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For Women
Ladies Book Club
Meets 1st Monday of the Month
Women reading and discussing books. Selections of books are made on an alphabetical order of attendees so everyone has a chance to select a favored book. The books suggested must be available at the library so no one has to buy the book unless they want to. Meets the 1st Monday of each month at 1:00 p.m. in room 245 (except if the 1st Monday is a holiday and then the group meets the 2nd Monday). Visit sjumcwomen.org to get a list of the current books.
Women's Bible & Book Studies
Tuesdays
Periodic Bible studies for women that run 4-11 weekly sessions. Classes are usually held on Tuesdays at various times during the day either in-person or via Zoom. Participants will purchase their own study materials. See the schedule below for upcoming studies.
For more information, email Donna Bruce.
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To register for one of the classes listed below, sign up at the Hospitality Center on Sundays, contact the church office or email Susan Perry
Women's Bible & Book Study 2025 Schedule
(Book Study) Knowing Who We Are, The Wesleyan Way of Grace, What We Believe, What We Do, and Why by Laceye C. Warner
​Tuesdays, January 14 - February 18, (6 weeks), 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., IN-PERSON
Led by Dara Bell and Judy Castleberry​
Laceye Warner invites you to a richer understanding of Wesleyan Christianity so you can have a clear sense of identity, better express your own beliefs, and deepen your connection with The United Methodist Church. She introduces you to important values and characteristics that make the Wesleyan way distinctive, including emphasizing God's grace for all and sanctification as tangible transformation in your life, your community, and all creation. You'll see how The United Methodist Church today is deeply rooted in the Christian tradition and a legacy of care, compassion, and active response to injustice in the world. And you'll find that Christian faith in the Wesleyan tradition holds together personal faith and community life, along with a commitment to justice through ministry and service. Discover a way of being Christian that fills you with joy, moves you to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, and spurs you to live with compassion and grace.
(Bible Study) Thrive: Living Faithfully in Difficult Times (a study of the book of James) by Jennifer Cowart
Mondays, February 10 - March 24 (7 weeks), 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., IN-PERSON
Led by Barbara Stanfield (bring your brown bag lunch)
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In "Thrive", author and teacher Jen Cowart helps women develop the habits and attitudes necessary to thrive, whatever their circumstances. Leading readers through the Book of James, a letter written about enduring hardships, she lifts up six characteristics of mature Christians. From endurance and humility to controlling our words, Jen helps participants find the divine and the practical in living faithfully.
(Lenten Study) The Final Days, A Lenten Journey Through the Gospels by Matt Rawle
Tuesdays, March 4 - April 8 (6 weeks), 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., IN-PERSON
Led by Shanlii Payment
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This Lent ponder the themes of justice, poverty, freedom, and love. The four New Testament Gospels aren't the same story, but they offer the same Resurrection hope. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John devote most of their story detailing Jesus' last week in Jerusalem, all highlighting Jesus' triumphant entry into the city, the suffering and humiliation of the cross, and the empty tomb come Sunday morning, but the stories they tell aren't quite the same. Each Gospel offers a different lens through which we understand Jesus' Passion. These different perspectives aren't a reason to dismiss the Gospels; rather they reveal an abundant, diverse, and complementary picture of God's work in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
(Book Study) How Much More, Discovering God's Extravagant Love in Unexpected Places by Lisa Harper
Tuesdays, April 1 - May 13 (7 weeks), 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., ZOOM
Led by Donna Bruce
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Maybe your head knows that God is always good, but your heart's not so sure. Or perhaps while reading Scripture, you've wondered if our Creator Redeemer went through a personality change - from strictly enforcing the rules in the Old Testament to loving the outcast in the New! In this Bible study, you'll discover divine love in the often overlooked and misunderstood passages in Scripture. And you'll be delighted to find that Jehovah of the Old Testament is the same redemptive and compassionate God we see through Jesus Christ in the New Testament. He has always been and will always be for us!
(Book Study) Heaven, When Faith Becomes Sight by Jennifer Rothschild
Tuesdays, June 3 - July 22 (8 weeks), 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., IN-PERSON
Led by Shanlii Payment
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Heaven. Who goes there? Where is it? What will we do there? Questions like these arise when we consider an eternal future beyond this physical life. How can we know the truth about what comes next? In this Bible study, Jennifer Rothschild explores the subject of Heaven from a biblical perspective. She will separate what's true about Heaven from what's based on legend, media depictions, and hopeful guesses. As you walk through the study, you'll not only gain a deeper understanding of what God has prepared for His children, but also learn how to live with confidence today as you look forward to the glorious unending that awaits. Don't just wonder about Heaven - embrace it with a faith that turns anticipation into excitement and peace.
(Book Study) The Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer
Tuesdays, September 9 - October 28 (8 weeks), 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., IN-PERSON
Led by Shanlii Payment
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All day, every day, an invisible war rages around you - unseen, unheard, yet felt throughout every aspect of your life. A devoted, devilish enemy seeks to wreak havoc on everything that matters to you: your heart, your mind, your marriage, your children, your relationships, your resilience, your dreams, your destiny. But his battle plan depends on catching you unaware and unarmed. If you're tired of being pushed around and caught with your guard down, this study is for you. The enemy always fails miserably when he meets a women dressed for the occasion. "The Armor of God", more than merely a biblical description of the believer's inventory, is an action plan for putting it on and developing a personalized strategy to secure victory.
