Groups

FOR THOSE NEW TO COKER: Connecting at Coker (A one time class offered the last Sunday of the month from 10:15-10:50 am)

At Coker UMC we know that you want to be in community. In order to do that, you need a church that helps you feel connected. The problem is that churches can be hard to navigate which makes you feel alone in the crowd or without clear next steps. We believe you deserve to be welcomed, seen, known, and walked with. We understand that making friends at church can be hard which is why, since 1883, we have been helping people connect into life-giving community. Here’s how we do it: We invite you to attend a Connecting at Coker Class and we invite you to join a group and/or class within Coker. Class information is listed below, register for the class that best fits your schedule! If you are new to Coker, register HERE for our next Connecting at Coker Class.

Support Groups

Coker offers support groups throughout the week. Click Here to see the list of classes available, days, and times. Note: Nursery is available Tuesdays and Thursdays.

In-Person: Coker Kids & Coker Students
For details on Coker Kids and Coker Student Sunday happenings, contact Pastor of NextGen Ministries, Rev. Clay Smallwood at Clay.Smallwood@coker.org 

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Online & In-Person: Sunday School Classes
Led by: Various Teachers
Sunday school classes are currently meeting throughout the day on Sundays and throughout the week. For times, days, log-in details, and to know which class is a good fit for you- reach out to Barbara.Keeper@coker.org 

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IN-PERSON: Griefshare
Location: WH 703/704
Dates: January 23-May 1, 2023
Time: 1-3 pm
Description: WHO:  anyone experiencing grief from the loss of a loved one
WHAT:  a video-based grief recovery curriculum with workbook and support group discussions
Materials: $25 for required workbook (Scholarship is available if needed)
Class Contact: Please email Carol Churchill, cechurchill@msn.com
Register: Click HERE to Register

Surviving the Holidays: this is a separate session held in the fall

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Women’s Bible Study: Looking For Lovely…Collecting the Moments that Matter by Annie F. Downs
Location: Zoom
Dates: Feb. 13th-Mar. 27th
Time: 8:00 PM
Description: Looking For Lovely…Collecting the Moments that Matter by Annie F. Downs.

As Christians, we are not promised lives of ease.  And only when we learn to spot the lovely in the midst of hardship can we experience the transcendent peace of
God that keeps us persevering when we want to give up.  In this 7-week Bible study, Annie examines the ordinary people of the Bible—fishermen, farmers, musicians, women—to discover how they sought beauty in their everyday lives to hold on to the hope of God’s perfect timing.

Materials: Looking For Lovely…Collecting the Moments that Matter by Annie F. Downs. Books can be purchased from Amazon or Lifeway.
Class Contact: The class is facilitated by Cheryl Kendall and is limited to 15 participants.  Please email Cheryl, cheryl.kendall@coker.org
Register: REGISTRATION 

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IN-PERSON: The Letter to the Ephesians Bible Study

Location: Wesley 703/704
Dates: Jan. 9th-Apr. 3rd; no class on Jan. 16th
Time: 9-10:45 AM
Description:

Exiled from Israel and held as a political prisoner for Christ on his way to Rome, Paul had something to say to the believers in Ephesus and Asia Minor. He had spent over three years ministering in the region. He had lived there, preached there, been persecuted there, bled there, and nearly died there.

Yet, as we learn in The Letter to the Ephesians, Paul’s confidence did not waver, his faith and vision never faltered: God had acted decisively in Christ to unify people and establish the church assembly, the people of God set apart and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

This 12-week study Dr. Fred Long takes learners through Paul’s grand vision of the Church as Christ’s body, a people called to be holy and blameless in love. As the political head of the Church Body, Christ exemplifies virtue, and the church aspires to grow to be like him in sacrificial love and service. Paul, as an ambassador of Christ in chains, depicts the church assembly as a holy temple filled with God, Christ, and the Spirit, and then stands firm wearing divine armor ready to withstand all evil forces and to spread the peace of the gospel of Christ to the whole world.

