United Methodist Church 101: Rooted in Faith, Grounded in Love: Our Methodist Story

The Candler Foundry in partnership with Decatur First United Methodist Church

Course Information

Course Dates: August 27, 2023, September 10- September 24, 2023

Course Time: Sundays, 9:50 AM- 10:50 AM EDT (In Person)

Course Description

Methodism is more than a denomination; it is a way of following Jesus Christ. It is a story of grace and growing in love.

In this class, we will explore the early days of the movement with John and Charles Wesley, and other early Methodists who followed the radical way of Jesus.

We will explore the beliefs and theology that ground Methodists, as well as the Methodist spiritual practices that shape the movement. Finally, we will explore the Methodist story today and how the movement continues in a rapidly changing world.

For more information, please email our Coordinator of Courses in the Community, Damellys Sacriste, at candlerfoundry@emory.edu.

Access to Pitts Digital Essentials

Explore your theological questions

As a registered participant in the Courses in the Community program, you get 1 year of free digital access to the premier theological library in North America. You can use your digital account to research topics from this course, explore theological questions, and more! On the start date of your course, you will receive an invitation to set your password and gain access using the email you registered for the course with.

Please view the “Login Instructions” below for more information.

Pitts Digital Essentials Portal

Meet the Instructor

Rev. Dr. Brett Opalinski

The Rev. Dr. Brett Opalinski is an ordained United Methodist Elder from the Florida Annual Conference. He has served in local churches for over twenty years, as well as chaired the Board of Ordained Ministry for the Florida Annual Conference. He is a Candler graduate (98T) and has a Ph.D. in New Testament and Early Christianity from Iliff School of Theology/University of Denver. He has been a long time social-justice and civil rights advocate working in issues related to anti-racism, LGBTQ+ rights, poverty, and criminal justice reform and is committed to helping local churches (and the General Church) engage the world in a way that makes the Kingdom of God visible.

If you have any questions about the course, please feel free to reach out to Dr. Opalinski at bopalin@emory.edu.

Tell Us How We’re Doing!

Your feedback is important to us! Throughout your time in this course, you are encouraged to let us know how we are doing. Please click on the button below to submit a short survey or submit any comments you would like to share with our team. We look forward to serving you!

Courses in the Community: On Demand

Please check this section regularly for your weekly course resources and important updates. If you are experiencing any delays or issues, please email our Coordinator of Digital Initiatives, Cristha Lea at candlerfoundry@emory.edu.