Agape Class

Lesson / Daily Devotionals

In case you missed week one of our book The Lord & His Prayer, below is a link to the daily devotional guide for this week.  Next week, we'll meet again in Wesley Hall (between our room and the donuts!) as Rev. Tom Downing leads us in studying chapter 3.

Download LordPrayerWeek1 devotional.

Sign up for Advent study - pay online

For those of you that weren't able to make class last Sunday, we have agreed to co-host the church's all church Advent Study with the Covenant Class. Click here to sign up and pay for your book online:  From November 29th - December 20th, Rev. Tom Downing will teach on the book "The Lord and His Prayer" by N.T. Wright. We'll meet in Wesley Hall (the large room with the stage, near our class).  Click for a map of the church. 

The books can be purchased the next two Sundays for $10 on the Harwood Landing but they encourage us to purchase the books this Sunday (the 15th) if at all possible. This will be a great chance for us to get to know other members of the church and will give our class a break from preparing lessons during the busy month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. As co-hosts we will need 1-2 volunteers to man the check-in table on Sunday mornings starting November 29th and also to provide snacks to supplement the doughnuts in Wesley Hall. Please e-mail me if you can sign up for either on the following Sundays: November 29th, December 6th, December 13, and December 20th. If you're in town the 29th, please think about volunteering because many of us will be traveling.

SS lesson recap - 11/15

Dear Class,
Thanks to all who came and participated today. I love having a willing audience. And to those we
missed we looked at "Three Simple Rules" Rule 3 - "Stay in Love with God." This is the end part of the lesson. Just some thoughts to ponder this week. I pray that you all are moved to make this Covenant with God.
Go in Peace,
Summer

Wesley's Covenant Prayer

The prayer is often used, particularly by Methodists, to re-dedicate oneself to God.
 
The heart of the service, focused in the Covenant Prayer, requires persons to commit themselves to God. This covenant is serious and assumes adequate preparation for and continual response to the
covenant. Leaders of worship must take seriously the need to prepare the congregation for this service, possibly through study sessions and prayer.

The Prayer

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
(as used in the Book of Offices of the British Methodist Church, 1936).

Discussion Questions:
What would happen if you completely turned your life over to Christ?
Are you ready? Would you be willing to do it today?
With what seriousness would you be willing to pray this prayer?
Do you feel like praying this prayer is the same as taking marriage vows?

News from Scott

Hey - wanted to say thanks to all who volunteered for Fall Festival, especially Hollis and Katherine - every year the attendance seems to get bigger (and I am sure the work gets bigger too).
 
I have scheduled the meeting with Linda Roby for this Wed (10/28) at 5pm.
 
This Sunday (11/1 - Daylight Savings), we move on to the Second Rule - "Do Good" - you'll want to do good the day after Halloween and you can sleep an hour later - right, Joe ?

I like to add one more thing: Next month is our turn to host potluck at our home. Given holidays are quickly approaching the only weekend we are in town is 11/7. We wanted to see if this weekend was okay with the majority otherwise we can be one of the first families to go next year since the Rainwaters have December.

-Scott

Programming for October

Rev. Jay Cole will be teaching our class the next three Sundays: 9/27, 10/4, 10/11.  

After that, we'll be doing a book study that will take us up until the holiday season.  I've narrowed it down to two books that will fit that timeframe (5/6 weeks):

1.) Three Simple Rules  by Rueben Job

or 

2.) Prodigal God by Tim Keller.  

Three Simple Rules discusses some of John Wesley's teachings, and Prodigal God digs into the Prodigal Son parable in-depth.  If you have a preference as to which book we study, please let me know.  My email is pbmoore@fulbright.com.

Summer Lessons: Foundations Study!

Don't forget to buy and read The Shack by William P. Young. We will discuss The Shack's theology for the next two weeks (June 28 and July 5). Our discussion leaders are Ann Smith, Hollis Owens and Ana Mares. 

Staring July 12, we will begin the Foundations study. Books are available in class for $20 (we planned one book per couple, but if people want their own, let us know and we'll order more).  We need leaders for the sessions. James and Britta will start us off, and they picked an exciting topic for our first lesson: The Afterlife! James and Britta reviewed the teacher's guides and the CD of PowerPoint presentations and they're very good, so teaching should be easy. Email back your preference of a date (and topic, if you desire) to teach.  We need everyone to teach lessons. Try to sign up for 2 lessons, as each chapter in the Participant's guide lasts two weeks. The teacher's guide even tells you when to stop week one and where to pick up for week two. 

7/12: Foundations: The Afterlife, Part 1a - James and Britta Stanton 

7/19: Foundations: The Afterlife, Part 1b - James and Britta Stanton 

7/26: Foundations: The Afterlife, Part 2a - * need teacher* 

8/2: Foundations: The Afterlife, Part 2b - *need teacher* 

8/9: Foundations: The Bible, Part 1a - *need teacher* 

8/16: Foundations: The Bible, Part 1b - *need teacher* 

8/23: Foundations: The Bible, Part 2a - *need teacher* 

8/30: Foundations: The Bible, Part 2b - *need teacher* 

9/6: tba (Does anyone want to teach the Foundations introduction? There is a teaching guide and slides to go with it.) 

