Athens, AL F20
Fall 2020
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Note:
Perspectives is committed to following all governmental and host location
recommendations in our decisions to hold classes and gatherings. We are
planning for this class to be a live, in-person class. We have a back-up plan
to hold the class in a virtual environment if needed because of COVID-19
restrictions.
Want to be a part of God's Story?
Join us on this journey to
discover God's heart and purpose - a purpose in which you have a part to play.
It may be sending, welcoming, praying, supporting, and yes - even going.
Discovering this purpose is valuable, and perhaps crucial, for any Christian.
What is Perspectives?
Perspectives will take you
on a 15-week journey, looking in-depth at the biblical, historical, cultural,
and strategic aspects of God’s global plan to reconcile every nation, tribe,
people, and tongue to Himself.
You will learn from 15
Different Instructors over 15 weeks. All
of them excellent and all of them passionate about this course. They will
challenge and inspire you with their wisdom and experience, opening your eyes
to a deeper vision of God’s mercy, greatness and love.
Class
Information
Tuesday Nights | 6:00PM -
9:00PM
Sept. 1 – Dec. 8, 2020
Come to our Registration
Night on Aug. 25, 2020 to learn more about the class and meet the Coordinating
team.
Class
Location
Lindsay Lane Baptist Church
1300 Lindsay Lane South,
Athens, AL 35613
Enrollment
Options
Please Note: Textbooks are no longer included in the
registration cost as was historically the case. A price reduction has been
implemented to reflect this. Once registered for the course, your coordinator
will send you information on how to order your books at a discounted rate.
First Night Free
If you are interested in
taking the Perspectives course, but not ready to register then sign up for
First Night FREE and come check it out at no cost to you. Registering as First
Night Free allows preview access to the first two weeks material and videos.
Key Reading Level - $245
Key Reading level is the
lowest exposure to the Perspectives curriculum. Students will be enriched by
instructors, lesser weekly reading, and five personal reflections, but will
miss the accountability and additional learning that Certificate level
provides. Students will not earn a certificate of completion, but may attend
future classes for free or for a minimal cost.
Certificate Level - $245
We recommend Certificate
level for students looking to fully engage with all that Perspectives has to
offer. Along with the instructors, you will engage with excellent weekly
readings, weekly lesson review questions, five personal reflections, and a
class project. You will receive a certificate of completion and be able to
visit any future classes for free or for a minimal cost.
Excelsior Undergraduate
Credit - $495
If you wish to earn college/high
school dual enrollment credit for your Perspectives coursework, then register
at this level. NOTE: this is not
"Perspectives credit" but credit earned from the partner institution
for the Perspectives coursework. Credit
students complete Certificate level, plus a little more reading, a midterm and
final exams, and a more comprehensive class project.
Key Reading Level (Alumni
Only) - $15
If you have completed the
Perspectives course and would like to attend as an Alumni, then you can do so
at minimal cost. If you plan to attend the class each week, please consider
serving on our coordinating team.
Certificate Level (Alumni
Only) - $45
If you have completed the
Perspectives course as a Key Reader and now wish to earn your Certificate, then
register at this level.
Excelsior Undergraduate
Credit (Alumni Only) - $295
If you have completed the
Perspectives course but now wish to earn college/high school dual enrollment
credit for your Perspectives coursework, then register at this level. NOTE:
this is not "Perspectives credit" but credit earned from the partner
institution for the Perspectives coursework.
Credit students complete Certificate level, plus a little more reading,
a midterm and final exams, and a more comprehensive class project.
Available
Discounts
Early Bird Discount: Automatically receive a $30 discount if
you register and pay by 8/15/20
Family Member Discount: When one family member registers, the
2nd family member receives a $50 discount.
Church Leader Discount: Pastors may claim a $30 discount.
Contact
Information
Please contact Class Coordinator, Jarrod Reese, if you have any questions or need more information.
Watch our promotional video
below:
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Registration & Orientation
Come learn about the class, register, ask questions, and meet the Coordinating team.
Registration & Orientation
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Instructor
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Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 1
The Living God is a Missionary God
God's purpose is three-fold: against evil—kingdom victory; for the nations—redemption and blessing; and for God—global glory in worship. God's purpose revealed in promise to Abraham. Exploring God's purpose for the nations: Blessing to the nations described.
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Instructor
Sundee Simmons
Perspectives, Winter Park FL
Sundee Simmons currently serves as Associate Director of Perspectives Global. Sundee has been serving the Perspectives program since 1991. She has served as a volunteer coordinator, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director, East Coast Regional Administrator and the Director of Training for Perspectives USA before joining the Perspectives Global Team.
