Sunday School

CHEERS is an inter-generational discussion group involved in studying God's word while examining and expressing its faith through Christian Hope and Energy Engaged in Responsive Service.

In the spring of 1991, the Council on Ministries at Wesley Memorial decided the church needed an additional adult Sunday School Class. Phyllis Hamm (wife of then senior pastor, Rodney Hamm) was asked to organize the new class. On July 10, 1991, the group had its first meeting in what was then the church library with 9 people in attendance. In the first few months after its beginning, the class members decided to name themselves the CHEERS class based on the theme song of the TV show by the same name. Members wanted the class to be a place where people of all ages and stages of life could gather for worship and feel a sense of welcome and belonging -- a place where everybody would know their name and always be glad they came.

Today the CHEERS Sunday school class meets every Sunday during the Sunday school hour in the Adult Education Building (AEC Building - Room 105). To locate us look for the classroom with the crowd of people...the CHEERS class sign is over the door. We're always delighted to make room for guests/new members.

CHEERS does not target a specific age group; our class statement describes us as an inter-generational class. We range in age from early 20's to quite youthful 90's and boast an enrollment of 82 members. On any given Sunday, we normally will have 40 to 50 folks in attendance.

When Phyllis Hamm left the area to follow Rodney to Burlington, NC, the class was left without a regular Sunday school teacher. The decision was made to allow volunteers to teach the class, with one individual taking the responsibility of proposing subject matter to the class for approval . Lessons presented vary from both the secular and spiritual approach to religion, i.e. the Bible, Max Lucado books, George Burns' movie "Oh, God". The volunteer method has been very successful, providing an opportunity for those who want to participate in the educational aspect of the class without insisting that everyone take a turn. However, should you join the CHEERS class, it’s a good bet you will feel led to teach one day!

The class is very heavily involved in supporting worthy programs. Our largest fund raiser is the annual cooking of Brunswick stew, widely supported by many of the church members. Monies raised from this undertaking, as well as other efforts, are used to support programs such as the Wesley Memorial college scholarship funds, New Life Prison Ministries, KAIROS, Habitat for Humanity, Christmas Angel Tree program, Wesley Memorial multi-media fund, Bible teachers, Methodist Children's Home, Lifeline Pregnancy Center, Elderhaus, Early Bread, Yahweh Center, Christian radio station WWIL, Thanksgiving baskets for the needy, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, Appalachia Service Project, Pender County Correctional Center, Christmas teddy bear project, Matthew 25 House, and Pastor's Discretionary Fund.

Friends Class was started in May, 1996, when it was recognized that there was a need for a class for adults in their mid-30s and 40s. About 20 people regularly attend this class.

The Friends Class uses class member volunteers to lead discussions and studies on books of the Bible, topics such as Faith, or contemporary issues for Christians to respond to in our community. We reach out to families and adults of all ages believing we all need God’s love and help from our friends.

We are active in Wesley projects and missions including landscaping projects, the children’s and youth ministries, and community outreach. We are a friendly and welcoming group with lively and loving discussions. Please visit us in Room 101 of the Adult Education Center!

The Grace class was started in 1998 by several couples with young children. We invite all age groups to join us; however, most of our members are young married couples with children ages 1 - 10, although there are some single members. There are usually 20-30 members every Sunday. The class now has over 50 members and has outgrown 2 classrooms!

Lesson materials vary widely from scripture based, lesson book-based, discussion of contemporary issues, and interpretation of movies on occasion. There are 2 main teachers , with a sign-up calendar for volunteers who want the opportunity to teach. With a slate of volunteers who teach, teaching is not a requirement.

Feeling a need to give back, our class started the "helping hands" ministry to assist older people of the church with small projects around the home. We assist with household tasks: doing yard work (like pruning shrubs), moving furniture, doing minor repairs, cleaning gutters, and building wheelchair ramps. Each month a different class member takes charge of organizing crews to fulfill requests received for assistance.

Twice yearly, we have great fun with yard sales a

nd our large fund raisers: The BigCat Tourney (annual catfish tournament) and Flamingo Flocking (which actually continues throughout the year). Monies collected are used to support our Sunday School projects and various church projects.

We have numerous social gatherings throughout the year from New Years parties to summer beach trips and pool parties. The best reason to come to our class is to share the Christian love, support, and friendship that we have for each other.

