“We have strong personalities, which leads to spirited debates,” said Steve Terry, who co-directs the class with Laura Dodgen.

“There is a very open, lively discussion atmosphere,” agreed Marilyn Spaulding, who with her husband, John, joined Epiphany before actually joining Wilshire.

Epiphany Class, previously called Median Adult 5, has experienced an influx of new members and averages about 30 people a week.

But there’s still room for more, Terry said. “We have just added a new row of seats and welcome more people.

“Our class is extremely receptive to new people. We make a concerted effort to include and integrate new members.”

Most members are in their late 30s and early 40s, with children from elementary through high school age. Most grew up Baptist, but there is a range of backgrounds, including Mennonite and Catholic. John and Marilyn Spaulding are a good example, as she has an Episcopal and Methodist background, and he grew up Presbyterian.

The class includes many people who are involved in all areas of the church, including Sanctuary Choir members, deacons and greeters. Members also take on community projects, one of which is to clean and stock Interfaith Housing apartments for new residents.

After visiting several classes, the Spauldings joined Epiphany while still exploring whether to join Wilshire. “We were struck by the fact that there are so many excellent classes for adults,” she said. “The class helped us to make the decision to join the church.”

The class officially uses the Formations curriculum, Terry said, but teachers may use their own lesson plans and develop their own curriculum. Generally the focus is on a Bible book study or a topicical study.

“The class as a whole is always up for a challenge, whether it’s getting a better understanding of Islam or studying more-obscure books of the Bible,” John Spaulding said. “While we study serious subjects, we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

The teachers, who serve on a rotating basis, include Ed Francis, Jack Dodgen, Tim Krause and Alan Walworth.

Cary and Diane McDougal, who have been members for about a year, were introduced to the class through fellow class member Steve Brookshire, who brought a greeting gift while the McDougals were visiting.

“We didn’t visit any other classes,” McDougal said. “It was a fit and the main draw to the church.

“The class has a unique combination of tremendous diversity of experience and beliefs, warm relationships, a tolerant environment and clear acceptance of different views,” he said. “Although we both grew up Baptist, we’d never seen that in a church before. It was refreshing.”

“The class helps us learn more about the Bible and form questions we might not think of on our own,” Marilyn Spaulding added. “It completes the church experience and is a complement to the worship service.”