Program Resources
Showing 401–500 of 512 results
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Retreat Leaders Manual
$14.00Add to cartFour out of ten church members and a majority of pastors report having a significant spiritual experience through a church camp or retreat time. Unfortunately, most pastors have little training in the art of planning or leading retreats. This book offers a practical guidebook for those leading retreats, including the nuts and bolts of how to plan a budget, the right questions to ask about a potential retreat site, and ideas for making Bible study and worship memorable for persons of many ages.
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Innovative Planning : Your Church In 4-D
$27.99Add to cartFor leaders of small organizations – churches and businesses – who do not have a regular, ongoing planning process, this book will be your guide to becoming an innovative planner for your group’s future.
This book presents a solid process for developing complete organizational planning – from vision, to mission, to strategies. It also includes the day-to-day operations – the level at which the vision ultimately comes to fruition.
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Thank God Its Friday
$18.99Add to cartChrist’s seven last words from the cross have long been a source of reflection, challenge, and soul-searching. These simple phrases contain the full range of human emotions and divine self-revelation – grief, compassion, despair, forgiveness, physical need, the promise of redemption. Written with the clarity, depth, and insight that are Willimon’s trademark, this book offers readers a chance to encounter, in compelling new ways, the words that contain the core of the gospel.
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Life Scripts For The Church Volume 3 Holiday
$24.99Add to cartThis is the third in a series of volumes, each containing 24 skits of brilliant, insightful, often comedic material ideal for performance during church services, specifically geared to the major holidays. Does not require huge casts or highly experienc
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Life Scripts For The Church Volume 2
$24.99Add to cartThis is the second in a series of volumes, each containing 24 skits of brilliant, insightful, often comedic material ideal for performance during church services. Does not require huge casts or highly experienced players — most skits use 2-6 performers,
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Life Scripts For The Church Volume 1
$24.99Add to cartThis is the first in a series of volumes, each containing 24 skits of brilliant, insightful, often comedic material ideal for performance during church services. Does not require huge casts or highly experienced players — most skits use 2-6 performers, m
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Teenage Guys : Exploring Issues Adolescent Guys Face And Strategies To Help
$22.99Add to cartYouth workers need to fully understand the inner workings and development of adolescents in order to really meet their needs. In Teenage Guys, Dr. Steve Gerali presents the stages of development that adolescent guys go through, providing stories from his own experiences in ministry and counseling as well as practical research findings to equip youth workers (both male and female) to more effectively minister to teenage guys. With advice from counselors and veteran youth workers, you’ll find helpful suggestions on how to minister to teenage guys and their families. Each chapter includes discussion questions to help you and other youth workers process the issues your own students face and learn how you can help them and mentor them through this tumultuous time. In addition to concepts like mentoring and rites of passage, Dr. Gerali also walks readers through the seven areas of development young guys go through. You’ll understand more about: Cognitive development – Identity formation – Social development – Emotional development – Physiological development – Sexological maturation – Faith formation
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Teenage Girls : Exploring Issues Adolescent Girls Face And Strategies To He
$22.99Add to cartGirls are more than just sugar and spice. We’ve all figured that out. What we haven’t figured out completely is how they’re wired, why they do the things they do, how the world around them affects their choices and opinions, and what that means for youth ministry-until now. In Teenage Girls, you’ll find advice from counselors and veteran youth workers, along with helpful suggestions on how to minister to teenage girls. Each chapter includes discussion questions to help you and other youth workers process the issues your own students face and learn how you can help them and mentor them through this tumultuous time. In addition to the traditional issues people commonly associate with girls, such as eating disorders, self-image issues, and depression, author Ginny Olson will guide you through some of the new issues on the rise in girls’ lives. You’ll understand more about issues related to: Family – Addiction – Emotional well-being – Mental health – Physical welfare – Sexuality – Spirituality – Relationships
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Practicing The Faith (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartSessions include:
What is the church supposed to be?
Why should I go to church?
What is Christian commitment?
What are the sacraments?
What can I do to get closer to God?
What happens when I pray?
How does God answer prayer?
Why should I pray?
How can I develop a personal prayer life?
Is suffering God’s will?
