If you have questions about the adult ministries of Fox Valley Presbyterian Church, please contact Susan Strasser, Adult Ministries Committee Chair.
Sunday Morning Christian Education
2025 Adult Education Track
Books and Bagels
August 24, 2025
Our summer Books and Bagels adult education program wraps up on August 24, when we will gather in the Conference Room at 9:00 am. Participants need to acquire their own books, which are generally available from our local libraries. Please join us for interesting and lively discussions. Our book is
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd (a novel). The first lines of the book read “I am Anna. I was the wife of Jesus ben Joseph of Nazareth…”. From this intriguing beginning, explore with us the fictionalized account of Jesus’s life through the eyes of Anna, his wife. Paige Temple will facilitate our discussion.
The Bible With and Without Jesus
Fall 2025
We are happy to announce a six-week class based on The Bible With and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently, by Amy-Jill Levin and Mark Zvi Brettler. This class will be taught by FVPC member Paul Vlajcic and will begin on Sunday, September 7. We will meet in the Conference Room at 9:00 am.
Paul will lead us on a guided tour of the most popular Hebrew Bible passages quoted in the New Testament to show what the texts meant in their original contexts. He will then show how Jews and Christians, over time, understood those same texts. Passages include the creation of the world, the role of Adam and Eve, the suffering servant of Isaiah, the book of Jonah, and Psalm 22, which contains the words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” Jesus quoted as he died on the cross.
Comparing various interpretations – historical, literary, and theological - of each ancient text, the class will offer deeper understanding of the original narratives and their many after lives. It will show how the text speaks to different generations under changed circumstances, and so illuminate the Bible’s ongoing significance. By understanding the depth and variety by which these passages have been and can be understood, we will further see the Bible as a source of inspiration for all to read.
Although a book is not required for this class (there will be some videos shown), if you would like to order a copy of The Bible With and Without Jesus, please email Susan Strasser by August 15, as she is coordinating a group order. The cost per book is $18.00. If you prefer to obtain your own copy, the book is available through Amazon or other online book retailers.
(Posted 7/16/25. Source: Susan Strasser’s 7/16/25 email.)
Presbyterian Women
All women of the church are invited to participate in a Presbyterian Women (PW) circle, which is affiliated with the PC(USA) national Presbyterian Women organization. The Sewing Circle meets on Monday mornings. The Knitting Circle (those who do all forms of handwork are welcome) meets in the afternoon on the second and fourth Mondays of the month.
Contact the church office to be put in touch with a current Circle leader.
Congregational Revitalization through Community Organizing
Through our membership in the Fox River Valley Initiative we have access to training that will teach us how to build meaningful relationships and have purposeful conversations as we seek to love, grow, and serve together. We also have the opportunity to participate in events to educate ourselves and help make our community a better place. Contact Pastor Michelle to learn about the next FRVI actions or meetings.