The classroom is located on the second floor above the baby nursery in the northwest corner of the church (Room 32 – the old hand bell practice room).

The Johnson Bible Class was started in 1944 and was named for its teacher and founder. Once a class of young adults, it is safe to say that this class is now one of senior citizens mostly older than age 65. An average Sunday will find 10 or 15 adults in attendance. Still on the roles are several once-active members who are either now in nursing homes or are shut-ins.

Usually taught by Bill Howard, this class is Bible based and studies the International Bible series. Mr. Howard says he takes a more liberal approach to the Bible interpretation and uses the Oxford Annotated Bible, used by students at Duke Divinity school, as a reference.

Members of the Johnson Bible Class have seen a lot of changes in the church over the years. They have lived through and supported the many building and expansion projects. They have watched the church grow. Their own class location has also changed. They started out in an un-airconditioned upstairs classroom in the old building, relocated for a time to the back of the present sanctuary – which was pretty noisy – relocated to the room eventually named for Dale K. Spencer, a long-time teacher of the class, and is in its

The class supports several outreach projects associated with the elderly and has also supported the youth group summer work mission trip.

The New Day Discussion Class group may be loosely defined as AARP candidates. They are both married and single. There are 15 members with an average attendance of about 10-12. They meet in AEC room 103.

New Day usually does Bible Study. Tom Prather is the teacher, but says he is ably substituted for periodically by a couple of others. The class was formed about 1970, with several members attending since that time.

This class supports the $10 club which provides financial support to new Methodist churches.

The class is more a "discussion" class than a taught class, with shared ideas, humor and love!

O. H. Joy Sunday School Class
Location: Sanctuary Building – Room 31upstairs

The O. H. Joy Class began as a spin-off of the Seekers class in the 1980s and was originally named for Olive Higgins. Olive Higgins lived in a house across the street from the church. While she was never a member of the class, she was an “honored saint of the church.” Several years ago, the Olive Higgins class merged with the Centurians and the Joy classes, and the name was changed to the
O. H. Joy class. When the name was changed, it was noted that Ms. Higgins would approve.

Members of the class vary widely in age from adults with young children to adults with grandchildren. Although the size of the class swells from time to time, there are usually between 15 to 25 people in the class on any given Sunday. People in this class are very down-to-earth and love to laugh and have a good time.

The class studies materials that are Bible-based and require discussions.....but no homework for class participants required. When it is time to begin a new topic of study, choices are made by popular vote. Anyone who is so moved gets the opportunity to teach....but you do not have to agree to help teach to be welcome in this class. Discussions are informal, spirited, friendly, and lively.

O. H. Joy supports Kairos, Yahweh, and other worthy causes with contributions of money. One Sunday per quarter we help with preparation and delivery of Meals on Wheels. We help with goodies for the Gathering Hall Hospitality Table on a regular basis; and members volunteer time in the Prayer Chapel.

At Christmas time, we all enjoy gathering in a member’s home. We let down our hair, laugh a lot, and share a covered-dish Celebration of the Season.

Visitors and new members are always welcome. Folks begin gathering in the classroom around 9:45am, but prayer concerns and class discussions usually don’t get started until about 10am; talks continue until the bell rings for the kids to be released from Sunday School. The class currently meets in Room 20 behind the Sanctuary balcony.

THE SALT CLASS
Location: Sanctuary Building – Room 26 -- Our newest Sunday School class, was started in 2006 by Associate Pastor Margaret Hockett. We began by studying the Seven Areas of Life Training curriculum. After completing that course, we began studying a variety of materials with our goals being to grow deeper in our relationship with Christ.

We are a multi-aged group of men and women, singles and married that numbers between 12 and 20 in attendance. Class members take turns as facilitators with the group joining in discussion of the lessons. New members are welcome !!

The Seekers Sunday School class was started more than 20 years ago. We meet upstairs in the southwest end of main church building, next to College Road (Room 28). Our class usually has an attendance of 20-25 members consisting of married couples (mostly ages 40-60) with children of all ages.

We normally study the Cokesbury Adult Bible Studies. The leadership of the lessons is voluntary and is usually performed by several members of our class. This provides a variety of expertise in the knowledge of the lessons along with different approaches to presenting the material. We normally have a snack/social before each class and the snack is also provided on a voluntary basis.

