adult ministries
The desire to know God and grow in relationship with him is innate and lifelong. Whether you grew up in a house of worship, or have never stepped foot in one, you are welcome to join any of our adult faith formation opportunities at any time. Grace offers several distinct Sunday school classes for adults as well as midweek small groups, all-church studies, and spiritual retreats. Newcomers are always welcome! Take a one stop shop and sign up for all the faith formation groups by clicking here.
Sunday morning groups
Portico Connections
Portico Connections meets Sunday mornings at 9:15AM in Room 231. This is a great group to join if you have children or youth at 9:15AM Faith Formation Hour or if you attend 8:00AM or 10:30AM service, and want an hour of study and fellowship with a great group of people. Everyone is welcome! Contact Stefanie Abderhalden via email with any questions
Forum Class
The Forum Class meets on Sunday mornings at 9:15AM in Room 232. This faithful and welcoming group enjoys a spirited study of the scriptures as well as presentations from guest speakers, often incorporating discussion and thought-provoking audio/visual material. Contact Sandy Bray via email for more information.
Hearts on Fire
Hearts on Fire gathers Sunday mornings at 9:15AM in Room 250 with a welcoming atmosphere to share in fun but challenging and meaningful discussions around faith and discipleship. Everyone is welcome to join in the discussion! Contact Bob Pacanowski via email for more information.
Upcoming Book Studies:
March 2 - Session 1 of Parables-Putting Jesus’s Stories in their Place by Josh Scott
March 9 through April 13 - The Third Day-Living the Resurrection by Tom Berlin
April 27 through May 18 - Remaining 5 sessions of Parables-Putting Jesus’s Stories in their Place by Josh Scott
May 25 through June 29 - Breaking the Code-Understanding the Book of Revelation by Bruce Metzger
Questors
Questors welcomes all adults on Sunday mornings at 9:15AM in Room 254 to participate in presentations/discussions on a variety of topics: contemporary living issues, religious history, Biblical studies, etc. Class offers mission and fellowship opportunities. Contact Betty Long via email or Joan Bratton via email for more information.
4-week series in May 2025: What does it mean to be a Christian in the modern world?
Presented by Al Brunsting
May 4 - Reformation to Today
Series introduction. A brief summary of trends from acceptance of ancient authorities at the time of the Reformation (c.1517 to 1600) to the acceptance of the key tools used in today’s modern science. How might acceptance of those tools influence our faith?
May 11 - Causes of De-Churching?
What might be some of the causes of today’s decline of Mainline Protestantism? What might we do about it?
May 18 - Protestantism v. Modern Science
A summary of a side-by-side comparison of four types of Protestantism and the degree each is compatible with today’s modern science.
May 25 - Relevant Issues Now
Brief summaries of randomness in our world, evolution, & the problem of evil. How do each of these intersect with our faith? Series conclusion.
About the Presenter
Al Brunsting had a long career as a PhD in Physics. He is accomplished in optical systems, fiber optic telecommunication, and project management. In retirement, he co-authored and published three books with Dr. Tom McFaul, a philosopher, ethicist, futurist, and expert in world religions.
weekday groups
Temple Builders
Temple Builders meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 9:00AM in the Activity Center for exercise and strength training. Contact Keia Carter via email for information and availability.
Sisters Study
Sisters Study meets on Mondays at 1:00PM in Room 254. All women are invited to join to discuss The Message of Jesus. Please reach out to Pastor Cindy Marino at cindy.marino@peopleofgrace.org if you have any questions.
Parenting with Grace Mom's Group
Parenting with Grace Mom’s Faith Formation Group meets on Tuesdays at 7:00PM to 8:15PM in Room 231. All moms are welcome to our winter session continuing through March 9. We'll explore "ways in which we can raise children to become healthy, independent young adults" - as discussed in the book Intentional Parenting: 10 Ways to Be an Exceptional Parent in a Quick-Fix World by Doug Fields. As always, you're welcome to purchase the book for a more in-depth experience with the content or simply attend and join in on a relaxed, fun, and informative discussion. If you have questions, please contact Stephanie Abderhalden at stefanieabderhalden@gmail.com.
