Summer Catechesis Classes

As summer approaches each year, there’s a word that starts to echo in my mind – “scatter.” It often feels like our church scatters for the months of June and July, as we plan trips to see family, or cross off beautiful and far-off destinations from our bucket lists, or lug trunks and duffel bags to campgrounds in the mountains.

Many of you might be used to seeing Redeemer’s summer calendar dedicated to Book Clubs. Some of you have led thoughtful discussions on great works of history, theology, fiction, art, and so on. Thank you for your labors! Please keep reading good books and gathering to share what you’ve learned! This summer, we’re trying on something new. We're going to focus our program calendar towards a more intentional and comprehensive Christian catechesis.

If you’re not familiar with the word “catechesis,” it's simply an old word the church has used for a long time to describe the work of teaching children and adults the ways of God’s people. We actually get the word “echo” from the same Greek root. Picture generations of Christians “echoing” back and forth to each other and to those who come after them the story of who God is and what he has done for his people in the person and the work of Jesus Christ. Of how then we are meant to live out our days in light of that truth.

As we continue to grow as a church family, we hope to provide more regular opportunities for Catechesis classes each year that will teach the basics of the Christian faith and address a wide reach of applications. Over the course of one year, you’ll see core classes like Beginning with Christ, Believing in Christ, Belonging to Christ, and Becoming Like Christ. And throughout a given year you’ll see classes that address more specific themes of the Christian life like how to care for your body, how to navigate seasons of singleness, dating, and marriage faithfully, or how to parent with abundant grace. And so, Redeemer family, the more years we spend together, the deeper and wider the chance for a thorough catechesis to form us in the gospel story, and the more we bear out a missional presence in all areas of our lives.

Amidst all the scattering you and your household may do this summer, I want to encourage you to save time for one of our Catechesis classes.

The Rev. Lane Cowin
Senior Director of Ministries