{"permissions":{},"commerce":{"user_subscriptions":null,"subscription_plans":[{"id":6,"image":"https://coursebook-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/school_sub_plan_images/p6.png","school":960,"page_body":"

\r\n Take Unlimited Individual ChurchNext courses for only $9 a month.\r\n

Take as many of the ChurchNext for Individual courses as you would like at no extra cost.
24/7 access to all video lectures, downloads, and course content.
Interact with other ChurchNext members from around the world.
This subscription does not include For Groups classes (upgrade to Congregation Plan)
New courses come out every week.

\r\n

","giftable_cycles":"1,3,6,12","name":"ChurchNext Unlimited Plan","amount":9.0,"plan":{"id":26,"amount":9.0,"interval":5,"trial_period_days":0,"trial_type":10},"resources_count":547,"url":"https://www.churchnext.tv/subscribe/","currency_display":"$9","currency_display_per_month":"$9","currency_display_giftable_cycles":{"1":"$9","3":"$27","6":"$54","12":"$108"}}],"global_tracking_code":"","conversion_tracking_code":"","payment_requires_zip_code":false,"currency_code":"usd"},"media":{"image":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FMIKqMis7Tly1UvF9Jolj%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?fit=crop&ixlib=python-1.1.0&w=500&s=e3c98e523c2ce286b19cf061c50ecd8d","thumb":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FMIKqMis7Tly1UvF9Jolj%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?fit=crop&h=250&ixlib=python-1.1.0&w=250&s=dc4bc5a0f192bbb6cffec79a175adf23","logo":null,"url":"//d1do9mm1n6degf.cloudfront.net/","theme":{"id":26,"name":"ChurchNext (960) Theme","description":"ChurchNext custom theme","primary_color":"329544","background_image":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fcoursebook-uploads%2Fuploads%2Ftheme_images%2Ft26-background-tile.png?balph=40&blend=666666&blur=500&bm=screen&fit=max&fm=jpg&high=-80&ixlib=python-1.1.0&q=100&w=1400&s=25ac4e5120a52867ccfc3603a42c227b","heading_font":null,"typekit_id":"","custom_css":"","processed_custom_css":"","theme_css_url":null,"typekit_scripts":null,"background_image_blurred_cdn":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fcoursebook-uploads%2Fuploads%2Ftheme_images%2Ft26-background-tile.png?balph=40&blend=666666&blur=500&bm=screen&fit=max&fm=jpg&h=250&high=-80&ixlib=python-1.1.0&q=100&w=250&s=fa1ebb1bf48257b04388a67caa0a3f3d","background_overlay":"","background_type":5,"background_image_raw":"http://s3.amazonaws.com/coursebook-uploads/uploads/theme_images/t26-background-tile.png","theme_type":50},"pages":[{"id":110,"name":"The Good Book Club","order":1,"url":"https://churchnextblog.wordpress.com/2023/11/27/the-good-book-club/","show_in_nav":true,"using_blocks":false,"page_type":0,"template_type":"blank","is_live":true},{"id":24,"name":"Donate","order":2,"url":"https://churchnextblog.wordpress.com/donate/","show_in_nav":true,"using_blocks":false,"page_type":0,"template_type":"open","is_live":true},{"id":3,"name":"Home","order":3,"url":"/p/churchnext/","show_in_nav":true,"using_blocks":false,"page_type":10,"template_type":"open","is_live":true},{"id":13,"name":"Gift Subscriptions","order":4,"url":"/gift-subscription/","show_in_nav":true,"using_blocks":false,"page_type":0,"template_type":"open","is_live":true},{"id":7,"name":"Blog","order":5,"url":"https://churchnextblog.wordpress.com/","show_in_nav":true,"using_blocks":false,"page_type":0,"template_type":"open","is_live":true},{"id":8,"name":"About","order":6,"url":"http://churchnextblog.wordpress.com/about/","show_in_nav":true,"using_blocks":false,"page_type":0,"template_type":"open","is_live":true},{"id":206,"name":"The Big Class","order":7,"url":"https://www.churchnext.tv/library/civil-conversations-in-uncivil-times-practicing-our-faith-in-the-public-square/about/","show_in_nav":false,"using_blocks":false,"page_type":0,"template_type":"blank","is_live":true},{"id":296,"name":"FAQs","order":8,"url":"https://blog.churchnext.tv/frequently-asked-questions/","show_in_nav":false,"using_blocks":false,"page_type":0,"template_type":"open","is_live":true}]},"school":{"id":960,"name":"ChurchNext","platform_version":2.6,"url":"https://www.churchnext.tv/","is_ssl_disabled":false,"is_curriculum_licensor":true,"is_curriculum_subscriber":false,"is_activated":true,"is_activated_via_override":false,"resource_licensing_enabled":true,"trial_has_expired":false,"trial_days_remaining":null,"is_curriculum_enabled":true,"has_public_resources":true,"billing_model_display":"PW2","billing_model":10,"website":"","has_certificate":false,"subdomain":"churchnext","ietf_language_tag":"en-US","short_description":null,"has_consent_description":false},"support":{"has_faqs":false,"support_email":"christina@churchnext.tv","support_phone":"888-963-9328","support_link":"","support_policy":"

✓ Read FAQs: Quickly find an answer by reading our FAQs

✓ Ask Us: Didn't find an answer to your question?