Sundee Simmons is a wife and mother of 3 children, Nathan (1996), Emily (1998) and Julianna (2005). Her husband, Scott, is a ordained PCA Pastor serving Third Millennium Ministries as the Director of Instructor Relations. b
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 2
The Story of His Glory
Exploring God's purpose for Himself: How God has been steadily unfolding a plan throughout all nations and generations to bring about His greater glory, ultimately drawing to Himself the worship of all the peoples. Passion and prayer for God's glory.
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Instructor
Bob Sjogren
UnveilinGLORY, Mechanicsville VA
Bob Sjogren (pronounced show - gren) is the president of UNVEILINGLORY, a ministry awakening the Church to new awareness of God's glory in all areas of life, and to
seeing His glory go to all the world's peoples.
Bob has been mobilizing the Body of Christ to reveal God's greatest glory through reaching all ethnic groups with the gospel. He and his wife Debby have written homeschool Bible curricula. And in 2021, Bob launched a YouTube Channel called, "Maturing The Bride."
Bob and Debby live in Richmond, VA.
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 3
Your Kingdom Come
Exploring God's purpose regarding evil: How God has accomplished a defeat of evil powers in order to open a season of history in which the nations can freely follow Christ. The kingdom of God as the destiny of all history. Christ's mission seeks a hindering of evil to bring about a sign of the coming peace of the kingdom of God. Our prayers contend with evil in order to bring about the transformation of society with Christ's kingdom in view.
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Instructor
Will Herndon
Clements Baptist Church, Athens AL
After serving in the mission field for 16 years, we are now serving as Missions pastor at Clements Baptist Church in Athens, AL and seeking to be used in church member’s mobilization to evangelism across the street and around d the world. b
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 4
Mandate for the Nations
Jesus shows great strategic interest in Gentiles; wise strategic focus by initiating a global mission on a few disciples among the Hebrew people. The Great Commission and the ways of God's sending in relational power. Dealing with the ideas of pluralism (all religions the same) and universalism (all persons saved).
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Instructor
Galen W Jones
Birmingham AL
I am the third child and second son born to Dr. and Mrs. William W. Jones, II (Christie) in St. Louis, MO in 1960. I am brother to Andrea Suzette, Aaron Warren, Jonathan Paul, and Carla Annette. After moving around a bit as a child my family settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since then, life and experience has afforded me the opportunity to live in many other places and to experience many other cultures. I am grateful to my parents who opened up my heart and mind to the wonders of God’s creation.
My life has been filled with many great male influences, particularly my paternal grandfather Professor Emeritus William W. Jones, Sr. [deceased]. Pops, as he was affectionately called was professor and department chair of mathematics and physics [quantum-mechanics] at the Kentucky State University—a position he held for forty-four years. I have been eternally affected by his vast intellect, charming wit, his powerful sense of justice and his undying faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I became a captive of Christ at 10 years old and was called to His Service shortly thereafter. I spent the next few years preaching the Gospel message to all who would dare listen to but a boy—until I had a David and Goliath experience. Unfortunately, I did not do as David did but ran from my foe. Although I went into a Prodigal son hiatus; God’s good hand of protection remained.
Before re-entering ministry, I was blessed beyond measure to meet and marry the Queen of my life and heart Cathy Renee Thomas. She has been for me a lover, yet more; she has been a barometer for my conscious, yet more; she has been a ‘balm in Gilead,’ yet more. She is my gift, my companion, my friend, my wife. I am overjoyed to have become her husband for the past thirty years and I am looking too many, many more days of life, love, laughter, and ministry.
For the past twenty-eight plus years I have served as missionary, church planter, pastor and have as a staff member of various churches, para-church ministries, and in the university setting. I completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership (with an emphasis in the Theology of Servanthood) through The School of Church Ministries at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.
My passion is to serve my Master and Lord who is the King of my life as a Scholar-Pastor by impacting the lives of people, particularly young people, to take the Gospel seriously and to live the Great Commission passionately. I am a gifted teacher and preacher and I have a deep desire to help the Church live out her calling with knowledge and zeal.
I am overjoyed by what God is doing through the new Ministry Training Program at Samford University. To be part of this special group of Scholars and practitioners goes well beyond what I first imagined. Our team will be teaching, training, and equipping a new generation of young people who will take the Gospel around the world, thereby setting a platform for revival, renewal and for a modern renaissance in Christian living and serving!!!!
To God Be The Glory!!!!
Soli Deo Gloria
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 5
Unleashing the Gospel
The first followers of Jesus: obedient in costly, foundational ways. The climactic act of the book of Acts is the freeing of the gospel to be followed by Gentiles without Jewish traditions as a requirement. A foundational act of God which speaks to the situations where the gospel is hindered today. Strategic suffering and apostolic passion.
