Pleasant Grove ‘Joy Girls’ class like family

Flora Harmon hadn’t really thought about the more than 55 years she has been teaching Sunday School until her women’s class at First Baptist Church, Pleasant Grove, surprised her with a reception recently.
   
For Harmon, the gathering was a recognition of service which began with her teaching youth before moving on to teaching adults. “I’m just as excited now as when I first started,” said Harmon, 87.
“I can hardly wait to come on Sunday and teach the Word.”
  
Starting before she was married, Harmon taught Sunday School until her first child was born. Though she took a break when her three children were small, she started back as soon as they were older.
   
She was asked to teach an adult class in 1967, but wasn’t sure she was prepared. Harmon said she took the position after praying about it and feeling the Lord was calling her to teach again.
   
Since then, she has led the “Joy” class, a popular women’s fellowship at First Church, Pleasant Grove. For many years, the class served women ages 43 to 45, but after awhile no one wanted to leave the class.
   
“First they changed the (maximum) age from 43 to 50, but we still wouldn’t leave,” said Cookie Woodruff, a class member for the last 10 years. 
   
“Finally, they just said, ‘Stay as long as you want,’ and we have.” Harmon said her class has about 40 women on roll — with members’ daughters, sisters and friends stopping in often to visit,” Woodruff said.
   
“Mrs. Harmon calls us her girls — ‘the Joy Girls’ — and I think that’s why we stay,” added class member Eddie Eason with a laugh. 
   
As its name would suggest, Harmon said, the “Joy” class is a group of close friends who like to laugh and have fun together, but are also there for each other in tough times.
   
Prayer requests taken during one Sunday noted a member was recovering from an automobile accident, another from breast cancer and yet another from a brain tumor.
  
One class member asked for prayers that a new baby would help heal family wounds, while another woman voiced an unspoken request.
  
“We understand the importance of prayer and of praying for each other,” said class member Bonnie Nunley. “We say we’ll pray for each other and we do. There are lots of prayers lifted up from this class every day.”
    
Members agreed they feel more like a family than a class and part of that closeness comes from having Harmon as their leader.
   
“She just encourages us, lifts us up and brings out the best in us,” said class member Beth Vick. 
   
“And she loves Jesus,” added Eason. Even after all the years she has taught, Harmon still spends hours each week preparing her lessons.  Harmon said she prepares for each lesson by studying and reading, as well as praying and anticipating questions the “girls” might have.
   
Through her studies, she said she grew closer to the Lord and gained confidence as a teacher. Her students said they appreciate the effort she puts forth on their behalf. “I find it a privilege to come here each week and learn from such a godly woman,” said class member Suzanne Barnes.
   
Woodruff agreed, adding that she has grown more spiritually under Harmon’s guidance than she ever had before. Right now, Harmon said she has no plans to retire from teaching Sunday School. Though the “girls” might disagree, she believes she still gets more out of teaching the class than they do from being a part of it.
   
“Teaching has fulfilled my life. I let the Lord give me strength and lead me. I’ll keep doing it as long as He will allow it,” she said.