The Educational Mission of our Church:
To learn the stories of our Judeo-Christian faith through the Bible and in community;
To become familiar with the Bible and to learn how to read it, interpret it, and apply its wisdom to one’s life;
To develop a relationship with God and language for talking about it;
To discover and practice basic values of the faith—compassion, honesty, respect, forgiveness, humility, gratitude, generosity and loving one another;
To develop a life-long relationship to the church;
To provide you with a message that can nourish your soul and delight your spirit, in every aspect of your life.
Adult Education
The Adult Education Program at Talmadge Hill provides diverse educational offerings that are guided by our Christian faith. All offerings are intended to encourage the deepening of relationship with God and each other, enhance self-awareness and personal agency, nurture individual gifts and talents, and inspire a desire to serve and heal our world. Our educational program is grounded and informed by the following values and practices (which were core in the life and ministry of Jesus):
Values: Humility, Compassion, Inclusion, Forgiveness, Gratitude and Generosity
Practices: Prayer, Contemplation and Listening
Please check the calendar for listings.
Bible Study is offered Thursday mornings at 9:30-11:00am in person and via Zoom
Contemplative Prayer in Community is offered Wednesday evenings at 5:00-6:00pm via Zoom
The offering of Contemplative Prayer in Community at Talmadge Hill is a weekly gathering to create space to be in God’s presence and encourage openness of heart, mind and body through various practices, readings, shared silence and discovery. We share a desire to show up to experience God’s love, mercy and grace and to consent to the healing and transformative power of the Holy Spirit in ways that are seen and unseen. Contemplative practice gradually rewires our brains to perceive and respond to reality with love. As we embody the love and grace of God, we naturally bring actions of justice and healing out of our individual purposes and callings.
Sunday School
Each Sunday we offer Communion because of our commitment to radical hospitality we welcome to the table anyone who chooses to share this sacrament. Parents are invited to speak with their children and determine together whether the child is ready to participate. If you come from a different faith or orientation to the communion please follow your own conscience and know that you are unreservedly welcome. If parents have any questions about your child taking communion, you can speak to the ministers for guidance.
For our young children, we use the Godly Play curriculum which enables children of different age levels to study the same story from the Bible and allows for children to use a spirit of wonder to arrive at their own understanding of the story. This approach is consistent with our philosophy for how all of us develop a relationship with God and with the church–by coming to it through personal exploration and reflection.
The Sunday School teacher is the “Storyteller”, who tells the story from the Bible, using simple props. After listening to the story, the children ponder questions, which always begin with “I wonder…” All answers are welcomed and accepted, and lively discussions may follow. After the wondering, we have an activity for the children to process the story in his or her own way - through writing, making art, or working with the Godly Play materials. We encourage questions and sharing as the children explore and discover the basic values of our faith. After the group activity, we get ready for our “feast” together where we can give thanks, have a snack, and talk about our week. It is our hope that the children will carry the messages learned in Sunday School with them, as families explore them together. We make a deliberate effort to integrate the children into all aspects of church community life: Communion, prayer, service, missions and music.
Would you like to volunteer as a Sunday School Doorkeeper? Volunteers assist the teacher in creating a welcomed and loving experience for each child. Please see the Doorkeeper Responsibilities, and signup for as many Sundays as you’d like. There is a signup sheet on the Merritt Room bulletin board.
Confirmation Class
This Fall, we are offering a Confirmation Class for anyone in Grades 6-12 who is interested. The class is open to all families, irrespective of membership at Talmadge Hill. It will be taught by both ministers, Rev. Carter Via and Rev. Cheryl Bundy.
The class will be a 4-week opportunity to learn, ask questions, and reflect on the relevance and importance of having faith. Here are the dates and topics:
October 22 The Question of God 12:00-1:30pm
October 29 The Life of Jesus 12:00-1:30pm
November 5 What about the Bible? 12:00-1:30pm
November 12 Who Needs the Church? 12:00-1:30pm
November 19 The Ritual of Confirmation 10:00am
Each Sunday gathering will include pizza and salad. In addition to the expectation of attendance at all 4 classes, each participant will need to write a faith statement prior to November 19 AND engage in some mission/service activity. We will of course provide oversight and support throughout the process.
For more information or to register, please email at talmadgehillchurch@gmail.com.