CBS is a different kind of network

Coffee time brings together the ladies of Shafter, Wasco and even Bakersfield this next Tuesday to begin another year of Community Bible Study.

There may even be snacks, too.

CBS meets at Valley Bible Church at 10 a.m. for coffee time as a meeting for introductions and registration.

CBS is a local Bible study program for women that is not denomination affiliated. The women who attend come from many different churches in town.

"I've gotten to know so many neat women in our community in just a year through Community Bible Study," said Barbra Gladden, a new member of CBS last year.

Before joining CBS, her friends told her how the program offers a strong support group and how you make friends with everyone in your Core Group. She marvels how that is exactly what happened. Gladden's Core Group even kept in contact during the summertime hiatus.

A Core Group is a smaller group of ladies, about eight each, with two ladies as core leaders. Core Groups meet for a more personal Bible study time, with the core leaders guiding discussion of the material.

"The impact that CBS is making on the women in this group is authentic care and encouragement. We encourage each other with Gods word in both personal and group centered ways," said Angie Evangelista, core leader of the Spanish-speaking group. CBS is uniting all sorts of Christians across denominations, languages and backgrounds to fellowship together Evangelista said.

Besides studying the Bible, CBSers enjoy plenty of opportunities to fellowship over meals. Once a month, everybody in CBS meets in the morning for coffee, goodies and conversation.

CBS provides childcare for mothers with children at home. The children have their own times of singing and learning Bible stories. This year, there will even be a homeschool group for kids who have entered school and are being homeschooled. It is often a happy time for the ladies when the children come into their Core Groups or assembly time to sing to them.

"I would just say, if you have ever thought about coming but haven't yet, you need to," Gladden said.