Adult Co-Ed Ministries
Men and Women Ages 20 and Older
"Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately."
Acts 18:24–26
God created men and women to be helpmates, counterbalances, and companions to one another. Jointly, they more adequately understand and explain life's mysteries and the hope within themselves. For this reason, Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church offers a variety of forums in which both men and women may interact to play out this biblical example. Adult co-ed ministries are responsible for many dear friendships, often spanning five or more decades, among our members. Our invitation to visit all the groups described below is open to the community, single, engaged, married, divorced, or widowed. No advance notice necessary. Never an obligation to become a member.
Adult Studies
Fast, friendly, informative, and fun in the comfy surroundings of the Kirk House parlor. Building momentum since 2006, this lively multi-generational, mixed-gender group has something for everyone.
Each week members approach a new relevant-to-life topic through the words of Scripture, assigned during the previous week's meeting. New and developing believers gain from the perspective of mature believers as everyone participates in open discussion and friendly fellowship. Then during the following week, members process the fresh new insight and apply it to their lives.
| Schedule | Su 9:00–10:00am Jan–Dec |
|---|---|
| Location | Kirk House parlor 959 C Avenue, Coronado Downloadable Campus Map PDF» |
| Invitation | open to men and women in the community 20 years of age and older |
| Purpose | fellowship Old and New Testament Bible study spiritual growth prayer |
| Food Service | complimentary coffee |
| Contact | Ralph and Julie Ziegler (619) 435-4093 |
Crown City Mariners
Formed in 1958 to provide young-family fellowship activities, the Crown City Mariners also charted a steady course of church-campus renovation service through the years. Now in retirement, they focus on strengthening their friendships and extending fellowship to newcomers to the group.
| Schedule | third Su monthly Sep–May |
|---|---|
| Time | 5:30–6:00pm social 6:00–7:00pm dinner |
| Location | Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church Parish Hall 975 C Avenue, Coronado Downloadable Campus Map PDF» |
| Invitation | open to all men and women, typically 55 years of age and older |
| Purpose | fellowship guest speakers and special topics |
| Food Service | some catered dinners, some potlucks |
| Cost | annual dues $5/person catered dinners no more than $10/person |
| Contact | Bob and Helon Oder (619) 435-3937 Peg Luedtke (619) 435-6344 |
The Defenders
Apologists are authors or speakers known for taking on the points in debates that either are placed under popular scrutinies or viewed under persecutory examinations. The term comes from the Greek word apologia, meaning a speaking in defense.
The term apologist applies especially to early Christian writers (circa 120–220AD) who recommended their faith to outsiders. Since the 1800s, the controversies over Deism, Atheism, the Enlightenment, Humanism, and theories of Feuerbach, Marx, Freud and Darwin, have spurred both Catholic and Protestant apologists to reply. The Roman Catholic G. K. Chesterton, the Anglican C. S. Lewis, the Lutheran John Warwick Montgomery, the Roman Catholic Hugo Anthony Meynell, and the Presbyterian Francis Schaeffer were among the most prolific Christian apologists in the 1900s.
In the summer of 2008, Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church Pastor David and wife Jody spent one week of Pastor David's doctoral sabbatical studying apologetics at Oxford University in England. Their dream of equipping the members of Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church with tools to defend their faith became reality in 2009 with The Defenders, a casual on-going group event open to all adults in the Coronado community.
| Schedule | Jan–Dec to resume in early 2010 |
|---|---|
| Location | Kirk House parlor 959 C Avenue, Coronado Download a Campus Map |
| Invitation | open to men and women in the community |
| Purpose | to develop confidence in explaining and defending biblical worldview to people with other perspectives |
| Format | group discussion among 13–16 people |
| Child Care | no |
| Leaders | Pastor David and Jody McElrath |
| Contact | Email Jody McElrath (619) 435-5157 |
Evening Bible Study
Dress casually, bring friends, and prepare for a quick-paced joy ride as Pastor David “unplugged” drives home Scriptural lessons, applies them to today’s life in the fast lane, and invites passengers to rock the rumble seat with challenging questions. Every meeting covers way more territory than you’d expect in just 90 minutes. Test drive this multi-passenger educational vehicle, and get your faith in gear. Seat belts recommended.
| Schedule | T 7:00–8:30pm Jan–Dec |
|---|---|
| Location | Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church Parish Hall 975 C Avenue, Coronado Downloadable Campus Map PDF» |
| Invitation | open to men and women in the community 20 years of age and older |
| Purpose | fellowship New Testament Bible study prayer |
| Food Service | complimentary coffee, dessert |
| Child Care | available with 48-hour advance request |
| Leader | Pastor David H. McElrath |
| Contact | Email or (619) 435–6860 |
Small-Group Fellowship
"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Hebrews 10:25
Each of these small groups consists of between six and ten church members, ages 21 and older. All groups are autonomous, and the members decide among themselves when, where, and how to share their time socializing and becoming friends. Every January, the Board of Deacons scramble members of all small groups so that new friendships form among different groups of people.
| Schedule | Jan–Dec according to each group's preference |
|---|---|
| Location | varies according to each group's preference |
| Invitation | open to men and women of the church 21 years of age and older |
| Purpose | familiarity, fellowship, and fun |
| Format | groups of 6–10 people meet as they wish |
| Cost | each group determines if activities are free or require expense |
| Registration | forms are in sanctuary pews every Sunday |
| Contact | Email the Board of Deacons |
The Truth Project
In a recent study, the Barna Research Group revealed a stunning statistic that continues to reverberate throughout the evangelical world: only nine percent of professing Christians have a biblical worldview. Today's believers live very similarly to non-believers. We don't experience a personal sense of significance, we spend our money and time on things that fail to satisfy, and we begin to wonder about life's ultimate purpose. In short, we are losing our bearings as a people and a nation.
To counter this slide within the body of Christ, Focus on the Family launched one of the most ambitious and powerful projects in the history of its ministry—The Truth Project—a DVD-based small-group curriculum comprised of 12 one-hour lessons taught by Dr. Del Tackett. This home-study series looks at life from a biblical perspective. Each lesson reveals in great detail the relevance and importance of living the Christian worldview daily.
Since The Truth Project opened to our congregation in the fall of 2008, more than 120 teens and adults have completed the training. A perpetual waiting list accepts names of people who want to join future Truth Project groups, scheduled around the needs of 16 or fewer people per group.
| Schedule | Jan–Dec days and times vary with each group |
|---|---|
| Location | varies according to each group's preference |
| Invitation | open to men and women in the community |
| Purpose | to develop a biblical worldview, and to understand how faith affects all aspects of life |
| Format | 13-part DVD presentation , followed by discussion among 6–16 people |
| Cost | none |
| Registration | ask to join the waiting list for the next group formation |
| Contact | Email Jan Smith |
| More Details | The Truth Project |