Sunday School is available from September through June for children age two and older. The classes use the Biblically-based “Shine Curriculum” from MennoMedia. Each class features stories, activities, and age-appropriate discussions. It’s not unusual to hear joyful sounds of laughter and music coming from our classrooms!

Junior Youth Fellowship is an opportunity for our Middle School youth to gather for fun and companionship. They meet once a month with our youth leader for connection, reflection, and games. Activities include reflecting on our emotions, prayer, collages of things that make us happy, pumpkin carving, hide and seek, hiking, making friendship cards, playing UNO, mad libs, an Easter scripture scavenger hunt, and reflecting on Bible verses.

Youth are also matched with an adult mentor from the SMC congregation. The youth leader provides training and support for mentors and encourages mentors to do an activity with their mentees once a month.

During the school year a weekly Sunday School classes for both middle school and high school youth is held on Sunday mornings. Sunday school classes read Scripture, explore faith questions, and discuss how it pertains to their current life. The middle school class also includes several fun events during the year, such as an annual trip to Enchanted Forest. 

Mennonite Youth Fellowship provides space for high school youth to build community, explore faith and life questions and skills, and have fun. MYF meets twice a month, with additional gatherings for fun activities and/or to support youth in their extracurricular activities such as drama and sports games. Youth are also invited to volunteer at the Southeast Keizer Community Center and to participate in community peace and justice activities. MYF often does a yearly beach retreat. Every other year MYF participates in a summer experiential learning trip, either to Mennonite Youth Convention or another chosen location, such as Mennonite World Convention, El Salvador, or the U.S.-Mexico border.

Themes explored in MYF gatherings included self-love, mental health, conscientious objection, migration, lament as both resistance and spiritual practice, and exploring faith questions. MYF recent activities have included a hike to Silver Creek Falls and a craft afternoon making grocery bags out of t-shirts together with JYF, and joint swimming and game nights with college youth.

Adult Sunday School

Historically, adult education at Salem Mennonite church has been identified as Adult Sunday School which meets during the 9:30am-10:25am time slot on Sundays. There have been as many as three classes meeting simultaneously, although more recently, just one class meets in the fellowship room. Following is a list of adult education activities:
1. Bible study using the Uniform Bible Study materials from Herald Press or topical Bible studies using the Bible and commentaries.
2. Book studies generated by current events or suggested by attendees.
3. Topics of interest. In the past, classes have studied women in leadership, inclusion, immigration, abuse, care for the earth, Biblical interpretation and other topics.
4. Sharing information and concerns when events in church life carry a sense of urgency.
The Adult Education Committee strives to take the pulse of the congregation and to plan content that meets its interests and needs.