Sunday School

Sunday School is for all ages at St. Andrew. We meet at 9:30am on Sunday mornings and we invite you to join us. The Fall Schdule is listed below; if you have questions, please get in touch with Lisa Patterson, our Christian Educator.

Children’s Sunday School Classes

We Believe is the curriculum used in all preschool and elementary classes during the Sunday school hour. It is written and distributed by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), maintaining a strong connection to Reformed theology. Engaging with the biblical stories, shared in a variety of ways in the curriculum, children are stimulated to learn through their imaginations and class participation. Friends and visitors are always welcome, so join us on Sunday morning.

Preschoolers Room 102
Teachers: Sue Elliott and Vera Odei

Kindergarten & First Grade Room 101
Teachers: Diana Dunklau and Stacy Hays

Second Grade Rooom 100
Teachers: Debby Ishee and Kate Wolff

Third Grade Rec Center
Teachers: Cindy and Chris Howell

Fourth & Fifth Grade Rec Center, Treehouse Room
Teachers: Jeanie Fite and Stephanie Raesz

The nursery for infants and toddlers is found in the Education wing to the right of Fellowship Hall and is staffed through the 10:50am worship service.

Youth Sunday School Classes

End of Year Sunday School Class Schedule for Youth
The Senior High Sunday school class will not meet on the following dates:
  November 15
  November 29
  December 27

Middle School and Confirmation Sunday morning classes will not meet on:
  November 29
  December 27

Sixth & Seventh Grade Middle School Class The Den, 9:35am
Teachers: Lisa Rosenberg and Chris Smith
Curriculum: LinC – Living in Christ: Youth Connecting Faith and Life
Join other 6th and 7th grade students as we learn how to develop Christian identity and live the Christian faith in connection to the latest events in the world (movies, TV, music, what’s in the news, etc). We have great discussion on how to put these things in conversation with the timeless truths of Scripture and with our living faith.

Eighth Grade Confirmation Class Room 203, 9:35am
Teachers: Todd Cook and Paul Dunklau
Confirmation class begins in the fall for 8th grade students as we explore the biblical foundations of Christianity, the history of the Church, and the substance of what it means to be Presbyterian. The most important element, though, will be the continual discovery of what it means to trust Jesus Christ as the controlling reality in our lives, and to deepen our understanding of God’s love for us. Students entering 8th grade have the opportunity to experience an exciting process of faith expression and the meaning of discipleship through the instruction and guidance of some amazing adult teachers and mentors.

CREW High School Class Room 205, 9:35am
Teacher: Brandon Lewis
Curriculum: LinC – Living in Christ: Youth Connecting Faith and Life
It’s low key and no pressure; we always have fresh donuts, great discussion, and attempt to learn something new! This is the place for high school students on Sunday morning—hanging out with friends, engaging in discussion about the joys and struggles of being a teenager, exploring the relevance of Scripture in our lives and what it means to have faith in God. We have great discussion on how to put the latest events going on in the world (music, movies, TV, latest news, etc.) in conversation with the timeless truths of Scripture and with our living faith.

Adult Sunday School Classes

The Breakfast Club Room 206/208
Join us on Sunday mornings for a walk through the Bible, where we’ll meet the interesting and flawed characters in the text. We’ll see what they have to say to our lives today and more importantly, find God revealed to us through the words of Scripture. It is our hope that we will build relationships as we participate in this serious and life-giving study and as we share discussion and laughter in our church community. We are devoted to learning the Bible and discussing the material and its relevance to living out a life of faith. Traci Cook will be our activities’ coordinator for the year and all class members will receive e-mails with the details for our class gatherings, scheduled for every other month.
Book: The Idiot's Guide to the Bible, 3rd Edition, $13
Teacher: Lisa Patterson

Java Jive Room 200
Each Sunday this class will read and discuss an article from various Presbyterian publications, including The Christian Century, Sojourners, and The Presbyterian Outlook. This diverse group welcomes anyone looking to develop a better understanding of how to live God’s Word more fully in today’s culture by exploring the stories of others.
Teachers: Michael Ball, Joe Fritz, Rafat Haddad, Linda Steger

Contemporary Christians Room 209
“I believe in God, the Father Almighty….” Recognize these words? They form the beginning of one of the earliest professions of faith used by Christians, the Apostles' Creed. Although we recite these words almost every Sunday in worship, many of us question their value in our modern world. Indeed, we may not even know what some of the phrases really mean.

