ADult formation events and classes
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We are working on new opportunities for adult faith formation all the time, some of which are especially suited for those looking to renew their understanding of our Catholic faith and practice. Look for the Roots of Our Faith logo that indicates those classes that relate to the fundamentals of our Catholic faith!
Please email Dr. Chris Diffenderfer, Director of Faith Formation, with any questions about our Faith Formation classes and events. |
Upcoming opportunities
Epic: A Journey through Church History
20 weeks starting January 13 and 14 (2021)
Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:00 a.m. or Thursday mornings from 9:30-11:00 a.m., online via Zoom
This study will review material we covered in Epic: The Early Church and then continue with the journey through church history. This is our story, our family. As Catholics, we are the inheritors of holy men and women who over two thousand years built a great civilization and spread the gospel throughout the world. The history of the Church is not just the recitation of popes and saints; it is a story of adventure, intrigue, rebellion, reform, and devotion. In this study you will learn about the important people, places, and events in two thousand years of Church history, presented in twelve easy-to-remember color-coded time periods. You will discover the true stories behind the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Protestant Reformation. You will also learn about the massive persecution of Christians in the twentieth century. Throughout, you will be gaining an understanding of the workings of the Holy Spirit in our Church. The better we know our history, the better prepared we will be to face the future.
Registration is free, but participants will need to order the Study Set from Ascension Press that includes access to the video content online, a study guide, and a church history timeline. Use this link to place your order.
20 weeks starting January 13 and 14 (2021)
Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:00 a.m. or Thursday mornings from 9:30-11:00 a.m., online via Zoom
This study will review material we covered in Epic: The Early Church and then continue with the journey through church history. This is our story, our family. As Catholics, we are the inheritors of holy men and women who over two thousand years built a great civilization and spread the gospel throughout the world. The history of the Church is not just the recitation of popes and saints; it is a story of adventure, intrigue, rebellion, reform, and devotion. In this study you will learn about the important people, places, and events in two thousand years of Church history, presented in twelve easy-to-remember color-coded time periods. You will discover the true stories behind the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Protestant Reformation. You will also learn about the massive persecution of Christians in the twentieth century. Throughout, you will be gaining an understanding of the workings of the Holy Spirit in our Church. The better we know our history, the better prepared we will be to face the future.
Registration is free, but participants will need to order the Study Set from Ascension Press that includes access to the video content online, a study guide, and a church history timeline. Use this link to place your order.
Who am I to Judge? Responding to Relativism with Logic and Love
8 weeks starting January 6, 2021
Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:00 p.m. (online via Zoom)
In this small group study program featuring Edward Sri, we'll explore the classical view of morality and find that it's not merely a set of guiding principles for theoretical situations—it is an entire way of life. What is "right" and "wrong"? Is what's right for you right for me? Is there a right and wrong for everyone, all the time?
These are difficult questions to discuss in our culture. We live in a society that supports the opinion that each person should make up his or her own morality—that there is no moral truth that applies to everyone. Many of us have been affected by the relativistic outlook that pervades the modern world. Maybe some of us wonder whether there really is an absolute right and wrong for everyone. Or maybe we accept that there is a moral standard for all, but we don't know how to explain our moral convictions in a convincing way. Maybe some of us are afraid of saying something is immoral because we're afraid of offending others or of being labeled intolerant. How do we talk about morality in a relativistic world?
Registration and the curriculum are free! Visit formed.org to watch the videos and download the study guide.
8 weeks starting January 6, 2021
Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:00 p.m. (online via Zoom)
In this small group study program featuring Edward Sri, we'll explore the classical view of morality and find that it's not merely a set of guiding principles for theoretical situations—it is an entire way of life. What is "right" and "wrong"? Is what's right for you right for me? Is there a right and wrong for everyone, all the time?
These are difficult questions to discuss in our culture. We live in a society that supports the opinion that each person should make up his or her own morality—that there is no moral truth that applies to everyone. Many of us have been affected by the relativistic outlook that pervades the modern world. Maybe some of us wonder whether there really is an absolute right and wrong for everyone. Or maybe we accept that there is a moral standard for all, but we don't know how to explain our moral convictions in a convincing way. Maybe some of us are afraid of saying something is immoral because we're afraid of offending others or of being labeled intolerant. How do we talk about morality in a relativistic world?
