Adult Classes

Check out our fall classes!

These are open to all in the community. Please register online or call reception for assistance at (352) 376-6615.

Fall Classes

The Spiritual Life

  • 8 week course | Wed 9/17-11/5 | 6:30-7:45 pm | Room 206

  • Join us for a study of The Spiritual Life by Evelyn Underhill, a widely accessible and deeply inspiring book by the renowned English Anglo-Catholic writer and pacifist best known for her work on Christian mysticism. This short yet powerful book features four addresses delivered by Underhill in 1936 as part of the same BBC radio series that included C.S. Lewis. Responding to overwhelming listener interest, these talks were later published and continue to resonate today. Underhill explores the spiritual life not as something reserved for saints, but as the core of all religious experience—accessible and essential for ordinary men and women. She invites readers into a deeper communion and cooperation with God that can transform even the simplest daily actions. This study is perfect for anyone seeking to grow spiritually and live more fully into their faith.

  • Retired from UF and the Navy, Stan has a desire to facilitate discussions among other Christians in order to get a better understanding of our Christian faith. He has a passion for spiritual formation and currently serves on the Contemplative Service team. Stan is striving to explore and gain a better understanding of Spiritual Formation as a combination of heart and mind on life’s journey.

Justice Through Action

  • 9 week course (2 session times available)

    Wed 9/17-11/12 | 6:30-8:00 pm | Room 227 or

    Thurs 9/18-11/13 | 9:30-11:00 am | Room 204

  • This class will provide opportunities for participants to (1) explore the biblical foundations of justice as it relates to issues surrounding poverty, specifically access to housing and governmental benefits; (2) learn from in-house and community experts about the needs surrounding these issues within our own community given the current political and social climate, and (3) become actively involved in efforts to address these issues (a) through field experiences designed to increase awareness and understanding and (b) through individual and corporate prayer. Upon completion of this class participants will be invited to engage in further dialog with Trinity UMC regarding the establishment of prayer groups and programs aimed at providing on-going justice.

  • Lance Hastings is a member of Trinity's Discipleship Team. In addition to being a former missionary, teacher, and psychologist, Lance's experiences in different spiritual traditions have prepared him well to fulfill Wesley's and the UMC's vision to love, serve, and lead others in personal and social transformation. 

    Eric Papaya is the director of Faith Mission at Trinity with a masters in divinity from Emmanuel Christian Seminary and a masters in higher education from Messiah University.

Getting Your Ducks in a Row Before the Time Comes

  • 8 week course (2 session times available)

    Wed 9/17-11/5 | 4:00-5:00 pm | Room 204

  • This will be a discussion format with information presented by the group facilitator and augmented by the group participants.  The goal of this series is to help those in/or approaching their senior years to develop a greater understanding of the many ways planning ahead can make a difference for them and for those they care about.  Topics will include: Advance Care Planning (Healthcare decision maker, living will); strategies for cleaning out; leaving a legacy; creating a file of essential documents your friends or family will need or treasure when you die; options for care as your needs increase; making healthcare decisions; understanding Hospice and Palliative Care; Spiritual Considerations; staying fit to stay independent; facts and choices about final arrangements; and legal considerations - what and how. Maximum class size is 15 participants.

  • Cindy Capen has been a member of Trinity UMC for over 20 years.  She is a mother and grandmother and is now a retired nurse of almost 50 years.  It was her experience as a hospice nurse that led her to this class, having seen the many ways planning ahead in our senior years can matter to peace of mind as our bodies become less able. Her goal is to help fill knowledge gaps and motivate action for those who choose this class.

Online Disciple I Fast Track: Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study

  • Room: Zoom Only

    Class Length: 24 week course, Tues 10/7/25 - 4/7/26, 7:00-8:15 pm

  • This updated and streamlined version of the classic Disciple study is now hosted on the BeADisciple Study App, giving you convenient access on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. With a fully revised and expanded curriculum, Disciple I Fast Track offers a 24-week journey through the entire Bible. By the end of the study, you'll have read approximately 60% of the Bible, gaining deeper insight into God’s Word and your walk as a disciple. In addition to the self-paced online content, participants will gather weekly via Zoom for rich discussion, fellowship, and group study. Maximum class size is 14 participants.

  • Dr. Brian Myers is a native of Illinois who was raised on a family farm, is a former high school agriculture teacher and currently serves as a professor of agricultural education. Alongside his academic career, he has been a devoted student of the Bible for many years and is passionate about helping others gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for Scripture. He enjoys using his teaching gifts to walk alongside individuals as they explore the Bible and discover how its timeless truths can be meaningfully applied to everyday life. Brian has served in many volunteer, leadership, and teaching roles at Trinity and is currently one of the co-lay leaders of the Northwest District of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. He and his wife, Margaret, have two adult sons.