Contemporary Christians, which is a discussion-oriented class, will study The Apostles' Creed for Today, by Justo L. Gonzalez. One of the “For Today” series published by Westminster John Knox Press, this book outlines the history of the Creed and reframes these ancient words to bring us a fresh understanding. Gonzalez, originally from Cuba, is an ordained Methodist minister who taught seminary classes at Emory and Columbia before retiring.
Book: The Apostle’s Creed for Today, $10
Teacher: Paula Flowerday

Mighty Acts Room 100
This class uses The Present Word quarterly study and the three units in the fall quarter focus on God’s covenant made manifest in community. The lessons consider the persons God chose to become covenant leaders, the invitations God offered to enter into community, the people’s responses to the invitations and the nature of God’s new covenant community.
Teacher: Elinor Caldwell

Pastor’s Class Fellowship Hall
July 10, 2009, was the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, the 16th century reformer. Churches around the world within the Reformed tradition have been celebrating this anniversary by turning anew to the study of Calvin. In this spirit, the Pastor’s Class will read and discuss John Calvin, Reformer for the 21st Century, by William Stacy Johnson, who teaches theology at Princeton Seminary. Copies of the book may be borrowed for the duration of the study.
Book: John Calvin, Reformer for the 21st Century, $9
Teacher: Steve Plunkett

Sojourner Class Room 202
The Sojourner class will use Dream.Think.Be.Do, a new DVD series from Living the Questions, as the basis for their study this fall. Recognizing that Christianity has been expressed in many ways in the past and present, this series uses the verse “Love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind” (Luke 10.7) as a springboard for conversation about what comes next for followers of Jesus. There are interviews with some 25 Christian theologians and teachers from many Christian traditions and they will help give us new insight as we seek to follow Jesus.
Teacher: Wayne Shourds

Super Wednesday

Super Wednesday runs from 5:30-7:30pm Wednesday evenings, beginning January 13, 2010.

A mainstay in St. Andrew's educational programming is the Super Wednesday ministry. We begin each Wednesday evening with a meal, and then break out into a variety of program opportunities for every member of the family. In addition to a nursery for very small children, there is a music program for elementary children, recreation for elementary children, middle school fellowship, and adult options that range from a Bible study to thematic and topical studies. Except for specified holidays, Super Wednesday is in session from September through April.

Adult SW Tracks

Handbell Choir
Adult Choir Room, 6:20pm
Handbells offer a way to participate in the worship life of St. Andrew. This choir is intergenerational and its members are drawn from the congregation, although we usually have a few non-members who also participate, making it a part of our outreach efforts.
The choir is open to ringers from high school through adults and we play during the worship service several times during the year, usually during Advent, Lent, and the Easter season. Ability to read music is strongly recommended but previous ringing experience is not required. The desire to learn and commitment to consistent attendance are the most important qualifications for ringers.
Jean Harden, director

Quilting
Rec Center Mezzanine, 6:30 pm
Led by Nancy Griffin and Elizabeth Hagen, the quilters of St. Andrew will be working on quilts for the children at The Treehouse, our after school program for elementary children from two DISD campuses.

Adult Super Wednesday Studies

Six Heresy Countdown, January 13-February 17, 2010
Fellowship Hall, 6:30pm
Heresy—The very word calls to mind crazed heretics in mortal combat with fanatical heretic-hunters. We will take an honest-to-church-history look at six ancient disputes over the Christian message, disputes that have left their mark on Church teaching to this day. Who were the heretics, what were their heresies, and why are we as Christians still well-advised to care? Here’s an overview of the big six Jim Duke of Brite Divinity School will help us examine in January and February.
  6. Docetism, or “Christ Jesus is so perfect, so divine, he just can’t be human too.”
  5. Marcionism, or “A Bible church for folks too spiritual for down-to-earth living by the rules.”
  4. Montanism, or “End-Time Prophecy Revealed: Follow ME to New Jerusalem’s landing site.”
  3. Manicheanism, or “Good is good and bad is bad, that’s the Cosmic way.”
  2. Donatism, or “We go to altogether different churches: Mine has a Holy Ministry.”
  1. Pelagianism, or “No need to put yourself out, Savior: I can do it myself.”
Although hardly household names, these six heresies continue to pop up today, sometimes in the most unlikely places. More importantly, they touch on issues of faith and faithfulness of such vital concern that we can ill-afford to ignore them.