Materials:  Book: The Letter to the Ephesians Study Book by Frederick J Long.  Purchase from Seedbed.com for $14.95 + tax and shipping 

Class Contact: The class is facilitated by Elaine Hitzfelder.  Please email Elaine, elhitzfelder@gmail.com or via cell at 210-859-5264.
Register: Winter/Spring 2023 Studies

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ONLINE Ruth via Zoom
Location: Zoom ID 964 3850 6825
Dates: January 25-February 15 (Individual preparation begins Jan. 19)
Time:  1:00-2:00 pm
Description: This 4-week study shows how God used a faithful woman from the hated Moabite nation to bring restoration to God’s people.  It is an example of love, loss and redemption.  We’ll see how God’s purposes and sovereign plans interplay with the human experience.
Materials: We will use the free app, Wordgo, which may be used on a smartphone or tablet.  The study includes 5 days/wk of individual scripture study, 2-3 questions, optional study notes, and one weekly audio lecture, all contained in the app and completed at the participant’s convenience. The program customizes the material to the amount of time (10, 15, or 30 minutes/day) each participant chooses.
Contact: Paula Fredrickson, lynnf265@gmail.com
Register: Click HERE to Register

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IN-PERSON:Coker Endurance Team
Location:Coker UMC
Dates: September 14 – May 24
Time: 6 pm
Description:  Join the Coker Endurance Team as we build our endurance to run or walk the race set before us.  A weekly group that will begin with a devotional and inspirational warm up before taking to the Salado Creek Greenway.  All abilities welcome.

Contact Mike Porter to RSVP and for additional details! Mike: mikeportercpa@att.net

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Financial Peace University | CANCELLED UNTIL FALL OF 2023

Financial Peace University is a nine-lesson course that teaches you how to save for emergencies, pay off debt fast, spend wisely, and invest for your future. For over 25 years, Dave Ramsey’s been teaching commonsense, biblical money principles that work. Every time.

Participants will listen to the videos online at home before class and then we will meet for the discussion questions. Class will last one hour.

Contact Debbie Garza at 2bhis@prodigy.net to register and for details. 

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ONLINE: Prayer Time
Led By: Robyn Myers & David Smith
The prayer team meets weekly to pray over one another and over Coker as a whole. We continue in prayer over where God is sending us in ministry work, over how to reach out and be in meaningful community, how to extend a hand of healing through the power of the Holy Spirit, over individual ministry areas and over individuals. Robyn sends out a weekly scripture for us to center on and David reads a devotional as he feels led before we open up for prayer. All are invited to pray out loud or quietly in their own hearts- however you feel led. All are welcome, e-mail Robyn for the Zoom log-in.
Contact Robyn: robynmyers@satx.rr.com

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Production Affinity Group

In-Person:   please note that this group will be limited to 5 participants
Location: Sanctuary/Gym/Upper Room
Dates: beginning Feb. 2nd
Time: 6:30-8 pm
Facilitated by: David Alvarez. Please contact David with questions at  David.Alvarez@coker.org
Description:The Production Affinity Group is for all ages that have an interest in learning what the Production department does during services. They will learn how to operate video cameras, a video switcher, audio consoles, a lighting console, how to use Pro Presenter and more! Once they have learned a particular skill set they can put it to use during one of our services and in the outside world! The classes will be taught by our in-house professionals that have more than 14 years of experience.

Register: Click HERE to Register.

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IN-PERSON: Noon Bible Study

Location: WH804
Dates: ongoing
Time: 12 pm
Description: Did you know there is one class that has been meeting almost weekly for nearly 20 years now? Somewhat hidden but always powerful and occasionally filled with laughter, this class has been meeting on Thursdays at noon on campus in Wesley 804 for years. No book other than your Bible is needed as the class is an open discussion look at the passage which will be used by the pastors for their sermon on the upcoming Sunday. The Scripture of the day is read aloud and the opening questions is always “What are your first thoughts?” usually followed by details about Hebrew or Greek, questions about history or culture, and ending up with “What difference does all this make to my faith?” Come join us any time you can.
Materials: Bring your bible
Class Contact: Please email Pastor Damon, pastordamon@coker.org.
Register: Click HERE to Register.

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ONLINE: Fascinating Reads, Meaningful Discussions
Location: Zoom
Dates: TBD
Time: 10 AM
Description: Join us on Friday mornings for some in-depth conversations relating modern literature to the biblical times.
Materials: TBD
Class Contact: Please email Mark Humphrey, mark.humphrey@coker.org.

To Register: Click Here to Register

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