by Marilyn Kimberley, Group Coordinator
A group of people, some from ABC and others from outside, have been meeting for bible study each Wednesday night for almost 15 years. Some of our members, both men and women, have joined recently, but we still have a few original members as well. We have met at different locations over the years: backyards in the summer, the church library at times and in several homes. Lately we’ve been gathering at the home of Joyce and Rob Walker at 27 Scotland Road. We have used video studies, but generally, we study one particular book of the Bible: we start with chapter one, read the Bible passage out loud and then discuss what we have read and apply it to our lives. We move on until we get through the entire book. Sometimes our study takes weeks and longer books can take a year or more. We do not have homework. Our ages have ranged from 9, 12, 22, and upwards to mid-80’s, but now most of us are middle-aged or older. We meet to internalize and put into practice God’s Word and support each other through life crises and happy events. Together, we celebrate anniversaries and birthdays and support each other through severe illnesses, hospitalizations and funerals of loved ones. We meet weekly but are often in touch more often; at times in the summer we have met for a patio breakfast and invited neighbours too. We truly are a family, part of the family of God.
This past year, we completed our study of the End Times: we started by examining many of the events of God’s wrath in the Old Testament, the destruction of the temple under Nebuchadnezzar, examined in detail the book of Daniel, examined the book of Jude, the Millennial Kingdom, and finished with a detailed study of the book of Revelation. Needless to say, all that took more than a full year. Then, last September, we started our study of the book of Romans, and are now engrossed in some discussions (sometimes heated) about doctrine, since we have people with a variety of depth of Bible knowledge.
Each Wednesday night, starting about 6:45 p.m., we gather for a social time with snacks, and at 7:15 we start with a time of testimony (which we call a “God moment”). Then, our bible study goes from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. and we end with 20 minutes of communal prayer. We try to end at 9 p.m. sharp, for those who get up early for work, but those who wish to leave more leisurely can do so. Because this small group has so blessed our lives, we encourage everyone at ABC to get involved in a small group bible study. We have room for a few more so we invite anyone to attend one of our meetings to see if we are a good fit for you.
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