Rajmund Dabrowski – Boulder, Colorado … When I was growing up, I remember our Sabbath School class did not have a sophisticated approach to questions and answers. In those days, what also never changed was learning to memory a weekly verse.
These days, the value to study a designated weekly lesson has not diminished but how it is studied on a Sabbath morning has changed. There are congregations where Study Guides are simply read from the beginning of a weekly lesson to the last quote for Friday.
Gary Nowlan, who started the Contemporary Issues Class some 30 years ago, remembers the first Sabbath my wife and I came to worship in Boulder. “I remember when you joined our study group. And after hearing what your name is, I said to myself that I wanted to get to know you. My wife wrote a children’s book about the church’s first missionary to Europe, Michal Belina Czechowski, and you evaluated it,” said Gary Nowlan, an honored church member and a former head elder in Boulder.
I asked some of my fellow students why they have chosen this particular class as the choices are many. Currently, we study the “quarterly” booklet, but other classes opt for a variety of approaches to studying the Scripture.
“You come because of the people, who are very accepting. Also, because of the open discussion where everyone seems comfortable making one or more comments and no one is condemned for what they,” Gary commented.
Answering, Jackie Hayes repeated the question: Why do I attend the Contemporary Issues Sabbath school class? For her, there is more than one reason.
Referring to the focus of the class, to “explore contemporary aspects of Christian faith for the probing mind while following the topics of the Seventh-day Adventist quarterly,” she commented, “One factor is that the class seems to realize that merely a fine line separates the historical from the contemporary. Issues that have concerned followers of Jesus Christ throughout the ages are also current issues. Today’s understanding of the three angels’ messages is a nuanced understanding from the past, for example. Political and societal relationships are ever influencing our worship, regardless of the era,” Jackie explained.
She is also a longtimer. She added one other factor that keeps her a part of the class. What keeps me “in the same Sabbath School class for 20 years is the happy mix of challenge and acceptance I feel. I like that everyone in the class speaks freely and challenges my spiritual understanding often, at the same time welcoming and accepting me and each member as valuable.”
“I sense that I have grown spiritually after each class,” Jackie added. “I appreciate the opportunities we accept to put Jesus’ teachings into practice.
For Kathy King, “camaraderie and friendships in the class” is one of the reasons for being a member of the class.
Recognizing a mix of nationalities represented, “different viewpoints on thoughts that are shared in the class that stretch my brain—we have several who were born outside of the US—I love hearing these perspectives on life and God.”
She explained, “We don’t look at the quarterly and say ‘this is what all of us should believe,’ even though the quarterly editor appears to feel this is what we should do”
She considers the class a progressive thinking group, and “I like that. We also have some wit and humor in the class that is great for life.” No-doubt, but who the members are adds to its vibrancy and exciting discussion, after all, among the class members there is a geology professor, a physician, several nurses, a chaplain, a lawyer, an IT professional, as well as a minister or two.
“Our sharing time with what’s happening in life, prayer needs are great to continue to get to know each other in the class,” Kathy added.
The class offers itself to visitors, and some of them are intrigued by the very name, Contemporary Issues. The Sabbath School, part of the weekly church gathering, follows the sermon, and the regular Bible study is done in Adult Connect Groups. There is The Gathering and The Journey, and these offer themselves as “in person and Zoom” study classes. The Impact and Contemporary Issues are “In-person” only.
William Bradshaw is our latest regular class member. It was some six months ago when Alicia Patterson, pastor’s wife, met and chatted with William at Barnes & Noble bookstore. He decided to visit the church. Initially he did “class shopping” and found Contemporary class to be “his fit.”
When asked why this choice of the Connect Group, he says: “It feels right. I get a good return on my investment. I am surrounded by people who are not just wise but they love the Lord and [live] according to His purpose.”
Not a member of the Adventist Church, he participates in the discussion, but also asks questions about comments which are not “spoken in Adventese language.” He often asks: What does that mean?
Having his participation adds an important factor, a need to speak about our beliefs in a common language, says Tomas Bartulec, one of the class leaders. “Our Bible Study is vibrant and exciting to attend,” he added.
I love my class, says another regular, Betty Welch. “They are like a family for me.”
—Rajmund Dabrowski is editor of the NewsNuggets and member of the Contemporary Issues Sabbath School Class in Boulder Adventist Church. Photo by Rajmund Dabrowski.
