Cascades Presbytery
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Maureen O'Rourke, Director

Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church
5441 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR 97215-1837
Hours of Operation: 11:00 a.m.- 5:00, 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays (please call first)
Phones: 503-445-4999 (Portland)
or 1-866-200-5660
Fax: 503-238-3906 - E-mail
 

The Presbytery of the Cascades Media Resource Center has approx. 2,000 video tapes and DVDs, cassette tapes, and study guides to help with your church’s programs or your personal studies. You can call us or send a message (E-mail) to have materials mailed to you.

The Cascades Media Resource Center is for use by everyone in the Presbytery at no cost to the user other than return postage. The Center is funded by your congregation's Presbyterian Partnership Giving (aka: Basic Mission Support) .

Resources are on display and available for check out at Presbytery meetings.

Presbyterian and Reformed Educational Ministry curriculua include Bible Quest, We Believe, and the Seasons of the Spirit.The Center has samples of each.

Periodicals include:Creation Care, The Mosaic, The Presbyterian Panel, Presbyterians Today, and The Washington Report to Presbyterians.

 

Although the Center is usually only staffed on Tuesdays and Thursdays, you may ask the secretary at Mt. Tabor Church to let you in. There is a clipboard for checking out items for 3 weeks -  longer if needed for a study. Items can be renewed if there are no "holds".

Take advantage of your free lending library!

 

All secretaries and newsletter editors: please consider adding any of these announcements to your newsletters with the website address:   http://cascadespresbytery.org/mediarc.html

February 2012

This month's featured kit in the Resource Center: Discernment. The 12 week structure of this study is based on 2 complementary teachings of Jesus: “Come and See” (6 weeks) & “Go and Do” (6 weeks)  Author: Sue Anne Steffey Morrow, and published by Abingdon Press. Kit includes a DVD, leader’s guide and study guide. Chapters include: Discerning God’s Presence in our midst, our work, the shadows and in our habit of being. Ask for: KTGHX031

January 2012

Spring 2012 Presbyterian curriculum has arrived in the Resource Center! All ages from Preschool thru adults can be previewed. For adults: it’s the Being Reformed: Faith Seeking Understanding series; For Youth it’s the Faith Questions mini-courses (4 or 6 sessions) For Elementary & Preschool it’s We Believe.

This is a well thought out curriculum. I encourage you to check it out.

November 2011

Surrender by Francis Chan & Bluefish TV – for high schoolers
Surrender typically implies weakness, loss and defeat. Can you actually gain something by giving up? Jesus said that the only way to truly live is to fully surrender your life to Him. In these four challenging sessions, students share real-life stories about their own struggles and triumphs in surrendering to Christ.
Four video-driven sessions:

  1. Surrender Stuff (20 minutes)
  2. Surrender Status (22 minutes)
  3. Surrender Sin (23 minutes)
  4. Surrender Self (22 minutes)

Includes:

  1. 4 DVDs
  2. 52-page Leader’s Guide
  3. Printable Group Handouts
Francis Chan is the founding pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California and a nationally-recognized speaker. Francis is committed to teach directly from the words of Scripture and is passionate about seeing the next generation of American Christians display a deeper love for Jesus and their neighbors.

October 2011

New DVD  A Sea Change; Imagine a World Without Fish (83 mins) Follows a retired history teacher and grandfather on his quest to discover what’s happening to the world’s oceans. His journey takes him to Alaska, California, Washington and Norway as he uncovers a crisis that most people are unaware of: ocean acidification.  “Optimistic, with a whole section of solutions at the end. Broad appeal for all ages.”  Dr. Cat Dorey, Sustainable Seafood Advisor
This resource is a donation from the Eco-Justice educator Jenny Holmes.

DivorceCare kits for adults and kids.
DivorceCare makes it easy for your church to help divorced and separated people. You can quickly equip a lay ministry team to launch a comprehensive, Christ-centered divorce recovery ministry – even if they have no prior ministry training. Every DivorceCare video features powerful interviews with 31 different leading authors, counselors, speakers and pastors. Each one has years of expertise in divorce recovery ministry. They all embrace a Christ-centered approach to divorce recovery. (DVD, leader’s guides, etc.) These are two separate kits, and a lot of material. They are too heavy to mail, so would need to be picked up at the Resource Center or at a Presbytery meeting. Mt Tabor Church started a group which has since doubled in size. You may call Rev. Carly Friesen to ask her about it.

*****

The Life of Katie Luther, Martin’s wife. (DVD 27 mins)
Meet the fascinating woman who helped change the course of history. She was a former nun and she and Martin both became famous for their beer making abilities at the popular inn they ran.
Everyone who watches this DVD seems to enjoy it!

