Fall Semester 2026 · Sundays at 12:45 pm in the church
How We Approach Catechism
Becoming an Orthodox Christian is not primarily an academic process, and we do not treat it as one. In the life of the Church, worship comes first, fellowship comes second, and formal instruction comes third. Many people raised in the West arrive with that order reversed, expecting to study their way into the Church before they belong to it. We would ask you to hold that instinct loosely.
Our catechism classes matter, and we take them seriously, though they are the least important of the three. What matters most is that you worship with us, that you come to know the people of this parish and let them come to know you, and that this happens over time, at an unhurried pace. Becoming a member of the Church is not a checklist to complete. It is a relationship, with God and with this community, and relationships cannot be rushed toward a deadline without doing violence to what they actually are.
Alongside worship and fellowship, we also encourage a growing personal life of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving throughout catechism, the same three disciplines Christ names together in the Gospel (Matthew 6). These are not requirements to check off, but practices we hope you will begin to take up gradually, in your own time, as part of the same unhurried relationship described above.
- Worship, then fellowship, then catechism: in that order of importance, though all three grow together over time.
- This is not a program with a fixed finish line. It is voluntary, unhurried, and open-ended by design.
- Not everyone who begins this process ultimately stays, and that is alright. If it is meant to be, it will be, and when the time is right, you and we will both know it.
What to Bring
Nothing is required. If you already own an Orthodox Study Bible, please feel free to bring it, since our sessions are built around its study articles and you are welcome to read along or revisit them afterward. If you do not have one, that is no obstacle at all. Come as you are.
Two Semesters, Each Complete on Its Own
Catechism runs in two semesters each year, fall and winter. Each semester stands complete on its own: you do not need to attend both, and you do not need to start at the beginning of one to benefit fully from it. The two semesters cover different material, and either one, taken alone, offers a full and coherent introduction to the faith. Attending both, across a full year, simply allows for greater depth.
Interested in Becoming Orthodox?
Read Becoming an Orthodox Christian, or simply join us for worship on Sunday.
Fall Semester 2026 Schedule
| Date | No. | Topic | Orthodox Study Bible articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Sep 6 | 1 | God, Creation, and Christ | Holy Trinity (p. 4); Creation (p. 2); Theophanies of Christ (p. 1242); Christology (p. 1420) |
| Sun, Sep 20 | 2 | Images and the Church | Images and Imagery (p. 92); The Church (p. 1604); Four “Orders” in Church Government (p. 1635); Liturgy in the New Testament Church (p. 1720) |
| Sun, Sep 27 | 3 | Scripture and Tradition | — |
| Sun, Oct 4 | 4 | Fall and Salvation | Ancestral Sin (p. 7); Grace of Christ and the Law of Moses (p. 90); Justification by Faith (p. 1529); New Birth (p. 1426); Deification (p. 1692) |
| Sun, Nov 1 | 5 | Sacraments of Initiation | Holy Baptism (p. 1532); Chrismation (p. 1471); Confession (p. 1698) |
| Sun, Nov 22 | 6 | Eucharist and the Sacramental Life | The Eucharist (p. 1564); Sacrifice (p. 140); Marriage (p. 1607); Ordination (p. 1494) |
| Sun, Dec 6 | 7 | Holy Unction and the Priesthood | The Priesthood, Hebrew and Christian (p. 101); The Priesthood—Earthly and Eternal (p. 1661) |
| Sun, Dec 20 | 8 | Mary and the Saints | Saints of the Old Testament (p. 652); Types of Mary in the Old Testament (p. 1228); Mary (p. 1361) |
Session dates are subject to change; please check back here or contact the church office at (850) 244-0822 to confirm.