Our class has a fund raiser every year the weekend before Thanksgiving. We cook and sell barbecue pork and have eat-in/carry-out servings along with a choice of several different deserts, ranging from “by-the-slice” to buying whole cakes/pies which can be used for Thanksgiving dinners. This is a full class participation fund raiser and everyone has lots of fun doing it.

With the monies we make from this fund raiser, we support several different missions/organizations. Just a few of these are College scholarships, Egg tree, ACME (Association for Couples in Marriage Enrichment), Christian Radio, Angel tree, blankets for the needy and several more. There are personal needs that may be brought up by the members which are discussed/voted on by the class to provide financial support to a needy family.

Every year we have a Sunday School Class Christmas party. The main course is bought by the classroom and the rest of the meal is prepared by the membership. This always makes for a wonderful meal and fun and fellowship.

We welcome anyone to attend our class and be a part of the Christian experience that we try to convey.

Our class was formed in 2005. If you have been looking for a Sunday School class -- this one may be the perfect fit. It is being taught by Judy Jeremias. Currently the class is working through the bible from beginning to end. Each week a new book of the bible is featured.

Come see if this is the class you want to plug in to. The class meets in the education building on the second floor in room

Bible study and Christian fellowship support this class with an averag

Cakes and cookies and pies -- oh my! So many choices...so hard to choose!

e attendance of 55 adults – ages 50 years old and up, who are very involved and active – with room to grow. Bible study is based on a fixed program that changes yearly. Five well prepared, knowledgeable instructors lead the class in discussion of the scripture message. Instructors rotate weekly giving different presentation personalities to a solid Biblical study. Bristol Bible Curriculum is currently being used as the basis for the program. One can participate with questions and comments or just listen to the Good News and Old Testament message and discussion of its application.

Fellowship starts at approximately 9:30am and the program begins at 9:50AM. A hymn appropriate to the lesson starts the pro

gram. Prayer requests for concerns, as well as praises and joys are presented. The class is attentive to those within the class and others needing prayer and physical support. The class enjoys Christian humor and smiling, and laughing is not only permitted, but is actually promoted.

Typical programs that Wesley Fellowship Class initiates, supports financially or with talent include:

Our slogan is “Visit the Wesley Fellowship Class three times and you are automatically a member.” (Room 15 is the large room downstairs in the southwest corner closest to College Road.)

When they are not involved in the Confirmation Classes, the 6th graders can be found in Tween Time.

Who is a Tween? A tween is a young adolescent or preteen, who is going through many changes, both physically and emotionally, as they enter the world of middle school. At Wesley, we classify 6th graders as being in this category. They no longer fit in the Children's program, yet they are not quite ready for Sunday School with older youth either. This special group of kids need their own time to grow and learn, without having to deal with the pressures of trying to "fit in" with either older or younger kids.

Tween time meets in the Activity Center Gymnasium at 9:50am to discuss contemporary situations that they will be facing as they enter preteen and teen years. They participate in role-playing activities as well as games that teach the topic they are learning about at the time. Scripture learning is incorporated into the games and activities.

Tweens are special individuals with their own unique understandings of God, God's world, God's will, God's justice, and the role that Jesus Christ plays in the Christian's life. They need to be respected and loved for who they are now; because if we don't, we will not have the chance to celebrate them in the days ahead; because they will have managed to disappear from us.

The Junior High Class is comprised of 7th and 8th graders that meet in Room B of the Activity Center – otherwise known as “the couch room.” Currently, we assemble at 9:45am and class starts around 10am. We generally conclude around 10:35- 10:45am. Our average class size is about 15 youth and the class is led by three adults: Jimmy Sneeden, Dave Weaver, and Frank Jones. The curriculum is a mix of Bible lessons and Christian contemporary topics. Hard hats and Protective Eyewear are not required, but strongly encouraged.

Sr. High SS Class
Location: Activity Building – gym

The Senior High Sunday School class is for any student grades 9 through 12, and meets in the gym of the Activity Center. Typically, there are 20 to 30 youth present to discuss contemporary issues with Biblical references.

18/26 CLASS -- College Students & Young Adults
Location: Activity Building – Room A

Called the 18/26 class, this class is for anyone that falls in the range of 18 to 26 years of age. Most of the members are UNC-W students and students from Cape Fear Community College (and from time to time, even a grad student or two) and follows the UNC-W calendar.

This class emphasizes interaction and discussion in an informal setting. There are usually about 4-8 people attending this class which is held during the normal Sunday School time of 10 - 10:45am.