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Sunday school

Way 2 Go! Sunday School at Oxford UMC

For many of us, worship is often the first way we

become connected to the church. When we worship, we

connect with God through our prayers, our songs, and through

hearing His Word. In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 22, Jesus

is asked 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in

the Law?”37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all

your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38

This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second

is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law

and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Worship and life in Christ fulfills the greatest commandment.

The second greatest commandment is to “love our neighbors.”

Participating in Sunday School is a way to fulfill this part of

the commandment. When we take time to learn together, we

grow in deeper relationship with one another. To accomplish

this “going deeper” in relationship requires us not only to

spend one hour in church each Sunday; it requires us to spend

2 hours in church each Sunday. If you spend 2 hours in church

on Sunday, we say “Way 2 Go!”

“Way 2 Go” is Oxford’s new initiative created to inspire all of

our members to begin a deeper relationship with God and

neighbor through attending Sunday School. We believe if you

give double of your time to focus on worship and study each

Sunday, God will give you a double portion of the blessings

He already has for you. Our church leaders worked very hard

to unite us and provide us the clearly established education

model of a dedicated Sunday school hour. Every Sunday at

10:30 am classes are offered here at Oxford for children,

youth, and adults. We know you will find a class that is right

for you. Our teachers faithfully work to lead classes that will

help you grow in Christian maturity, in the Christian faith, and

in a deeper relationship with God and neighbor. I hope that

you will browse through this brochure to learn more about our

“Way 2 To” Sunday school classes, and I pray that you will

take the next step to begin spending not 1 hour in church on

Sundays, but to spend 2 hours in church on Sundays. And I

just know God will say, “Way 2 Go!”

Michelle Carey—Director of Communications and Programming

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Children’s Classes Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he/she should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”

There are currently two Elementary

school level children’s classes offered

on Sunday mornings which meet in the

Education Building. The “Mustard

Seeds” and “The Doves.” The Mustard

Seeds is the Early Elementary level

class. It meets in Room 2 and is taught

by Diane Waldron. The Doves class is

the Older Elementary class. It meets in

rooms 3-4 and is taught by Susan Jarvis.

The Doves use the “Rock Solid” and the

new “Grow, Proclaim, Serve”

curriculum along with the Upper Room

“Pocke t s . ” Bo t h c l a s s e s a r e

incorporating the DVD based “What’s

in the Bible?” Buck Denver curriculum.

Our goal is to provide good solid Bible

learning given with great love and fun!

Youth Classes Ephesians 3:21 “to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen”

There are two Youth Sunday school

classes offered at Oxford. The

Lamplighters is the Middle School

Class and The Samaritans is the Senior

High Class. The Lamplighters meet in

the Conference Room located in the

Education Building and The Samaritans

meet in the upstairs Youth Center in the

Gym. The Lamplighters class is a

preparatory class for Middle School

students. It is designed to help the

student prepare for Confirmation in the

Christian faith. Confirmation classes are

taught by the youth director and Pastor

John. The Lamplighters are taught by

youth parents, sponsors, along with

Pastor John. The Samaritans class is

taught by Kay Wright and Dan Smith.

This class is designed to prepare our

Senior High teens with the tools they

need to face the many challenges of

growing up and finding their way in

life. The Youth classes also incorporate

DVD studies and discussion based study

methods. Our youth are very mission–

minded. There are Sundays throughout

the year when the youth will be away on

mission trips, or participating in the

CROP walk, or serving the community

at our Pumpkin Patch. Much of what

our youth learn in Sunday school is

demonstrated by their deliberate servant

action in being the hands and feet of

Christ.

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“In Search of God’s Plan” - This class meets at 8:00 am in

Rooms 3-4 of the Education Building. This class is available

for early risers, those who worship at the 9:15 am service, and

for those who teach during the dedicated Sunday School hour.

This class studies the Bible and contemporary Christian

writing from authors like Max Lucado, Chuck Swindoll, Rick

Warren along with classic Christian authors like C.S. Lewis.

