Deepen your own and your congregation’s understanding and practice of Holy Communion, or begin a Eucharistic ministry, through this wide-ranging study of This Holy Mystery, Scripture, Church history and Methodist/Wesleyan theology and practice of the sacrament. This course will reference, but go beyond, the official United Methodist documents to include art, music, film and video resources to enrich our understanding and participation in Holy Communion.
This course will also explore the issues around the theology and practice of the sacrament in this era of Covid-19 (or flu season), both the discussions around on-line Communion and the practicalities of how to celebrate safely when the church gathers in the sanctuary.
Learners will need a Bible and, if possible, a U.M. Hymnal and Book of Worship; other materials (including This Holy Mystery) will be downloaded. Class members should be prepared for daily reading, reflection and online discussion. This study is guaranteed to deepen your experience of Holy Communion, providing resources and ideas for all, both laypeople and clergy, who plan and lead worship and provide pastoral care, in all expressions of Methodism.
This course has been approved by Discipleship Ministries as an advanced course in Lay Servant Ministries. It provides the required 10 contact hours.
This course is eligible for 1.0 CEU.
Quick Info:
Number of weeks: 2
Price: $75
CEUs: 1.0
Required books: Yes
Blackboard: Yes
Zoom: No
Certification or Series: Yes (Lay Servant Ministries)
Read course description for details.
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Price: $75
About the Instructor
Rev. Beth Galbreath is a United Methodist deacon whose specialty is “digital culture ministry” – that is, helping the church connect with folks in the 21st Century. And that includes regular, rich and joyful celebration of the sacraments, baptism and Holy Communion, helping people of all ages connect with God. To that end, she is the author of “The Story and the Feast,” a three-year digital resource of communion liturgy, and the Lay Servant Ministries course “Sacraments: Means of Grace” for in-person or Zoom settings (this course goes deeper into Holy Communion!)
Beth serves on the pastoral leadership team of Compassion UMC in Brookfield, Ill., a new church plant, where she teaches the 13-week discipleship course she developed, bringing new members of all ages to a deeper experience of communion.
Part of her ministry is over a decade of teaching online at BeADisciple, where she loves to bring a multimedia, multi-intelligence approach to all her courses, including this one!
Past Students Said…
“I had read through the guidebook “This Holy Mystery” several times, but I had barely scratched the surface in my understanding. The daily assignments and exercises really made me focus on what Jesus has for us when we receive Communion.”
“Before I took this class, I would have told you I was very familiar with the Methodist way of ‘doing’ communion. Come to the Table has given me new things to consider, increased my knowledge, and enriched my understanding. This was my first class through BeADisciple, but it won’t be my last…. Yes, I would recommend the course to others—including my pastor.”
“The fact that this class was online was wonderful! I’ve been needing a refresher course on the sacraments, but with a pastor’s hectic schedule, fitting one in can be difficult. This allowed me to have the flexibility of working it around my life.”
“One of the neat things about these classes [Come to the Table & Come to the Waters] is that no one is forced to take them. My goal is to learn, and learning from Beth is a pleasure. Her classes are so good. Plus, wow, I learn so much from my classmates. I am hungry to do this – to learn and prepare for whatever it is that God wants me to do.”
“I will never approach communion the same again! It has taken on a new life for me!”
“As a pastor, it was helpful to be reminded. Perhaps because we spend so much time preparing sermons and researching history, etc., the big picture sometimes becomes swallowed up by details. It was good to step back and experience the excursion through history in one of the sessions. There was also a LOT of information about new ways Communion is being ministered and many opportunities to look at different liturgies and processes. It was just very helpful.”
“Accessible, meaningful theology, from roots to practical manifestations…Not a single occasion where I felt my time was wasted or that we were just going through the motions to get through a section of the material…Beth is especially adept at framing the material, eliciting substantive discussion, keeping discussion germane and responding appropriately to questions or student confusion…The way the class was organized and the content covered lead naturally from learning to action. There are quite a number of things from theology to ideas and suggestions which will stay with me as I network and minister to others.”
“Great content and so well organized! Beth is so knowledgeable and very encouraging. I definitely plan to take more online courses with BeADisciple.”