For High Schoolers: Made To Make A Difference – Can You Really Change the World? By Max Lucado and based on the book Outlive Your Life. Four sessions; Our Generation (22mins) Poverty is a Priority (23 mins) Blast the Walls (24 mins) and Do the Good Quietly (17 mins). Published by bluefish tv and this study kit has been getting rave reviews from the kids that have watched it! Ask for: KTGA1003. There are 2 other bluefish tv kits in the Resource Center.

A women's Bible study by: Liz Curtis Higgs, Loved by God, Trusting His Promises & Experiencing His Blessings. (6-7 weeks) Do you find yourself struggling between wanting to do the right thing and wanting to do your thing? So did the following 4 Bible personalities.
This kit is a verse by verse study of Genesis 27-29 exploring the lives of Jacob, Esau, Leah and Rachel. Liz incorporates lots of humor in her lessons. She's the author of Bad Girls of the Bible. There are seven 30-minute lessons and a facilitator's guide.
There are 2 other kits in the Center designed for women - look up their descriptions under "Sisters" for a subject/keyword under the 4th tab: (Search Resources) from the Resource Center's home page.

Renovation of the Heart; New kit at the Media Resource Center:A Curriculum of Christlikeness (multimedia and for groups) by Dallas Willard. Explore what it means to put on the character of Christ. 13 sessions total. To see a more complete description on the MRC's home page, type in the title. This was highly recommended by one of our pastors.

The Mayberry Bible Study with episodes from the TV show. Kit includes a study/leader's guide. With practical applications for daily living, both Vol 1 & 2 feature relevant scriptures for you to use as modern parables on the teachings of Jesus. Each volume has 4 studies (service, mercy, commitment etc) and is a VHS tape.

Reflections on Psalm 23 for people with cancer. (Thirteen 8-minute segments) Ken Curtis, founder of Vision Video, was diagnosed with advanced cancer and then decided to journey to Israel and seek out King David’s home. Psalm 23 was a vital part of his spiritual healing. The resulting meditations provide a combination of candid personal experiences and some of the spiritual resources available through this time-honored Psalm.

Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer for people with cancer  -  Also by Ken Curtis. While made for people facing cancer, the reflections are relevant for any health issue. (Similar format to the above listing)

Confronting Death, A Christian Approach to the End of Life - Walter Wangerin, Jr.
(DVD 57 mins/5 segments) Drawing from his own recent experience with cancer, this award winning author explores the following issues:

  1. Discovering serious illness
  2. Grieving before death
  3. Caring for the one who is not sick
  4. How do we handle the pain?
  5. Confronting the dying itself

 “We as faithful people have the power and ability to look death straight in the eye and understand it.” (Wangerin)

Living Fully, Dying Well by Rueben Job in association with Abingdon Press. (A study for small groups)  Our best decisions about life's most important events are seldom made in a time of crisis. This study will help inspire you to talk openly about faith and mortality. Topics include biblical and social perspectives on growing older. Included in the kit: leader's & participant's guides and a DVD in 8 segments of 10 mins each.

Living Till We Die: a journey of faith practices by hospice chaplain Nancy Blakely. This is an 84 pg paperback guide for developing and leading a course in your own congregation or for personal use. Session plans for the following 6 faith practices are covered as well as other useful information: Honoring the Body; Keeping the Sabbath; Forgiveness; Healing; Dying Well; Singing Our Lives.

 A Child’s View of Grief – a guide for caring adults (38 pgs) + a DVD with the same name (20 mins). Children in our society are sometimes referred to as the forgotten mourners. Learning how to establish a helping/healing relationship is the focus of this resource. Handled with warmth & understanding, a child’s early experiences with death can be vitally important learning opportunities.

Someone You Love is Dying, how do you cope?  By Charles Corr, Ph.D. Most of us think of “grief” as something we experience only after the death of someone close to us. In reality, grieving can begin long before the final loss occurs. Anticipatory grief is the subject of this 28 pg booklet. A 20 min DVD w/the same name is also available.

Suicide and its aftermath resources: There are approx 10 on this subject including Fierce Goodbye hosted by singer Judy Collins whose son committed suicide. Type in the subject keyword “suicide” on the Center’s search the catalog/combo search page to see all the listings.
Also, by typing in the subject/keyword “death” many other resources, too numerous to mention in this column will display. A popular series is “Exploring the Sacred in Death and Dying”.

"The Tabernacle" (28 mins) This is a computer generated 3-dimensional film. The Table of Shewbread, the Altar of Incense and the Ark of the Covenant will no longer be just mental images and you'll feel as if you yourself have walked on Holy Ground, just as the priests once did. Good for family viewing also. Ask for DVDBC1001

Walk Where Jesus Walked with Ray Vander Laan (2 hrs) The format is like being in a history class but you are on location in the country now known as Turkey. This can be used for your personal edification of course, doesn't necessarily  need to be used in a group study. It's broken down into 5 segments and comes w/a guide.The 2 hrs will fly by!  Ask for DVBB4005.

