Sunday School at New Hanover is now Faith in Life. This gives a better understanding of what our program includes as it encompasses people of all ages, from children and youth to adults, and then some overlap through intergenerational classes.
Our Children’s Faith in Life class meets following the Children’s Time during our worship service. Children, ages 5-10 join us for the beginning of the worship service, and then head off for their class right before the sermon. We are currently using the Teach Me To Worship curriculum, which gives children an introduction to the basic elements of the worship service.
Our Youth Faith in Life meets the first Sunday of each month, after Sunday worship and coffee time and is for middle school youth. The current curriculum is Feasting on the World. These materials provide opportunities for this age group to explore their personal and communal identity in Jesus Christ through meaningful community-building experiences, engaging Bible study, and relevant learning activities. Biblical stories will come alive in new and creative ways. In response to God’s amazing, unconditional love, youth will be challenged to put their faith into action as they grow to understand themselves as Christ’s disciples.
We have an exciting group of Adult Faith In Life studies for the coming year. We begin, on the second week of January, with a study titled: “Homosexuality and the New Testament.” Eric Douglass will lead this discussion, and carefully examine not just what the New Testament says, but also the cultural background into which the New Testament was written. Only with this background can we understand what the authors were saying to their initial audience (first-century Christians) and extended audience (us). In February, we will switch to a study on The Women of the Bible. Women played integral roles in the development of our faith, providing not just examples of faith, but teaching, leading, and providing resources. Indeed, in our Gospels, Jesus often praises women for their actions and attitudes, including one of the most famous in all of scripture: “Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.” Felecia Douglass will be spearheading this topic. All are welcome to our Faith In Life, that meets after our church service and coffee time, beginning at 11:45.
From time to time we will offer an Intergenerational Faith in Life class, where all ages gather, frequently with crayons and scissors, following worship and coffee time, to investigate different topics. It’s amazing what you can learn from our young ones and what a role model you can be for them!