Does God care when I suffer? -
Communion Services
$14.99Add to cart1. Communion Elements Vessels And Methods Of Serving Communion
2. Communion Services For Holy Days And Seasons In The Liturgical/Church Year
3. Communion Prayers For Specific Events In The Life Of Churches And IndividualsAdditional Info
This book introduces the practice of Communion and offers a collection of Communion prayers and ready to use resources for worship. Included is information on Communion elements, vessels, and methods with answers to commonly asked questions. Knowles Wallace gives four possible orders of Communion, various ways to offer Communion, and prayers and resources for speciifc seasons and holy days in the church year from Advent through Thanksgiving. -
Pastoral Prayers In Public Places
$14.99Add to cartPart of pastor’s role in the community is to pray publicly. The pastor is often the offical “pray-er” at all kinds of community events – the high school football game, the opening of the new grocery store, the county shcool board meeting, kindergarten graduation – to name a few. But the pastor must also pray knowing that there are believers (of many persuasions) and nonbelievers present. In addition to the prayers in this book, there are brief setting descriptions and Scripture references. These prayers can be used with little or no adaptation.
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Christmas Journey : Advent Christmas Resources
$14.95Add to cartThis complete set of seasonal material offers everything you need for an exciting Advent and Christmas program. With dramatic monologues, sermons, children’s messages and worship liturgies, a Sunday school program, and a pair of Christmas Eve candlelight services, there’s something for everyone, whatever your congregation’s size or worship style.
An Unlikely Cast (Alan E. Siewert) is a set of dramatic monologues that reveal the inner thoughts and feelings of five characters who were deeply involved in the unfolding divine drama of the nativity: Joseph, Mary, John the Baptist, the innkeeper, and a shepherd. The monologues can be used in midweek Advent services, special programs, or Sunday morning worship. Staging and costuming suggestions are included, to help you bring these exciting accounts to life.
The Colors Of Christmas (H. Michael Nehls) is a creative series of six sermons and children’s messages in which each week features a different color. The sermons use the color idea to stress such Christian themes as royalty, sacrifice, and holiness, while the children’s messages utilize the inventive device of passing out ribbon swatches of the color of the day; as the youngsters receive the various ribbons, they can collect a “ribbon rainbow.”
Is This The Road To Bethlehem? (Judy Gattis Smith) is an Advent worship liturgy in which children are the main participants. The centerpiece is an “action/sermon” featuring six brief readings using illustrative wooden figures. All the elements of a typical worship service are present — but in a manner that focuses on the interests and expressions of children, allowing them to experience worship rather than just listen and watch.
Producing Christmas (Jennifer Hockenberry Dragseth) is a humorous children’s play which casts the Christmas story as the ultimate Hollywood blockbuster. Everyone wants to be a part of the big movie — and they all have ideas about how to make it a hit, only to finally learn why the coming of the Christ child is truly the “greatest story ever told.” With participants ranging in age from junior high to preschoolers, this flexible piece is perfect for a brief Sunday school program.
A Christmas Journey and Christmas Letters (Rod Tkach) are imaginative Christmas Eve services weaving together carols, prayers, scripture readings, and several brief meditations. In A Christmas Journey, the reflections guide worshipers on a journey from being home alone to the ultimate destination of the
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This Bread And This Cup Childs Book
$10.95Add to cart1. Companionship: Sharing A Meal
2. Storytelling: How The Gospel Stories Tell Our Story
3. These Holy Things: What We Use In The Eucharist
4. Praying Together: The Shape Of The Eucharist
5. Manner And Customs: The Body Language Of PrayerAdditional Info
With This Bread and This Cup, children will learn about the sacrament of Eucharist while they’re having fun! From a guided tour of the church to hands-on time with the elements of communion to unique activities that explore the eucharistic service from The Book of Common Prayer, children will thoroughly enjoy these experiences designed to help them to join more fully with their parish community and the larger communion of saints. The program includes with an interactive Communion Service just for them!This full-color, interactive guidebook for children offers: Individual and shared activities Prayers and reflections Explanations and definitions of terms Writing and drawing space for personalizing
This Bread, This Cup is a program for children and their families. The intended age is 6-9 but younger works too in the program. The Child’s Book assumes the child can read, or it is used with a parent who does the reading.