    Rev. David Leonard preceded a 27-year pastorate in the UMC with 7.5 years Air Force experience in Air Traffic Control and as a refueling tanker pilot, followed by seven years of retail furniture and grocery sales.  He answered God’s call to ministry at age 40 and completed seminary at Candler School of Theology, Emory University.  He is passionate about teaching, growing through biblical study, loves puns and asking challenging questions.  He and Donna love spending time with family, so they retired in 2011 to Gainesville where they enjoy being with their five children and six grandchildren.

  • • You must download and register the BeADisciple Study App prior to the start of the course. The cost to download is $45. Instructions on how to do this will be in the confirmation message you receive after registering.

    • The Orientation meeting will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.

    • Weekly meetings will take place via Zoom on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. starting October 14, 2025.

Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People

  • 5 week course | Wed 9/24-10/22 | 6:30-7:30 pm | Room 209/210

  • Please join me for this 5 week video study from the author, Bob Goff. Driven by the author’s trademark storytelling and humor, participants will learn what it means to love others, even the difficult ones, without inhibition, insecurity, or restriction. Each lesson will cover an aspect of unconditional love. A study guide will be used to accompany the short videos and will provide practical steps to guide us through Bible exploration and personal study between sessions.

  • Pam Williams is new to Trinity and has quickly immersed herself in our church family community. She is a Gainesville native and parent to a rather large dog named Bree.

Labyrinth Live! - Walking with Gratitude

  • Individual Session | Sun 10/19 | 2:00 pm | Hospitality Room

  • In this class you will explore the origins and history of the prayer tool called the Labyrinth through a classroom presentation and discussion. Each participant is encouraged to apply the information in their own walk at the Trinity Labyrinth at their leisure. Come and pray and walk and listen and open yourself to new possibilities of growth. Maximum class size is 12 participants.

  • Sandra Kramer and Jim Cook have each been a part of the committee that developed the Trinity Labyrinth for our church and community from its inception. Both will relate personal experiences and share insights in to how the labyrinth can contribute to personal spiritual development.

Contemplative Watercolor: Back to Cool

  • 2 Individual Sessions | Mon 9/22 | 9:30-11:30 am OR 6:30-8:30 pm | Room 228/229

  • Description: It’s “back to school” time for the kids, and it’s “back to cool” time for your inner artist. We’re going to work with cool blue paint to create some relaxing abstract art that is all about just enjoying the magic of watercolor. No previous art experience necessary. We will start with a beginner’s overview of how watercolor paint, brushes, and paper can work together to create unlimited exciting possibilities. I’ll do a demonstration followed by low-pressure guided practice. Lastly, we’ll turn on the relaxing music and unwind into a quiet time of reflection and just playing around with watercolor, letting creativity flow, and seeing what unfolds. Ages 16 and up. $5 fee covers all your materials and is due when you come to class, either cash or Venmo. Maximum class size is 14 participants.

  • Melody Lozano is an award winning watercolorist whose luminous, rhythmic paintings have been exhibited around the state. She credits her most important art education to her grandmother who first introduced her to the basics of watercolor but more importantly taught her to view the world with an artist’s eye. Melody enjoys living in the Gainesville, Florida area because there is no shortage of inspiration and beauty in the natural landscape. Melody’s artist statement is: “There are ordinary moments on ordinary days when suddenly a veil is lifted, and for a fleeting moment we catch a glimpse of abundant beauty, insight, or depth beyond words. My work is about awakening our attention to these moments in order to drop deeper into these spaces of expanded reality and divine resonance. My intention is to invite others to unlock the beauty and mystery hidden in their own everyday lives, and to be inspired to participate in their own wordless conversations with love and joy.”

Knowing Who We Are – The Wesleyan Way of Grace

  • 5 week course | Wed 10/15-11/12 | 6:30-7:30 pm | Rm 222

  • Join us during the month of October for a unique Wednesday night experience led by our pastors, Steve Price and Marisa Gertz. Combining worship and interactive conversation, this Wednesday series from October 8 to November 5 will focus on Knowing Who We Are as followers of Christ in the United Methodist tradition. Participants are encouraged to purchase Dr. Laceye C. Warner's book, recently published under the same title. The series will also serve as a wonderful complement to our Sunday worship series for October. 