9:13: Andrew Forrest speaking, part I. 

9/20: Andrew Forrest speaking, part II. 

Let us know if there is a specific Foundations study you want to teach after September 20th and what date. We've also got calls in to Kathryn Ransdell, Jay Cole and Tom Downing asking them to teach our class in the Fall.

June Lessons: Dancing the Tango in an Earthquake

[IN JUNE, WE ARE STARTING TO MEET IN OUR NEW ROOM - G01 - WHICH IS NEAR THE DICKERSON CHAPEL AND THE DINING ROOM!]

Welcome to our summer book study! We'll be reading a book from the Real Life Stuff for Couples series - Dancing the Tango in an Earthquake - an aptly titled book about marriage! Hollis Owens has ordered the books for us and Brian and Hollis will lead our first lesson.

Bring $10 for your book and be prepared to sign up to be a "discussion facilitator" for a chapter of the book. This book should lead to some great discussions and learning opportunities for all of us!

Here is the first chapter for you to review prior to our first meeting this Sunday: Download TangoCh1.pdf.  See you Sunday.

Winter Programming

If you'd like to facilitate our lesson on Jan. 20, email Hollis Owens, please!  hollisandbrian@sbcglobal.net

January 6-27 (except Jan. 20): Virgie Holbrook, A Year of Living Bibically

Feb. 3: Hollis & Brian Owens, History of First Church

Feb. 10: Trip to Kimball in FW with Urban Life

Feb. 17 & 24: Wally Chappel

March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: History of Methodism

Reading: Chapter 1, Returning to Holiness

See attached.  Books will be arriving next week.

Download return_to_holiness_ch1.PDF

Lesson Calendar

We are reading Returning to Holiness.

*Please bring $5.00 per couple to pay for your book

September 16, 2007 – Kristen De Leon, Chapter 1

September 23, 2007 – Owens Family, Chapter 2

September 30, 2007 – Russell Roberts, Chapter 3

October 7, 2007 – Denison Family, Chapter 4

October 14, 2007 – (________), Chapter 5 (email to volunteer!)

October 21, 2007 – Wilson Family, Chapter 6

October 28, 2007 – Rainwater Family, Chapter 7

Lessons following our book study:

November 4 – Study about death and what it means to Christians, Summer 

November 11 - Neetu Rainwater on the Lord's Prayer

November 18 – The Power of Witness, Russell

November 25 – Social Hour: bring holiday food to share

December 2 – History of 1^st Dallas UMC and Where we are heading. Bryan and Hollis

December 9 or 16 – All Sunday School Breakfast or lesson TBD

December 9 or 16 – All Sunday School Breakfast or lesson TBD

December 23 – Social Hour (due to holidays); bring food/drinks to share

December 30 – Social Hour (due to holidays); bring food/drinks to share

January 2008 – Rev. Virgie Holbrook, What It Means To Be A United Methodist

February 2008 – Rev. Wally Chapel and Stella Chapel:  Marriage & Love (availability TBD)

Do your Research Homework!

Attention all AGAPE class members. 

Ever disliked a Sunday School lesson?  Now is the time to change that.  This is our class to all members to research books, video series, and pre-planned lessons to suggest a cirriculum for the class on September 9, "Promotion Sunday."

Here are some links to get you started:  www.cokesbury.com (Methodist Press)

COKESBURY BOOKSTORE
SMU SELECMAN HALL ANNEX
DALLAS, TX 75275

And at 19200 Preston Rd # 101, Dallas TX

Finally, try some Google searches (say, Adult Sunday School Lesson Book?).  You can find many lesson plans online, reviews of books, and even tons of podcasts of lessons.  Come equipped with at least one idea on Sunday September 9!

Lesson7/29: Wesley Rankin Comm. Center Exec. Dir.

Stacy Welk is the executive director of
the Wesley-Rankin Community Center in South Dallas.
Stacy has an amazing story... She actually visited
Wesley-Rankin as a troubled teen 16 years ago.  Now
she is the executive director of the entire program.
She is a wonderful speaker, and I know you will walk
away from our classroom feeling truly inspired.  I
know because I was one of 5 people present for her
talk last week.  She is excited to come back this
week, and I hope we have a bigger audience for her
this time.  Unfortunately, our family will not be
there this week because we are taking a trip to
California.  I know you will all welcome Stacy back,
and enjoy her inspiring story.

Lesson July 15

On Sunday our class will be lead by David Noteware and the topic of discussion will be,

"Do rites create rights and other ethical, legal issues?"

Don't forget about the Wilson's potluck on Saturday. 

Sunday July 8

A reminder on this week's program for Sunday School...

We are pleased to have Kirk McKinnon lead our class in discussion. He has been through both seminary and law school and is a wonderful speaker. You wont want to miss this class!

Lesson, June 24

Our Sunday School class is very pleased to have another guest teacher lead us Sunday June 24. Wayne Smith will be leading our class with a lesson entitled, "How Do You See Your Life?"