Devotional Opportunities at Epworth UMC

There are many opportunities for devotion at Epworth UMC, including morning adult bible study groups, evening adult and children bible study groups, weekend and weekday opportunities for study and fellowship and many Sunday groups and classes for all ages.

Sunday mornings at Epworth UMC host a myriad of options for all ages!

Sunday School for Kids meets at 9:45am-10:45am.  Children are to meet in the Sanctuary to begin the class and parents are to pick up their kids in their classrooms on the lower level of Epworth UMC.

Classes for kids 2&3 years meets in the Epworth Nursery/New Creations Preschool and is directed by Ms. Mary Ann Lucas.

Classes for kids 3-5 years meets downstairs in the Orange room and is directed by Mr. David Becker.

Class for kids 6-8 years meets downstairs in the Blue room and is directed by Mrs. Amy Zapata.

Class for kids 9-11 years meets downstairs in the Purple room and is directed by Mr. Jay Rager.

Class for kids in Jr. High meet downstairs in the Green room and is directed by Mrs. Kara Berg.

Class for kids in Sr. High meet upstairs in the Youth Room and is directed by Ms. Nadia Lazzar.

Classes are open all year long and new students are always welcome and all students encouraged to bring friends along any time!

New to Epworth for 2009-2010-Live B.I.G., a DVD-based Sunday school resource designed to excite and enrich your children's spiritual lives by bringing their everyday real world experience into Sunday school.  Live B.I.G. is a dynamic and fun program that includes games, activities and even an interactive website containing activites and information for families to use together.  Each week the kids will see their lessons come to life and they will also learn real-world examples and ideas to help them LIVE BIG!

And by trying their best and participating in classes, your kids can earn incentive points that can be traded in for games and prizes from the Epworth Cruise Shop. 

Sunday School for Youth meets at 9:45am-10:45am.  Jr. High youth meet downstairs in the green room, and the Sr. High class meets upstairs in the Youth room, U6.  Topics are wide and include many practicle ways for Youth to commune and question with eachother in a safe, Christian environment.

Sunday School for Young Adults 18-35 meets at 9:45am-10:45am.  Young Adults meet upstairs in room U5. 

Sunday School for Adults meets at 9:45am-10:45am and offers classes for Women, Men and Inter-Generational groups.                                                           

Women Under Spiritual Construction meet on the lower level of Epworth UMC and focus on many topics on the minds of Christian Women.  For Fall of 2009, the WUSC group will be watching and discussing the DVD series, The Ten Greatest Struggles of Your Life.  The series maps out the challenges of living an authentic Christian life while giving practical advise based upon the Ten Commandments.                                                                

Men of Faith  meet on the upper level of Epworth UMC and focus on issues and topics of interest to Christian Men.                                                      

Current Events meet in the room off the kitchen on the main level of Epworth (M5) and is a group for all ages of adults.  This group uses events in our current news and culture as inspiriation for discussion on Christian topics and ideas.

Sunday afternoons at Epworth UMC are Youth Group at 1:00pm.  Epworth Youth Group is an interactive fellowship experience for grades 7-12.  Events are wide and vary from games for fun and learning, activities that encourage social and community growth and Christian study and discussion.  This group will teach kids how to build and maintain personal relationships with each other and God.

Tuesday mornings at the Centre of Elgin, Pastor David Newhouse leads a walking bible study group on the indoor walking track.  All are welcome to join in this group at any time.  No registration is required and there is no cost to join, just bring your walking shoes!

Wednesday mornings at Panera Bread in South Elgin a group of interested minds meet for coffee and bible study.  All are welcome to join in this group at any time.  No registration is required and there is no cost to join. 

Wednesday evenings at Epworth UMC is a night of study, activity and fellowship for all ages!   

• Wednesday Night Dinner is a free-will offering dinner, served by dedicated members of Epworth UMC.  Each Wednesday features a home-cooked meal and many opportunities for fellowship, activity and study for all ages.

Wednesday NIght Dinner is a seasonal activity, taking breaks over holidays and summer break.  Please check the calendar for more information and dates.