Exploring Religious Art - DVD  Designed to show great masterworks of art and explain how they came to be created. The viewing segments are divided into two 3 minute vignettes. The introduction presents an historical context while segments one through ten focus on specific works of art. In addition, the discussion questions and hands-on activities provided in the accompanying guide will not only help students master basic information, but also encourage them to enjoy and apply what they learn. Some of the art segments are: “St.Michael the Archangel Overcoming Satan,” “The Flight into Egypt,” and “The Ascension.”

Rediscovering the Labyrinth – A Walking Meditation  DVD
(29 mins) hosted by Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. This is a story of transformation, and an invitation for you to begin the journey. It’s a moving documentary of real people whose lives have changed by walking a labyrinth. Ask for: DVGH2007

Renovation of the Heart (kit) a video-based curriculum by Dallas Willard. It is designed to help Christians develop inward Christlikeness. Thirteen presentations by  Willard plus an unscripted conversation among Dallas, Larry Crabb, and John Ortberg on authentic transformation. Includes 2 dramatizations by Curt Cloninger. Also: one CD containing the script of conversation among  Willard, Larry Crabb, and John Ortberg, and other resources designed to enhance your presentation, and 2 participant’s guides with exercises, discussion questions, and Bible Studies.

Making Love Last a Lifetime-Biblical Perspectives on Love, Marriage, Sex by Adam Hamilton (a United Methodist pastor). This kit contains both a video tape and a DVD, plus a leader's guide, pastor's guide with CD-ROM, and participant's guide. It's divided into eight 15-minute presentations and meant to be a small group study. It's billed as being interesting for both singles and married couples.

Victory at Jerusalem (70 mins). Filmed on location with Pastor Ronald Kelly. It tells the story of the most important event in all of human history- the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ. Pastor Ron retraces the sites and events of Christ's last days. A timely resource for Easter!

Crossing Rome; this dvd (26 mins) is the compelling journey showing how the cross went from a despised symbol of shame  to a revered sign of triumph. We have lots of other Easter resources too. Do a web search on the Center's home page and type in the keyword: "Easter."

Christianity and Islam by Dr. Timothy George is a four-part series comparing and contrasting the two religions. Each section is 25 min. Includes: The Tenets of Islam, The Trinity, The Bible and the Incarnation, and The Cross and Salvation. DVD plus 32 page guide. Ask for KTPG1007.

The Purpose Driven Life; What on earth am I here for?  by Rick Warren  This is a 6 session dvd study for groups or individuals and includes a 77 page study guide. This study has been used by over four million people during the 40 Days of Purpose campaigns in churches all over the world. Publishers Weekly declared his book with the same name as “the bestselling nonfiction hardback in history!”  He is the pastor and founder of Saddleback Church in Orange County, CA, and will be giving the invocation at Obama’s swearing in ceremony.

Countering Pharaoh’s Production-Consumption Society Today featuring Walter Brueggemann. This is a small group dvd study that can be conducted over four to five one-hour sessions. “It is a journey from slavery to covenant that we keep making over and over again… because Pharaoh has immense power always to draw us back into slavery.” Brueggemann   Filmed while he was at a lectern and is a serious study, not one for those who want something “lightweight.”  Produced by: Living The Questions

The Evidence for Heaven – A biblical and scientific examination of our final destiny
(dvd 90 mins) Watch the interviews from 21 medical doctors, biblical scholars and scientists that believe immortality is a reality. Hear from those who’ve had near death experiences about their journey ‘there’ and back. A bonus feature on the dvd is a 3-part Bible study on heaven.

Youth for Human Rights dvd 30 public service announcements (90 seconds each), 1 for each of the ‘formally stated’ rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ratified by the United Nations in 1948, forms the foundation of everyone’s most basic human rights, transcending all borders. Yet, despite its timeless relevance, most citizens haven’t heard of it! Eleanor Roosevelt was the principal architect of the Declaration. Is it a pipe dream to believe that we can truly make human rights a reality? Youth are the “stars” of many of the segments.

The Prophets by the Arts & Entertainment Network (50 mins)
Links between the human and the divine, they (Elijah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Jeremiah) stand amongst the Old Testament’s most commanding and confounding figures. What was the impetus and meaning of their proclaimed divinations? On location footage and interviews w/historians and authors make this documentary unusually interesting!

Billy Graham – a personal crusade by the Arts & Entertainment Network (50 mins)
Illuminates the life of America’s most famous evangelist-a man who practices what he preaches. Covers pivotal events in his life, inc William Randolph Hearst’s decision to publicize his crusades and Graham’s close ties w/several presidents. This biography traces his development from childhood to the peak of his spiritual empire. Very well done.

Looking to be a bit more “GREEN?”  The Media Resource Center has several videos/dvds to view on this relevant subject.

