Christianity 101:
Exploring Faith
for Grownups

On one Saturday a month beginning in October 2023 our Better Together partner churches will gather from 4:30 pm to 6 pm for "Christianity 101," a conversation covering the broad topics of Christian faith and the particular Episcopal "slant" on that tradition. All are welcome to join and bring your questions. Our conversation lasts until 5:30 p.m., after we which join our confirmation candidates and their sponsors for dinner supplied by the host church.

Saturday, October 21: 4:30 to 6 pm at St. Lawrence's (125 W Church Street, Libertyville)
Topic: Spiritual Autobiographies: What brings you to church? And what has been your journey so far in faith? This first session will be a conversation about what draws to explore faith, and particularly Christian faith.

Saturday, November 11: 4:30 to 6 pm at St. Elisabeth's (556 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe)
Topic: The Bible: The Jewish and Christian scriptures are a primary place Christians go looking to encounter God or to learn more about God. And even though it comes in one "book," there is a lot of different kinds of writing in there. This session will provide an overview to this library of faith and suggest some ways to use it.

Saturday, December 2: 4:30 to 6 pm at Trinity (425 Laurel Avenue, Highland Park)
Topic: Eucharist: The most common way many Christians pray on Sunday, including Episcopalians, is called Eucharist, the meal that remembers Jesus' hospitality and his death, and transforms those who celebrate it into his presence in the world. This session will explore what we do in this celebration--and how it transforms us.

Saturday, January 20: 4:30  to 6 pm at St. Gregory's
Topic:  Baptism:  "Christians" get that name by being baptized  with water, usually surrounded by other Christians.  This session will explore  the symbols and  stories of baptism, and how they shape our understanding of who we are as members of Christ's body.

Saturday, February 24: 4:30 to 6 pm at St. Elisabeth's
Topic: Church History: Christianity has been around for a long time, and it has appeared in diverse forms: great cathedrals, desert monasteries, experimental communes, and local parishes. This session will explore Christianity's "back story" and what we might learn from it to live as Christians today.

Saturday, March 16: 4:30 to 6 pm at St. Elisabeth's
Topic: The Episcopal Church: The Episcopal Church is the child of a particular moment in Christian history: the creation of the Church of England during the Reformation. The Episcopal Church was shaped also by the American Revolution, and the way we practice Christian faith is shaped by our country's history, for better and for worse. This session will explore the particular take on Christianity of the Episcopal Church and its "middle way" between history and the needs of today. 

Saturday, April 20: 4:30 to 6 pm at Trinity
Topic: Prayer: Prayer is a word to describe how we encounter God, both together on Sunday or at other times, with our families, or alone outdoors or in our room. This session will explore different practices that help connect a person to God and deepen that relationship.