Internationals Sunday School Class
(Site last updated 18 July 2010)
First Presbyterian Church
Internationals Sunday School Class
1328 Peachtree Street, Room 327
Atlanta, GA 30309
Telephone: 404-228-7749
Some information about our class...
WHO
Our class warmly welcomes international visitors, students from Atlanta area colleges and universities, and others who are interested in international friendship and international cultures. It is not necessary that attendees be Christian. We have had many faiths represented in our class.
Our goal is simply to provide a warm and friendly welcome to all foreign students and visitors in our city.
Some useful class-related links ...
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Our Class Brochure (in PDF) is here . .
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Some pictures from our class are here .
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Our class directory is here .
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Our class e-directory is here .
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Links to languages of the world are here . .
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Websites all over the world are found here .
WHAT
We are one of the larger Sunday School classes at First Presbyterian. Our programs are quite varied. Often our international student members are invited to speak about their homeland, their culture, their churches, and their family. Americans may describe interesting international experiences. We of course also have periodic Bible study.
We have an occasional newsletter and a quarterly lunch or party for fellowship and friendship.
WHEN
Working closely with the Atlanta Ministry with International Students ( AMIS ), the Internationals Sunday School Class meets each Sunday morning in Room 327 on the third floor. On our normal schedule (September through May) the class meets at 10:05 a.m ., with church services in the sanctuary at 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. In the summer (June through August), however, the class meets at 9 a.m. , with a single church service in the sanctuary at 10:15 a.m.
WHERE
First Presbyterian Church is located at 16th and Peachtree Streets, very close to the Arts Center MARTA station, and just across 16th street from the Atlanta Arts Center. We are thus convenient to both MARTA and Cobb Community Transit (CCT).
The year 2000 marked the 25th Anniversary of this Sunday School Class. The history of this class, written by class member Cliff Bailey (1915-2003), reviews the early background leading up to the class formation in 1975.
Here are our 2010 class programs for the months of January through October. Join us...and bring a friend!
2010
3 Jan 10 Rev. George Harjis will speak on "1970 Wisdom from Italy for the USA"
10 Jan 10 Ms. Milana Salieva, a class member from Russia and Agnes Scott student, will
give a power point presentation on her homeland.
17 Jan 10 Sabastian Berisha, a PhD student at Emory, will tell us about his home country
of Kosovo.
24 Jan 10 Mersiha Maksumic, a native of Bosnia, will tell us about his homeland.
31 Jan 10 Bud Gleason and Judy Candler will tell us about their recent fascinating trip on the
Amazon.
7 Feb 10 Our class will meet at 9 a.m., as a Congregational meeting is to be held at 10:15.
Bill Lyons, son of former FPC pastor J. Sprole Lyons and member of the church's
Archives Committee, will discuss FPC's mission, forming 7 other churches.
14 Feb 10 Sidney Claire Childs West, a class member, will report on her recent Mission trip
to Haiti during their earthquake.
21 Feb 10 Dr. Peter C. White, president emeritus of the Southern Center for International
Studies, will bring us up to date on the important things going on in our world.
28 Feb 10 Thomas J. Munger, a lawyer and member of FPC, will bring an up-date on the
Dead Sea Scrolls.
7 Mar 10 Jack Hardin, a class member, will talk about the 6th Brookings Conference on
US-Islamic Relations which he attended in Doha, Qatar on the 12-16th of Feb.
14 Mar 10 George Siggins - from Henry County Rotary Club will report on his recent trip
to Eqypt.
21 Mar 10 Patty Smitherman, President of Communicata Language Services,LLC, will give
a power point presentation on Walking the Camino de Santiago.
28 Mar 10 Rev. Connie Lee will talk about FPC's partnership with the United Church of Jamaica and our involvement with the Theodora Foundation and the Mount Olivet Boys Home.
4 Apr 10(Easter) No Class. Dr. David L. Bartlett, Columbia Professor of New Testament and Preaching, will teach on the Resurrection. (Fifield Hall)
11 Apr 10 Bud Gleason and Judy Candler will return to tell us about their experience in Africa.
18 Apr 10 Ellen Beattie of the International Rescue Committee will speak.
25 Apr 10 Rev. George Harjis will speak on “Scandinavia – The Northern Lights-and much more”
2 May 10 9AM Class [Congregational Meeting at 10:15 a.m.] Jack & Caroline Hardin will tell about fabulous Aleppo, Syria, with its Byzantine, Ottoman, and Christian history.