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Instructor
Patrick Dickson
Birmingham AL
Patrick spent four years serving as a mobilization coach with Launch Global, a ministry focused on helping you discover God's will, develop as a disciple-maker, and deploy for maximum impact. He is currently working with a local construction company and is actively involved with the missions ministry of his church. Patrick first received a vision for the unreached through Perspectives and desires many more to be ruined for the ordinary through this class. Through various stateside and international missions training programs, Patrick lives for teaching and training all believers to live a world Christian lifestyle. Currently, Patrick resides in Birmingham, AL with his wife Kate. b
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 6
The Expansion of the Christian Movement
The story of God's purpose continues relentlessly from Abraham's day until the present moment. An overview of the largest and the longest-running movement ever in history—the world Christian movement. How the gospel surged through the peoples and places of the world. Important insights for our own day.
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Instructor
Trace Donahoo
Hartselle AL
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 7
Eras of Mission History
The greatest explosion of growth ever has taken place in last 200 years in three "bursts" of activity. Why we could be in the final era of missions. The global harvest force comprised increasingly of non-Western missionaries.
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Instructor
Dave Baker
Summit Crossing Community Church - Limestone, Athens AL
Dave Baker is a great sinner with a great Savior. The Lord brought him to repentance and saving faith around age ten, and called him to full-time Christian service at fourteen.
In 2004 he graduated from the University of Mobile with a bachelor's degree in Religion, (Christian Studies,) after which he studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Dave and his wife Tiffany moved to Nashville, Tennessee to serve its large and diverse refugee and immigrant population. Dave is now on staff at Summit Crossing Community Church Limestone in Athens, Alabama. He and Tiffany have one son, Gus. b
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
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Lesson 8
Pioneers of the World Christian Movement
Today we anchor the race by continuing what others have begun. It's a day of finishing. All the more reason to learn the wisdom and the heart of ordinary people who did extraordinary things in earlier generations. Reading the writings of William Carey and other leaders to discern what these people have left to us. Exploring the contribution of women in missions throughout the centuries.
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Instructor
Dave Baker
Summit Crossing Community Church - Limestone, Athens AL
Dave Baker is a great sinner with a great Savior. The Lord brought him to repentance and saving faith around age ten, and called him to full-time Christian service at fourteen.
In 2004 he graduated from the University of Mobile with a bachelor's degree in Religion, (Christian Studies,) after which he studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Dave and his wife Tiffany moved to Nashville, Tennessee to serve its large and diverse refugee and immigrant population. Dave is now on staff at Summit Crossing Community Church Limestone in Athens, Alabama. He and Tiffany have one son, Gus. b
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Time: 7:35 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 9
The Task Remaining
God's pressed His purpose forward until the present hour of amazing opportunity. Understanding the concept of "unreached peoples" to assess the remaining task. Recognizing the imbalance of mission resources shapes strategic priorities. The basic minimal missiological achievement in every people group opens the way for working with God against every kind of evil so that the gospel of the kingdom is declared and displayed with clarity and power. The need and opportunity of urban mission.
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Instructor
JD Payne
Birmingham AL
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 10
How Shall They Hear?
Culture and intercultural communication of the gospel. Communicating the gospel with relevance at the worldview level helps avoid syncretism (blending of cultural error with God?s truth) and also enables powerful movements of the gospel. Sensitive missionaries will look for ways that God has preserved or prepared people to hear the gospel, often finding redemptive analogies for God's truth.
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Instructor
Renee Montgomery
SOAR Global, Birmingham AL
Renee Montgomery spent 20 years working in the Dental field as a Periodontal Hygienist. Renee and her husband Scott relocated to Birmingham, AL from Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 2001 to plant a church and start the missions program at Church of the Highlands. In 2003 Renee and Scott moved to South Korea to serve as full time missionaries, while there they worked with NCDKorea and helped churches transition to a small group style of ministry and used these groups as well for friendship evangelism. In December 2005 they relocated back to Church of the Highlands to focus on local outreach, national church planting and global missions. Renee has coordinated many Perspectives on a Worldwide Christian Movement classes since 2012. Renee has now transitioned out of the local church to work with an organization doing Disciple-making in “closed” harsh to the gospel countries. She has also co-founded an organization called “Maranatha” which endeavors to bring the world-wide body of Christ together in unity to complete the Great Commission. (www.maranatha.community) Renee’s heart for the unreached, least reached and persecuted church as well as mobilizing others is what motivates her. They have one son, Alexander and one daughter Olivia. b
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 11
Building Bridges of Love
The incarnation as a model of missionary humility. How missionaries can enter appropriate roles in order to form relationships of trust and respect to develop a sense of belonging, and thus to communicate with credibility for understanding. Explore the intricacy of identification in another culture. Explore the even greater complexity of presenting identity with integrity in a globalized, terrorized, pluralized world. Recognizing the dynamics of social structure in order to initiate growing movements of ongoing communication throughout the society.
