GROWTH GROUPS

Charlton Church is committed to nurturing the personal spiritual growth of our congregation members and friends. The Word of the Lord is preached faithfully each Sunday morning during our worship services. Our worship together comes to a close as we reflect upon the Word and respond by going forth into the world as disciples.

The Scriptures are also studied in a variety of “growth groups”. These include classes that meet on Sunday mornings, as well as short term groups, such as Bible studies and book clubs, that meet for study and fellowship at various times during the week throughout the year.

“You have been taught the holy Scriptures since childhood: and they have given you the wisdom of faith." 2 Timothy 3:15

A weekly BIBLE STUDY with the pastor is held each Tuesday at 10:00 am. This is a time when members of our church family gather to dive deeper into the texts from Sunday and discuss the themes and topics raised in the sermon series.

A wide variety of exciting, interactive classes are held for people of all ages, toddler through adult. Charlton Church is a Safe Sanctuary, with procedures in place to reduce the risk of child abuse.

The following classes meet on Sunday mornings during the Discipleship Hour at 9:00 AM.

FOR CHILDREN:

Our K.I.D.'s Club (Kids In Discipleship) is for all children in Preschool thru 5th Grade. KIDs Club is a time of devotions, praise, lessons, crafts and activities. Some of their activities are done as a combined group; while others are divided into age-appropriate groups. Parents can pick up their children on the lower level after the worship service.

FOR YOUTH:

Youth in 6th thru 12th grade meet in the youth room on the lower level for a time of reflection on how the scriptures are relevant in their lives today. In addition to the Sunday gathering, the youth also meet twice a month for fellowship and activities.

FOR ADULTS:

A variety of adult classes are available for college-aged thru seniors.

Faith & Fellowship Class - meets in room 15 on the upper level. This class likes to share, explore and deepen their faith together through Biblical study. They also gather for fellowship with one another and to help others in the church and greater community who are in need.

Foundation Class / JOY Class - meets in room 14 on the upper level. The members of this class share with one another in Bible-based studies that allow growth in faith and understanding in order to practice Christian principles in today's world, and apply Christian living to their everyday life. They are loving, encouraging, fun accepting and caring for one another and those they come in contact with daily.

The Gathering - this class of young adults and the young-at-heart explores a variety of topics to discuss how our faith affects our daily living. They meet in the church parlor, outside of the sanctuary. The class has identified as a Reconciling Community with the Reconciling Ministries Network. You can read their statement below.

Journey Class - meets in conference room, just inside the main entrance. This class explores topics of interest in culture and discusses them from a Christian perspective. The class has identified as a Reconciling Community with the Reconciling Ministries Network. You can read their statement below.

Joint Statement of the Gathering and Journey Classes:

The Gathering and Journey classes of Charlton UMC in Harrisburg, PA are groups of Christ followers who firmly believe that everyone is created equally in the image of God. We believe that the diversity found in the human family makes us more reflective of our God expressed in the holy Trinity. We embrace people of all ages, races, abilities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and all other “labels” which our culture uses to define and divide us. We reaffirm our Scriptures that make it clear that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ and the family of God. Proud of our Wesleyan heritage, we believe that ‘we can love alike even though we may not think alike’, as we recognize that there are those in our church, community, and denomination who have perspectives different than our own. We commit to being a supportive and encouraging inclusive community within our congregation as we work towards truly being a church with open hearts, open minds and open doors.