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This Bread And This Cup Leaders Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$28.95Add to cartWhether you have a small group or a larger one, whether you want to structure the program in 2 sessions or 5, whether the children in your group are all the same age or not, you’ll have all the tools you need to customize a Communion instruction program that’s just right for your parish with these rich, adaptable resources.This Leader’s Guide is a comprehensive resource for clergy and lay people offering:
Background information on theology, leader reflection, goals, overview and materials lists Ways to invite children to participate more fully in the eucharistic service Explanations of what we do and say at Eucharist Prayers, activities and scripture stories Reproducible handouts to send home
This Bread and This Cup is a program for children and their families. The intended age is 6-9 but younger works too in the program. The Child’s Book assumes the child can read, or it is used with a parent who does the reading.
This invaluable new resource brings greater understanding and meaning to a key aspect of Christian formation: Holy Communion. With solid information, including a brief history of children at the Eucharist, current theological perspectives and practices and flexible, user-friendly sessions, leaders will find that this program fits a wide variety of parish needs.
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Lectionary Reflections Year B
$14.99Add to cartThe bestselling Intercessions Handbook has been written to meet the challenges of the vital task of leading prayers in public worship. Easy to adapt to most situations, this volume contains a wealth of creative suggestions for enlivening prayers. Jane Williams takes each of the lectionary readings for the Sundays in Year B and gives us a way into the themes and concerns at their heart. Concentrating our attention in this way, we gradually deepen our understanding of what God means by faith, love, prayer and good living. ‘Through the Son you will see the Father, through the Spirit you will see the Son, through the Father you will see what you are meant to be made in the image of the Son, to share in God’s love and delight. God has made it as clear as he can, coming to live with us, sharing our life, so that we can share the life of the Father’s only Son.’ Intelligently written in an engaging and inspiring style, Lectionary Reflections will prove invaluable in preparation for Sunday worship or for regular Bible study throughout the year. It will be of use to both groups and individuals for opening up the Bible and applying its rich teaching and stories. Lectionary Reflections, Year A and Lectionary Reflections, Year C are both currently available, with Lectionary Reflections Year B completing the cycle.
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Almost Every Answer For Practically Any Teacher (Reprinted)
$24.99Add to cartQuestions? Answers. Teachers face the threat of burnout, the challenge of discipline, and the complexity of different learning styles. Here’s your chance to get a firm grasp on every issue from A to Z! This book contains 100 articles that provide insight, inspiration, and instruction for those who communicate God’s truth at school, home, church, or in the workplace. Edited by bestselling author Bruce Wilkinson, this is your resource for making a life-changing impact on your students. Includes articles by a variety of Christian leaders, from Charles Swindoll to Joni Eareckson Tada and A.W. Tozer.
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He Speaks To Me Bible Study Book (Student/Study Guide)
$16.99Add to cartHe Speaks to Me: Preparing to Hear from God – Member Book by Priscilla Shirer includes study material for six weeks of in-depth, interactive daily assignments and seven small-group sessions plus a leader guide for facilitating the study. Priscilla draws life lessons from the account of God speaking to the boy Samuel in the beloved Bible story found in 1 Samuel 3.
Priscilla relates six characteristics found in Samuel that are applicable to women today as they tune their hearts to hear God’s voice. These characteristics are: A Simple Relationship, A Set Apart Holiness, A Still Attentiveness, A Single-Minded Worship, A Sold Out Hunger, and A Servant’s Spirit. By listening to God’s voice and obeying Him, women will be drawn into a closer relationship to God that brings a deeper desire to serve Him faithfully. Leader’s Guide included in Member Book
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More Services For The Advent Wreath Cycle B
$14.95Add to cartThe Advent wreath is a powerful symbol that draws the attention of worshipers to the coming of Christ — past, present, and future. But it can be a challenge to link this traditional element of Advent worship to the rest of the service, especially for those who follow the lectionary. Building on his successful volume Services For The Advent Wreath, Robert Jarboe offers a wide selection of adaptable resources for any size congregation that firmly place the Advent candles in the context of the day’s scripture readings. There are complete orders of service based on each Cycle B lectionary text for every Sunday in Advent, as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Each service is conveniently formatted, with reproducible sheets that can be given to participants as well as bulletin inserts with congregational readings. It’s everything you need to make this important symbol a centerpiece of the worship celebration — all in one place!
Each service includes:
* litanies
* scripture readings
* prayers
* an original musical introit -
Hey Joseph
$12.95Add to cartCreate stimulating, family-oriented Lenten worship that captivates the imagination with this engaging “dramily” series. Six humorous sketches, interwoven with brief homilies highlighting key points, update the familiar Old Testament story of Joseph and his brothers for contemporary audiences ? providing an instructive and entertaining resource for midweek programs. Additional messages and dramas for Holy Week and Easter Sunday shift the focus to Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection.
