Greetings Everyone
Hello everyone,
With our Fall coming shortly upon us I want to address one topic that has been heavy upon my mind: Sunday School. Those words probably mean something different to each and every one of us. Some of us might immediately think of children, or when we were children, or teaching Sunday school. Perhaps you look back on it with nostalgia, or boredom, or attach it with an important spiritual moment Perhaps you have never been to a Sunday School. What is it? Why do we do it? How is it important? I want to give you three things to think about in the next few weeks as our Sunday School program starts up Sept. 7th.
1. Sunday School involves the ministry of teaching. You might ask, isn’t that the sermon? Yes…and no. Preaching is the proclamation of the gospel, or think of a messenger running into a town square saying, “Hear ye, hear ye!” I typically preach through a book of the Bible (Lectio Continua) in order for our congregation to know the authors intent in writing the whole book. Each book of the Bible proclaims the gospel in its own way. While there is some teaching in preaching, the aim is different. Teaching involves a commitment to form our minds, preaching aims as the whole person. This is why we have age appropriate classes, each one of our members needs a special form of teaching. Our kids need teachers who speak to their level of understanding, so also our adults. I firmly believe we need both preaching and teaching to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ. This is why you see both ministries in the life of Jesus and His disciples.
2. Sunday School involves all of us. As a member, you might be asked to teach a Sunday school class. I would encourage you to take the time to learn the lesson plan well, Joy will set you up. Then be prepared to engage the minds of your audience, but only after you have engaged the material too. Use it as a time to understand the Word of God deeply. Adults will meet down in the Chapel at 9:00. Look at this time as a way to get to know others in our congregation and to engage your mind in learning God’s word. We are meant to study God’s Word in community.
3. Sunday School involves your mind. Paul says be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Rom. 12:2) Many religions and gurus say turn off your mind and just do these tasks, or behave this way. Christianity is the exact opposite. Christianity says bring every intellectual argument or doubt and let us reason together. The Proverbs say, “As Iron sharpens Iron, so one man sharpens another.” Too often Christians are accused of being lazy in their intellect, I’ve found this criticism quite true. Sunday School is a place to challenge one another and humble ourselves to the hard task of learning, challenging our child hood assumptions, and affirming the historic faith. Preaching is hearing the preacher in a worship service, Sunday School is interacting with each other in community.
Would you consider committing your Sunday morning to both teaching and preaching? So what are we going to learn this Fall?
That’s for next week….
Rev. BEN MELLI
Week At A Glance
Sunday, August 24th
10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service
11:30 a.m. Annual Picnic – Smith Fields Pavilion
Tuesday, August 26th
8:00 a.m. Men’s Bible Study and Breakfast
Thursday, August 28th
4:30 p.m. Unwind Adult Bible study with Donna Maddux – See info below
Free Youth Lunch Comes To A Close.
Yesterday marked the last Free Lunch of the summer for Whitefish youth and it has been nothing short of amazing. We couldn’t have done it without the incredible support of our congregation. Thank you!
Each week, we welcomed an average of 30 students, with new faces joining us regularly. Our Wednesday lunches were full of joy—laughter rang out as kids enjoyed delicious meals, played games, won prizes, and relaxed in the youth room. They spent hours in a space filled with love, fun, and most importantly, the presence of Christ.
As summer winds down, we’re filled with gratitude and excitement for what’s ahead. We’re already preparing for the school year and seeking new ways to connect with and serve the youth of Whitefish—sharing the love and hope of Jesus every step of the way.
Interested in being part of this life-giving ministry? We’d love to have you! Please reach out to our new Youth and Family Director, Joy Alfieri, to learn how you can get involved.
