November 24, 2021
This Ministry is a group of people, including both elected Elders who serve on Session and other volunteers, who oversee adult Christian education and spiritual formation for Forest Hill Church. We design and promote opportunities for adults to learn about Christianity and how to live their Christian faith.
Learning to live your Christian faith may involve more than you would initially imagine — learning the Christian story, both ancient and present, from the Bible and from Christian thinkers throughout the centuries; developing the skills you need to live out your faith as a member of a covenant community, through learning about the practices of Christianity; and reflecting on the Christian story and your own story, in groups and in introspection, in order to live in truth as a self-aware person.
In May of 2021, we adopted a new Statement of our Mission, Vision, Values, and Responsibilities. It was approved by the Session of Forest Hill Church on May 26, 2021.
The Ministry of Spiritual Growth is responsible for planning, promoting, providing, and evaluating opportunities for adults to learn and mature as Christians. These opportunities can be traditional study and discussion groups, experiential workshops, or other creative types of groups or classes. They can be facilitated or taught by the Pastors, members of the congregation, or people from outside our church whom we invite.
We regularly offer classes and groups focused on Bible study, spiritual formation, Christian discipleship, leadership development, and public and social witness, We also offer classes and groups on other topics according to the interest of members of the congregation.
Because we believe that ALL adult Christians need lifelong Christian education and spiritual formation, we support lifelong growth for people in many life circumstances, using diverse learning styles and methods.
We welcome suggestions and proposals for classes and workshops from members of the congregation. We also welcome people who would like to teach a class or facilitate a discussion group. If you have an idea about a class, workshop, or book discussion that you would like to see, or if you would like to offer a class or facilitate a group, please contact Ann Williams.
Here is a link to a full copy of our Mission, Vision, Values, and Responsibilities, as approved by Session in 2021.
Heather McGhee wonders at the beginning of the book why we can’t have nice things. By that she means policies and systems that work for all of us. Her exploration of that question produced a book that examines all of the ways that the zero-sum game prevents us from creating thriving communities that work for everyone.
Our final book discussion before we break for summer will take place (via Zoom) Saturday morning, June 18 from 10:30 to 12 noon. We will be discussing Professor Deborah Plummer’s book “Some of My Friends Are…The Daunting Challenges and Untapped Benefits of Cross-Racial Friendships“. Why do neighborhoods tend to be primarily of one race? Why do […]
When: Sunday, May 22, 9:30-10:30 AM, before Sunday worship Facilitator: Pastor John Lentz Where: Hybrid in South Hall and on ZoomDescription: An informal discussion of our journey as a church into interfaith work towards social justice. Pastor John Lentz will share his memories of involvement with Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope and Greater Cleveland Congregations. There will be time […]
Sunday, April 24 & Sunday, May 1, 2022; 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” — Matthew 25:35 The Immigration Task Force of Forest Hill Church Presbyterian invites you to attend “Bringing the Border […]
Noting that FHC has boldly declared herself a Matthew 25 church, the class asks what does that mean and, more importantly, how does it manifest itself when we also consider Micah 6:8 and Mark 12:28–34.
The Black Caucus Book Club will lead a discussion of “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents”, by Isabel Wilkerson on Saturday January 8, 2022, 10:30 AM to Noon.” In this book the author “explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped […]
Men of the FHC congregation get together early in the morning for a lively group discussion.
The Underground Church proposes that the faithful recapture the spirit of the early church with its emphasis on what Christians do rather than what they believe. Robin Meyers proposes that the best way to recapture the spirit of the early Christian church is to recognize that Jesus-following was and must be again subversive in the best sense of the word because the gospel taken seriously turns the world upside down.
The first candle on a traditional Advent wreath represents Hope. We will focus on Hope for the entire month of Advent this year.
This class will first study the two birth narratives in the New Testament. Then, we will take a deep dive into the “world into which Jesus was born,” setting the historical, cultural, and religious context of the first century. Finally, we will unpack the theology of the Incarnation. The class will be watching two sessions of the “Saving Jesus” DVD published by Living the Questions.
Both classes will help people to prepare themselves to focus on the meaning of Jesus coming to live with us when he is born on Christmas Day, and both include plenty of discussion among the class members. But they are designed for people with different learning needs and styles. “Hope” focuses on each of us hearing […]
Ever feel like Jesus has been kidnapped by the Christian Right and discarded by the Secular Left? “Saving Jesus Redux is a 12-Session small group exploration of the credible Jesus for the third millennium.
How does faith develop? How do lives change? How do communities transform? The process is a lifelong journey. Faith develops as we practice following what Jesus did, embodied, and taught. We learn to love God and others as we study the Bible both individually and within a group setting.
Two new Adult Ed offerings are coming up. The 1st, from Mar 14-28, will focus on the parables about plants and growth in the Book of Luke, and will be led by Pat Jenkins & Ann Williams. The 2nd, from Apr 11-May 23, will explore ways to pray focused on the Lord’s Prayer. Two groups […]
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