This summer the Young Adults will re-examine classic childhood Bible stories! Attendees can sign up to tell and lead a discussion about their chosen Bible story and may compare their childhood and adult questions and gleanings. There is no requirement to have grown up in the church! We wish to take seriously Jesus’ call to enter the kingdom “as a child.” We will refer to children’s Bible storytellers like VeggieTales and the Jesus Storybook Bible. Join us!

Leader/Primary Contact: Suzanne Pape
Additional Leaders: Ruthie Owens, Gurney Buchanan, Andrew McGannon, and Olivia Fain

“The After Party: Toward Better Christian Politics”

As we approach yet another challenging election season, are you worried about how extreme political polarization in the United States divides the church and often fractures relationships? Join us as we make our way through “The After Party,” a video and conversation series produced by Russell Moore, David French, and Curtis Chang. This series encourages Christians to engage with others across political differences, to find ways to reframe political identity outside of partisan divides, and to focus on how we relate to one another as Jesus teaches us before moving to the what of political debates.

Leader/Primary Contact: Trig Steinbrenner
Additional Leader: Warren Kinghorn

Growing in Grace is a hybrid class, with half meeting at Blacknall and the other half via Zoom. We will focus on an in-depth study of 1 Corinthians using handouts, skits, and discussions. Although we will look at scholarly commentaries, the objective of this class is to be transformed through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the focus will be on applying the text to living in central NC in 2024.

Primary Contact: Paul Immanuel
Additional Leaders: Lowrie Beacham, Alice Wisler, Van Fowler, and Sean Condon

Our class, about 25 attendees, will read one assigned chapter of  2 Corinthians before class and show up ready to discuss three things: 1) The main theme of the chapter as the original audience would have understood it; 2) What God was like for the original audience: thinking? feeling? wanting? and 3) How this chapter moves you/us.

Leader/Primary Contact: John Hamilton
Additional Leader: Michael Whisenhunt

In this class, college students and all those college-aged will study Scripture and pray for one another as we seek to follow Christ as adults.

Leader/Primary Contact: Jill Marcantonio

Come join the Young Adults in the Parlor at 10 a.m. for breakfast, fellowship, and study together. Over this semester, we will be discussing Chris Rice’s book “From Pandemic to Renewal,” reflecting on a Lenten devotional, and studying a book of the Bible together. We would love to have you!

Leader/Primary Contact: Allie Hargrove
Additional Leaders: Andrew McGannon, Olivia Fain, and Goodie Bell

“Mental Health, Christian Faith, and Belonging”

Many Christians — including at Blacknall — live with mental health challenges. The church should be a place where talking about mental health is welcomed and where we all feel safe, supported, and a sense of belonging. This winter and spring we’ll affirm this by hosting “The Sanctuary Course,” a video-, art-, and Scripture-based framework for conversation. Created by Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries, the course draws on the perspectives of theologians, pastors, mental health professionals, and Christians who live with mental health challenges. Join us as we wonder together about mental health and faith, support each other, and talk honestly about mental health challenges and God’s tenacious love for us.

Leader/Primary Contact: Trig Steinbrenner
Additional Leader: Warren Kinghorn

The Community Class is a conversation-based class seeking to connect our lives to God's word and each other.

Primary Contact: Don Grigg

We are studying 1 and 2 Corinthians, one chapter per week. Each class member studies the next chapter before class and arrives eager to discuss 1) the main theme, 2) what God was like in that chapter, and 3) how he or she is personally moved by that chapter. Discussion is electrifying.

Leader/Primary Contact: John Hamilton
Additional Leader: Michael Whisenhunt

Growing in Grace is a hybrid class, with half meeting at Blacknall and the other half via Zoom. This semester the class will focus on a deep study of the second half of the book of Acts followed by one of Paul’s letters. Extensive handouts are provided. The class will include discussion and skits to illustrate the text and application for today.

Primary Contact: Paul Immanuel
Additional Leaders: Lowrie Beacham, Vance Fowler, and Alice Wisler

As Christians, we stand — whether we recognize it or not — as the happy heirs to a robust literary tradition that ranges from the medieval poetry of Dante’s Divine Comedy to the contemporary fiction of Marilynne Robinson. However, many of us can feel, at times, quite estranged from this tradition — even uninvited to participate in it or reap the benefits it can offer. Whether because of busy jobs or the demands of high school or the stress of raising children (to name just a few reasons) many of us, young and old alike, may be tempted to feel that Christian literature does not necessarily apply to our actual lives. In this class, we would like to create a space for all ages — from high schoolers to the oldest among us — to explore some of the most remarkable pieces of the Christian literary tradition.

Each Sunday morning, we will gather, first, to read aloud a piece of literature — whether a poem or a short prose passage — and then discuss it as a small group. We will discuss not only its “literary” merits but also, even primarily, the way that it might actually affect our daily lives as Christians. Our goal is to make this class as accessible as possible; as such, we plan to have printouts of the readings on-hand for every week.

