Series on the Psalms

For our first adult Sunday school series of the year, Dan Machiela will lead us as we spend three weeks with the book of Psalms. Please join us as we explore together the central prayer book of the Church from ancient times to today.

September 8: We will begin by getting acquainted with the book, asking questions like why the church father Augustine would say that "everything written here is a mirror for us," or Martin Luther that the Psalms "might well be called a little Bible."
September 15: We will spend some time thinking about different types of psalms as well as how they typically "work," looking together at some examples like Psalms 80 and 119.

September 22: We will be hearing from those present about their experiences with the book and reading together some favorite Psalms. We will also discuss ways to incorporate the Psalms into our individual prayer lives and corporate worship.

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Faith and Literature Series

This series considers Charles Sheldon's 1896 book, In His Steps. We'll use the novel's fascinating vision of a faithful life as a starting point for discussion about how or where we see its vision alive today. Sheldon's characters aim to transform their faith lives by vowing to ask "What would Jesus do?" -- a phrase Sheldon coined -- before making any decisions for a whole year.

You do not have to read the book to participate in the discussions. If you are interested in reading it, you can find it for free on Google Books, for $0.99 on Kindle, and at public libraries.

September 29, October 6, October 13: Come for a glimpse into the novel's historical and literary context; stay for a conversation about how Sheldon's vision has shaped US Christianity even to the present day. We welcome you to come regardless of whether you read the book.

​October 20: NO SUNDAY SCHOOL (fall break)

October 27: The first three weeks of this series focused on the novel, In His Steps. Today, we pivot to look briefly at the Bible as literature. Cristian Mihut will lead us in a discussion of the Binding of Isaac (Genesis 22). This passage raises profound questions such as, How far should loyalty to God go? and How can love, sacrifice, and divine command coexist? We will explore some of the dilemmas at the heart of this challenging biblical narrative, mostly through a literary lens.

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Series on Christianity, Politics, and the Election

November 3: Guest Marilie Coetsee (Hope College) kicks off our three-week series on the upcoming election by talking to us about religion and political polarization. Political polarization has grown dramatically in the US since the 1970s, and evidence suggests that it tends to undermine citizens’ commitment to democratic norms of cooperation. Marilie will begin by outlining how religious communities may be disposed to aggravate polarization, and in so doing undermine the strength and stability of democratic institutions. She will then show how believers who are proactive in making use of their rich ethical traditions and the social capital of their communities can help facilitate cross-partisan dialogue and so depolarize American politics.

November 10: Bruce Huber will lead the conversation; the precise topic will depend on how things go on Election Day. But whatever the result (if we have one yet!), please come if you want a place to debrief the election with fellow followers of Jesus Christ. At a minimum, we'll share some mutual encouragement; put the election in some legal, political, and perhaps theological context; and share ideas about how our church might respond.

November 17: John Haas will lead this week's discussion. People often ask "What of the future?" to which historians answer, "We have enough trouble predicting the past!" Nevertheless, let's think about the future. What can we surmise--or responsibly guess--about the future of American politics? Do Democrats keep moving left culturally, or is Kamala Harris's shift to the center indicative of where they are going? What does the future hold as far as winning elections for them? The biggest question is about the Republican Party, as that's where the biggest changes have been in the past 10 years. What happens once (if) Donald Trump moves on? Does it return to "normal"? Should it? Come, and let's discuss.

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Guest Speaker: Sarah Westfall

November 24: The desire to belong is deeply human, and yet, it remains one of the more complicated and elusive aspects of our everyday lives. Even within our churches, families, and workplaces, we wonder, "How much of me is welcome?" or our attempts to connect fall flat, leaving us feeling alone and out of place. Often, we hide or shapeshift, hoping for acceptance, or unsure of what to do with our differences, we pull back from one another. And in all these things, loneliness often greets us on the other side. But what if belonging is more than finding the right place or people? What if there is a gentler, sturdier way of looking at our desire to belong?

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Sarah E. Westfall, author of The Way of Belonging, invites us to widen our definition of belonging—from something to attain to a way of being in the world, a posture rooted in the ever-present, abundant welcome of God. She'll offer stories, Scripture, and a few practices we can take with us as we consider how we too might be found and formed in this way of belonging, right where we are.

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Note: You will enjoy Sarah's discussion without having read her book, but might enjoy it more if you have! It's available online, wherever books are sold.

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Thanksgiving Break

December 1: NO SUNDAY SCHOOL

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Church of the Savior's Near Future

December 8: Conversation about CotS and the path to disaffiliation from the CRC. We will also hear from visitors from Holland Classis.

​​December 17: Annual congregational meeting where we will vote on the 2025 budget, hold the first vote in the process of disaffiliation, and select/affirm Council nominations. Anyone from CotS, whether a member or not, is welcome to attend the meeting. Only professing members of the church will be able to vote. (There is Sunday School for children/youth, but NO ADULT ED.)

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Christmas Break

December 22, December 29, January 5: NO SUNDAY SCHOOL

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The schedule may be adjusted or changed without notice.