A winter storm on Jan. 31 covered steps and walkways with ice, forcing many churches to cancel services for the day. However, the “Tween-Age” Sunday school class of Liberty Hill Baptist Church in Pageland did not let that keep them from having a class.
The class has three rotating teachers, and Steve Deese was scheduled to teach the lesson that day. He called members of the class and gave them access to a teleconference line so that all of the members could be on the phone at the same time.
A total of 20 participants, including a couple of special guests, attended the virtual class, exceeding the average attendance for a regular Sunday. The dialogue was lively, and each member was given a chance to add their comments and ideas.
The “Tween-Age” class is made up primarily of baby boomers who chose the class name because there is no real age limit for the class. It is the first class where husbands and wives have continued to be in the same class since most of them were newlyweds. “We say that we are just somewhere between the cradle and the grave, and that makes us ‘Tween-Agers,’ ” Deese said.
Deese said the idea of a virtual Sunday school class could be expanded or modified to fit other needs. For instance, it could be used to hold a class for shut-ins or others who are not able to attend church services.
He said there are a variety of teleconference service providers who could offer the service for a reasonable fee. A session with 20 attendees for 50 minutes might cost as little as $35. “Isn’t the fellowship of kindred saints worth more than that?” he said.
Deese said he would be glad to share the details with anyone. He can be reached at 704-641-1641 or Steve.Deese@Duke-Energy.com.