Adult Bible Study provides social and emotional support

When the church elder finished praying, about a dozen voices from people sitting in the church pews, said ‘Amen’ in unison. Preparing to sings songs focused on the love of their God, the parishioners flipped open their hymnals. Every Wednesday evening, adults from Freeport and neighboring communities gather to study the Bible at Freeport Church of Christ.

After reading from the Bible, participants listened to the elder preach a sermon about sharing the love of God with other people with an open discussion about the Bible reading. Although the church elder led most of the discussion, people found time throughout the talk, to share their thoughts about how the biblical topics applied to their own lives.  

“This Bible study is my life, because it brings back memories of so many years of reading and studying the Bible,” said attendee, Charlotte Troy. “It has also helped me learn and grow so much as a Christian.”

Many of the participants continue to return to the Bible study because they find that reading the Bible has helped them to learn, while adding onto the biblical knowledge that they already know. Others say they keep coming back because, to them, the Bible study is good for their social and emotional well being.

As a member of the church since August, Troy, 73, enjoys attending the Bible study because it helps her to remember information that she has learned throughout her thirty years as a Christian.

“This Bible study is my life, because it brings back memories of so many years of reading and studying the Bible,” Troy said. “It has also helped me learn and grow so much as a Christian.”

As a church member for 31 years, Magnolia Thomas continues to attend the Bible study because she is pleased with the comfort and support that the people within the church provided for her after her father and daughter passed away.

“This Bible study changed my life because it helped me with my grieving process,” said Thomas as a tear streamed down her face and landed in her Bible that lay open on her lap. “Every week, I am able to feel welcomed, and I always know that there will be people to cheer me up.”

After the elder finished preaching about the Bible reading for that night, the church stood in the pews and sang final closing hymns. Then, members of the church stood up and formed a circle around the front of the church. With bowed heads, closed eyes, and joined hands, they listened as the church elder said the closing prayer and then everyone chimed in at the same time with a reverent, “Amen.”