Primary Contact: Will Brewbaker
Additional Leaders: Warren Gould

Young Adults (and friends) meet for Sunday School each week to provide mutual support and prayer for one another — so that we will not walk this journey of discipleship alone.

For the fall, the Young Adults read and reflect on Scripture together. We will start with the book of James. Please join us!

Leader/Primary Contact: Allie Hargrove
Additional Leaders: Goodie Bell and Andrew McGannon

“Following Jesus: Explorations on Politics & Race in Today's World”

Politics and race are hard to talk about in our polarized culture, but they are significant and crucial aspects of Christian discipleship. Join the 30s, 40s, and Friends Class this fall for two different series that will help us reflect with one another on these important areas surrounding our life together.

On September 10, we’ll start with a week of sharing stories and community-building.

The following Sunday, on September 17, Kaitlyn Schiess, Duke Divinity doctoral student and Blacknall member, will begin teaching a four-week course inspired by her new book “The Bible and the Ballot” (Brazos, 2023). We live in a Bible-saturated culture. American history is full of politicians, pastors, and pundits invoking biblical references to support political causes. And yet for all our familiarity with the Bible, we are woefully ignorant about how or why we are using the Bible in politics. How can we apply passages written thousands of years ago to contemporary politics? How can we dialogue with people who interpret passages differently than we do? How can we respond to Facebook posts that use bullet point verses or cherry-picking pamphlets? The answer might be found not merely in how we interpret the Bible but by critically examining our own history and our own hearts.

Then, starting on October 22, Blacknall elders Steve Hinkle, Paul Tshihamba, and Jeff Baker will lead a course entitled, "Who Is Our Neighbor? Why Understanding and Turning from Racism Begins with Listening." For this course, the 30s, 40s, and Friends class and Blacknall's Jesus, Race and the Church Committee extend an open invitation to anyone interested in a Sunday School space centered on listening to and learning from one another and the Scriptures. How can we share our personal stories with regards to race? Can we listen to one another with grace and hope while not passing by the places we might rather overlook? Can we experience grace while seeking to understand and to love our neighbors, to believe them when they speak, and together more fully become the people of God?

Leader/Primary Contact: Trig Steinbrenner
Additional Leader: Warren Kinghorn

The Community Class is a conversation-based class seeking to connect our lives to God's word and each other.

Primary Contact: Don Grigg

We will continue our exciting path through the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. We'll study the life and ministry of Jesus and the unfolding drama of the church as it expanded from Judea to the "ends of the earth" in the first century. We'll seek to understand our place and role in this continuing story.

The Word Alive Class spends the week reading, thinking, and praying over one chapter of a book of the Bible, then discusses it together.

Leader/Primary Contact: John Hamilton
Additional Leader: Michael Whisenhunt

The Growing in Grace Class is a hybrid class, with half meeting at Blacknall and the other half via Zoom. The class will finish studying the book of Acts and continue studying the early church through studies of the Pauline epistles. The class will enable members to go as deep as they want in these studies. Detailed handouts will be provided. The class will include skits and discussions.

Primary Contact: Paul Immanuel
Additional Leaders: Lowrie Beacham, Greg Wray, Vance Fowler, and Alice Wisler

Everyone — of all ages — is cordially invited to join the 30s, 40s, and Friends class this summer as we look at the biblical book of Psalms together. As the late pastor Eugene Peterson wrote, "What we find in the Psalms is a gritty, no-nonsense honesty, which is why the Psalms are not pretty.... [They give us] the honesty to pray who we actually are, not who we think we should be." We'll draw on David Taylor's book “Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life” to access the bottomless resources for life that the Psalms provide. As the book's cover puts it, we will discover that we are "never alone in our joys, sorrows, angers, doubts, praises, or thanksgivings. In the Psalms, we learn about honesty and community, justice and enemies, life and death, nations and creation."  The Psalms have been central to God's people for millennia; we'll join them in discovering how the Psalms help us live openly, honestly, and in trust with God and one another.

Leader/Primary Contact: Trig Steinbrenner
Additional Leader: Warren Kinghorn

We will continue our exciting path through the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. We'll study the life and ministry of Jesus and the unfolding drama of the church as it expanded from Judea to the "ends of the earth" in the first century. We'll seek to understand our place and role in this continuing story.

The Word Alive Class spends the week reading, thinking, and praying over one chapter of a book of the Bible, then discusses it together.

Leader/Primary Contact: John Hamilton
Additional Leader: Michael Whisenhunt

The Growing in Grace Class is a hybrid class, with half meeting at Blacknall and the other half via Zoom. We will continue our in-depth study of Acts, using extensive handouts, discussions, and skits. The focus will be on the application for today.

Primary Contact: Paul Immanuel
Additional Leaders: Lowrie Beacham, Greg Wray, Vance Fowler, and Alice Wisler

Young Adults (and friends) meet for Sunday School each week to provide mutual support and prayer for one another — so that we will not walk this journey of discipleship alone.

This summer, we will begin a new series on Christian decision-making and hospitality. How can we, as young adults, live in compassion with service and generosity when time and resources are so limited? We will be inviting members of the congregation to speak on topics such as: marriage, buying a home, questions of vocation, adult friendships, etc.

