Sunday School Guide
We Make the Road by Walking by Brian McLaren
Covenant Presbyterian Church
2015-2016
2015-2016 Sunday School
Sundays, September 20-May 22
We Make the Road by Walking:
A Yearlong Quest for Spiritual Formation, Reorientation, and Activation
Date Topic Leader(s)
9/20 Ch. 1—Awe and Wonder
9/27 Ch. 3—A World of Meaning
10/4** Ch. 6—Plotting Goodness 1st Sunday Speaker
10/11 Ch. 7—It’s Not Too Late
10/18 Ch. 8—Rivalry or Reconciliation?
10/25 Ch. 9—Freedom!
11/1** Ch. 10—Getting Slavery out of the People 1st Sunday Speaker
11/8 Ch. 11—From Ugliness, a Beauty Emerges
11/15 Ch. 12—Stories That Shape Us
11/22 Ch. 13—The Great Conversation
11/29 Ch. 14—Promised Land, Promised Time
12/6** Ch. 15—Women on the Edge 1st Sunday Speaker
12/13 Ch. 16—Keep Herod in Christmas
12/20 Ch. 17—Surprising People
1/3** Ch. 19—Jesus Coming of Age 1st Sunday Speaker
1/10 Ch. 20—Join the Adventure!
1/17 Ch. 21 —Significant and Wonderful!
1/24 Ch. 24—Jesus and Hell
1/31 Ch. 25—Jesus, Violence, and Power
2/7** Ch. 26—Making It Real 1st Sunday Speaker
2/14 Ch. 27—A New Identity
2/21 Ch. 28—A New Path to Aliveness
2/28 Ch. 29—Your Secret Life
3/6** Ch. 30—Why We Worry, Why We Judge 1st Sunday Speaker
3/13 Ch. 31—The Choice Is Yours
3/20 Ch. 32—Peace March (Palm Sunday)
3/27 Ch. 33—The Uprising Begins
4/3** Ch. 34—The Uprising of Fellowship 1st Sunday Speaker
4/10 Ch. 35—The Uprising of Discipleship
4/17 Ch. 36—The Uprising of Worship
4/24 Ch. 37—The Uprising of Partnership
5/1** Ch. 38—The Uprising of Stewardship 1st Sunday Speaker
5/8 Ch. 39—Whatever the Hardship, Keep Rising Up!
5/15 Ch. 40—The Spirit Is Moving! (Pentecost Sunday)
5/22 Ch. 41—Moving with the Spirit
**Denotes 1st Sunday Speaker in lieu of regular class meetings
A few helpful logistical notes:
Your room will be set up with chairs, a podium, and a laptop hooked to a screen that will allow you to use audio and visual, as you please. If you would like to have the room set up in a different manner, please contact Anna Caldwell at
On Sunday morning, if you have difficulties with technology, the custodian on call can help you. Please arrive about 10 minutes early for class to allow enough time for you to test the technology and call for assistance, should you need it. The custodian’s cell phone number is 704-891-2062.
If you would like to coordinate an occasional guest speaker to speak to your class, you may contact Jessica at
Our Weekly Outline
9:30 –
Welcome to Sunday School! Each adult Sunday School class has its own character and way of doing things. This weekly gathering doesn’t have any homework and will welcome newcomers each week. Each Sunday, we will begin with a scripture reading, continue with a reading from We Make the Road by Walking, spend a majority of the hour exploring themes related to the reading, and conclude with prayer.
Introductions—a few words about who you are and an invitation for each participant to introduce themselves to the group.
9:35 –
Scripture: Prior to the beginning of class, invite someone to read the week’s focus scripture, which is listed in bold on the resource guide. This is the key theme passage among those listed at the beginning of each McLaren chapter. Encourage them to read slowly and clearly, so that the class has time to consider what the scripture is communicating.
Follow the reading with the these brief reflection questions:
· What word or phrase stood out to you from this passage? Why?
· Is there an invitation here? Is this passage inviting me to do or be something?
9:45 –
Presenting the Theme: You may present the focus chapter from We Make the Road by Walking aloud as a short sermon, or prior to class, you may invite several people to read a few paragraphs each. You may also choose to select some of the supplemental resources and present them as a summary of that week’s theme.
9:55—
Lesson: Now is your time to engage the group in a conversation that explores the week’s theme. You may interact with the class using the first three “Engage” questions from the end of each chapter. You may also integrate some of the additional resources and/or scriptures for each week, which are printed on the attached resource guide. Finally, feel free to add resources of your own and personalize the message as you choose.
A note on additional resources: In addition to the attached page of miscellaneous links, you may find the websites below helpful as you assemble your lesson.
· Textweek.com–commentary, artwork, and discussion guides related to various lectionary passages
· Visual Liturgy video series—Jessica has a subscription to a web site that will allow us to download videos, many of which are included on the additional resource guide for weeks when they are relevant. Some are videos that Brian McLaren has produced in connection to We Make the Road by Walking. You can easily browse the McLaren videos, as well as others that may be relevant, and download them from the site using the following login information:
http://www.theworkofthepeople.com/bundle/we-make-the-road-by-walking
Name: Jessica
E-mail login:
Password: CovenantEducation
Search: “We Make the Road by Walking” or enter the name of the video listed
on the guide
You may end your lesson with the “Meditate” and “Activate” sections from the “Engage” questions at the end of the chapter. These offer suggestions for silently reflecting on the day’s lesson and an active charge for the group to consider throughout the week.
10:20 –
Wrap up – Invite the class to share concerns and celebrations for which they would like the group to pray throughout the week. You may integrate these into a closing prayer and/or simply thank the group for sharing and invite participants to remember those named in prayer throughout the week. Please feel free to pray as you are led. If you are searching for ways to pray, you may offer some of the following words:
Dear God, thank you for the gifts of each new day. Today, we celebrate this occasion for fellowship and the opportunity to learn and grow together. We also thank you for ______. We remember these blessings, which you offer us, so that we may be a blessing to others.
God, we also offer to you the people and places in need of your care. We remember the needs of our world, our nation, and our city: ______. We lift to you those who are sick and those who care for them, for ______. And we pray for those who are grieving, for ______. May they find peace and comfort.
God of all, you know everything that is on our hearts, both spoken and unspoken. Hear our prayers, make us aware of your presence throughout the week, and empower us to do your work. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
After a closing prayer, you might share with the group the theme for the following week and invite people to return when they are able.
Thank you for exploring scripture and its themes with other members of the congregation! Feel free to contact Jessica or Jen with any questions.