  • THE GREENING OF FAITH: Program 1, THEOLOGY & SPIRITUALITY
    Summary: Why the Environment is a Christian Concern (+ leader’s guide)
    Program 2: ETHICS (+ leader’s guide)
  • FAITHFUL EARTHKEEPING: THE CHURCH AS A CREATION AWARENESS CENTER - by Kaye, Lindy (1997) VTMBX006
    Designed to help congregations learn about the issues related to the care of God's creation and to suggest ways for individuals & congregations to act as earth keepers. Part 1: The Biblical Call to Earth keeping (20min.); Part II: Creation's Praise...Creation's Cry (27min.); Part III: Earth keeping: The Church Responds (32min.).-features Dr. Cal DeWitt.
  • AS IF SALMON MATTER: MAKING ETHICAL CHOICES (2 hrs, 4 parts) by INTERFAITH NETWORK FOR EARTH CONCERNS ( 2004) Highlights of a seminar held at Portland State University. Ask for:VTMBX018
  • THE END OF SUBURBIA- Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream
    (76 min) – hosted by Barrie Zwicker, (2004)  ask for:  DVMBX005
    An exploration of the American way of life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply.
  • KILOWATT OURS (55 mins)  by BARRIE, JEFF  ( 2007)
    What would you find if you traced the wires from your light switch to their energy source? Mr. Barrie and his wife cut their bills in half and use a portion of the savings to buy green power. In this interesting dvd, he'll help you do the same! ask for: DVMBX004
  • RENEWAL - Stories from America's Religious-Environmental Movement - (2007)
    Individual stories range from 6-17 mins for a total of 90 mins.
    This documentary offers a comprehensive overview of what different religions are doing about the awesome devastation of Earth's life systems now taking place. The filmmakers' vision of the problem and understanding of viable solutions show rare depth of perception and are matched only by their sense of the urgency of action if we're to realize our hopes for the future. Close captioned also. Ask for: DVMBX003
  • AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (96 mins)  by Al Gore 2006

Marva Dawn’s keynote address from the Leadership Fair last February is now available to hear - on cassette tape only. She’s a marvelous speaker and it’s about 30 min. long. Call 503-445-4999 or email Media Resource Center to have it sent to you.

RENEWAL- DVD. This documentary offers a comprehensive overview of what different religions  (including Muslims, Native Americans, and Buddhists) are doing about the devastation of Earth's life systems now taking place. The filmmakers' vision of the problem and understanding of viable solutions show rare depth of perception and are matched only by their sense of the urgency of action needed if we're to realize our hopes for the future. Individual stories range from 6-17 mins for a total of 90 mins. Close captioned. Ask for: DVMBX003

FAITH UNDER FIRE  with Lee Strobel  (4 volumes) DVDs; all have leader’s & participant’s guides. Vol 1: Four sessions on Jesus, the resurrection, universalism and the supernatural.
Vol 2: Four sessions on the Bible, heaven, hell and science. Vol 3: Four sessions on forgiveness, pain and suffering, the Trinity, and Islam. Vol 4: Four sessions on the relevance of Christianity.
Lee Strobel was the legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and a spiritual skeptic until 1981. He was married to a Christian woman however, thus the rest of the story!

WALKING THE BIBLE – a journey by land through the five books of Moses.
2 DVDs (168 mins total) Both a heart-racing adventure and an uplifting quest, this resource features one man's (Bruce Feiler) epic journey-by foot, jeep, rowboat, and camel- through the greatest stories ever told. This was featured on Public Television in 2006.

Passing on the Language of Faith  (22 minutes, video tape) A short explanation of the five generations living today and how they have passed along their faith beliefs to the next generation. Covers the "Buster" generation through the "Millennium" kids…shows some interesting vintage film footage. Also covers the Silent, Boomers and GenX groups. Produced by: Dr. Roland Martinson of the Youth & Family Institute of Augsburg College.  Ask for: VTHHX005

The Way of the Child – Helping Children Experience God  from Companions in Christ, a division of Upper Room Books. Created by: Wynn McGregor
Focuses on the spiritual formation of children ages 6-11. Each session is designed for a 1 to 1 1/2  hr time frame. There are eight modules and in a "formational" approach rather than an "informational" approach. This unique resource offers kids a "time apart" from the noise and bustle of life to learn and experience practices that will nurture their innate spirituality, help them develop a deeper relationship w/God, and form vital community w/others. This kit includes an introductory dvd showing how the room is set up, CD w/songs, family booklet, and leader's guide.

New resources for the vision impaired/blind:
A series of 5 cassette tapes titled: Different Members, One Body – Welcoming the Diversities of Abilities in God’s Family. These have been a donation from the Opening Doors Task Force Committee.

CHRISTIANITY'S FAMILY TREE – What Other Christians Believe and Why.  Eight 20 min presentations by Adam Hamilton, a pastor of the United Methodist Church. This kit includes a dvd, book, leader’s guide and a Pastor’s guide w/CD-ROM to expand the study into a  congregation wide event should you choose to do so. The traditions examined are: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Lutheranism, Presbyterianism, Anglicanism, Baptists, Pentecostalism and Methodism.

UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST (video tape, 26 mins) Explore the history from Acts 2, traditions, and experiences through dance, scripture and personal interviews. Fifty days after the Resurrection, tongues of fire and a mighty wind surrounded Peter and the other apostles and they spoke in many languages. This is an excellent intro for youth and adults to the Pentecost presence in their lives today.

JIM AND CASPER GO TO CHURCH (both the dvd and a book)  8 clips, 2-5 mins each
This is the very interesting story of an atheist who put his soul up for sale on e-Bay and received $500 for it! The stipulation was that he had to go to several church services w/the Christian man who “purchased” it. An unlikely friendship formed with frank conversation about faith, churches and well meaning Christians.

THE ASPHALT GOSPEL (time unknown at present) A dvd about 6 ordinary people who set out on a walking journey to change the face of Christianity in America. The film is produced by Scott Griessel and published by Crosswalk America. It’s being used till the end of April. You may put a “reserve” on it by contacting the Resource Center.

NOOMA series by emerging church pastor Rob Bell. We now own all 18 of these segments. They are very popular and average about 12 minutes each. After a church checks out several they often wind up ordering the whole series for themselves! If you haven’t watched one yet, you are in for a thoughtful treat. You may check out up to 4 at a time.

New items for your spiritual growth and edification: Kits usually include a DVD and sometimes a video tape, leader’s guide, participants’ guide and sometimes a book:

  • JUST WALK ACROSS THE ROOM (Kit) with Bill Hybels. (4 sessions)
    Just Walk Across the Room ushers in the next era in personal evangelism with a natural, relational approach that follows Jesus’ own example. This transforming, four-week experience will guide your church through inspiring sermons, insight-packed small group sessions, and individual reading in the book. Discover how to follow the Holy Spirit’s promptings to “just walk across the room” - and into the lives of people living far from God. You can watch a 3 min video of this at: www.zondervanchurchsource.com
  • Prayer: Six Sessions on Our Relationship with God (Kit) by: Philip Yancey. In this six-session curriculum, award-winning author Yancey probes the very heartbeat - the most fundamental, challenging, perplexing, and deeply rewarding aspect - of our relationship with God: prayer. What is prayer? How does it work? And more importantly, does it work? You can watch an informative 3 min video of at: www.zondervanchurchsource.com
  • The Purpose Driven® Life Curriculum Kit
    The Purpose Driven Life Small Group Curriculum is a six-week, video-based small group study of The Purpose Driven Life® by Rick Warren - the book Publishers Weekly declared the "bestselling nonfiction hardback in history." You can watch an informative 3 min video at: www.zondervanchurchsource.com
  • When God's People Pray: Six Sessions on the Transforming Power of Prayer  DVD + participant’s guide. By Jim Cymbala, bestselling author of Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire - a powerful new small group DVD that will help you and your church tap into the transforming power of prayer. Discover the power of God to restore hope, ignite faith, work miracles, and change lives - through prayer. Cymbala tells how God moves in life-changing ways when we set aside our own agendas, take him at his Word, and listen for his voice.

The Fourth Wise Man (video 72 mins) starring Martin Sheen & Alan Arkin.(based on Henry van Dyke’s classic) This magi takes w/him 3 precious gifts to present to the Messiah after seeing THE star on Christmas eve. It takes him 33 yrs to catch up to Jesus and along the way he uses his gifts to help people in dire need. An excellent family film!

Truce in the Forest, a 40 minute video based on a true story of a Christmas Eve encounter between German and American soldiers in one woman's home. Trusting in God, Greta bravely confronts this potentially explosive situation. Ask for: VTDA4016.

New Resources from Presbytery's Opening Doors Task Force on Disabilities:

  • Gifts of the Shadow (Video - 18 minutes) Depression is never a welcome condition. Because of depression's hopelessness and helplessness, depressed people often cannot see their way out of their situation. But our dark times can lead to greater self-understanding and the ability to live life more fully. Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder discusses six gifts of the shadow she discovered in her journey with depression and reveals how they became opportunities for growth and transformation.
  • Addiction & Depression (Video - 18 minutes) Addiction to alcohol and/or drugs often masks an underlying depression. The link between addiction and depression can cause a downward spiral leading to severe health problems, even suicide. Three persons share their stories of addition and depression that end in recovery and hope.
  • Understanding Depression (Video - 18 minutes) Over 20 million adults in the United States, many of them persons of faith, suffer from depression. The video's true stories about the hope of recovery counter stigma-induced shame, myth and misinformation that keep up to one-half of people with depression from seeking treatment. It also highlights the role people of faith can play in ministering to the needs of people with depression.
  • Anxiety Disorders: Overcoming the Fears (Video - 21 minutes) For some 23 million Americans, anxiety is more than a simple case of the nerves. Instead, it manifests itself in severe panic attacks that lead to fearful avoidance of certain places and/or situations. These fears can be as crippling as any serious physical illness. Help and hope are available.
  • A Beautiful Mind (DVD movie - 136 minutes) Dreamworks Pictures, 2001 Rated PG-13 (intense thematic material, sexual content, and a scene of violence) Winner of 4 Academy Awards, it's a story about John Nash, the brilliant mathematician and Nobel Laureate diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. A powerful story of courage, passion and triumph.
 

