Women’s Bible Studies: We are heading into our second year of Small Group Bible Studies, which are held in homes throughout the surrounding area, as well as a few larger groups held here at Calvary. We are excited and expectant to see what the Lord will do as we study His Word together. This year we will be studying 1 & 2 Thessalonians in all of our Bible Study Groups. The groups are for women only, High School age and older. All groups will be doing the same Study, and will meet once a month on various days and times. Below is a brief description of the different Church Groups and Home Groups we are offering.

Small Home Groups: In October we will resume our Small Home Group Studies, which meet once a month on various days and times in several homes throughout the area. We are excited to grow closer to the Lord and to one another as we meet to study, pray and fellowship in the comfort of a home. There will be no childcare at any of the home groups at this time. You will need to register to be a part of a Home Group by completing a registration card. Please click here to view a listing of all Small Home Groups to see when and where they meet.  

Registration: All Small Home Groups and the Over 60s Group #7 that meets at church are filled. There are some spots open on our "Waiting Lists". Please call the Women's Ministry number (215-969-1647) to register for these waiting lists. We encourage you to come out to one of the Groups at Calvary on the second Wednesday Morning or second Thursday Evening of each month (see the section under the title Groups at Calvary). We will be doing the same study of 1 and 2 Thessalonians as the Small Home Group . There is no registration necessary for these groups.  

Groups At Calvary: We offer two once-a-month Studies that meet at the Church instead of in homes; one on Wednesday morning and one on Thursday evening. While the Church Groups may be larger than the Home Groups, there is still the opportunity for genuine fellowship and prayer as we break up into smaller groups during the Study. No registration is required for these larger groups, which offers flexibility for women with busy schedules, and also allows women to invite their friends to the Study. Childcare for children 0-5 is available for our Wednesday Morning Study, which is a big help to moms who want to be a part of a Small Group. There is no childcare for the Thursday Evening Study. The two Church Groups we are offering this year are listed below.

Books We Will Be Studying: This year we will be studying 1 & 2 Thessalonians in all of our Bible Study Groups. The theme of 1 Thessalonians is “Christ’s Return,” and our theme verses are “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:17 & 18). The theme for 2 Thessalonians is “The Day of the Lord ” and our theme verse is “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ” (2 Thess. 3:5).

Homework for the Study & Where to Purchase Study Resources: The main book you will need for our Study in 1 & 2 Thessalonians is your Bible. We will be reading a chapter a month. We would also like you to purchase a journal to write down what the Lord shows you personally as you study His Word, as well as to record any prayer requests from the ladies in your group. Some optional study resources you can buy to help you with your study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians are: an MP3 with verse-byverse teachings on 1 & 2 Thessalonians by Chuck Smith, Joe Focht, and Damian Kyle ($3), Everyman’s Bible Commentary: First & Second Thessalonians by Charles C. Ryrie ($7), Contagious Christianity: A Study of 1 Thessalonians by Charles Swindoll ($7), and a Booklet on 1 & 2 Thessalonians: Taken from The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament by Walvoord & Zuck. Used by permission David C. Cook Pub. ($5)

All these resources will be available for sale in the Straight From the Heart Bookstore

With Eternity in View: “When we belong to Jesus Christ, life gains a dimension non-believers cannot comprehend. We do not necessarily live longer in years, nor are we cushioned from life’s bruises or immune to the maladies that afflict everyone in the human family. When we are cut, we bleed...

But there is something different. Christians live with eternity in view. Through Jesus and by his grace, we have “eternal encouragement and good hope” (2 Thessalonians 2:16). We know that this life is not the whole story. In fact, our years on earth are but a blink of the eye compared with the timeless glory of his presence. We endure hardship but know that through perseverance and faith we will be “counted worthy of the kingdom of God” (1:5). We face daily temptations, but we have a faithful Lord who will “strengthen and protect [us] from the evil one” (3:3).

In both his letters to the Thessalonians, Paul seeks to explain this eternal dimension, so that this suffering band of believers might be encouraged and find fresh hope. Nevertheless, when truths of the endtimes and Christ’s second coming are misinterpreted or deliberately twisted, they can cause additional stress instead of the comfort and solace they ought to bring.

In his first letter, Paul wants believers to understand that those who die before Christ’s coming will in no way “miss out” on the great gathering of the saints, often referred to as the Rapture. In fact, they will accompany the Lord to our glorious meeting place in the clouds, “and so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). In his second letter, he seeks to soothe those who feared they had somehow missed “the day of the Lord” and had been left behind.

With tenderness and patience, the apostle explains what must take place before “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:1). Until those signs appear and that great day arrives, believers must stand firm and hold to the teaching that has been passed on to them.

Because of the eternal dimension these truths bring to our lives, we can busy ourselves in our work, take courage in the face of trials and hardships, and lean heavily on our Lord— “the Lord of peace himself,” who gives “peace at all times and in every way” (3:16).

Taken from the NIV Encouragement Bible, General Editors: Joni Eareckson Tada, Dave & Jan Dravecky © 2001 by the Zondervan Corporation. Used by permission of Zondervan, www.zondervan.com.