Stump the Pastors, February 24-March 3, 2009
Fellowship Hall, 6:30pm
Do you have questions about what Presbyterians believe? About what you believe personally?  Bring your questions to Super Wednesday on these two evenings. Steve and Brandon will try to answer them. This
is your chance to stump the pastors (or at least try to)!

Six Great Chapters, March 10-April 21, 2009
Fellowship Hall, 6:30pm
Jim Hancok will lead this walk through six of the most-beloved chapters in the Bible. Each week the group will read and then discuss what makes these chapters such encouraging and sustaining words for the Christian journey.
  March 10: Psalm 23: "The Good Shepherd"
  ----Spring Break----- March 17, 2010
  March 24:  Luke 15, "The Love of God" 
  March 31: Isaiah 53, "Foregleams of Calvary" 
  April 7: Romans 8, "More Than Conquerors" 
  April 14: I Corinthians 13, "How Love Behaves" 
  April 21: I Peter 1, "Kept By The Power of God" 

Lenten Spiritual Disciplines, February 17-March 31, 2010
Room 200, February 17; Chancel for remaining sessions
Want to slow down and spend an hour listening for God’s call to your life?  Would you like to learn more about spiritual disciplines with others interested in a closer relationship with God? Join Diane Smith in the chancel each Wednesday evening during Lent (except for Ash Wednesday, when we'll meet in Room 200) for quiet contemplation of scripture and an exploration of a spiritual discipline.

Romans Bible Study, January 13-April 21, 2010
Room 202, 6:30pm
Lynn Carrico, Jane Jaegerman, and Bonnie Robison will lead this study from the Interpretation Bible Study series on the letter to the Romans. Paul’s letter to the first century church in Rome deals with problems as contemporary, global and intimate, as those we experience in our lives today. Romans is a powerful reflection upon the gift of faith in God that comes through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. We invite you to join us in this study.

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, January 13-April 21, 2010
Room 206/208, 6:30pm
Amy Cole and Marissa Glasschroeder will lead this study of Joanna Weaver’s popular book for women who feel they may not be as loving or giving as they should be. We’ll learn how we can draw closer to our Lord, deepen our devotion, strengthen our service, with less stress and greater joy as we grow in faith. On the fourth Wednesday of the month, Jeanie Fite will lead the group in a study of Joshua: A Journey of Faith, this year’s Presbyterian Women’s Bible study.

Faith Journey in Fantasy Lands, January 13-February 17, 2009
Room 209, 6:30pm
Stephanie Raesz will lead us in exploring the intersection and interaction of faith and pop culture, as seen through the lens of three popular fantasy series:
  Harry Potter,
  Star Wars, and
  The Lord of the Rings.
No homework will be assigned and all contributions and opinions are welcome, so join us!

The Gospel According to U-2, February 24-March 10, 2010
Room 209, 6:30pm
Who among us hasn't experienced a song that moved us deeply, that spoke to us in a truly spiritual way despite its secular nature? Come explore the spiritual themes found in the music of U2 with Jonathon Fite and other fans of this popular musical group.

Parenting, March 24-April 21, 2010
Room 209, 6:30pm
Barb Haflich will lead this discussion group for the parents of young children. You'll have the opportunity to work on the following topics:
  - Identifying Family Communication Patterns
  - Giving Children Responsibility for Themselves,
  - Raising Children of Character
  - Moving through the Stages of Parenting, and
  - Coping with Stress in the Family.

Choir Festival, April 28, 2010
Fellowship Hall, 6:30pm
The children's choirs and the handbell ringers will delight us with their singing and ringing in Fellowship Hall this evening. Come and enjoy our traditional closing program of the Spring semester. 

Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Adult Choir Room, 7:30 pm
The Chancel Choir is open to all members, as well as non-members, of the congregation. The ability to read music is welcome but not required, nor is an audition. The choir also rehearses in the chancel on Sunday mornings at 9:45am. If you feel the call to sing during the anthem at the 10:50am worship service, please consider joining this dedicated group of singers.

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