An online site produced by the Alban Institute is receiving approximatelybook
40,000hits a month, quite a compliment indeed. This website has grown to include over 900 resources in 116 topic areas on issues that congregations say are most pressing to them. Be sure to visit: www.congregationalresources.org.

All secretaries and newsletter editors: please consider adding any of these announcements to your newsletters with the website address:  http://cascadespresbytery.org/mediarc.html.

April 4, 2012

Called For Life - Finding Meaning In Retirement- by Clayton, Paul C - ( 2008)118 pgs - Paul Clayton is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. He uses examples from his own experience and from others, laity and clergy, to explore retirement and the 3 components of our calling: our identity, our gifts, and our occupation. The challenges of transition, options for meaningful activity and the final call to death are also explored. Readers will be encouraged to see this phase of life as an opportunity!

5 minds For The Future
Gardner, Howard - (2008) (196 pgs)  
Mr. Gardner teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and was cited by Foreign Policy magazine as one the 100 most influential public intellectuals in the world.
Gardner shows how we will need to master the "five minds" that the fast-paced future will demand from minds able to synthesize and communicate complex ideas to minds that can respect human differences and fulfill higher responsibilities. A valuable tool for those looking ahead to the next generation of leaders - and for each one of us striving to excel in our complex world.

Becoming the Pastor You Hope to Be
by Barbara Blodgett (181pgs)
Ms. Blodgett unapologetically urges clergy readers to develop practices that will help them become more excellent ministers. She will ask you to be vulnerable before your peers in order to learn from them, and to define yourself as a leader who does not merely take an activist stance, but one who risks entering into deep, transformative relationships. This resource is also a valuable tool for discernment committees, Christian educators, and lay education programs. Barbara is a minister in the United Church of Christ.

In God's Presence-Encountering, Experiencing, and Embracing the Holy in Worship
By N. Graham Standish (159 pgs)
Too many worship services are perfunctory, suggesting that most churches don’t think much about how to connect people with God.  Standish makes his case that congregations must restore intentionality and authenticity to worship in a way that will open people to the Holy. Intentionality, he says, reflects a deep understanding of what tradition has attempted to do, what contemporary people are hungry for, what is going on in our culture, and how to connect the three. Standish is a Presbyterian pastor and professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

The Business of the Church: The Uncomfortable Truth that Faithful Ministry Requires Effective Management
by John Wimberly, Jr. (164 pgs)
Wimberly weaves the realities of congregational dynamics and faith-centered purpose together with practical, proven approaches to business management. The book begins with a foundational discussion of how a systems approach helps congregational managers identify areas of dysfunction and effective solutions. The author's conversational writing style and many real-life examples make a seemingly complicated, mysterious topic for some an engaging and easily applicable read.

A guidebook for a Pastor Search Committee
by Rev. Glenn Doak (98 pgs)
This book is written mainly for members of a congregation who are searching for a new Pastor, or an Associate Pastor and would like some help in deciding what a Pastor Search Committee should do and how best to proceed. It addresses key questions and provides guidance in answering them. Dr. Doak is a Presbyterian minister active in the NE Georgia Presbytery.

* * * * *

Seven Step Study
by Rev. Jacob Chang Kim of Cascades Presbytery. 
 This unique book has 50 different Bible stories with the translation in both Korean and English side by side. These texts will help children or adults learn both languages and to become more familiar with the Bible. Various activities such as coloring and practice dialogues are included. (162 pages)

Lent, Easter, Advent and Christmas resources: Go to the Center’s home page and type inany of these seasons of the Church in the subject area. (under combo search)  About 45 items will come up in each category.

Renovaré is a nonprofit organization that advocates, encourages, and resources intentional living and spiritual formation. Drawing from the example of Jesus Christ and the historical Church, Renovaré encourages people to develop renewed, sustainable, and enriched spiritual lives.

The Resource Center has purchased all 4 kits published by this organization. This video series gives groups a deeper look into some of their key books, offering study guides and questions, and video interviews with the authors themselves. By visiting the website you can learn more about Streams of Living Water (featuring Richard J. Foster, Dallas Willard, John Ortberg, Jack Hayford, and others from the Renovaré Ministry Team), Celebration of Discipline (featuring Richard Foster), Renovation of the Heart  (with Dallas Willard), and God Views (by Curt Cloninger). They are each 12 or 13 sessions long.

