A fourth-grade Sunday school teacher came into my office recently. “This week’s Gospel?” he shook his head. “I’m not touching that reading with a 10 foot pole.”
So how long does the pole need to be?
Read MoreResources for building faith at home
Familying: what is it?
There's a lot of emphasis these days on the processes that build faith and there's a distinct bottom line: the location for that faith building is rarely at the church. In fact, all of the current material points to the home as the locus for lasting faith formation.
Read MoreConnecting parish life with home life
Most churches have websites. Such sites offer basic information like service times, as well as overview information about ministry and mission. But when it comes to Christian formation, and faith resources for households, most church websites are too big and cumbersome to provide that content.
What's the solution?
Another Lent Idea: Free Download
Looking for a new Lenten resource that works for individuals and groups and is free? “Growing a Rule of Life” is a brand new Lenten workbook for individuals and congregations. It is produced by SSJE (Society of St. John the Evangelist), in partnership with the Center for the Ministry of Teaching at Virginia Theological Seminary.
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God with us, again...
Amidst our busy-ness we celebrate Jesus, God-with-us, entering our day to day lives once again. He comes to free us, to enliven us, to save us from the humdrum.
He comes to re-focus us on what's important: Loving God and loving others!
Read MoreIdeas for lent
Now is the time to start thinking about Lent for next year, especially if you need to order books or consult with others...Remember, 10th of February is not that far way factoring in holidays and the like...
So here's a few ideas to throw into the mix. Click on the images to see purchasing info...
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Just Pray...
You might have come across the controversy surrounding this new video which launches the Just Pray campaign in England. Apparently someone in charge thought it would be offensive to have this add played during sessions of the new Star Wars film that opens around the world on the 18th of December.
Read MoreHallelujah at Christmas
Leonard Cohen's great song 'Hallelujah' has taken on a life of its own these days. It's likely you've never hear his version because so many people have performed it since!
Here's a young artist who performs as Cloverton with a version of the song that features Christmas-focused lyrics.
Read MorePreparation for Confirmation resources: a survey
Over at Ministry Education, we're looking at Preparation for Confirmation resources.
In conjunction with the Anglican Schools Office, we're wondering if it's time to develop something new, or at least find something existing that ticks boxes for most people.
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The Seasons of Adult Faith Formation
Whilst much of the literature on faith development tended to focus on the stages and styles characterised by young people, John Roberto's new book gives us everything we need to draw new insights into the formation of adults in the Christian faith.
Read MoreNew books about St Francis
Celebrating St. Francis through Learning
The feast of Saint Francis of Assisi was celebrated on October 4th. While many churches host animal blessingsSt. Francis Day is also an opportunity for study and education.
New ways of thinking about Leadership
Forbes magazine has created this video that highlights thinking about leadership using scenes from the popular cinematic series, of films, Star Wars.
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Want to help people understand Anglican Christianity?
Launched now at www.formedfaith.org is the new Exploring Anglican Identity material.
Archbishop Phillip is the star of five short videos, each dealing with a different aspect of Anglican identity. Each video has discussion questions aimed at provoking conversation, whether you use them at a confirmation class, a bible study/other small group or even play one a week at morning tea after church. Archbishop Phillip has summed up nuanced ideas concisely and with humour.
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Follow in the footsteps of Jesus...
Bible Challenge: A Tool for Churches to Read the Bible in a Year
The Bible Challenge is a Bible study published by Forward Movement, designed to allow adult learners to read the Bible in a year. We wanted to know how this program works in a parish, and our friend Andrew was happy to let us know how St Gregory's, Boca Raton, FL used the program.
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The Spirit of Advent
Free reflection booklet invites you into the spirit of Advent
Anglican Overseas Aid has launched a new, pocket-sized reflection booklet based on the
weekly themes of Advent. The booklet had been inspired by the agency’s Gifts of Light
Christmas gifts catalogue, which last year was redesigned around the themes of Advent.
After realising that charity Christmas gift catalogues often don’t emphasise the central story of the Christmas season, the agency redesigned its Gifts of Light catalogue to follow the traditional
themes of Advent – hope, love, joy and peace - and the Advent lectionary readings.
The Advent Booklet can be ordered in bulk for use by churches and other groups, or as part
of orders of Christmas gifts from the Gifts of Light catalogue. To find out more about the
Advent Booklet, and download a pdf version, visit
www.anglicanoverseasaid.org.au/donate/gifts/free-advent-reflections-booklet
Australians Together
Australians Together is a fresh approach to building relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians that seeks to plant a seed in peoples’ hearts and minds; the idea that Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians can live in respectful, peer relationships with each other.
Read MoreResources for conversations across faiths
As the world becomes more pluralistic there are two or more responses we can make. We can draw back into our turtle shells, put fingers in our ears and pretend its not happening or... we can begin conversations within and beyond our communities to discover ways forward in peace.
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Humanising the "other"
Something about us as humans means it's easier to have compassion for those who are like us. And, correspondingly, it's harder to care about those who are different. Because Jesus calls us to rise above that 'tribal nature', resources which help to do that are super useful!
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Understanding our ourselves, digitally
If you want to educate people you need to understand them. And these days, if you want to understand them you need to have some ideas about the world that they live in and how they navigate it.
To that point, Deloitte's new edition of its yearly study into the digital habits of Australians is fascinating!
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