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 the minds of 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 pastors and lay leadership.
Taste & Sing
Next up:
January 21, 2025
12:00 noon - 1:00 PM
Octagon Room
Our casual time of food and song is held at 12:00 noon in the Octagon, September-May, usually on the third Tuesday of the month.
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 lovingly prepared by Ginny Hagberg.
Virtual Study Groups
Drop-in ANytime or Join Now!
During most of the programming year, we offer some form of adult study opportunity 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
Starting January 8, 2025
Please join us for this weekly come-when-you-can Bible study on Wednesday afternoons. The Sermon Safari drop-in Bible study participants view and discuss a different sermon each week. Some of our previous sessions have featured sermons from Brian McLaren, Diana Butler Bass, Adam Hamilton, 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.
LEnten Book Study:
The Barn
March 9-April 13, 2025
Sundays, 12:00-1:00 PM
Led by Rev. Joey Heath-Mason
This Lent, embark on a journey of reflection with The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi by Wright Thompson.
Thompson, a senior writer for ESPN and ESPN The Magazine, uses his gift of storytelling to craft a powerful and personal look at race, memory, and reconciliation in America. Set against the backdrop of a segregated Mississippi, The Barn uncovers the story of a forgotten history, the murder of Emmitt Till, and lasting impacts left on a community wrestling with the legacy of racial violence.
Lent as a season calls us to deep reflection, repentance, and renewal. As we journey toward Easter, we’ll use this book study as a space to think about how faith calls us to confront hard truths and work for reconciliation and love in our own lives and communities. This book challenges us to reflect on how the past continues to shape the present and invites us to reflect on tough truths and consider how we can work toward a more just future. Together, we’ll share honest conversations, reflect deeply, and seek God’s presence in the midst of it all.
Starting Sunday March 9, 2025 this study will meet for six week. Each session will include guided discussions, space for personal reflection, and opportunities to connect the book’s themes with Scripture and our faith.
Study group participants should purchase their own copy of the book. The book cost will be approximately $35 new. St. Paul's is not affiliated with any booksellers and you can purchase the book wherever you choose, but here are some options to purchase online or in-person and support a local minority-owned bookstore.
Pastor Joey encourages participants to read the first few chapters before our first meeting.
Sign-up will be available in the coming weeks in the Narthex and online.
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.