• Children's Alleluia Choir meets every Wednesday, from 5:30pm-6:00pm, and is open to any child in primary school with an interest in music and song.
• Youth Choir meets every Wednesday, from 6:00pm-6:30pm, and is open to any youth, grades 7-12. 
•  Discovery Club for Kids meets every Wednesday, from 6:30pm-7:30pm, for all grade school age children.  Fun, games, activities and stories are shared and the children gain knowledge and fellowship through their time together.  Service projects and fundraising opportunities are also planned and encouraged.
• F^3-foodfun &_fellowship meets every Wednesday, for all jr. high and high school students.  This evening begins with dinner, continues with choir (for those who are interested) and continues until 7:30pm with fellowship games and bible study.  All are welcome to attend at any time.
• Discovery Adults meets every Wednesday, from 6:30pm-7:30pm, for all adults.  Video bible study is topical and changes monthly.  All are welcome to join this group at any time. 
• Adult Choir meets every Wednesday, from 7:00pm-8:00pm, for all interested adults.  This group performs weekly at the 8:15am service.  All are welcome to join at any time.

Friday mornings at Epworth UMC being with the Friday Guys Devotional Breakfast at 7:00am.  This group of mainly retired men get together every Friday for a home-cooked breakfast and inspirational discussion and fellowship.  All age gents are welcome to attend!

Saturday mornings at Epworth UMC, Disciple Bible Study meets at 9:30am-11:30am.  This group meets to view and discussion the Disciple Study program.  Study of the New Testament begins 1/24 and will continue until May 2009.  Anyone is welcome to join this study group, there is a $30.00 cost for materials.

Our Doctrinal Heritage

United Methodists profess the historic Christian faith in God, incarnate in Jesus Christ for our salvation and ever at work in human history in the Holy Spirit. Living in a covenant of grace under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we participate in the first fruits of God's coming reign and pray in hope for its full realization on earth as in heaven.

 Our heritage in doctrine and our present theological task focus upon a renewed grasp of the sovereignty of God and of God's love in Christ amid the continuing crises of human existence.

Our forebears in the faith reaffirmed the ancient Christian message as found in the apostolic witness even as they applied it anew in their own circumstances.

Their preaching and teaching were grounded in Scripture, informed by Christian tradition, enlivened in experience, and tested by reason.

Their labors inspire and inform our attempts to convey the saving gospel to our world with its needs and aspirations.

Our Doctrinal History

The pioneers in the traditions that flowed together into The United Methodist Church understood themselves as standing in the central stream of Christian spirituality and doctrine, loyal heirs of the authentic Christian tradition. In John Wesley's words, theirs was "the old religion, the religion of the Bible, the religion . . .of the whole church in the purest ages." Their gospel was grounded in the biblical message of God's self-giving love revealed in Jesus Christ.

Wesley's portrayal of the spiritual pilgrimage in terms of "the scripture way of salvation" provided their model for experiential Christianity. They assumed and insisted upon the integrity of basic Christian truth and emphasized its practical application in the lives of believers.

This perspective is apparent in the Wesleyan understanding of "catholic spirit." While it is true that United Methodists are fixed upon certain religious affirmations, grounded in the gospel and confirmed in their experience, they also recognize the right of Christians to disagree on matters such as forms of worship, structures of church government, modes of Baptism, or theological explorations. They believe such differences do not break the bond of fellowship that ties Christians together in Jesus Christ. Wesley's familiar dictum was, "As to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think."

But, even as they were fully committed to the principles of religious toleration and theological diversity, they were equally confident that there is a "marrow" of Christian truth that can be identified and that must be conserved. This living core, as they believed, stands revealed in Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in personal and corporate experience, and confirmed by reason. They were very much aware, of course, that God's eternal Word never has been, nor can be, exhaustively expressed in any single form of words.

They were also prepared, as a matter of course, to reaffirm the ancient creeds and confessions as valid summaries of Christian truth. But they were careful not to set them apart as absolute standards for doctrinal truth and error.

Beyond the essentials of vital religion, United Methodists respect the diversity of opinions held by conscientious persons of faith. Wesley followed a time-tested approach: "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity."

The spirit of charity takes into consideration the limits of human understanding. "To be ignorant of many things and to be mistaken in some," Wesley observed, "is the necessary condition of humanity." The crucial matter in religion is steadfast love for God and neighbor, empowered by the redeeming and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

Doctrinal Standards and General Rules

From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2004. Copyright 2004 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.