Email us anytime - we answer the phone whenever we're around - but leave a message if we're not!

","support_faqs":null},"security":{"terms_of_service":"https://www.churchnext.tv/pages/terms-of-use.html","privacy_policy":"https://www.churchnext.tv/pages/privacy-policy.html","csrf_token":"awr3LcTMeyQLgOdUbVHkkdAqVADI5XlyVd15TJ2c6wfWnWWQTiNpRJQeSzhkYxFr","terms_agreement_prompt_override":""},"social":{"twitter_username":"","facebook_username":"","google_plus_username":"","pinterest_username":""},"integrations":{"facebook":"620621097978811","filepicker":{"read_policy":"eyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0=","read_signature":"888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34"},"algolia":{"library_resource":{"key":"N2Y3MDA0MWEzY2ZjOTM3ZGNhNmFlYmM2ODEzZGQ1ZmZlMWIzOWUxZGU0ZmNiMzEyYTE5ODk2NTBhZGNlNjcwN3Jlc3RyaWN0SW5kaWNlcz1wcm9kX2xpYnJhcnlfcmVzb3VyY2UmdGFnRmlsdGVycz0lNUIlNUIlMjJzY2hvb2xfOTYwJTIyJTJDKyUyMnMlM0E5NjAlMjIlNUQlMkMrJTVCJTIydmlzaWJpbGl0eV9wdWJsaWMlMjIlMkMrJTIydiUzQXB1YmxpYyUyMiU1RCU1RCZ2YWxpZFVudGlsPTE3NTE4NjA4MTg=","params":{"validUntil":1751860818,"restrictIndices":"prod_library_resource","tagFilters":[["school_960","s:960"],["visibility_public","v:public"]]}},"library_author":{"key":"NGIzNGRkNGYzYmNkNGFkOTg2OTVmNzcxYWM2YzE2NTRkYTRmYjY4YTMwZTY1Zjk1NDA4ZDkwMTA4NDg4NTI1ZnJlc3RyaWN0SW5kaWNlcz1wcm9kX2xpYnJhcnlfYXV0aG9yJnRhZ0ZpbHRlcnM9JTVCJTIyc2Nob29sXzk2MCUyMiU1RCZ2YWxpZFVudGlsPTE3NTE4NjA4MTg=","params":{"validUntil":1751860818,"restrictIndices":"prod_library_author","tagFilters":["school_960"]}},"library_category":{"key":"M2I2NDE1M2FiZDVjYzc1MGM0M2Q0YmFlZGZjOWYyYjBiNTk1ZTc3ODczZDMyNGYxZmM3NDIwNmEyNDUwNjg5MXJlc3RyaWN0SW5kaWNlcz1wcm9kX2xpYnJhcnlfY2F0ZWdvcnkmdGFnRmlsdGVycz0lNUIlMjJzY2hvb2xfOTYwJTIyJTVEJnZhbGlkVW50aWw9MTc1MTg2MDgxOA==","params":{"validUntil":1751860818,"restrictIndices":"prod_library_category","tagFilters":["school_960"]}},"index_prefix":"prod_"},"intercom":{"user_hash":null,"app_id":"c0f1c8a06508adf88781e5cdc6c4e1dc97b0dd87","school_app_id":"c0f1c8a06508adf88781e5cdc6c4e1dc97b0dd87","school_staff_app_id":null,"pathwright_app_id":"5txzvi2k","school_profile":null},"stripe":{"publishable_key":"pk_live_41KJsgTPUbsFsEXtgj97b4aZ0yBzvph0IniofsNRE85QpcRIp7ya5UFvx457GDZ6m6Jv0wehDCmQKONjm2DVD9WKw00fqswaMBl"},"firebase":null,"google_analytics":{"account_id":"UA-7338306-3","domain_name":"pathwright.com"},"sso":{"pathwright_login_enabled":true,"providers":[],"current_provider":null}},"customizations":{"head_markup":[""],"script_markup":["\n\n\n"],"global_tracking_code":""},"pathwright_account":{"is_on_legacy_plan":false,"is_activated":true,"payment_key":"pk_live_1EFaBZz7SRVXYhX7V70P4dhCC2tOEVWu0f6r3WNUvnxmc3lGpxhOlp3CIPzgfFjihpeAG08yyda1lpRhIINEScEPn00qXGNBhT6","subscription":{"id":2243,"school":960,"plan":{"id":24,"name":"Complete","image":null,"description":"Expand to multiple teams, departments, and groups.","amount":499.0,"fee_per_additional_learner":0.0,"features":{"10-staff-members":true,"offer-multiple-subscription-plans":true,"course-certificates":true,"1-staff-member":true,"start-at-1000-active-learners":true,"friendly-email-support":true,"starts-with-5-staff-members":true,"sell-subscriptions":true,"free-course-design-courses":true,"use-your-own-domain-name":true,"member-created-group-courses":true,"priority-email-support-live-demos":true,"create-unlimited-courses":true,"add-more-members-and-staff":true,"sell-courses-with-commerce":true,"1-cohort-per-course":true,"essential-app-integrations":true,"guided-course-design-courses":true,"priority-email-support":true,"3-cohorts-per-course":true,"Unlimited-cohorts-per-course":true,"1-mentor-group":true,"5-mentor-groups":true,"20-mentor-groups":true,"sign-in-with-apple-or-google":true},"plan_order":3,"plan_color":"47acd7","visibility":10,"learners_included":1000,"should_contact_for_pricing":false,"intervals_by_month":[{"interval_id":5,"months":1,"amount_per_cycle":499.0,"amount_per_month":499.0,"discount_percent":0.0,"discounted_amount_per_month":499.0,"discounted_amount_per_cycle":499.0,"discount_per_month":0,"discount_per_cycle":0},{"interval_id":7,"months":6,"amount_per_cycle":2994.0,"amount_per_month":499.0,"discount_percent":0.05,"discounted_amount_per_month":474.0,"discounted_amount_per_cycle":2844.0,"discount_per_month":25,"discount_per_cycle":150},{"interval_id":10,"months":12,"amount_per_cycle":5988.0,"amount_per_month":499.0,"discount_percent":0.1,"discounted_amount_per_month":449.0,"discounted_amount_per_cycle":5388.0,"discount_per_month":50,"discount_per_cycle":600},{"interval_id":20,"months":1,"amount_per_cycle":499.0,"amount_per_month":499.0,"discount_percent":0.0,"discounted_amount_per_month":499.0,"discounted_amount_per_cycle":499.0,"discount_per_month":0,"discount_per_cycle":0}],"scholarships_available":true},"subscription":null,"interval":10}},"user":null,"session":{"user":null,"school_membership":null,"csrf_token":"JnAVHFFHLB1P70YkJQKmYEnDaLyqhCdtu4aXPcO7Dzq0e8HgrdQrvaDr7Kc2acxm","is_authenticated":false},"DEBUG":false,"resource":{"id":165230,"name":"How Pets Connect Us with God For Groups","description":"

