Women’s Bible Study
Our Women’s Bible Study follows the academic year, with studies offered throughout the fall and spring. Women gather as a large group at the beginning of each new study before breaking into smaller groups that meet throughout the week.
Women’s Bible Study is led by Allison Claassen (picture and bio below), who is passionate about helping women study and understand the Bible. This fall, our women are studying the Book of Acts.
It’s not too late to jump in! Email info@firstbaptistdurango.org to get connected.
Women’s Care and Discipleship
Below you can meet members of our Women’s Care and Discipleship Team. This team exists to provide care and discipleship for the women of First Baptist Durango through the gospel of Jesus Christ. They serve an especially valuable role by providing care and support in areas where women are often best equipped to walk alongside other women. See who’s on our our team below. Please note that not every team member is listed here.
Need to get in touch? Please send an email to info@firstbaptistdurango.org and Devona will connect you to a member of the team!
Tara Loyd
I was raised in the church and came to faith at a young age. As I have walked with the Lord, He has deepened my understanding of His Grace. He has also deepened my understanding of my own sin. Our Lord is a patient and gentle teacher! I was born and raised in Wyoming and lived in North Dakota after college. Since high school, I have been involved in Camp Ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ and leading Women’s Ministry and Bible Study. My family moved to Durango in 2013 and we love it here! You can find me doing Bible studies, hiking, reading and listening to others tell their faith stories over a cup of coffee. It is my prayer that the women of our church would be united in friendship and discipleship.
Jodie
I am a Georgia/North Carolina native transplanted to Colorado twenty years ago. I grew up in Southern Churchianity but not really in the gospel and didn’t know anything about a relationship with God. In high school, some visiting college students first shared that He loved me, and then in college I was discipled mostly by being given really good books. Over the years, the words that first came to me are still my center, “I don’t know all the questions but I know Jesus is the answer.” In church I’ve delivered a lot of lasagnes, but my main love is people (me included) going deeper into the knowledge that Jesus loves them. When not working part-time as a mental health therapist for teens and young adults, I love being outdoors, doing art, meeting women for coffee, and hanging out with my husband Jack and our large, anxious Sheepadoodle.
Allison Claassen
At a young age, God drew me to Himself. The Lord continually shows me His goodness and grace through His son and the Spirit. My family began attending First Baptist Durango in 2014 and I have served as the Women’s BIble Coordinator since 2018. My passion is to study the Bible, teach God’s truths, and help others grow in their love for God’s word.
Janie Wall
Janie has a heart for God and a heart for people. From Kansas City originally, she says God has always opened doors jobwise every 5 years. Working as a counselor, parent educator, and at the Durango Pregnancy Center, she says “I’m so thankful I’ve had the opportunity to work in many areas: with families, people with special needs, teen moms, college students, and others. I’ve had to pray, to trust, to be open to what God wants me to do, even when I’m uncomfortable and God’s opening doors out of my comfort zone.”) Here at First B, God has pulled her out of her comfort zone and opened doors as she’s led women’s Bible studies, gone on Nicaragua missions trips, served on the Hospitality team, and volunteered with Christian Challenge college ministry.
Emily Lee
Photo & Description coming soon.
Jenna Brandon
At age 19 I understood the Gospel for the first time. My entire life I had been told that Christ died for my sins but I was also taught that salvation was slippery, easy to lose, and had to be earned by works. Then, one night many years ago, a close friend of mine told me exactly what grace was – freely receiving from God what we don’t deserve and can never earn. Astonishingly I had never been taught this before and that night I prayed to God & confessed that I was unable to follow all of the rules perfectly and that if abiding by the laws laid out in the Bible was what earned heaven, I could never do it. This was a terrifying moment, but it was the first time I truly trusted God to save me because I realized that I couldn’t do the saving myself. Now, fast forward a few years, I arrived at First Baptist Durango (FBD) with my husband and we got plugged in and began serving. We found ourselves drawn to our respective passions in ministry; my husband to worshipping with the band, and myself to working with young people and teaching them the Word of God. It wasn’t long after that I was hired as a Youth Staff Co-lead. It has been such a joy for us to serve in these respective areas and we hope to continue serving and loving our local church.