LEARNING TO KNOW & GROW WITH GOD
Sign up for a C.L.A.S.S. seminar today!
Valley Brook wants to help each and every person at Valley Brook grow and strengthen their relationship with God. One way we can do that is through our CLASS (Christian Life and Service Seminar) series.
NOTE: Each class builds upon the previous so we recommend taking them in order starting with CLASS 101.
WHAT IS C.L.A.S.S.?
Once you’ve decided to begin a relationship with God by believing in him and his Son, Jesus Christ, God wants you to take your next step spiritually. That may mean...
- being baptized
- committing to read the Bible every day
- joining a Valley Brook Adult Group and experiencing the power of Christian commUNITY
Our C.L.A.S.S. series is designed to help you take the next step and work through a process of maturing in your relationship with God. We want to help help every person – new believers, mature Christians, and everyone in between – grow closer to God through a living faith in Jesus Christ.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Remember playing baseball, softball or kickball as a kid? When you put the ball in play you ran the bases on the game’s diamond.
On our baseball diamond, first base, CLASS 101, is Valley Brook's membership class. In CLASS 101 you will get the foundation of our CLASS process. When you proceed to second base, CLASS 201, you’ll find the tools to develop a closer relationship with God. Moving further around the diamond to third base, CLASS 301, you will begin to see how God specifically SHAPE’d you for ministry. As you head for home plate, CLASS 401, you will discover your life’s mission of sharing God with the world.
CLASS 101 - Introduction to Our Church Family
You were designed to be a part of a church family! That's exactly what Valley Brook is intended to be - your family.
A healthy family has common beliefs, purposes and commitment. That's why we want to share with you what we believe and where we're going.
God wants all of us to grow in fellowship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism and worship. It's by balancing these five purposes that we truly live out God's plan for our life.
Most importantly, the Valley Brook family wants to come beside you and help you grow in all five of these areas.
CLASS 101 is our basic introduction to our church family and is designed to clearly explain who and what our church is. The class explores four areas:
- Our Salvation
- Our Statements
- Our Strategy
- Our Structure
You'll have an opportunity to decide whether to complete the process by filling in your information on the Membership Application or to wait and decide at another time. No pressure whatsoever, we want you to be comfortable with whichever you choose. If you decide that Valley Brook is not where God is leading you, we’ll be happy to help you find another church.
CLASS 101 (1 part course)
Monday, August 2 • 7:00PM
COST: $0
LOCATION: Valley Brook Office
INSTRUCTOR: Pastor Clark Pfaff
CLASS 201 - Introduction to Spiritual Maturity
All Christians eventually ask the same questions:
- How can I get closer to God?
- How can I be more like Jesus?
- How can I grow in my faith?
- Where do I start?
CLASS 201 is designed to answer these and many other questions. You'll learn about the following four habits that will energize or renew your spiritual life:
- Making time with God every day...learn practical steps and get helpful tips on overcoming the largest obstacles you'll face as you get started.
- Prayer...every growing Christian needs to talk with God. It doesn't have to be intimidating, God desires conversation with you! You'll learn a pattern for prayer taken right out of the life of Jesus.
- Financial Giving...Admittedly, this is a sensitive subject because few things give a more piercing look into our spiritual lives than how we choose to handle our financial resources. This section will help you take a healthy look at priorities and what really matters in life.
- Christian relationships...At Valley Brook, there are major many opportunities to gather with other Christians. While there is the large group worship experience on Sunday, we really want to help every one get involved in a smaller group where connections can go deeper. We call these smaller groups, Life Groups, and they are where you can connect with other believers in a deeper, more personal way.
CLASS 201 Schedule
CLASS 201 (two-part course)
PART 1: Sunday, July 18, 2010 • 7:00pm
PART 2: Monday, July 19, 2010 • 7:30pm
COST: $0
LOCATION: Steven & Stephanie Stupienski's Home, 24 Twilight Drive, Granby, CT
INSTRUCTOR: Steven Stupienski
CLASS 301 - Discovering My Shape for Ministry
When you became a Christian, God gave you salvation and the hope of eternity in heaven. He also gave you purpose and significance in your life now. God has given each of us the opportunity to serve others and make a real difference in someone's life. When you serve others in Jesus' name, that's called ministry.
God didn't design ministry for just a few people called pastors. At Valley Brook, we believe that EVERY member of our church is a minister. This is what CLASS 301 is all about.
During this class, you will learn how God can use your...
- Spiritual Gifts...
- your Heart (passions)
- your Abilities
- your Personality
- your Experiences
...to minister to others in need. This is discovering your SHAPE for ministry.
God gave you a special ability when you started following Him. We call this a Spiritual gift. He gave this gift to build up your church family and reach out to the world with Christ's love. God also gave you unique passions and Heart for particular activities, subjects and circumstances. God uses the things we feel deeply about to show us where we can serve. This is how people learn to serve with joy and not get burned out.
In CLASS 301, you'll be given time to assess your Abilities which have been with you even before you became a Christian and you'll see how these will help you in your ministry. God also gives us a Personality to share our SHAPE through. Everyone's personality is not the same, which makes the expression of our SHAPE that much more special.
You will also be able to reflect on the multitude of Experiences in your life which have been used by God to mold you for ministry. The experiences of life help us know how to heal hurts of people in our church and in our community. All this combined, will let you discover your SHAPE for ministry.
CLASS 301 Schedule
CLASS 401 - Discovering My Life Mission
God created you with a purpose. That personal, yet church-wide purpose, means connecting flawed human beings with our perfect and eternal God.
Your own story of how God has worked in your life is one of the most effective tools you have for connecting people to God.
In CLASS 401, you'll learn to communicate that story to others that God has placed in your circle of influence. By using your own gifts, personality and story, you'll touch people only you can touch. Your life experiences can be a bridge to a friend or family member who is seeking Christ. God's global plan includes reaching people from every nation with the good news of Jesus.
In CLASS 401, you'll get a picture of what God is doing throughout the world to bring His people to Himself. You'll also find out how you can be part of His global plan.
CLASS 401 - Schedule
CLASS 401 (two-part course)
Next Session Coming Fall 2010
COST: $0
LOCATION: Steven & Stephanie Stupienski's Home, 24 Twilight Drive, Granby, CT
INSTRUCTOR: Steven Stupienski