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Instructor
Marsha Woodard
Wycliffe Bible Translators, Greensboro NC
Marsha came to faith in Christ in 1979 on a hippie journey to Africa, searching for the meaning of life; three years later she began what would become a life-time career, engaging the globe for her Lord. Marsha has served in Latin America, Europe and North Africa, including the adventure of living in refugee camps in the Sahara Desert. In 2010 she joined Wycliffe Bible Translators, serving their partner Seed Company as Field Coordinator and Training Manager, and currently as Launch Coordinator for Wycliffe USA. Marsha's passion, training and mentoring new cross-cultural workers, led her to author “To Timbuktu and Beyond: A Guide to Getting Started in Missions”, published by William Carey Library, in 2009. b
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 12
Christian Community Development
A survey of world need. Dynamic balance of evangelism and social action. Hope for significant transformation as a sign of Christ's Lordship by Christian community development. Exploring the charge that missionaries destroy instead of serve cultures. Healing the wounds of the world between the peoples.
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Instructor
Rick Donlon
Christ Community Church and The Chrisitian Medical Dental Association, Memphis TN
Rick Donlon grew up in New Orleans, graduated from LSU-N.O. medical school, and completed a combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics residency at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. In 1995 he and three medical school classmates opened Christ Community Health Services (CCHS), a primary-care health center for the poor in Memphis’ most medically under-served neighborhood. Over the last 23 years, CCHS has grown to ten locations, with dozens of physicians and nurse practitioners, providing over 130,000 patient visits and delivering 700 babies annually. In 2014, Dr. Donlon and twenty other medical providers founded a second primary care missional clinic for low income communities in Memphis, Resurrection Health. Over the last 13 years the Memphis clinic and house church network has sent medical missionaries to Afghanistan, India, Sudan, Chad, Algeria, Dagestan, Iraq, Jordan, the UAE, and Somalia. Dr. Donlon is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. He and his wife Laurie and their six children live in the inner city Binghampton neighborhood of Memphis, where he serves as an elder in their house church network.
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 14
Pioneer Church Planting
The hope of planting churches among unreached peoples. How the breakthrough of the gospel in an unreached people requires that the gospel be "de-Westernized". The difference of contextualizing the message, the messenger and the movement. Distinguish and appreciate people movements, church planting movements and insider movements.
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Instructor
Charles Yungkurth
Madison AL
Chuck Yungkurth is a missions mobilizer in Madison, AL, where he helped start the current Perspectives movement in North Alabama. Chuck and his wife Stacy served in Kazakhstan from 2000 to 2003, reaching people in some of the most remote places on earth. Stacy is a retired physical therapist, and currently serves at Asbury UMC doing ESL and outreach to internationals. When he is not mobilizing for missions, Chuck is a hopefully soon-to-be-retired engineer working in Huntsville. Chuck and Stacy have two grown children living in Huntsville and would like to be grandparents sooner than later. b
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 13
The Spontaneous Multiplication of Churches
Look beyond institutional features of churches to understand churches as dynamic movements of Christ Himself being followed. Such a view of churches as organic, living things opens up the practicality of seeing them multiply rapidly as movements and also flourish in society bearing the fruit of social transformation. Churches as counter-communities, acting as salt and light, bringing change to their cultures. How movements multiply by connecting with entire families and larger social structures.
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Instructor
Kevin King
International Project, New York NY
Kevin King is the President of International Project, an organization that focuses on church planting among unreached people groups in ethnic communities and on campus. He launched the Equip program, which focuses on training cross-cultural church planters who will start simple multiplying churches. Kevin’s vision is to see a movement of churches started among unreached people groups starting with diaspora communities here and spreading to least evangelized countries. You can learn more about their ministry at www.internationalproject.org b
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Lesson 15
World Christian Discipleship
What it means to integrate life for Christ's global purpose as a "'World Christian". Into the great story for His glory: a Person-driven life as a way of. pursuing a purpose-driven life. The basic practices of world Christians: going, sending, welcoming and mobilizing. The essential disciplines of World Christian discipleship: community, giving, praying and learning. Simplifying your lifestyle as if in "war-time". Exploring the practical ways of pursuing God's purpose. Business and mission. Short-term mission. Welcoming international visitors. Wisdom in working with local churches and in partnership with Christians in different parts of the world.
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Instructor
Mike Pollard
Pioneers, Murfreesboro TN
Mike Pollard serves as a regional Church Partnerships Facilitator and is based in Nashville, TN. In this capacity he mentors, encourages and resources local churches to grow in missions health and send missionaries well, with an end goal of an increased, effective footprint among the world's least reached peoples. b
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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Instructor
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Class Info
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