Bringing a pet into our home as a pulls us out of our human-focused mindset and into direct relationship with an element of God's created world. The fact that in a culture where many of us no longer need pets for practical reasons, so many people take on the expense and responsibility of caring for animals suggests that we long for this connection with God's creation.

In this class, the Rev. Emily Mellott discusses ways in which our connection with animals brings humans, ultimately, into relationship with God. Her video lectures include:

Pets and Creation
Pets and Pure Relationships
What Pets Teach Us about God
How Pets Teach Us Spiritual Values

This course is ideal for pet lovers. For a preview, please click below.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take me to complete this course?
It will take an average student about 45 minutes to complete this course. You can pause at any time and come back. You can even re-take lessons. Each course features 3-6 video lectures that are from 5-7 minutes in length.

Who’s teaching this course?
Our instructors come from a variety of traditions, mostly mainline Christianity - Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian. They meet two criteria: 1) they are well-studied, even experts, in their fields, 2) they offer a moderate viewpoint.

How long will I be able to access the course material?
Those who purchase individual courses (for $10) can access all the course materials for 6 months from the date of purchase. Those who purchase individual subscriptions ($9/mo unlimited) can the course materials for all of our courses as long as their membership is current.

Is this course downloadable?
The Facilitator's Guide and Participant's Guides are. However, the video lectures are only accessible online. To take the course in a small group, feel free to hook your computer up to a projector or big screen.

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
You bet. It's easy, look for instructions as well as answers to more questions in our FAQ section.

Also, a technical note:
Our learning platform works best with certain browsers. If you find yourself running into problems, please go to the trouble-shooting section of our Frequently Asked Questions and ensure that the browser you are using is one that works well with our course.

