Here’s a list of what’s happening this week in our Church School classes. We offer Christian Education classes for persons of all ages, from infancy through adulthood, on Sundays, 9:45–10:45 am, unless otherwise noted. Read more about our adult classes and children and youth offerings.
Children and Youth
Our children and youth are deeply spiritual people with great theological questions. To foster these gifts and to help students learn the stories, vocabulary, and actions of the Christian life in a loving community, ELPC offers Church School classes for kids and youth from pre-K–grade 12. Class locations are listed below. Parents, please register your child online. Email Sara Hackett for more details.
Pre-K | Nursery
K–Grade 3 | Room 206
Grades 4–6 | Room 211
Grades 7–12 | Second Floor Parlor
Journey with Scripture | Fellowship Room and Zoom
“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave.”—Song of Songs 8:6
For March, we continue to read from the Psalms and Philippians, finish the Song of Songs, and resume selected Hebrew Scriptures referencing “A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church” by Wilda Gafney. All these readings offer transformative paths of steadfast love, faithfulness, and justice for daily life. They encourage us in the mutuality and friendship of God in Christ. Come join the journey!
Join us for this week’s readings: Psalm 20; Song of Songs 8:5–14; Philippians 1:27–2:11. Contact Sara Hackett for Zoom information.
Parenting Circle | Room 213 and Zoom
This year, we will be reading Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brené Brown. In this New York Times bestseller, Brown writes, “If we want to find the way back to ourselves and one another, we need language and the grounded confidence to both tell our stories and be stewards of the stories that we hear. This is the framework for meaningful connection.”
Anyone involved in parenting (singles, couples, adoptive parents, step-parents, grandparents, guardians, mentors, etc.) are welcome to join us. For more information, contact the Rev. Heather Schoenewolf.
Seekers | Garth Overlook Room and Zoom
The Servant of the Lord
Scripture passages for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday of Holy Week are the four Servant Songs from Isaiah. They all deal with the Servant of the Lord, a mysterious figure whose mission involves not only the deliverance of Israel, but also the transformation of the world.
Christian readers have long seen the Servant of the Lord as foreshadowing Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 15:3; Acts 8:32–35; 1 Peter 2:22–25), an understanding that may well go back to Jesus himself. But this does not mean that the prophet’s words had no meaning for his own time or people—or that they do not address us as well. We will consider how we, too, are called to walk in the way of the servant of the Lord.
This week, the Rev. Dr. Steven S. Tuell will lead us as we explore our subject, “The Way of Obedience”—Isaiah 49:1–7
Bibles are needed and will be available, but feel free to bring your own. Join us in person or contact Gwen Puza for Zoom details.
The Rev. Dr. Steven S. Tuell is the James A. Kelso Professor emeritus of Hebrew and Old Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (PTS). He earned his doctorate in Hebrew Bible at Union Theological Seminary. Rev. Dr. Tuell is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, and he has written numerous books and articles on the Hebrew Bible, and recently completed a book, titled The Prophets: Introducing Israel’s Prophetic Literature.
Soul Food | Good Samaritan Room and Zoom
We will begin discussing chapter 9 of Made for Goodness, by Desmond Tutu and his daughter Mpho Tutu.
New participants are welcome in person, online, or by phone. If you’re interested in joining our class, email the Rev. Joe Hajdu.