educational programs
Child Care Ministry
The Second Presbyterian Church childcare staff provide a loving, safe, and clean environment for infants (8 weeks) through five-year-olds during both worship services. The care of your children is an important part of the ministry of our church. The Christian Education Council supervises this ministry. Nurseries are located on the main level of the Smith Hall building behind the sanctuary. Infants and young toddlers (not walking) are in Room 103 and walking toddlers through five-year-olds are in Room 104. Pagers are provided to allow staff to reach parents during the service should it become necessary. During Sunday School Hour (9:45-10:45), children ages 3-5 attend class downstairs in the classroom wing.
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Live B.I.G. (Belief in God)
Our curriculum is B.I.G (Belief in God). All the children ages 3 and 4 through the 8th grade will be studying the same scriptures. We hope this provides opportunities for discussions around the table at home. The classes will be self-contained with the same teachers all year from 9 to 10 a.m. (during the summer) on Sundays.
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High School
Students in grades 9 through 12 meet in the Harwood Room on Sundays at 9:45. Curriculum for spring 2008 uses youth courses from The Thoughtful Christian.
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Adult Seminar
Please join us on Sundays at 9:45 a.m. in Smith Hall for this educational lecture series.
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March 30
Mission Trips
Rev. Jenn DiFrancesco, Gene Leber, Sheri Slezak, and others
Members of our congregation will share their experiences participating in 2008 Mission trips to Guatemala and Honduras.
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April 6
Issues & Resources for Elder Care
Ellen Platt, and Andrea Mills
Ellen Platt and Andrea Mills work for a geriatric care management firm, Maturity Concepts. They will speak about how to approach eldercare. Ellen is a social worker who specializes in geriatric needs and Andrea is the marketing director for the company.
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April 13 and 20
Understanding and Misunderstanding the Book of Revelation
Dr. Michael J. Gorman
The last book of the Bible is perhaps the most difficult to comprehend—and the most often misunderstood. This session will take a look at how Revelations spoke words of comfort and challenge to the first –century church and can still speak to the 21st-century church.
Dr. Gorman, a frequent presenter at our Adult Seminars, is Dean of The Ecumenical Institute of Theology and Professor of Sacred Scripture at St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore.
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April 27
Biblical Flowers
Helen Milano
Helen Milano returns for a fun lecture and demonstration about flowers and how to use them. Within this session, you will take a fresh look at flowers, gardens, and arrangements through the eyes of Scripture and gain a new and deeper symbolic meaning behind many of the flowers. Stop and smell the roses!
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May 4
No Adult Seminar (Confirmation Sunday)
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May 11, 18, and 25
Just War for Abraham’s Descendants
Dr. Christopher Dreisbach
Wars, skirmishes, and terrorist acts plague the world. Many people causing the violence claim God as an ally. Three such groups of people claim a connection to God through Abraham as their common ancestor: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. How can one justify war or war-like violence against the other when each is claiming the moral support of the same God? The most common aswere comes from the just war theory. Thus, our discussion will use just war theory as “home base” to examine the various ways that each of the three religions has viewed war and to consider whether religious just was theorist has made an adequate case.
Dr. Dreisbach is chair of the Department of Applied Ethics and Humanities, Division of Public Safety Leadership, School of Professional Studies and Business Education at John Hopkins University and professor at the Ecumenical Institute of Theology, St. Mary’s Seminary and University.
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June 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
The Book of Psalms
Thom Kuhl
The history and development of the Psalms, their structure and use within the worshipping community of the Israelites and their use for us today will be the central focus of the seminar. Each participant will be asked to compose Psalms which will explore relevant themes of today.
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July 6, 13, 20, and 27; August 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31
Summer Session with our Pastors
The Rev. Dr. Tom Blair and Rev. Jenn DiFrancesco
Wayne Muller’s book Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives is not required reading, but Tom and Jenn will use it as a resource in their Summer Sermon Series. The Adult Seminar hours will be interactive using DVD, discussion, and lecture. Each session will stand on its own.
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Smithsonian Group
Weekly study of selected books
Jim Mayer
We began our study this year with the book: Encounters with Jesus: Studies in the Gospel of John, by Frances Taylor Gench. John's Gospel is sometimes known as the "maverick" Gospel since it differs so greatly from the other three. In John's Gospel, Jesus speaks more than in any other Gospel so that we meet Christ directly through his spoken word. Jesus also departs from his caution to keep his divine identity a secret which is expressed so often in the other Gospels. He makes no secret about who he is and what his mission is. Join us as we discuss this important Gospel which relives the life of Christ and sometimes reflects the struggles of the author's community through the words of the Gospel. We meet in the Westcott Room on Sundays at 10 a.m. Please call the church office (410.467.4210) for more information or to purchase the book.
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Bible Study
Transformers Bible Study
The Gospel of Mark
Rev. Jenn DiFrancesco
Our casually designated 20s to 40s group meets for Bible Study the first and third Fridays of the month at 7:00 p.m. For more information, please contact Jenn DiFrancesco at the church office.
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Disciple Bible Study
The Disciple format combines Bible study and the fellowship of a small group. Each lesson is a self-contained unit, and new members can join at any time. Each “year” includes both Old and New Testament readings which participants prepare at home from a study manual. Meetings begin with prayer and a video and engage in lively discussion. Please contact the church offfice for leaders and specific curricula.
There is one group that meets weekly at the church on Tuesday mornings and three that meet twice monthly in homes on Friday evenings. Please call the church office (410.467.4210) for more information.
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