The class participates in discussions that center around the

q u e s t i o n “ W h a t i s G o d ’ s P l a n ? ”

Class Leader– Van Clegg

“The Followers” - This class meets at 10:30 am in the choir

room located in the sanctuary. This mature group of adults

enjoys the traditional study of the Bible three chapters or so at

a time. The class uses the Cokesbury Adult Bible Study

curriculum. The class is primarily lecture based, but discussion

is always encouraged. It has been said of the Followers class:

“We study with humor. We focus on what is ahead of us, not

what is behind us. We believe that everyone is entitled to their

own opinion and that no one’s opinion is wrong.” This class

has more than 20 participants and they are always ready to

welcome more. Class Leader– Jerry Mason

“Christian Living Today” - This class meets at 10:30 am in

the Family Room of the Family Life Center. This class deals

with the issues Christians face on an everyday basis. This is

done through informal group discussion, DVD presentations,

and small group (3-5 persons) discussions. Previous topics

tackled in this class have been the Social Principles of the

United Methodist Church, peacemaking, talking to non-

Christians about Christ, the “Backside” studies of J. Ellsworth

Kalas, The Book of Revelation, the Nooma Video Series by

Rob Bell, and the movie presentation of the Gospel of John.

Adults, both singles and couples, can seek to discover God’s

will for their lives by investigating the scriptures and by

discussing controversial issues that confront the church and

Christians individually in an environment where everyone’s

ideas and opinions are valued. The class is always presented

in a way where 100% Sunday participation , although desired,

is not required. This allows for those who can’t attend every

week to be involved. This class is co-lead by two highly

regarded and very experienced teachers at Oxford! Adults of

all ages are welcomed.

Class Leader—Billy Ivens

Class Leader– David Holloman

Oxford UMC Discipleship Leaders

Pastor John Hargis

Patricia McFaul—Sunday School Superintendent

Jerry Mason—Discipleship Chairperson

Nancy Hodges—Sunday School Secretary

Michelle Garibay-Carey—Program Director

Kristi Forister—Youth Director

Teri A . Boldt—Program Assistant

Juana Martinez– Nursery Director

Adult

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Schedule

Sundays at Oxford are

times when we gather as a

church for worship, study,

and fellowship.

8 am

Fellowship Breakfast in the

Gym

In Search of God’s Plan

Class—Room 3-4 Education

Bldg.

9:15 am

Traditional Worship Service in

the sanctuary

10:30 am

Way 2 Go! Sunday School

hour for all ages

11:30 am

“ELEVATE” Contemporary

Worship Service in the sanctu-

ary

5:00 pm

YOUTH! Fellowship in the

Gym

One of the purposes in church’s mission statement is that “we build

one another up to Christian maturity.” We want to become more and more like

Christ and to act out of the love, understanding, and self-sacrifice he showed.

Sunday School, whether it is for children, youth, or adults, is a major part of

how that happens. It contributes to our spiritual growth in more than one way.

Sunday School is also a place where people come together for a sense

of fellowship or community. Ideally, Sunday School is where one comes to know

that he or she is loved. It has been said that Christianity is more “caught than

taught.” Children in Sunday School learn Bible stories and come to know God’s

love and intentions through them, but they also experience the love of their

teachers and even the other pupils. Teenagers and adults are enabled better to

deal with the challenges of their lives both through what they learn and through

the companionship along the way of their teachers and peers.

One never grows too old for Sunday School. It’s one of the best means

to be used in allowing one’s self to become conformed to the image of Christ, to

grow to Christian maturity. I encourage everyone to participate. Anyone not

attending Sunday School is truly missing out on a rich blessing.

Pastor John Hargis

A Message

from the Pastor

Raising Children is a journey, a journey God wants to guide us through.

The Pathfinders class gathers together to learn about raising children as

Christians. This class studies various books, short programs and DVD

studies which use Biblical principles to focus on the challenges and

rewards of Christian parenting. This class studies series such as

“Effective Parenting in a Defective World” by Chip Ingram. This is a

book and DVD based study. Other books studies have been, “The Power

of a Praying Parent” by Stormie Omartian, “The Parent You Want to Be”

by Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, and “Words Kids Need to Hear” by

David Staal. The Pathfinders class meets in the Education Building in

Room 5. Class Leader- Angee Shelburn

Parents’ Class: The Path-finders