Registration and the curriculum are free! Visit formed.org to watch the videos and download the study guide.
Thus says the Lord… Understanding the Old Testament as scripture
20 weeks starting January 7, 2021
Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:00 p.m. (online via Zoom)
Join us for this Roots of Our Faith journey into the Old Testament! We read from the Old Testament in nearly every Mass, but how can we and should we understand it fully as scripture through which God reveals himself and deepens our understanding of his redemptive plan through Jesus Christ? How do we approach the many different kinds of literature in the Old Testament and interpret them appropriately in our Christian context?
Registration and the curriculum, developed by Dr. Chris DIffenderfer, are free!
20 weeks starting January 7, 2021
Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:00 p.m. (online via Zoom)
Join us for this Roots of Our Faith journey into the Old Testament! We read from the Old Testament in nearly every Mass, but how can we and should we understand it fully as scripture through which God reveals himself and deepens our understanding of his redemptive plan through Jesus Christ? How do we approach the many different kinds of literature in the Old Testament and interpret them appropriately in our Christian context?
Registration and the curriculum, developed by Dr. Chris DIffenderfer, are free!
CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
Don't hesitate to join us for classes that are currently meeting and if you may miss a session or two. Registration is free (it helps us know how many guides to provide), and we can help you catch up on missed sessions. Any time you can make it will be rich and informative!
The Search and the Joy of the Gospel
7 weeks starting October 28
Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m. via Zoom
What are people really looking for in life? What does Jesus really have to offer them? How can I help? Consider the call we all share to invite the world to know Christ and explore what that really means through the new video invitation to seekers by the Augustine Institute: The Search, and The Joy of the Gospel, by Pope Francis.
Registration is free, as are the materials!
7 weeks starting October 28
Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m. via Zoom
What are people really looking for in life? What does Jesus really have to offer them? How can I help? Consider the call we all share to invite the world to know Christ and explore what that really means through the new video invitation to seekers by the Augustine Institute: The Search, and The Joy of the Gospel, by Pope Francis.
Registration is free, as are the materials!
Catch up with videos of recent sessions!
Click here for the study guide.
Click here for the video of session 1 (10/28/2020)
Click here for the video of session 2 (11/4/2020)
Click here for the video of session 3 (11/11/2020)
Click here for the video of session 4 (11/18/2020)
Click here for the video of session 5 (12/2/2020)
Click here for the study guide.
Click here for the video of session 1 (10/28/2020)
Click here for the video of session 2 (11/4/2020)
Click here for the video of session 3 (11/11/2020)
Click here for the video of session 4 (11/18/2020)
Click here for the video of session 5 (12/2/2020)
Assisi Readers Club
Ongoing starting October 27
Tuesdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m. via Zoom
Ever want to share a great book that made an impact on you? Perhaps you have wanted to wrestle with one that challenged you to think a bit differently, or maybe you encountered one that needs to be challenged itself. Now is your chance! The Assisi Readers Club is a small group for those who are interested in sharing a love for exploring faith through reading. Books are chosen by members on a rotating basis (as is leadership of discussion). We are kicking off the group with a compelling look at The Heart of the Gospel, by Christopher West (who joined us last year for his Made for More event), the choice of our facilitator, Gary Sterzinger. The book is available on Amazon ($14.99 or $4.99 for the Kindle version).
Ongoing starting October 27
Tuesdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m. via Zoom
Ever want to share a great book that made an impact on you? Perhaps you have wanted to wrestle with one that challenged you to think a bit differently, or maybe you encountered one that needs to be challenged itself. Now is your chance! The Assisi Readers Club is a small group for those who are interested in sharing a love for exploring faith through reading. Books are chosen by members on a rotating basis (as is leadership of discussion). We are kicking off the group with a compelling look at The Heart of the Gospel, by Christopher West (who joined us last year for his Made for More event), the choice of our facilitator, Gary Sterzinger. The book is available on Amazon ($14.99 or $4.99 for the Kindle version).