By touching on such universal experiences as family squabbles, sibling rivalry, parental favoritism, jealousy, hatred, false accusations, reconciliation, trust, and healing, Hey Joseph! is certain to resonate with the people in the pews. It offers pastors, worship leaders, and drama groups a thematically unified total package that’s flexible and easy to adapt for any size church. A complete list of simple props is included, along with helpful illustrations for constructing “Joseph’s Granary,” which may be stocked with food donations for local pantries. -
Juegos Para Refrescar Tu Minis (Teacher’s Guide) – (Spanish) (Teacher’s Guide)
$13.99Add to cartA library of ideas Do you want games that are dynamic, that make you run or exercise until you fall exhausted? Here’s a place to find them. Do you need quiet games for a small or passive group? You will find those here as well. In Games To Refresh, you will find more than 400 recreational activities, both indoor as well as outdoor, that adolescents will love. Ball games: Twice the fun for a meeting of the church leadership, with only half the heat. Basketball and volleyball games: Everything about throws and baskets. They go crazy over these extravagant transformations of the sports. Indoor games for large groups: Reserve the church gymnasium or another large room for an evening to develop camaraderie. Parlor games: Great for parties or informal reunions. And much more!
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Practicing Passion : Youth And The Quest For A Passionate Church
$30.99Add to cartFocusing on the theological resonance between the Passion of Christ and adolescents’ experience of passion, the author develops a framework for youth ministry that draws on the historic practices of the Christian community as a “curriculum of passion”.
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Big Book On Small Groups (Revised)
$25.00Add to cartSmall groups can make a BIG difference by encouraging individual growth, strengthening the church, and involving the community! In this revised bestseller, Arnold explores the basics of “Body Life” and explains how to start a group, develop relationships, train leaders, launch outreach programs, and more. Includes a “small-group starter kit” and training resources.
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Christmas Treasures : A Collection Of Congregational Resources For Advent C
$25.95Add to cartThis anthology provides an ample selection of seasonal worship, drama, and children’s resources by popular authors from a variety of denominations. Whatever your congregation’s size or worship style, you’re sure to find something in Christmas Treasures to help you create memorable Advent and Christmas services. Copying privileges are included for all segments.
Litany For Advent And Christmas Candle Lighting provides brief responsive prayers and creative congregational activities for the four Sundays of Advent, Christmas Eve, and Epiphany. It’s excellent for worship services or as a Sunday school opener.
Christmas Treasures offers three sets of short readings and prayers for the candle lighting portion of Advent and Christmas Eve services. Each 2-3 minute narrative links aspects of the nativity with events in our modern lives, both global and personal, and challenges worshipers to reflect on current issues and respond in ways that glorify the Lord.
Six Christmas Testimonies depicts the Christmas events and their meaning from the viewpoint of John the Baptist, a magus, the innkeeper, Joseph, a shepherd, and Mary. Especially powerful when read in sequence, these concise dramatic readings are an excellent way to have members participate in Advent or Christmas Eve worship services.
The Christmas Gift utilizes a creative approach to the seasonal children’s program — a “talent show” is cleverly included as part of a simple yet powerful play based on Luke’s Christmas scripture. It’s a practical presentation for any size congregation — many of the speaking roles have only a few lines, and some parts can be combined. A prop list, set diagram, and sample rehearsal schedule are included to aid novice directors. Performance time is approximately 15 minutes (plus talent show time).
Who Are You In Bethlehem? and The Promise are two dramatic presentations for the entire congregation with roles that can be performed by any age. Each combines the reading of scripture and singing of familiar hymns with brief narrations to telling the Bethlehem story, focusing on how we respond to the Savior — asking us if we have truly welcomed the babe into our hearts. These inspirational services are flexible enough to be performed by as many participants as are available without requiring extensive memorization.
Revelations Of Jesus, Given From Heaven/Received On Earth, Nativity, and If It Happened Today are four flexible, Bible-based plays with parts for young peopl
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Drama Team Handbook
$35.00Add to cartIf a picture is worth a thousand words, a skit may be wortheven-more–especially when you are trying to make the Gospels come alive for a modern audience! Alison Siewert’s Drama Team Handbook helps you do just that. This resource features 11 attention-grabbing scripts to illustrate passages in Matthew, Luke, and John–including sketches for Christmas and Easter. Perfect for evangelism, urban ministry, youth outreach.