Handbook of Denominations in the United States; 12th edition.
This succinctly written 400 page book explains the beliefs of 248 different religious bodies in an easy to read/understand manner. It has long been recognized as an accurate and objective source.This is a book that belongs in every church library & also your own personal one!
From Abingdon Press and not too expensive should you decide to buy your own.

Humble Leadership; Being Radically Open to God's Guidance and Grace
by Graham Standish (182 pgs)
"Acting as a spiritual director, friend, and coach the author draws readers into a deeper place to reflect upon their attitudes, motives, and practices of religious leadership. He cuts through the fog of conflict, trendy approaches, and success-driven styles of leadership.Only rarely does a book make me stop, put it down, and pray!"   Diana Butler Bass

If This Is the Way the World Works; Science, Congregations, and Leadership
by Wm. Avery and Beth Gaede (158 pgs)
"This book helps religious leaders 'get real' at a fundamental level. It's for those who yearn to lead their congregations toward becoming vibrant and vital communities of faith in this challenging century of change."  Five principals from the philosophy of science are explored: complexity, diversity, interrelatedness, process and openness to new information.

Shaping Spiritual Leaders; Supervision and Formation in Congregations
by Abigail Johnson (146 pgs)
"If left untended, the learning process and resulting formation that unfolds in congregational life can be haphazard and unfocused. This book offers the steps to shepherd an intentional process that appreciates the unique learning environment of congregations and creates the conditions for success for all spiritual leaders."

Ministry Greenhouse (162 pgs)
By: George M. Hillman, Jr., a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. 
A great internship experience places a student in an environment where God can work through him/her to develop calling, character, and competencies. This book seeks to show students, their supervisors, and the congregations they serve how they can create just such an environment. The author explores the meaning of “call,” identifies the ingredients of a successful internship, discusses strategies for establishing meaningful goals, and offers guidance for reflecting on learning.

In Dying We Are Born - the challenge and the hope for congregations (138 pgs)
A skillful storyteller, Peter Bush is a Teaching Elder at Westwood Presbyterian Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Deeply ingrained in Western culture, and in the minds of most church leaders, is the belief that there is a solution to every problem. The author offers a powerful challenge to this approach, arguing that for new life, energy, and passion to arise in congregations, they must die to one way of being the church in order that a new way may rise.

Called For Life- finding meaning in retirement (118 pgs)
Paul Clayton is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. He uses examples from his own experience and from others, laity and clergy, to explore retirement and the 3 components of our calling: our identity, our gifts, and our occupation. The challenges of transition, options for meaningful activity and the final call to death are also explored. Readers will be encouraged to see this phase of life as an opportunity!

Creating the Future Together – methods to inspire your whole faith community (150 pgs)
By: Loren Mead & Billie Alban
Mead and Alban have crafted a ‘playbook’ for those who lead organizations in times of transition. “Key leaders will understand the art of preparing their community for the transformative process of planning. If your faith community is ready for a miracle, the cases in this book will inspire you to lay the groundwork and let it happen.”

From Nomads to Pilgrims – stories from practicing congregations (179 pgs)
By: Diana Butler Bass and Joseph Stewart-Sicking – editors
A collection of stories from pastors and congregations that have been on a pilgrimage to vitality, retrieving and reworking Christian practice, tradition, and narrative. You are invited to sit around a ‘campfire’ and listen in as these ministers share their tales. Contributors to the book represent 5 denominations and span the country from Florida to Washington.

Getting It Together; Spiritual Practices for Faith, Family, and Work
by Carol A. Wehrheim  (115 pgs) Shows how a Christian foundation of faith can provide a sense of balance amidst the struggle of everyday obligations. Includes a leader’s guide and is an ideal resource for individual or group study. Broken down into 5 sessions and is an easy read.

Little Pieces of Light – darkness & personal growth. This is a short book of just 68 pages by Joyce Rupp, O.S.M. It reminds those who live in a world with much darkness that there is a strong light within the self and within others that will serve as a comfort and guide along a sometimes bleak and barren journey of life. It’s more upbeat than this description sounds! Well worth reading. Ask for BKMC5006.

Are you a person that likes to read short stories? There is a series of 4 video tapes in the Resource Center that is under-utilized that I highly recommend. It is: Listening for God – contemporary literature and the life of faith.  You can learn about the author from a video clip, then read the story and if you are really motivated study the questions in the guide.  Leader’s guide and study session plans included, if you want to use it in a book club. The first video in the series features: Flannery O’Connor, Frederick Buechner, Annie Dillard, Garrison Keillor and four others. Ask for: VTGHX047  You can read about the other 3 tapes and what authors they feature by going on-line to the Resource Center’s home page. Hit the purple print that says: Search the Media Catalog  and  do a title search “listening for God.”  This would be a good practice try for those of you who are unsure how to search using this method.