Leader/Primary Contact: Allie Hargrove
Additional Leaders: Goodie Bell and Andrew McGannon

Join us for an exciting path through the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. We'll study the life and ministry of Jesus and the unfolding drama of the church as it expanded from Judea to the "ends of the earth" in the first century. We'll seek to understand our place and role in this continuing story.

The Word Alive Class spends the week reading, thinking, and praying over one chapter of a book of the Bible, then discusses it together.

Primary Contact: John Hamilton
Additional Leaders: Jeanie Hamilton, Michael and Serena Whisenhunt

Young Adults (and friends) meet for Sunday School each week to provide mutual support and prayer for one another—so that we will not walk this journey of discipleship alone.

This spring, we are beginning a new series on the lives of saints. We will discuss Christians who have lived before, or alongside us, who serve as testimonies of discipleship. We hope to learn from these examples of faithfulness —both ancient and modern. We will ask the question: In our own time and circumstances, what can these saints teach us about living well? Young adults (and friends of young adults) are welcome to join.

Primary Contact: Allie Hargrove
Additional Leaders: Goodie Bell and Olivia Fain

Everyone is warmly invited to join our group this winter/spring as we reflect slowly and worshipfully on the Apostles' Creed. Would you like to know more about the meaning of these ancient words that we frequently recite in worship? Taking one phrase at a time, we will drink in these words — meant to teach and encourage Christian disciples — and consider how they shed light on Scripture and how Scripture sheds light on them. In conversation, we will reflect on how they quench our thirst for God, give us life and hope, and guide our desires and steps.

We would love for you to join us — all ages, Christian experience or none, whether you are new to Blacknall or have been here awhile. We will have some optional resources to suggest for reading and listening for all who are interested in them.

Primary Contact: Lauren Patterson
Additional Leaders: Warren Kinghorn, Trig Steinbrenner, and Karl Umble

As Christians, we stand—whether we recognize it or not—as the happy heirs to a robust literary tradition that ranges from the medieval poetry of Dante’s Divine Comedy to the contemporary fiction of Marilynne Robinson. However, many of us can feel, at times, quite estranged from this tradition—even uninvited to participate in it or reap the benefits it can offer. Whether because of busy jobs or the demands of high school or the stress of raising children (to name just a few reasons) many of us, young and old alike, may be tempted to feel that Christian literature does not necessarily apply to our actual lives.

This class will be a space for all ages—from high schoolers to the oldest among us—to explore some of the most remarkable pieces of the Christian literary tradition. Each Sunday morning, we will gather, first, to read aloud a piece of literature—whether a poem or a short prose passage—and then discuss it as a small group. We will discuss not only its “literary” merits but also, even primarily, the way that it might actually affect our daily lives as Christians.

We strongly recommend joining the online group for this class so that you can receive the readings for this class ahead of the discussions.

Primary Contact: Will Brewbaker
Additional Leaders: Warren Gould

This group, started in the fall, will continue its study of Dane Ortlund's book “Gentle and Lowly.” Subtitled "The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers,” if that describes you, come join the study of this Bible-based book to slowly digest and take to heart the comfort offered in the words of Christ: "Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matt. 11: 28-29).

Participants should plan to purchase their own copy of the book and companion study guide.

Primary Contact: Doris Stam

The Growing in Grace Class will focus on an in-depth study of the book of Acts. We will use skits, discussions, lectures, and many weekly handouts to let participants go as deep as they want! The focus will be on the application of the text once we understand the context.

Primary Contact: Paul Immanuel
Additional Leaders: Lowrie Beacham and Greg Wray

The Community Class is a conversation-based class seeking to connect our lives to God's word and each other.

Paul Tshihamba is presently leading us through the book "The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God’s Call to Justice" by Mark Labberton. Reading is not required.

Primary Contact: Don Grigg

As Christians, we stand—whether we recognize it or not—as the happy heirs to a robust literary tradition that ranges from the medieval poetry of Dante’s Divine Comedy to the contemporary fiction of Marilynne Robinson. However, many of us can feel, at times, quite estranged from this tradition—even uninvited to participate in it or reap the benefits it can offer. Whether because of busy jobs or the demands of high school or the stress of raising children (to name just a few reasons) many of us, young and old alike, may be tempted to feel that Christian literature does not necessarily apply to our actual lives.

This class will be a space for all ages—from high schoolers to the oldest among us—to explore some of the most remarkable pieces of the Christian literary tradition. Each Sunday morning, we will gather, first, to read aloud a piece of literature—whether a poem or a short prose passage—and then discuss it as a small group. We will discuss not only its “literary” merits but also, even primarily, the way that it might actually affect our daily lives as Christians.

We strongly recommend joining the online group for this class so that you can receive the readings for this class ahead of the discussions.

Primary Contact: Will Brewbaker
Additional Leaders: Warren Gould

Are you looking for conversation and community on Sunday morning? Visit the Community Class. Topics vary but the conversation is always lively

Primary Contact: Don Grigg