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Hello men and women of Maple Ave, 

Pastor’s sermon on friendship has been on my heart this week. Specifically, his comparison between what it means to be a friend, an ally, and an advocate. It’s got me really wondering, what about our Church relationships? Are we friends? Are we allies? Are we advocates? And is that ok? 

If you’ve found yourself craving friendship or ally-ship with our Church family, you are not alone. However, we will only do that through intentional and consistent community. And this is where Men’s and Women’s Bible Studies are so important, because they provide a space to dig deep into each other’s lives and develop the rich friendships we desire. 

Currently, the women are meeting every Wednesday at 6:30. Their time is centered on Scripture, working through a book of the Bible at a time, and sharing personal stories of how Scriptures intersect with their everyday lives. We would love for all the women of the MAM to be involved.

The men will begin meeting Saturday morning beginning August 24. We have yet to determine a time, but plan to spend most of our time discussing Scripture like the women while we enjoy a good breakfast. 

I recognize that there can be some barriers to joining every week, which we want to hear about and see if we can address. For this reason, I’ve included surveys for you to complete so that we can do everything in our power to help you join. Please take just a few minutes to complete the short survey. You can find the Women’s Bible Study survey here and the Men’s Bible Study survey here.  

I look forward to seeing how we can grow as a community through our meetings and maybe, just maybe, we can find the safety and space to vulnerably enter into lasting friendships with one another. 

Thank you and God bless.
Nathaniel Ryan
Men’s and Women’s Bible Study Leader