Adult Christian Education Listening Session Minutes
Strategic Planning Committee
Saint Michael and All Angels
Thursday, May 19, 2005 ~ 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
There were eleven communicant in attendance.
Karen Wiley and Joyce Hull
What do you value most in Adult Education?
In depth history of religion with expert speakers i.e., Roy and Amy Heller,
Power Series on Mid East, Islam series M. Currey,
Education within the context of our faith
Topics relating to News today
Wider range of interest and tolerance in classes/programs
Physical comfort in classrooms – room for attendees to sit.
Value Sunday News on email
Comments:
• Joe Mullins is in a men’s Bible study with 500 men (George Coleman also attends). It is an intense study with 5-7 hours of preparation each week. They meet in Fellowship Bible Church. He likes the availability of this type of study.
• Bill Cherry –transferred to our church from Houston/Galveston Trinity Episcopal. He writes religious articles for publication in local papers - need him on Communications
• Glen Anderson is another new member from UMC – here just two weeks. Has some good ideas. He left session early to attend another.
The attendees asked many questions and session turned into a discussion
• How many attend SS at SMAA?
• What is our church attendance?
• They are interested in the number of classes, covenant groups, etc. offered weekly
Would like additional comments to be included:
• Set up a structured Bible Study with clergy heading up for a semester with known agenda that they will prepare for ahead of time and come to class with questions. Should be curriculum based with knowledgeable leader. Leader must have depth of knowledge and ability to involve group: perhaps
• Bible study, book by book for a set time period – Not a Sunday school class, but in evening.
• Want to pick and choose on Sunday morning from a variety of offerings
• Lenten Series very well liked
• Distinguished lecture McConnell sponsored were great. Karen mentioned that we will have Ratelle series also.
• NAME TAGS to help build community - WEAR THEM!
• Encourage Participation by repeating classes and book studies daytime and evening classes.
• Maps of church clearly available for newer members to find classes.
• Put class names on the doors of the classes.
• Sunday School hour is at 10 now. Would you like a class attached to weekend services?
• They suggested a trial period: 1st Saturday, 3rd Sunday, etc.
• They want community as well as the class offerings.
• Note was made of having more classes off campus such as Bob Penn’s class in his office. Get more like this for 5:30evening and/or 6am – a 7:30 or 8am class is too late for workers.
• We have huge offerings now, but focus on a central theme = to make disciples. I mentioned the UMC offerings that we have done in the past: i.e. the Disciples series. Also Kerygma courses.
• EFM type of classes – Most didn’t know about it. Suggestion made that we honor and celebrate graduates of EFM and other long term studies very publicly to encourage more to attend.
• Have need in community - need to get in touch with them & provide a foundation for people in
need.
• Advertise: Arts Playbills, example ad for Preston Hollow Presbyterian music program, etc.
• Musical offerings, concerts are a form of evangelism.
• Promote lecture series
• Promote our classes at SMAA – consider an exchange program - our teachers with their topics with other churches. We could be a resource for our Diocese.
• We seem to have a confidence crisis: Our offerings are good, let’s promote them.
• Get more of our SMAA staff into teaching classes i.e., Cathy Looney and James Diaz should be teaching
• Discuss, with capable leaders, end of life issues, or related topic of the day. ‘In the news issues.’
• Topic on ethics – relate to community needs.
• Seminars with panel of experts to discuss topics of ethics.