Lenten Studies at CSUMC

As we go through Lent together, our focus will be on Spiritual Gifts. While this may have been something you’ve experienced before, I’m hoping that this study together will really help us grow in new and exciting ways as a church. Our Lenten Journey together will take place in several ways.

Lenten Home Bible Studies: Hosted in Members’ homes and taught by volunteers. These groups will be using the study “Gifts of the Spirit: Functioning Together as a Whole Body of Christ,” which I wrote especially for Court Street! This study is available to anyone who wants to use it during Lent. The “cost” is a suggested donation of $2-$5.

Spiritual Gift Spotlights: Each Sunday during worship, I will “spotlight” a few of the spiritual gifts. I will give more information on the gifts and speak about how those gifts might be used in our church, your homes and families, and in our community at large.

Small Groups: Each member of the church will be asked to attend ONE small group session during Lent where we will complete a Group Support session that helps further identify and define spiritual gifts. This can be done during the Home Studies, during Circle Meetings, during Sunday School classes, or even at other scheduled times. You only need to do the session once and there will be plenty of opportunities.

Consecration Service: At the end of our journey together, each person will fill out a card that lists their top 3 spiritual gifts and their personal commitment for using those gifts in our church, their homes/families, and our community. These will be collected during our Easter Service and will be consecrated and given over to God for God’s use. We will truly celebrate God’s gift through Christ by offering ourselves back to God as gifts.

So what are the Spiritual gifts? According to scripture, they are: Administration, Apostleship, Compassion, Discernment, Evangelism, Exhortation, Faith, Giving, Giving aid, Healing, Helps, Miracles, Prophecy, Teaching, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, Serving Shepherding, Word of Knowledge, and Word of Wisdom.

During Lent, I’ll highlight each of these gifts briefly during worship and write about them in our here. We’ll also focus on gifts each week in the Lenten Studies, and you’ll have a chance to get to know yourself and your fellow members a little better through the Group Support sessions. I know it sounds like a lot of work and involvement, but it’s not, and the results will really help not only each individual person, but our church as a whole!

I’m looking forward to Easter Sunday when we can each present our gifts as offering to God and celebrate together all that we have learned.

The Schedule for the studies is as follows:

Sundays: 1pm at a local restaurant. Hosted and taught by Becca.
Mondays: 7pm at the home of Jan Mace.
Tuesday: 1pm at CSUMC (room 209). Hosted and taught by Becca.
Wednesday: During "Primetime" at CSUMC, hosted and taught by Rob and Lorelle Wandell.
Thursday: 7:00 At the Home of Sue Cram
Friday: none
Saturday: 10am at the home of Bruce Martin.

If you are interested in participating in one of these groups, please contact the host. If you do not have contact information, please contact Becca or the church office.

Study books are also avaliable for those not in the groups. Contact the Church for more information on the books or to "purchase" one for a donation of $2-$5.