STORYHILL STUDIES

short-term opportunities | long-term impact

Storyhill Church is a community of learners.

Storyhill Studies is designed to equip skeptics, spiritual explorers, and longtime followers of Christ to discover the next step in their journey. Maybe you’d like to explore the essentials of the Christian faith…see what God has to say about strengthening your relationships and marriage, and dig deeper into stories and people found in the Bible.

PREVIOUS SUMMER COURSES

Tools for Your Prayer Toolbox

Sometimes when we hear verses like “pray without ceasing” and “pray about everything,” we can feel exhausted! Does prayer seem like a chore to you? Does it seem like something you should do but have no idea how to do? Does praying out loud with other people cause anxiety?

Come to a class taught by Katie and Bill Satterwhite to learn more about the adventure and the gift that prayer is meant to be! They will weave testimony of their own experiences and practices of prayer with practical tools to help you pray for yourself and for others.

This is a stand alone class, but Katie and Bill will also be facilitating The Adventure and Gift of Prayer on Saturday, July 27.

Little Known Women of the Bible Who Made Huge Kingdom Contributions

What can we learn from women in the Bible like Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, Mary, Junia, Priscilla, and Phoebe? “Wait…who? I have never heard of half of them!” you might say. These women were leaders and teachers who served for example as a deacon, an elder, and a prophet. One led the entire nation of Israel in worship and each of these women served alongside great men of the faith.

Join us in learning about these women, how they served, and how the Lord moved in their lives. How might God desire to move in your life, or the life of your wife, friend, or daughter?

Living on Mission in Retirement

Are you in your 40s, 50s, 60s, or beyond and thinking about what retirement will hold for you? When people hear “retirement planning,” they often think about finances. While money is essential, we believe it is even more important to think about and plan how and where you will spend your time. Are there ways that your talents, gifts, and experience can be used to serve God and further His kingdom, beginning right now and into retirement?

Living on Mission in Retirement is a four-week course on Sunday afternoons in July. At the end, you will have the beginnings of a retirement plan and personal mission statement that will guide you in making decisions about your future. We hope this will result in a retirement filled with eternal significance.

How to Study the Bible

Join us for a class designed to equip you with the tools for responsible Bible study. In this class, we'll explore key techniques to deepen your understanding of scripture and grow closer to God. Together we will:

  • Understand the timeless principles and truths found throughout the Bible, which are affirmed across different passages and books of scripture.

  • Explore how viewing the Bible as a unified story, rather than selectively focusing on individual verses, can lead to profound transformation and insight.

  • Learn how to approach and reconcile apparent contradictions within the Bible. Delve into the historical context of biblical times to understand the text's richness and uncover additional layers of meaning.

  • Get practical guidance to help newcomers to the Bible start their study journey confidently and clearly with effective strategies and approaches.

How Does God Uniquely Gift You to Make a Difference in this World?

The Bible teaches us that every believer receives a God-designed and God-empowered ability to make a difference. God calls these gifts “Spiritual Gifts.” “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and everyone, it is the same God at work. Now to each one, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

You may have similar gifts to another believer in Christ, but because your natural gifts, personality, and life stage are different from others, the way you use your gift from God will be different from anyone else. Coming to understand how God has uniquely designed you will change everything about “your yes and your no,” how you serve, and how you relate to others in this world!

Unstructured Play for Children: Why Bother?

Over the last 25 years, the United States has emphasized structured sports and rote learning at increasingly younger ages. Is that good for children? Are these approaches consistent with God’s designed developmental stages? What are we losing by diminishing or eliminating “child’s play” at school and home? Hear Dr. Bill Satterwhite discuss the myths and truths around child development, parenting, and the importance of play for children.

Bill has been a pediatrician for 25 years and is a frequent speaker on a variety of topics related to parenting, children, and life! He has four grown children and seven grandchildren. He still sees pediatric patients in the Charlotte area, but his full-time job is now as a national healthcare consultant.

Childcare will be provided, location to be announced.

The Adventure and Gift of Prayer

Do you long for more time and space for conversation with God? Has the current sermon series revealed some hard places in your heart that might need some breaking up so that the Holy Spirit can grow something new?

Katie and Bill Satterwhite will facilitate a day retreat for prayer on Saturday, July 27. This day is a chance to pull away from the busyness of life and join a smaller group for teaching, discussion, and experiencing the practice of prayer in solitude and in a group. Rest assured: no one will call on you or make you pray out loud! Come and see and learn in a safe and quiet place where the love of God will fill your thirsty soul.

The location for The Adventure and Gift of Prayer is to be determined, but it will take place in the Lake Norman area.

Reshaping Our View of Finances

So many voices are speaking into our personal (or familial) view of money. The world, our family of origin, our life experiences, the church…we could go on. Each of these voices can create fear and guilt, or hope and freedom if you can believe it.

The Bible has 2,350 verses that inspire, protect, and redirect our perspectives regarding money. You have been given personal gifts by the God of the universe and He gives you the freedom to choose how you will “steward” them.

This class will point you towards utilizing modern and simple tools to help organize and streamline your financial and career decisions. Freedom can be found for all of us. There is hope and inspiration to be found in every situation! Come join a community of people who are also seeking hope, freedom, and empowerment in their finances.

Doing Life with Your Adult Children

How do we move from being in charge of our children to having healthy relationships and friendships with them as adults?

Chad and Lisa Larabee are parents of three adult children, long-time ministry partners at Storyhill Church, and Chad is one of our active ruling elders. Over three weeks this summer, they will lead discussions on Jim Burns' book, "Doing Life with Your Adult Children." You will benefit from this interactive class even if you need more time to read the book. Discussion topics will include:

  • Stop lecturing and accept your new role

  • So many young couples want my advice…why doesn’t my adult child?

  • The High Cost of Money

  • Failure to Launch

  • In-Laws, Stepfamilies, and the Blend

  • How to Raise an Entitled Child…or Not!

  • When your adult children don’t share your values

YEAR-ROUND COURSES

Welcome 101

If you’re new to Storyhill Church and are looking for opportunities to make connections and grow in your faith, the best starting place is our Welcome 101 course.

During these sessions, our pastors will lead you on a journey to help you identify where you are spiritually and also help you define your next step. As you discover your role in God’s story, you’ll build relationships, find places to share your gifts, and have an opportunity to become a Ministry Partner (our term for member).

Must attend all sessions & dinner will be provided

If you are interested in the upcoming Welcome 101 (dates TBD), please email grow@storyhill.org.

Discovering Baptism

We’re so glad you’d like to learn more about baptism. This 1-hr class is designed for people who want to be baptized, have a child baptized, or have their baptism confirmed at Storyhill Church while emphasizing & understanding our baptism beliefs and requirements.

If you are interested in the upcoming Discovering Baptism class (date TBD), please email grow@storyhill.org.

Art + Faith

We serve a creative God who calls us to create in many ways. The Art + Faith course, based on the book of the same title by Makoto Fujumura, will meet monthly and allow us to explore how our faith can and should inform what we create. It will also help us see how our very act of creating can draw us closer to God, closer to each other, and serve as a means of forming us more and more into the loving image of God made known in Christ. Join us in this monthly conversation to learn from each other!

Every 4th Thursday at the Storyhill White House (496 S. Main St. Davidson).