Adult Sunday School meets at 9:30 a.m. during the school year. Nursery care and Sunday School for children happen simultaneously. Offerings vary from discussions of book and video resources to Bible study and special presentations of current topics and events. We strive to offer classes that both challenge and support you on your faith journey. Past offerings have included:

• Beyond the Dream: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. for Contemporary Christians
• Book studies on Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor, and Pastors Sound Off: Causes We Can't Keep Quiet About
• Courses on gender identity, aging, Christmas carols, understanding the Bible
• Visits from the wider community including a class on Respecting Indigenous Cultures, a visit from Rabbi Moti Rieber, discussion with transgender activist Stephanie Mott

Fall 2025 Adult Education Opportunities

 Adult Sunday School at 9:30 a.m.
In-person on the main floor of the church in Pioneer Hall OR via Zoom (your choice!)
***youth ages 6-12th grade also welcome*** If your teen plans to attend, please be sure and fill out a Youth Information Form. 

Join us for conversation, laughter, lots of questions (and maybe even a few answers). Classes are typically designed so you can come every week or just stop by for one Sunday as it fits your schedule. Even if we're in the middle of reading a book or doing a series it's okay to come without having done the "homework."

Here are some upcoming highlights:
Aug. 17: Intergenerational + UU/Mennonite: Tree of Hope

Aug. 24: Faith journaling

Aug. 31 & Sep. 7: Rumi

Sep. 14 & 21: Tales of Resistance (see more info below)

Sep. 28 - Oct. 12: Into the Mess by Debbie Thomas

Oct. 19: Kansas Interfaith Action, Rabbi Moti Riever

Oct. 26:  Tales of Resistance (see more info below)

Nov. 2-23 : Book TBD

​Nov. 30-Dec. 14: Advent study

For regular updates, be sure to sign up for our congregation's weekly e-mail newsletter. 


Bible Study Series: Tales of Resistance
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind. … Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – Romans 12: 2, 21

What does the Bible tell us about standing up to corruption, injustice, and abuse of power? How do we do the right thing, even when things around us seem so wrong? Join us for Adult Sunday School (Sundays, 9:30 am, second floor) to learn more and to talk through these and related questions as they are explored in the Bible.

September 14: Daniel, chapters 1-7
September 21: Daniel, chapters 8-12
October 26: Acts [brief selections shared during Sunday School]

January 11: Esther, chapters 1-3
January 18: Esther, chapters 4-7
January 25: Esther, chapters 8-10
February 15: Gospels [brief selections shared during Sunday School]

For the books from the Hebrew Bible, Daniel and Esther, everyone is encouraged but not required to read in advance the scheduled chapters. For the selections from Acts and the Gospels, a handout with selections will be provided during Sunday School; no advance reading needed at all.

Tuesday Book Group
​Tuesdays from 11:30am-1pm
Meets via Zoom
Led by Sue Zschoche
​
Current book: The Great Search by John Philip Newell

​From the publisher: 
In the great tradition of authors who leave church but remain spiritual—such as Barbara Brown Taylor, Rob Bell—the author of Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul forges a new path toward a true spiritual home, embracing a deep connection to the natural world.

The story of Adam and Eve’s fall from innocence in the Garden of Eden is a mythical account of humanity’s broken relationship with the divine, with Earth, and with themselves.

In contrast, Celtic wisdom is built on a strong bond with Earth. In the prophetic figures that Newell draws from, the Garden of Eden represents the inner garden of our souls and the outer garden of Earth, which are seen as essentially one. To live in relation to what is deepest in us is to live in relation to the ground from which we and all things have come. Where are we today, in relation to our true selves and the sacredness of Earth? And how are we to find our way home again?

This life-affirming, nourishing book contemplates these questions at a moment of great spiritual awakening, an era characterized by religious exile on a vast scale. We need a new sense of home spiritually, deeply rooted within ourselves and in our shared journey with each other and Earth.

The Book Club meets every Tuesday on Zoom, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please join us for vibrant conversation. You'll find the Zoom link at uccmanhattan.org/online. If you would like help obtaining a copy of the book, please contact Pastor Sue.