This book will help you examine your beliefs--where they came from, whether they are still applicable today, how they have changed over the years--and decide what new directions you might want to pursue.
The Tarrying Place represents the wit and wisdom of the community of more than one hundred women-folx who make up our ever-expanding Circle, each of whom is engaged in their own life’s journey to activist-centered self and community care reflected in our guiding mantras.
PDF Version
This study guide can be used for small group study, intentional communities, conferences, or any group who would like to delve more deeply into the history and the process of living out the core teachings of Jesus. There are discussion questions and space after each point for groups to come up with their own thoughts and ideas.
Women make up over one-half of the world's population, yet throughout history women have been kept out of power; they have been oppressed and disregarded, and have often had their stories ignored. This is a tragedy not only for women but for all humankind, because we all have much to gain by hearing one another's stories, and by experiencing one another in all of our rich fullness – not from a preconceived notion that one group or sex is superior to another.
“In these pages, regardless of how the story has been heard before, there is room for seven year olds and 70 year olds to grow and learn. I’m going to use this book with my congregation.”
Behind all the creation stories there is a basic assumption that God was involved; the “how” of it was a secondary concern to the original writers. If you’ve used Donald Schmidt’s “for Progressive Christians” study guides with the adults in your congregation and have wanted to include all ages within your church, now you can! "Creation: Study and Worship for Progressive Churches" makes the vision of whole congregation sharing not only possible, but easy.
Many people have left the church, or never entered it at all, because they think it is irrelevant. Some people have stayed in the church, not knowing why, because they think it is irrelevant. Those two groups are the people for whom I wrote this manual.
Bridging Divides: Sheila and Glenn
She’s a gay rights activist. He’s an evangelical Christian. In our new video series, they explain why "impossible" friendships can be our most valuable.
“For the Love of Hussain (A.S.)” recounts the reflections and experiences of a Christian Pastor from America on the fifty-mile walk from Najaf to Karbala, Iraq for Arbaeen in October 2018.
Join us for a monthly conversation on CREATION IN CRISIS
Work out your faith and renew hope through our film library of spiritual leaders and contemplative pieces.
Planting Compassion: Tree by Tree by Tree
When I Am Among the Trees When I am among the trees, especially the willows and the honey locust, equally the
4 and 5 week Advent Studies (Years A, B, C of the Revised Common Lectionary)
The Advent season is rich in sensory exploration. Our ADVENT issues follows the Revised Common Lectionary (YEARS A, B, C) and provides youth the opportunity to explore this season through thoughtful selections of art, music and video.
A Primer on Issue-Centered Education including sample lesson plans and supplemental materials
Written by RBTL Founding Editor Bill Dols, this primer explains the Maueitic (midwife) Method of The Educational Center and provides a learning experience that explores “the student is the curriculum.”
The Charter created a Islamophobia Handbook a few years ago. The first section, "Speaking Out and Taking Action," may be very helpful to all of us as we navigate through these difficult times.
Music empowers action fo social change. Inclusive Songs for Resistance and Social Action will contribute to gender, racial, economic, environmental and other justice movements.
On November 9, 2016, the United States concluded a blisteringly polarized, vicious political campaign cycle. The results — especially the surprise upset of Hillary Clinton by Donald J. Trump in the presidential election — stunned people as devastating or miraculous, depending on different standpoints. Concerned about civil rights, immigration, international relations, civility, multiculturalism, and a host of other issues, many people found hope in short supply after the election results came in.
What would you do if this was your brother/son/friend? Many of the brave and Peaceful Water Protectors of Standing Rock are now facing serious criminal charges! This is the moment for us to rise and show our gratitude for the people who risked their lives to protect our water.
The following four documents were prepared by members of the Solidariteam. The Oceti Sakowin Camp Protocols were written with camp elders.
esus taught that lust is as bad as adultery. Covetousness is as bad as theft. Anger is as bad as murder. His was an "argumentum ad absurdum" against anybody claiming to be morally pure, which was a real social problem in Israel in his time. The wealthy, leisured Pharisees used countless fussy purity codes to bludgeon into submission the mass of common people who could not afford the time and money to comply.
tation, salute it and say: "I salute all those Americans who risked their lives for my right to vote!" Ask your friends and family members, or in a ritual in worship, asking parishioners: "With which hand will you be voting on November 8?" Take that hand and hold it with yours, and say: "May love (or the love that is God) guide your hand to vote for the common good!"
Uppity Women of the Bible is a four volume DVD-based series featuring Hebrew Bible professor Dr. Lisa Wolfe. Combining careful scholarship with humor and fresh insights, Dr. Wolfe presents just what your group needs for lively, thoughtful discussion of Ruth, The Song of Songs, Esther and Judith.
Free Study Guide -
Marianne of First Congregational Church, UCC, Ocala, Florida created the Study Guide for her church discussion group and has made it available to our readers as a free download.
From the Seasoned Celebration collection
1. The seasons of the human heart reflect the seasons of nature. 2. For most things there is a right time but for some things such as manipulation, oppression and injustice there is never a right time.
n this book you will find a profile of what Jesus may have been like within the context of Second Temple Judaism. This is set alongside selected aspects of the Jesus tradition as preserved in the earliest Christian writings. Neither is ascribed primacy over the other, but each casts light on the other and both inform the final part of the book that traces some of the ways in which Jesus communities now might shape their collective and individual lives.
Re: the Oregon mass shooting: "Harper-Mercer's mother, Laurel Harper, shared her son's passion for guns... I was so appalled by the Roseburg incident that I needed to deal with my despair by flying my fingers across my computer keyboard. This is the result – a spoof on the absurdity of owning guns for self-defense:
This Study Guide, Shedding Light on the Gospels is based on Bishop Spong's "Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism." The Study Guide is organized by Discussion Sessions and includes extensive quotations extracted from Bishop Spong’s book. In addition to Bishop Spong’s book, we will be reading the three gospels: Mark, Matthew and Luke (in that order).
In this guide to soulful service, Jim Burklo draws from his deep well of experience working with homeless people, leading service-learning programs for university students, and pastoring churches. With touching stories, poetry, and parables, Hitchhiking to Alaska illustrates universal principles about the spirituality of helping relationships.
With thirty-seven states now legal proponents of marriage equality along with our nation’s capitol LGBTQ Americans and our allies knew it would be
The planet doesn’t need saving. We do. Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez is not your average 14 year old. Dubbed the ‘Anti-Beiber’, he is mobilizing his army of teens in 25 countries to demand greener policy from our world’s leaders