","short_description":"Learn how our relationship with pets can teach us about God's love.","categories":[{"id":329,"name":"Spirituality","slug":"spirituality","description":null,"order":24,"resources_count":null}],"image":null,"cover_image":"https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/jAcpMy3S5ylClppMMYbj","thumb":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FjAcpMy3S5ylClppMMYbj%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?dpr=1&fit=crop&h=232&ixlib=python-1.1.0&w=310&s=9bd0ea0aae88d481af28bb7d80c8c61e","thumb_2x":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FjAcpMy3S5ylClppMMYbj%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?dpr=2&fit=crop&h=232&ixlib=python-1.1.0&w=310&s=c8d4547bf132e808f70dd0a457469239","icon":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FjAcpMy3S5ylClppMMYbj%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?fit=crop&h=35&ixlib=python-1.1.0&w=35&s=f4522d434d7c89acb6a7e73705d90be5","background_image":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fpathwright-static-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdefault-image-set-v1%2Fcover-image-35.png?balph=40&blend=666666&blur=500&bm=screen&fit=max&fm=jpg&high=-80&ixlib=python-1.1.0&q=100&w=1400&s=fa2562f26d9ef83c3d1fdbfa09696221","background_overlay":null,"background_image_blurred_cdn":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fpathwright-static-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdefault-image-set-v1%2Fcover-image-35.png?balph=40&blend=666666&blur=500&bm=screen&fit=max&fm=jpg&h=250&high=-80&ixlib=python-1.1.0&q=100&w=250&s=3d6ad12b493d4247a21b795ae304f6d3","background_type":5,"authors":[{"id":4969,"display_name":"Emily Mellott","first_name":"Emily","last_name":"Mellott","bio":"

The Rev. Emily Mellott is rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Mooresville, NJ.

","image":"https://pathwright.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.filestackcontent.com%2Fapi%2Ffile%2FP8dC4FmwTFckszYMQcDs%3Fsignature%3D888b9ea3eb997a4d59215bfbe2983c636df3c7da0ff8c6f85811ff74c8982e34%26policy%3DeyJjYWxsIjogWyJyZWFkIiwgInN0YXQiLCAiY29udmVydCJdLCAiZXhwaXJ5IjogNDYyMDM3NzAzMX0%253D?fit=crop&h=115&ixlib=python-1.1.0&w=115&s=abd7c0d9c65494105179b8544460f6b3","resources_count":null,"salutation":"","title":"","slug":"emily-mellott","order":0,"avatar":"https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/P8dC4FmwTFckszYMQcDs"}],"created":"2021-07-27T15:25:38.788428-04:00","url":"https://www.churchnext.tv/library/how-pets-connect-us-with-god-for-groups-165230/","offering_counts":{},"resource_type":10,"resource_type_display":"Course","slug":"how-pets-connect-us-with-god-for-groups-165230","trailer_embed_code":"","list_order":805,"total_registration_count":null,"sum_registration_count":12,"lowest_public_offering_price":15.0,"highest_public_offering_price":15.0,"curriculum_offering":null,"num_offerings":1,"visibility_level_override":null,"licensing_enabled":true,"license_offerings":[],"licensed_from_resource":null,"certificate_generator_class":"","lowest_price_currency_display":"$15","highest_price_currency_display":"$15","discussion_enabled":true,"licensed_from_school":null,"highest_visibility_level":15,"certificate_json":{}},"offering":{"id":351942,"name":"ChurchNext For Groups","access_starts":null,"access_ends":null,"enrollment_starts":null,"enrollment_ends":null,"description":"

Take this course with students from around the world. Registration includes:

24/7 access for 3 months to all video lectures, downloads, and course content.
Video lectures with Emily Mellott.
Downloadable Facilitator's and Participant's Guides.
Interaction with other students through discussion questions and sharing notes.

","visibility":15,"price":15.0,"seats":null,"seats_filled":12,"seats_available":-1,"currency_display":"$15","include_in_subscription_plans":[6],"include_with_products":[],"is_subscription_only":false,"resource_id":165230,"path_id":4335434,"permissions":{"can_participate":false,"can_access":false,"can_edit":false,"can_edit_resource":false,"can_facilitate":false,"can_view_analytics":false,"can_invite_editor":false,"can_invite_teacher":false,"can_invite_moderator":false,"can_invite_student":false,"can_invite_observer":false},"due_dates_enabled":false,"is_group_offering":false,"step_counts":{},"is_curriculum":false,"url":"/library/how-pets-connect-us-with-god-for-groups-165230/351942/","invite_urls":{},"access":{"is_full":false,"has_registration_ended":false,"has_registration_started":true,"has_access_started":true,"has_access_ended":false},"analytics_visibility":5,"resource_license":null,"discussion_enabled":true,"parent_offering_id":null,"created_by_id":92321,"status":1,"analytics_disabled":false}}

Loading How Pets Connect Us with God For Groups...