Altadena Community Church Altadena Community Church
Learning Activities
Learning Activities

"I grew up in a church where we were told what we had to believe.
Here we are able to work out our own Christian beliefs."


Adult/Youth Class

On the first Sunday of the month, at 11:45 am, we offer a learning experience for adults and any interested youth who would like to join us. We explore many topics, from the Bible to current issues. Gifted people within the congregation, as well as occasional guest speakers, share from a breadth of experience and knowledge. Each session is structured to stand alone, so that you can attend just one or a few sessions and still enjoy the experience. After the worship service, enjoy coffee and juice on the patio. When you hear the bell ring, please come down the east sidewalk to Founders' Room for a stimulating discussion.


Lent Events

Lent Events

During the season of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter, we stretch ourselves to grow deeper in our spiritual lives. To do this, we provide small home group study and fellowship experiences of 8-10 people in a group, where we talk about our faith journeys, our prayer life, and our sense of who God is and how God fits into our lives. For many in the congregation, this is the most meaningful time of the church year.

Often, we engage in a study of a book written by a spiritual author. Past explorations have included books by Marcus Borg, Joan Chittister, Harold Kushner, and Henri Nouwen. At other times, we have ventured into more creative areas. One year, we experienced "Sensing the Passion." Utilizing all five of our senses, we tried to envision Jesus' passion at a deeper level. The small group discussions provided a chance for participants to share how they were moved by the worship experiences during that Lenten season. Another year, we utilized the art of Vincent van Gogh and his own life story as a way to deepen our own faith experiences as we went on the Lenten journey once again. Another topic we are exploring is what it means to share our faith experiences with another person and how such a sharing helps us build our church community.

Bible Study

There are many ways of seeing. In ACC Bible studies, we try to see through the Scriptures-past our preconceptions, into the lives and understandings of the original writers and readers. Once we locate some original meanings, we seek to see through this lens back into our own lives. What do we hear in these often beautiful, almost always amazing texts? What do we think? What speaks to our hearts? Do we hear God's voice?

Why do we meet as a group? Each one of us is more likely to tackle this with support. We see a lot more when we work together. We gather in Christ's name. We seek to catch the Spirit in each other's responses.

ACC Bible studies meet two or three times a year in six to eight week sessions, focusing on one book at a time. We use a United Church of Christ study guide, where available, or a comparable guide. We typically meet on a weekday evening. Non-ACC members are welcome. The requirement for the group is a commitment to do the reading in advance and to participate in ways that are respectful of others. The cost of the study guide is usually under $5 (if money is an issue, not to worry). Call the church office or check the church calendar to find out when our next Bible study is coming up.

Fellowship

ACTS Summer Salad Suppers

Nourish your body at the vegetarian potluck and your soul with the thought-provoking presentations. A fun and informal gathering of friends of different faiths speak on a common spiritual topic. Altadena Congregations Together Serving, which includes the Baha'i, Baptist, Christian Science, Episcopal, Jewish, Islamic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and United Church of Christ faiths, sponsors this series on four consecutive Thursdays during the summer at Altadena and Pasadena houses of worship.


See more ways to get involved.