Reflections on a Different Journey–what adults with disabilities wish all parents knew. (205 pgs)  Advice to parents about how to raise and guide their own children who may have disabilities. The forward is by Marlee Matlin, the academy award winning actress who happens to be deaf. Each of the fascinating stories is written by a person with a disability -ranging from cerebral palsy to autism to blindness + many others. It is edited by John D. Kemp who was born without arms or legs, and is now a prominent attorney.

Tell it Like it Isreclaiming the practice of testimony by Lillian Daniel. (166 pages)
Daniel offers a new look at an old tradition that many mainline congregations have abandoned. She shows how testimony breathes new life into people and the congregations they love. When people are invited to tell others what they have seen and heard and touched of God’s presence in their lives, congregations can be transformed!  Published by the Alban Institute

Resources for the vision impaired/blind:
In Braille, we now own a copy of The Book of Order (Part 2) – The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA). 2007-2009 These have been a donation from the Opening Doors Task Force Committee.

Winning Grants to Strengthen Your Ministry by Joy Skjegstad (212 pgs)
Joy is an experienced grant-proposal writer who has raised money for nonprofits over 20 years. This book provides guidance on the practical aspects of seeking grants, from researching potential funders to developing a case statement, and following up with grant makers.

The Honest to God Church by Doug Bixby (125 pgs)
Doug has worked extensively with clergy and congregations in church leadership and congregational vitality. The first ½ of this book focuses on how church leaders can develop a between-the-extremes approach to life within their congregations. Action steps are listed at the end of each chapter. The second ½ focuses on developing an open and honest approach to Christian discipleship. Again, action steps are listed at the end to help readers with spiritual formation.

The Meandering Way- Leading by Following the Spirit by Gary Shockley (128 pages)
Gary reminds us that God calls us to wander in a way that allows us to discover and follow God's markers and to become transformed through our following. Instead of driving ourselves towards yet another goal, we can learn much by taking side trips off the main path. This book, and Gary himself, is a reflection of a new style of leadership. You will have to check the book out to discover more details!

Sexuality, the Bible, & the Church - Plain Talk About Tough Issues (121 pgs)
Twenty-six scholars from 19 seminaries and colleges offer short, accessible essays about the appropriate participation of gay and lesbian Presbyterians in church life and leadership. Intended for lay readers, the essays address core biblical and theological questions with clear thinking, lively faith, and deep concern for the church.

"Emerging Churches"
Emerging Churches book by Gibbs and Bolger (345 pgs) is available to borrow. It insightfully identifies nine practices these churches use. Based on conversations with 50 people in the U.S. and U.K. #BKHAX007

PLAYS OF THE PASSION - by Creighton, Linn - (1998) ask for: CUGB4001
Eight plays that lead up to Jesus' passion with the last play set just after the resurrection. They can be read by individuals, play-read by study groups, or produced by troupes of actors, whether volunteer or professional, but preferably by amateurs. Minimal props are required. Could be presented in a variety of settings including the worship service:JOHN THE BAPTIST, THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, ZACCHAEUS, THE RICH YOUNG RULER, SIMON THE PHARISEE, NICODEMUS, CLAUDIA PROCULA, AND MAGDALENE.

50 Ways to Pray, Practices from Many Traditions and Times (book from Abingdon Press) by Teresa Blythe - for individual or group use. It is written for the seeker and sojourner, as well as the church leader, youth minister, retreat facilitator, or worship planner. It is for all of us who thought we only knew one way to pray. Theresa is a graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary's Master of Divinity in the Art of Spiritual Direction program.

Dimensions of Older Adult Ministry - A handbook from Witherspoon Press.
"I'd work w/elders if I knew how to do it!" is a frequently heard cry of both lay and clergy ministers. Dr. Richard Morgan has gathered together an expert panel of teachers and writers to produce an interfaith guide for providing spiritual care to older adults. Readers will want to keep this informative book on hand to answer philosophical and practical questions related to aging. When taken to heart, this resource will bless you and your congregation. Ask for: BKCHX002
2006 Planning Guide for Older Adult Ministries from PC USA; suggests program ideas for the work of older adult ministry in small, medium and large congregations, outlines "What Older Adults Say They Want From their Pastors", gives suggestions for planning an Older Adult Sunday Worship Service. Ask for: PPAXX001

JOY IN OUR WEAKNESS – finding hope in the Book of Revelation by Marva Dawn.
(220 pages)  Marva was the keynote speaker at the Leadership Fair in late February at First Presbyterian Church in Vancouver. This book was born out of her own struggles with physical limitations and chronic illness, and is intended to help the whole Church learn how to find joy in every circumstance of life, especially in trials and sufferings. She is an amazing woman!

Taking Care of Aging Family Members (356 pgs) This comprehensive handbook has been updated and expanded to include more issues of concern to the aged and those who care for them i.e. long-distance caregivers, spiritual concerns and the woman-in-the-middle who cares for both children and parents. Originally published in 1994, and is a new donation from the Opening Doors Committee.

 

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