportunities are developed by Meg Baker, Director of Christian Education, in close collaboration with the Adult Education Committee.

Taste & Sing

Next up:

April 16, 2024

12:00 noon - 1:00 PM

Octagon Room


Our casual time of food and song is held at 12:00 noon in the Octagon once a month, September-May. With Meg Baker on piano and Erin Steele leading the singing, we’ll sing some hymns suggested by the group. Feel free to request your favorites! Then we enjoy a short program on a featured composer, lyricist, or theme, offering a deeper dive into the stories behind our worship songs. No musical experience needed!


Our time together culminates with fellowship over a tasty lunch for a $5 donation. Each meal is prepared by Ginny Hagberg.

Virtual Study Groups

Drop-in ANytime or Join Now!

During most of the programming year, we offer two or more adult study opportunities each week. All of these studies are designed to no-prep, no-stress, and free-of-charge (some with optional study guides available for those who wish to dig deeper). Participants may attend on a regular, occasional, or a drop-in basis. 


Each session is held through the Zoom meeting platform. If you have never zoomed before, have no fear. Zoom makes it easy to participate online from your computer, by cell phone, or by your home phone. 


For more information, please contact the Minister of Spiritual Care and Formation, Dr. Meg Baker, at mbaker@stpaulsk.org or 301-933-7933, ext. 104. If you are interested in setting up an independent small group for study, prayer, or support and would appreciate some guidance, Meg is also available to help you get started.

  • Wednesday Bible Study:

    Sermon Safari (Ongoing)

    Wednesday Bible Study: Sermon Safari

    Wednesdays

    4:00-5:00 PM by Zoom


    Please join us for this weekly come-when-you-can Bible study on Wednesday afternoons. 


    The Sermon Safari drop-in Bible study returns April 10, in which we view and discuss a different sermon each week. Some of our previous sessions have featured sermons from Brian McLaren, Diana Butler Bass, and Barbara Brown Taylor


    For more information on the Wednesday gathering, or to receive the Zoom link, contact Dr. Meg Baker at mbaker@stpaulsk.org. 

The Upper Room

St. Paul's continues to receive our usual shipment of paper copies of The Upper Room daily devotional guide. 


If you would like The Upper Room mailed to your home address, or know someone who would, please contact Erin Steele at stpaulsunited@stpaulsk.org and provide the name, mailing address, and whether you prefer the pocket-size or large print version.


To receive a single copy without being added to the on-going mailing list, please phone Meg Baker at 301-933-7933 ext 104.

Helpful Bible Guides and resources

The American Bible Society provides many free Bible resources to help you engage in God’s Word and encounter the God of the Bible. 


Opportunities abound on their website, https://bibleresources.americanbible.org, where you can subscribe to the Daily Bible Reading and access topic-specific resources, such as Bible background and context, practical applications for daily life, and short studies on each book of the Bible. Helpful tools are also available, such as “Getting the Most Out of Your Bible Reading,” which offers tips and prompts to deepen your reading experience. 


Allow the Scriptures to speak to you as you read the Bible each day. Engaging in regular “dialogue” with the biblical text reveals new understandings about God, and about yourself.


Click HERE to download the most recent Daily Bible Reading Guide. The two-page layout is designed to be printed and folded as an easy-to-carry pamphlet.

WE Gather Together: Virtual Small Groups

Now Forming!


In this time of isolation, we are working to organize opportunities for congregants to participate in “virtual” small group gatherings either by phone or online. Some of you may want to meet together just to be in community, others may wish to focus on prayer or Bible study, and still others may be interested in some sort of online adult study. We hope you will be a engage with our faith community in this way. To find out more, please contact Meg Baker at mbaker [at] stpaulsk.org or 301-933-7933 ext. 104.

Past activities

St. Paul’s offers many workshops, trips, and special opportunities throughout the year. Here are some of the things we've done in the past: 


Fall 2019: Christian Faith 101, a popular adult study explores the religious, historical, geographical, political, and cultural context for the birth and evolution of the major components of Christian faith, doctrine, scripture, and practice. 


October-November 2019: A special short-term class on Bible Study and Meditation, led by Meg Baker.


Sept-Oct 2019: Fall Supper & Study classes met for 6 weeks and looked at practicing spiritual disciplines, the faith journey of an African American inner-city poet, and the connections between biblical books Galatians and Romans.


July 28, 2019: Field trip to attend a performance of the Broadway musical “Amazing Grace” at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC.


March-April 2019: Lenten Supper & Study classes met for 6 weeks to dive into topics including The Book of Acts, the Lenten Journey through great works of art, quiet prayer, and women of the Torah.


February 2019: The Wesley Challenge. The Wesley Challenge is structured as an independent daily devotional, with each day’s reflection focused on one of 21 questions that John Wesley encouraged the first Methodists to ask about their faith journeys. Weekly DVD wrap-up sessions let us process the journey together.


Fall & Winter 2018: Disciple IIA. We offered the full Disciple II program in two parts. The 16-week class in 2018 offered a deep dive into Genesis and Exodus. The 2019 session, Disciple IIB, focused on Luke and Acts. Disciple II, like the popular Disciple I program, emphasizes deepening our relationship with God and our growth as disciples through close contact with biblical texts, reading, reflection, and discussion.


Fall 2018: FaithFlix. Adults of all ages met Sundays to enjoy a light lunch while watching and discussing a short faith-provoking film clip during this drop-in, come-as-you-are series of sessions.


December 2018: Celebrating Abundance. This new advent study, led by Rev. Kate Mackereth Fulton, used the Walter Brueggmann text of the same name and encouraged reflection on the radical gift of a baby born in a dusty city to a young unwed mother and laid in a simple manger.


Oct.-Nov. 2018: Present Over Perfect. A short-term study held on Thursday nights, using the book by New York Times bestselling author Shauna Niequist, inviting us on a path away from frantic efforts and daily striving for perfection, and toward real peace with ourselves and God.  


Sept.-Oct. 2018: Supper & Study. Our annual series of short-term classes included 6-week offerings on these topics: Making Sense of the Bible, The Synoptic Gospels, The Lord's Prayer, and Invitation to the New Testament.


August 26, 2018: Stained Glass Window Tour. Senior Pastor Rev. Adam Snell offered a guided tour of the windows of our Sanctuary, explaining the parables, Biblical narratives, imagery, and historical figures that adorn our sacred space.


August 18, 2018: Trip to the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC. See www.museumofthebible.org for more about this new museum.