When Covington resident Chris Smith’s priest first approached him with the idea of teaching an educational course, he knew he had to say yes.

"There was a strong desire for more adult education in the church," said Smith, a member of St. Pius Catholic Church since 1984.

Now in its second year, "Lamb’s Supper" is being well received and requested to continue annually.

The free 14-week course is not just educational; it is an outreach to the community to bring more people to Christ. Additionally it’s meant to attract people of other faiths. Smith said those outside of the Catholic Church should know that Catholics believe the same things they believe.

"I think the … purpose is to give people a better insight into the book of Revelation and the Catholic Mass and to let people that may not be Catholic know that the Mass is biblically based and our church and teachings and beliefs are biblically as well as traditionally based," explained Smith, who describes himself as more of a facilitator than an instructor. "People should take from it a better understanding of the Catholic faith (and) the Mass and for fellow Catholics who attend to have a better appreciation of the Mass when they attend."

It began with its introductory class on Dec. 6 and will run through March 28, the Sunday prior to Holy Week, which is one of the most important weeks in the Catholic Church.

"It is the setting for Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, The Last Supper, Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection," he said. "My hope is that attendees will appreciate the gift of salvation Christ gained for us all. The course I offer is merely an appetizer for the main meal, which we celebrate at every Mass."

Each class is an hour long, featuring a 30-minute video and time for questions and discussion afterward. The videos are presented by Catholic authors Scott Hahn and Mike Aquilina and serve as a basis for the course.

"The videos are a detailed analysis and explanation of the book (‘The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth’)," Smith said. "I have watched and reviewed each video, and I type up detailed notes and other items from the main points of the each session and give the notes to the attendees so that they can focus on the content of what is being presented in the videos."

According to Smith, all that’s required of attendees besides maybe a pen and paper is "just a little bit of their time … open ears and open eyes."

St. Pius Catholic Church, "a Christ-centered parish that welcomes all that thirst for the truth" and "a warm and open parish with membership representing all different cultures from across the globe," is located at 2621 Highway 20 S.E. in Conyers. Classes for "Lamb’s Supper" will be in room 1215 in the parish hall. The next class is Dec. 20. Then after a break for the holiday, it will restart on Jan. 10 each Sunday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Call (770) 929-1017 for more information.