  • Steve Price: My name is Steve and I’m so grateful to serve as Lead Pastor with Trinity. I’m married to Catherine and for 27 years we served together as co-pastors, launching a new church in SW Florida where we stayed for 19 years, then 8 more here at Trinity before she was appointed as the Superintendent of our Northwest District. I love all my kids, the two we raised (Shelby and Sid) and the two they married (Mike and Menandie) and find great joy in being Pops to my granddaughter, Maren. I’m both a sports guy (usually prefer to be playing over watching) and a music guy (singing, playing piano, and listening to an eclectic playlist of tunes). I also enjoy time in the kitchen, and every good day includes a little playtime with Teddy, our goldendoodle. I’m a graduate of Duke University (M.Div.), Florida State University (M.A. in English Education), and Furman University (B.A. in Accounting). I was ordained as an Elder in Full Connection in the United Methodist Church in 2000. I currently serve as the chair of the Theology team on the Board of Ordained Ministry for the Florida Conference of the UMC.

Pondering Poetry

  • 4 week course | Wed 9/17-10/8 | 6:30-7:45 pm | Room 222

  • A four-week experience centered around exploring the spiritual threads in selected contemporary poems in a group setting. Poetry can help shape our vision, our openness to the world and the movement of the spirit. No experience with poetry needed; just a willingness to hear and notice what speaks to you and others. During class we will read and listen to poems in prayerful contemplation, quietly reflect, then share responses if you choose. Maximum class size is 18 participants.

  • Cheryl Osborn has made her home at Trinity UMC for over ten years. She is active in the Misty Morning Sunday school class and UWF. She enjoys books and volunteers with the local Friends of the Library. She grabs any chance she can to be near the water. Though she has no expertise in poetry, she has, in recent years, come across a treasury of contemporary poets and poems that speak to her soul.

    Mary Hall learned to love poetry from her third grade teacher who read poetry daily to the class. An active member of TUMC, Mary enjoys the Misty Morning Sunday School class and the UWF group. She volunteers with local community organizations, Friends of Nature Parks and Friends of the Library. She looks forward to enjoying poetry in a group setting.

Tai Chi for Better Balance

  • 8 week course | Tues 9/16-11/4 | 6:00-7:00 pm | Room 225/226

  • The mindful movement of Tai Chi can be seen as a form of “meditation on motion” creating a synergistic effect with the stillness of centering prayer. By incorporating Tai Chi into a centering prayer practice, individuals can deepen their awareness of their spiritual connection while also experiencing the physical benefits of movement.

    Grounding/Breathing: Tai Chi emphasizes mindful breathing which can be a helpful tool for calming the nervous system and deepening the ability to find a sacred word in centering prayer. Movement and Silence: The slow deliberate movement of eight modified Tai Chi forms are designed to promote balance, flexibility and a sense of inner calm.

  • My name is Rowena Levy. I am originally from the Philippines and moved to Gainesville 3 years ago without knowing anyone. I attended the Rebuilding class and now am blessed with multiple close, dear friends. I learned Tai Chi for Better Balance at St Mark United Methodist Church in East Hill, Pensacola. I am still a novice in Tai Chi but this program is easy to follow and sharing the joy of it will be an honor. I attended the class on Centering Prayer and realized it can be integrated in the practice.

Stewards of Grace – Communion Server Training

  • Individual Session | Wed 12/17 | 6:30-7:30 pm | Worship Center

  • Want a meaningful way to serve that you can do when you're already here anyway? Would you like to be of service during the upcoming Christmas season? Have we got an opportunity for you! We'd love to invite you to be a communion server. Not only is communion a gift to those who receive it...it is a gift to those who serve. As you offer the bread and the juice to congregation members, you can see in their expressions how much it means to share in this gift of God's grace. Interested? Sign up here to participate in a one hour orientation session that will give you a greater appreciation for the theology of communion and also practical tips for servers.

  • Steve Price: My name is Steve and I’m so grateful to serve as Lead Pastor with Trinity. I’m married to Catherine and for 27 years we served together as co-pastors, launching a new church in SW Florida where we stayed for 19 years, then 8 more here at Trinity before she was appointed as the Superintendent of our Northwest District. I love all my kids, the two we raised (Shelby and Sid) and the two they married (Mike and Menandie) and find great joy in being Pops to my granddaughter, Maren. I’m both a sports guy (usually prefer to be playing over watching) and a music guy (singing, playing piano, and listening to an eclectic playlist of tunes). I also enjoy time in the kitchen, and every good day includes a little playtime with Teddy, our goldendoodle. I’m a graduate of Duke University (M.Div.), Florida State University (M.A. in English Education), and Furman University (B.A. in Accounting). I was ordained as an Elder in Full Connection in the United Methodist Church in 2000. I currently serve as the chair of the Theology team on the Board of Ordained Ministry for the Florida Conference of the UMC.

Additional Opportunities