Current Groups and Classes
See what others are saying about groups:
Summer 2009 (start dates vary)
Low Commitment Groups
Low Commitment Classes
Medium Commitment Groups
Medium Commitment Classes
High Commitment Groups
High Commitment Classes
- Have questions? You can learn more about how groups and classes work at the Cooperative, or contact Paul Adams.
Low Commitment Groups
A low commitment group is oriented towards building relationships. They are "drop-in" groups--come whenever you want, and you will be able to fully participate in what is going on.
Food & Faith
- Coordinators: Jeff Peterson, Mark Pederson, and Efrain Arredondo
- Schedule: Thursday evenings (dinner and discussion starts at 6:30 PM)
- Length of group: Six weeks from July 9 to August 13
- Location: Great Room
- Ages: All ages welcome
- Cost: $10 per week; $50 for all six weeks ($10 discount)
- Number of participants: 8 minimum, 15 maximum
Food & Faith is a group that will explore the connection between sustainable eating practices and our Christian identity. Each week, a few participants from the group will shop at the McMinnville Farmer's Market to buy the ingredients to prepare a shared meal for the group. Then, the group will eat dinner together and explore selected readings from classic books about sustainable eating, such as Mark Bittman's Food Matters, Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, and Robert Kapon's The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection. When you sign up for this group, please indicate in the comments section what dates you will be attending so the coordinators can know how many people to prepare dinner for.
Young Families Play Night at Parkview
- Coordinators: Jen Nyberg and Genne Sherman
- Schedule: Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 PM, from June 17 to August 26
- Location: Parkview
- Ages: Young children and their families
Families with young children, grandpas and grandmas are invited to come to our Parkview property at 5:30pm to play “Bubbles, Bean Bags and Balls”. There will also be an art project to work on. Stay for the picnic at 6:30pm if you like! E-mail the coordinators with questions, or call Jen at 503-708-0796.
Adult Cycling Group
- Coordinator: Efrain Arredondo
- Schedule: Tuesdays leaving at 7:00 PM
- First ride: June 16th
- Last ride: September 1st
- Location: Leaves from Discovery Meadows Community Park, 1300 SW Cypress (map)
- Ages: Adults; self-reliant high school students
- Cost: Some equipment required (see gear list)
An adult cycling group focusing on moderate-paced, rural rides approximately ten miles in length in the areas surrounding McMinnville. Not a competitive group by any means, the emphasis will be on good conversation and the shared experience of enjoying God's creation through group cycling. We ride rain or shine! See the required gear list to make sure you are prepared for the rides.
Low Commitment Classes
A low commitment class is oriented towards learning information and skills. They are "drop-in" classes--come whenever you want, and you will be able to fully participate in what is going on.
There are no low commitment classes starting this summer. Please check out another type of group or class!
Medium Commitment Groups
A medium commitment group is oriented towards relationships. They ask people to commit to participating at least 75% of the time--that is, at least six times in each eight-week session.
Living the Questions: Session 1 (Invitation to Journey) [Group is full] 
- Coordinator: Sandi DeMaster
- Schedule: Tuesdays from 7:00-8:30 PM
- Length of commitment: Seven weeks from June 16 to July 28
- Location: Church library in the Sanctuary Building
- Cost: $10 for the study materials
- Ages: Adults
- Number of participants: 8 minimum, 12 maximum
Living the Questions is an open-minded alternative to studies that attempt to give participants all the answers and instead strives to create an environment where participants can interact with one another in exploring what's next for Christianity. Watch video segments with conversations of leading voices of faith such as Marcus Borg and Walter Brueggemann, and engage with one another as you live out the questions of faith that matter in our 21st century world.
Medium Commitment Classes
A medium commitment class is oriented towards learning information and skills. This kind of class usually asks people to be consistent in their attendance, and may ask them to do something outside of class (like read a book or practice a spiritual discipline) in order to fully participate in what is going on.
Theology of Wine 
- Teacher: Mark Pederson
- Schedule: Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 PM
- Length of commitment: Seven weeks from July 22 to September 2
- Location: Wednesday Wines (250 NE 3rd Street, McMinnville)
- Cost: $75 per person (includes wine tasting, cheese and wine pairing, and a copy of The Theology of Wine by Mark Pederson); class also requires the text Wine: An Introduction to Study by Bob Sogge (available for $25 at Wednesday Wines)
- Ages: Adults
- Number of participants: No minimum, 15 maximum
What will you do in this class? Enjoy wine! We will taste over 25 wines in the course of the class. They will come from many different parts of the world. Learn more about wine through the readings and the class lectures. Build a community of people who enjoy wine, and don’t mind drinking it in front of each other. Share a little bit about ourselves and get to know one another better. Explore the major themes in the Bible associated with wine. Examine how they might interact with our lifestyle here in Oregon.
High Commitment Groups
A high commitment group is oriented towards relationships. It is like a medium commitment group, but also has a much longer duration--six months to a year. In addition, a high commitment group may require participants to spend a significant amount of time outside of meetings (reading a book, practicing a spiritual discipline, etc.) in order to fully participate in what is going on.
There are no high commitment groups starting this summer. Please check out another type of group or class!
High Commitment Classes
A high commitment class is oriented towards learning information and skills. It is like a medium commitment class, but also has a much longer duration--six months to a year. In addition, a high commitment group may require participants to spend a significant amount of time outside of meetings (reading a book, practicing a spiritual discipline, etc.) in order to fully participate in what is going on.
There are no high commitment classes starting this summer. Please check out another type of group or class!
A ministry of 
McMinnville United Methodist Church and
Trinity Lutheran Church.