Featured resource from your free Presbytery of the Cascades lending library:
The Nativity Crèche (art and spirit of it). After the cross, the Nativity scene is Christianity’s most recognized symbol. Its history, art and spirituality have been embraced by cultures around the world for nearly 2,000 years. This 30 min DVD shows collections from across the globe and reveals some interesting historical facts.
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
Rediscovering the Labyrinth – A WALKING MEDITATION
(29 mins) w/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
JIM & CASPER GO TO CHURCH by HENDERSON, JIM and CASPER, MATT
Interesting story of an atheist who sold his soul on E-Bay and the friendships that ensued. Contains frank conversation about faith, churches and well-meaning Christians. Eight clips, 2-5 mins each.
In 2006, Jim - a veteran Christian and director of Off The Map, hired Casper, and atheist, to join him in visiting 12 of America's best and least known churches. This insightful dialogue offers Christians a new view of an environment in which we've become overly comfortable: the church. Ask for: DVHXX001 and/or BKHXX002
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.
LIVING FULLY, DYING WELL, a study for small groups by Rueben Job. Our best decisions about life's most important events are seldom made in a time of crisis. This kit is designed to assist us in making careful, wise, and prayerful preparation for meeting life's most important moments. For all ages, the material inspires us to talk openly about faith and mortality. Included are leader's guide, participant's book and DVD for eight sessions, about 10 min. each. (From Abingdon Press) Ask for: KTAXX001
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.
New kit in the Resource Center on 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 is: Sue Anne Steffey Morrow, 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
Featured resource from the MRC: If you like to read short stories and learn
about the author from a video clip, this is a really interesting way to
increase your knowledge base. Titled: Listening for God - contemporary
literature and the life of faith.
There is a leader's guide and study session plans if you want to use it in
a book group club. The first video in the series features: Flannery
O'Connor, Frederick Buechner, Annie Dillard and Garrison Keillor + 4 others.
There are a total of 4 videos altogether. Ask for: VTGHX047
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
For Youth: "GREEN" is a progressive ministry resource for youth workers. From the back cover: “Steelroots knows the influence that pro-athletes, artists and bands have on young people, so we had them speak directly to teens and address the biggest topics they're dealing with.” Each topic is 12-15 mins for both youth workers and teens. Comes w/a 40 pg leader's guide. The resource center has three DVDs in this series. Type in keyword "green" to bring up all three.
#1 is: Dealing With Temptation #2: Power of the Tongue #3: Consequences of Sin
Morning Coffee with Mark Flynn- a United Methodist pastor. (dvd)
Three discussion starters; short 8-10 min dialogues with questions to ask after listening. The three subjects are: revelation – more than a book in the Bible, word-it’s mightier than the sword and unity-our greatest strength, our greatest challenge. Best for high school youth through adults. Similar in format to the Nooma dvds. Would be excellent for small groups.
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.
PENTECOST resources: Type in the keyword Pentecost on the Media Resource Center’s home page http://cascadespresbytery.org/mediarc.html and it will bring up 8 items. There is an illuminating 26 minute video titled: Understanding Pentecost.
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.
The History of the Bible by James Walther, Sr.
(DVD 35 mins) from the Kerygma program. Trace the history of the Bible you own from ancient manuscripts to the many modern translations available today. An excellent resource for confirmation classes, adult Bible study groups and every church library. I watched it 2 nights in a row and really recommend it! Maureen, Director of the Media Resource Center
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.
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