9 May 10 Waqas Khwaja, Ph.D, Professor of English at Agnes Scott, will speak about his native country - Pakistan
16 May 10 Rose Emily Bermudez will bring us up to date on the activities and challenges of Childspring International
23 May 10 Dr. Waqas Khwaja, Professor of English at Agnes Scott, continue his discussion (Part 2) on Pakistan .
[NOTE: We will also enjoy a covered dish picnic at Benny and Lydia Sumardi’s]
30 May 10 [Begin 9AM Summer Schedule] Memorial Day Celebration in Fifield Hall led by Will Breytspraak, Rev. Hardy Kim & Rev. Chris Moore-Keish
6 Jun 10 Rev. Dr. Fahed AbuAkel will discuss "The Three MonoTheistic Religions of the
World Today".
13 Jun10 Ilise Cohen, board chair of Interfaith Peace-Builders (IFPB), will speak on
"The Complexities of Israel/Palestine: Violences and Alliances".
20 Jun 10 Carol Dew, our class member, will report on the Adult Mission
Team’s May 20-June 3 trip to Kenya
27 Jun 10 Susanne Hoder, founder of the Interfaith Peace Initiative which focuses on the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict, will report on her recent trip to The Holy Land.
4 Jul 10 Celebration and Breakfast in Fifield Hall, led by Rev. Kevin Knab, Rev. Charles
Black, and Mr. Will Breytspraak.
11 Jul 10 Glenn & Sarah Stallsmith (musicianaries) (musicianaries) will talk on "The Fourth
Wave of Missions." (Text will be Acts 2: 1-12). They will share about how God is
making himself known around the world today, with specific examples from their
work of encouraging meaningful worship in the Philippines.
18 Jul 10 Bud Gleason and Judy Candler will tell us about the Route of
the Mayans (Guatemala, Honduras, Belize ruins plus towns).
25 Jul 10 Dr. Shabnam Seydafkan, a citizen of Iran, will tell us of her home country: "Iran: Then
and Now".
1 Aug 10 Rev. Mark Douglas will discuss "The changing shape of religious involvement
in U.S. foreign policy ".
8 Aug 10 Rev. Lindsay Armstrong, FPC Associate Pastor & Director, Christian Education,
will introduce us to the Taize community of France
15 Aug 10 Rev. Mark Douglas will begin a 4-week series with Part 1 on "War and Peace in Christian Thought" .
22 Aug 10 “ “ “ “ “ “ “ (Part 2)
29 Aug 10 “ “ “ “ “ “ “ (Part 3)
5 Sep 10 (Labor Day Weekend) " " " " " (Part 4)
[NOTE] We begin our Fall schedule today, with Sunday School at 10AM
12 Sep 10 Rev. Kimberly LeVert, International Programs Coordinator, Columbia
Theological Seminary, will bring three new Exchange students to tell
of their experiences: Henry Gecheru Kaira (Kenya); Onita Samuel
(Antigua/Studying in Jamaica) and Anne Njeri Wagana (Kenya/Studying
in Hungary)
19 Sep 10 Rev. Dr. Fahed AbuAkel will bring us up to date on Palestine.
The "Discover God's Word" Class will join us.
26 Sep 10 Rev. Dr. Fahed Abuakel – -" The theology of hospitality is at
the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ"
3 Oct 10 Rev. George Harjes will speak. (World Communion Sunday)
10 Oct 10 Betty T. Smith, UMC Christian counselor, will discuss
"Around the World in Seventy Years With Nothing Wasted."
17 Oct 10 Class member Oksana Klymovych from the Ukraine will discuss
"Present Challenges in the Ukraine".
24 Oct 10 Rev. Connie Lee will report on the 2010 General Assembly.
31 Oct 10 Rev. George Harjes will talk about "The Big Apple (NYC)".
7 Nov 10 Program to be announced -- [Mission Conference & DST ends]
Please come and join us each Sunday in Room 327.
There's plenty of space with comfortable, newly cushioned chairs!
Come and Join Us. You will be warmly welcomed!
For more program information, call...
Jim Munson at 404-496-8188
or
Ms. Susan Farrar-Bulit at 770-451-9519
Our Minister with International Students is...
Rev. Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel [who is the past Moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly] at 404-846-4395 (office) or 770-493-4725 (home).
For other questions or information about this website, contact Bob Duggan at 678-684-3342.
