We are excited to announce that on February 11, we will be launching Walk in Love, our new 5-course curriculum led by the Rev. Scott Gunn and the Rev. Melody Shobe.

Based on their award-winning book Walk in Love, Scott and Melody have created a curriculum of five online courses designed to cover the core beliefs and practices of the Episcopal Church. The curriculum is ideal for new Episcopalians, for people who want to learn more about the church and its practices, and for long-time Episcopalians who would like a fresh perspective on the church’s basic tenets and practices.

We offer two versions of each course, one formatted for individual learning and one formatted for group learning. Each course takes approximately 45 minutes and includes introductory materials, short videos, discussion questions, resource suggestions, and other materials. Students can take the courses at their own pace, and the courses require no special software or equipment. When the five courses are complete, students become eligible for a ChurchNext Certificate in Episcopal Basics. Students may also choose to take particular courses from the curriculum if they prefer not to engage the entire five courses.

Here are brief descriptions of the themes and ideas Scott and Melody cover in each course:

Walk in Love 1: The Sacramental Journey For Individuals and For Groups
In this course, Scott and Melody over an overview of the Episcopal Church interpretation of the Christian faith and discuss the sacraments in terms of what they are and how we understand their role in our lives as Christians. Their four 5-minute video presentations in this course include:

• The Anglican Way of Christianity
• The New Life of Grace
• A Wonderful Sacrament
• Grow in Grace

Here’s a link to a course preview.

Walk in Love 2: Marking Time For Individuals and For Groups
Scott and Melody cover ways in which Episcopalians think about time in this class — on a daily basis, in our prayers, and throughout the liturgical year. They also consider the beginning and ending of human life cycles through the lens of the burial office in The Book of Common Prayer. Video presentations include:

• The Daily Office
• The Liturgical Year
• Holy Week and Easter
• The Burial Office

Here’s a link to a course preview.

Walk in Love 3: Basic Beliefs For Individuals and For Groups
The basics may be similar: scripture, tradition, practice, etc., but Anglicans take particular, nuanced approaches to these fundamental elements of Christianity. Scott an Melody unpack the Anglican approach to  in these four insightful video presentations:

• Gathered in Unity (The Creeds)
• Written for Our Learning (The Bible)
• Continually Given to Good Works (Salvation and Grace)
• Accept and Fulfill our Petitions (Prayer)

Here’s a link to a course preview.

Walk in Love 4: The Church For Individuals and For Groups
Scott and Melody examine the church in this class: who we are, what we do, how we are organized, and how we connect to one another across time and space. Video presentations include:

• That Wonderful and Sacred Mystery (The Church)
• Defend Your Church (Structure and Governance)
• A Great Cloud of Witnesses (The Communion of Saints)
• The Work You Give Us to Do (Vocation)

Here’s a link to a course preview.

Walk in Love 5: The Trinitarian Life For Individuals and For Groups
In this final class of the Walk in Love curriculum, Scott and Melody examine the Christian life through the lenses of the trinity. How do we know ourselves as Christians through our encounters with God the Father, with God the Son, and with God the Holy  Spirit? Videos will cover the following subjects:

• Grateful Enjoyment (God the Father and Creation Care)
• Wonderfully Restored (God the Son and Incarnation)
• Strengthened for Your Service (God the Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts)
• Proclaim to All People ( Spiritual Practices, Knowing Your Story, Telling Your Story)

Here’s a link to a course preview.

Subscribing congregations and individuals may take these courses for free with their subscriptions. For non-subscribers, the classes cost $10 each for the For Individuals classes and $15 each for the For Groups classes.

We hope that these classes enrich your exploration of the Episcopal Church’s basic beliefs and practices.