First Presbyterian introduced Christianity Explored as part of a Wednesday night Institute that the church began last fall to offer more in-depth teaching than is possible during Sunday School. The Institute attracted 300 people who chose between four different course offerings. Forty-five people attended the Christianity Explored class.

Helen Kantner, a Christian Education volunteer who has background as a DCE in a former church, taught the material as a 10-week video course with opportunities for discussion. “I love this material. The videos are fantastic, and they communicate with people today who have grown up with technology and who need to see as well as hear the Gospel.”

The 45 people in the class included a women’s circle of 12 women who brought their husbands, a group of young couples who found this course more helpful than the psychology class that was also being offered, and some people with no background in the faith. Those with no background in the faith were invited by friends through word-of-mouth invitation. While they did not see a profession of faith as a result of the class, those with no background in the faith entered fully into the discussions, and they stayed with the course until the end. People are already asking Helen to teach the course again because they have people they want to invite.