(Book Study) Perfectly Flawed: God Transforms our Weaknesses into Strengths (a women's study on the life of Peter) by Lisa Toney
Mondays, September 29 - November 10 (7 weeks), 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Led by Barbara Stanfield (bring your brown bag lunch)
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We are all flawed, but God can turn those weaknesses into strengths. The apostle Peter's passion and imperfections make him one of the Bible's most loved and relatable people. Even when Peter gave up, gave in, and gave out, Jesus was there for him. Join Lisa Toney as she follows Peter through his time with Jesus, from the beginning of Jesus' ministry to the Resurrection and through Pentecost, when Peter begins to live into his call. Along the way, discover the raw honesty of a man who veered from staunch devotion to moments of doubt, mirroring our own human struggles. In this Bible study, we see that there is an unparalleled power Jesus gives that can only be found in our weakness. We discover the strength of Jesus that is available to each of us. Learn to persevere in your faith, live confidently, and boldly step into God's purpose for you. See how Peter's story is an invitation to embrace imperfection, find strength in the relentless grace of God, and discover how each of us is perfectly flawed but still deeply loved by God.
(Book Study) Esther, Daring Faith for Such a Time as This by Kelly Minter
Tuesdays, October 14 - November 25 (7 weeks), 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., ZOOM
Led by Donna Bruce
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A beautiful queen, her courageous cousin, a foreign land, and a murderous adversary - the book of Esther has all the elements of an epic drama. The story unfolds at a time when the people of God are split between nations with an uncertain future. While the name of God may not be mentioned in the book of Esther, its pages highlight His work among His people and foreshadow Jesus' very ministry to us - darkness to light, mourning to celebration, death to life. In this study, Kelly Minter invites you into the daring faith modeled by Esther and her cousin Mordecai - a faith developed over time, rooted in the goodness of God, lived out through extraordinary circumstances, and used to change the world. Although our time looks different from Esther's, our God is just as active and faithful today and He has called you for such a time as this.
(Advent Study) Faithful: Christmas Through the Eyes of Joseph by Adam Hamilton
Tuesdays, November 18 - December 16 (5 weeks), 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., IN-PERSON
Led by Dara Bell
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From his beginnings as a humble carpenter to his all-important role as the earthly father of Jesus Christ, Joseph's place in the nativity story is sometimes overlooked but contains valuable lessons for all of us. Join Adam Hamilton as he examines Christmas through the eyes of Joseph. Absent from much of the biblical narrative, Joseph never spoke a word, but his courageous actions were crucial to the birth of Christ and God's salvation plan for humanity. As you read this book, you will understand how Joseph's story is much like our own. In life, we encounter circumstances that we would never have chosen for ourselves. AT times it can be tempting just to walk away. Joseph provides us a great example of humbly obeying God even when we don't understand and faithfully moving forward in the strength that God provides. You will understand how Joseph's story is much like our own. In life, we encounter circumstances that we would never have chosen for ourselves. At times it can be tempting just to walk away. Joseph provides us a great example of humbly obeying God even when we don't understand and faithfully moving forward in the strength that God provides.
For Men
Men's Bible Study
Mondays at 10 AM and 7PM
Join our Men's Bible Study for enriching six-week studies held in both the fall and spring. Sessions take place on Mondays at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., providing flexibility for your schedule. For the current study details, contact the office.
Men's Bible Study: January 2025
Bible Study on Paul's Letter to the Romans
Mondays, January 13 - February 17
10:00am - 11:30am IN-PERSON class, 7:00pm - 8:00pm ONLINE class
Led by Jack Nuzum​
Paul’s Letter to the Romans is both a most important book and a most difficult book. Its theme is salvation and the gift of grace: what could be more important?! But Paul is at his lawyerly worst in many sections, writing like he is doing the fine print of a contract. Therefore, this class will not try and parse out every verse, but study the book in themes: life without God and the need for salvation; saving grace (justification); the results of justification; the issue of Israel and the Law; and the New Life in Christ.
Paul’s argument is often called the Roman Road to Salvation and is key to Christian theology. If such a study intrigues you (and you are male), please join us on Mondays from January 13 through February 17, 2025. We will have a Monday morning class that is both in person (Room 231, Library) AND on Zoom from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. There will also be a Monday evening class that is ZOOM ONLY from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
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For more information, contact the church office.
For Everyone
Daily Email Bible Study
Online Daily
Readers from St. John’s and around the world study together in St. John’s email Bible study. Topics range from in-depth word studies to lighthearted applications of scripture to popular culture. A brief scripture passage and study tip are delivered Monday through Friday via email, and we each read at a time and place of our own choosing. Answers to reader questions come out on occasional Saturdays. Email Regina Hunter for more information.
Email Bible Study Focus: January 2025
Contradictions in the Bible? More Apparent than Real.
Daily Scriptures and Study Tips by Email
Begins January 19
Led by Regina Hunger​
Have you ever been challenged to explain some biblical “contradiction” and asked how you can trust something so “unreliable”? Generally the so-called contradiction results either from a misunderstanding of the text or failure to read it all the way through, but occasionally we see a genuine difference between two passages. Why?
The Bible was written by more than 40 people over the course of about 1500 years. Not surprisingly, it contains some repetitive material, some apparent contradictions, and a very few clear contradictions. Are any of them important to God’s plan of salvation? No. Does the Bible contain a clear, consistent message about salvation? Yes. Apparent contradictions can arise from copyist errors, approximations, exaggeration for effect, the various ways names are used, different purposes of the various authors, or differences between ancient Hebrew and Greek and modern English word usage. This study will examine some of the types of trivial inconsistencies in the Bible, some of the apparently real contradictions, how to think about them, and why they aren’t important to God’s plan of salvation.
Pick up a study guide in the Hospitality Center beginning January 19, or contact the church office to receive the scripture passages and daily study tips by email.
Walk to Emmaus
Held seasonally, contact for more information
The Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual renewal program (a 72-hour cloistered retreat with follow up) intended to strengthen the local church through the development of Christian disciples and leaders. Contact the office for more informaiton about our next walk.