Adult Study Groups
Find community and grow in your spiritual walk through our adult discipleship groups. See options below for in-person and hybrid (Zoom + in-person) meetings.
How to Find and Pay for Books
Study books are on 1) shelves in the main church entrance (Door #2) and 2) the Connection Tables in the Gathering Area. Entrance shelves are available Mon-Th (9a-4p), Fri (9a-1p), and Sun mornings.
To pay for books, mark your envelope as “Study Books” and place in the offering plate, office, black box on the shelves, or basket on the connections table. Make checks to St. Mark’s UMC with “study books” in the memo line. You can also pay online.
Themed and Short-Term Studies
Short-term studies explore specific themes (e.g., discipleship topics, spiritual growth, social justice, Advent & Lenten seasons).
Disciple I Fast Track Bible Study – New Testament Portion
Sunday evenings, January 25-May 3 | No meetings April 5, 19, 26 | 5:30-7:00 PM
Led by Ken Steppe | Room N, The Living Room | Cost is $18 to cover the New Testament workbook
A few spots remain for the New Testament portion of Disciple I Fast Track! A portion of the group began the Old Testament study in Fall 2025, but spots remain if you would like to join the group for the 12 sessions of the New Testament (covering the life of Christ, the early church, Paul’s letters, and the mysteries of Revelation). Each session includes a video in class, reflection questions, and weekly Bible reading assignments to read ahead of the meeting.
Weekday Study Groups: 2026
Study groups meet during the school year (Sept-May) on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Message of Jesus: Words that Changed the World | Wednesday AM Study
Wednesdays, January 7 – February 11 | 9:30-11 AM
In this 6-week study, pastor and best-selling author Adam Hamilton explores six of the most important themes in Jesus’s teachings and why they matter. Even if you’ve previously learned about Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, his parables, Jesus’s preaching on the Kingdom of God, the “I am” sayings in John, and Jesus’s final words and resurrection, Adam Hamilton reminds readers with his own relatable style about how the messages of Jesus are not only life-changing, but world-changing—and still speak to our lives today.
Survival Guide for the Soul |Men’s & Pastors’ Study Groups
Wednesdays, January 7 – February 11| Room B/C and Zoom | Books $13
TWO Sections: Men’s Bible Study, 8:00-9:00 AM | Pastors’ Bible Study, 9:30-10:30 AM
Led by Pastors Nathan Whybrew and Karla Elliott
Enter the new year with a fresh focus on spiritual practices and rhythms. In a society that pressures us to achieve socially, professionally, or through the constant acquisition of material possessions, author Ken Shigematsu explores a fresh perspective on how a variety of spiritual practices help us orient our lives so that our souls can flourish in demanding, competitive times. This study will help anyone seeking a closer relationship with Christ in the midst of daily pressures, and anyone wanting to transcend the human tendency to define ourselves by what we do, what we own, and what others think of us.
Messy People | Thursday AM Study
Thursdays, January 8 – February 12 | 10-11 AM | Led by Judy Woempner | The Living Room (Room N) | Books $9
Every life gets messy at times. Sometimes our messes are literal, like a house that’s easier to condemn than to clean. But sometimes messes are intangible: illness, conflict, abuse, divorce, job loss, depression, bankruptcy. This 6-week study of life lessons from imperfect Biblical heroes looks at Rahab, the Prodigal Son, Josiah, Mary, David, and Daniel—all who were messy people like us but who God used in powerful ways. This study will help us learn to thrive, not just endure, in a messy life with God’s guidance and help… and to let God turn our messes into a masterpiece.
Stronger than Stress: 10 Spiritual Practices to Win the Battle of Overwhelm | Friday AM Study
Fridays, January 9 – February 13 | 9:30-11 AM
Led by Jennifer Cloud-Buckner and Annessa Miller | Room B/C + Zoom | Books $9
In the new year, we’ll explore 10 spiritual practices to find less stress and more moments of peace, every day, no matter what life throws our way. By combining advice from scripture, psychology, and spiritual practices, author Barb Roose helps build readers’ resilience for a world of chronic stress. We’ll do some exercises to interrupt our fight-or-flight responses; identify stresses and anxieties; and add some Jesus-centered, grace-based coping tools to our daily lives.
Sunday Morning Small Groups & Classes
Cutting Edge
Zoom can be available upon request
Reel Spirituality
Foundations and Friendships
The Living Room
10:00 AM in Room N
This informal, drop-in space is open every Sunday for conversation, connection, and individual down time—where you can just BE, rest, read, listen to a podcast, or sit between worship services. Each week you can find coffee, conversation starters, games, and space to relax. Occasionally, guided discussions take place in a portion of the room, leaving plenty of space to chat or read as desired (details at stmarkscarmel.org/workshops). May this be a space that feeds your soul with a sense of community and a way to refresh before the busy week. If you have feedback or questions about The Living Room or other 10 AM options, please contact Jennifer at grow@stmarkscarmel.org.
For more information on adult studies, please contact Jennifer Cloud-Buckner (grow@stmarkscarmel.org), St. Mark’s Adult Discipleship Coordinator.