Bible Study
Come join us on Thursday mornings. Our Disciple Study is a welcoming, warm fellowship. We invite you to join us to study "The Prophets." We meet in both Room 254 and on Zoom on Thursdays, January 9 to March 27 at 9:30AM to 11:00AM.
The session will cover The Prophets Themes - “Return, Near, Hunger, Obey, Divine Purpose, New Covenant, Doom, Promise, Redeemer, Vision, Courage and Witness.” (12 weeks). Two manuals are required at the cost of $9.98/each. CLICK HERE to register, sign up at the Welcome Desk, or please contact either Sandy Bray via email or 630-853-8347, or Pastor Doug Bowden via email or 815-990-0187.
fellowship groups
Over 50 Fellowship
Are you Over 50? You are invited to gather and meet some new friends or gather with some old friends. Enjoy a good meal, conversation, and a short program. Naperville police Chief Arres will bring information about Senior Scam dangers along with current police procedures that ensure the safety of the community. The cost is $15 per person. Register at peopleofgrace.org/over50 or in the Gathering Space at the counter. Everyone over 50 is invited.
Guys Gathering Together
Guys Gathering Together is a group for men who share common interests. Get out, eat, have fun, and have enjoyable conversations about various topics in a casual setting that impact each of us in today's world. The goal is to build relationships with other men around common values of integrity and honesty, while learning with and from each other. Join us Friday, May 23 at 6:00PM for our next gathering. Stay tuned for details! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Bob Pacanowski via email.
Grace Community Builders
Grace Community Builders help build a stronger sense of community within our church. This powerful idea is based on getting to know other members of our church better and to have an enjoyable time while doing it. Each (GCB) Group is comprised of six people. Beginning February 23, each Community Builder will spend approximately one hour a week with a different participant in his/her group over a period of five weeks. The meetings are set up by each participant and can be at the church Gathering Space, at a restaurant, coffee shop, or wherever you choose. On April 4, we will have a potluck at the church for participants and their spouse, significant other, or a friend. To join a group or for more information, contact Bill Fronk via email or at 913-961-2903.
Working for Racial Justice Group
Anyone interested in racial justice and eager to help Grace UMC and our community demonstrate how to love our neighbor and truly love our neighbor despite race or ethnicity is welcome to join the Working for Racial Justice Group. This group strives to provide opportunities for creating community and relationships among people of all races and ethnicities. In addition, this group hopes to provide opportunities for learning how to help our community and our world stand up against racial injustice through various offerings of speakers, service projects, book studies, and events. Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 7:00PM in Room 254.
support groups
GriefShare Support Group
You are invited to a GriefShare Support Group on Thursdays at 6:30PM from February 6 to May 8 to help you move through the grief process. This support group is a safe, welcoming place where people understand the difficult emotions of grief. Through this 13-week group, you’ll discover what to expect in the days ahead and what’s “normal” in grief. Since the process of grief is not neat and orderly, you’ll learn helpful ways of coping with grief, in all its unpredictability—and gain solid support each step of the way.
CLICK HERE to register and learn more. Please contact Richard Newell at richard.newell@peopleofgrace.org with questions.
amplify media
digital faith formation resources
Amplify Media is a service that Grace subscribes to so that every member can have access to resources that encourage deeper discipleship and equip them to pursue their faith formation journey with greater impact. Amplify has videos that can be used in your small groups, Bible studies and, of course, in your own personal faith journey. You can access all of these videos anytime and on almost any device.
Who: Amplify has resources for all ages (adults, children, and youth) that can used for your own individual faith journey or as part of a small group. The resources are from publishers like Cokesbury and include popular authors such as Adam Hamilton and N.T. Wright.
Where: You can access all of these videos anytime and almost any devices.
How: To access our Amplify account, click here and enter our Access Code: BTSNPM
Why: To engage more deeply in your faith and to builder deeper community with Christ and others in a new way.