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Self Supporting Scenery For Childrens Theatre And Grown Ups Too (Revised)
$17.95Add to cart1. Stagecraft I
2. Scene Design
3. Stagecraft II
4. Scene Painting
5. Dramatic Lighting
6. Scenic Progression
7. Architectural Section
8. SummaryAdditional Info
By James Hull Miller. Fifth edition – revised. Free standing scenery creates its own theatre – compact, economical and flexible. It marches right onto any stage platform, into the classroom, the recreation hall and the garden theatre. This book tells how to construct it. Includes 128 pages and over 175 drawings. Covers tools, materials, designs and craft. An excellent reference book. Written by a leading designer in the field. -
Lecciones Biblicas Creativas D – (Spanish)
$13.99Add to cartIn Creative Bible Lessons on the Life of Jesus, you will find 12 solid lesson plans and lists to use in teaching about Jesus’ short ministry here on the earth. These lessons will help make your teaching more entertaining and will take your students to the central theme: Jesus’ life is relevant and timely for Christians today. Contains teaching aids that help stimulate small groups discussions, learning games, humorous scripts, sketches and, many more creative study resources. The lessons explore the life of Jesus as: God, Man, Savior, Healer, Servant, Shepherd, Provider, Redeemer and Hero.
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Christmas On Stage
$28.95Add to cart1. Elementary Grades
2. Middle Grades
3. Programs For Teens And Adults
4. Readers Theatre For Christmas
5. Adaptions From Classics And Legends
6. Christmas LegendsAdditional Info
A collection of twenty-seven Christmas plays for all ages and all types of worship services compiled and edited by Theodore O. Zapel.The one-act plays included contain both traditional and contemporary settings, drama and humor, and new offerings and old favorites.The plays are easily staged with a minimum of costumes and props, and many of the scripts require no memorization.Christmas music interspersed with the drama adds a special touch to worship services. Since no royalty payments are required for performances, this low-cost anthology is a money-saving program resource for any drama group. -
Mime Book
$20.95Add to cart1. The Body Isolation
2. Coordination
3. The Illusion
4. The Movement Of The Mime
5. The Mime Of The Object
6. The Subject As An Object
7. Creating A World
8. The Mime Of The Subject
9. Pantomime
10. The Mime
11. AppendicesAdditional Info
A comprehensive guide to mime by Claude Kipnis. The great French mime performer, Claude Kipnis, reveals the mechanisms and techniques of mime in an easy-to-understand translation. This book is not a theoretical “art of” book, but a functional “how to” and “why to” instructional guide. Individual exercises are included, together with detailed coverage of body movements, the illusion and how to create a world. We know of no other book that so comprehensively explains how the functions of mime are achieved. Certainly a basic text for any aspiring mime. -
Old Wine In New Skins 2
$16.95Add to cartAcross the broad spectrum of the Christian faith, worship services are in transition. There is a richness of expression in traditional worship structures that needs to be maintained, yet there is a vitality and joy in contemporary praise celebrations that is an essential part of the Christian spirit. But whatever the style of service, whether it’s traditional, contemporary, or “blended,” meaningful worship that makes a powerful impact is directly connected to our daily lives, addressing our hopes and fears.
Like the first volume of Old Wine In New Skins, this comprehensive collection provides plenty of resources for strengthening and reinvigorating your worship services. There are two years’ worth (104) of calls to worship in a wide variety of styles that can be used in almost any setting. Each weaves together suggested hymns or praise songs with spoken material utilizing everyday language and images, creating a strong thematic thrust that truly prepares the congregation to stand before the Lord in praise and petition. There’s also a group of brief reflections that can be used as sermon illustrations, theme-setters for the service, or newsletter features.
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Belonging To God
$22.00Add to cart1. Service For The Lord’s Day: Order With Liturgical Texts
2. Proclamation
3. Resources For The Liturgical Year
4. Special Occasions
5. Alternative Settings
6. Book And Music ResourcesAdditional Info
This exciting new resource for Presbyterian pastors, worship leaders, and educators demonstrates how to incorporate the new Belonging To God catechism into worship services-allowing for the full inclusion of children. The book provides prayers, calls to worship, baptismal resources, confirmation resources, graduation rites, and more, all based on the new children’s catechism. In addition, it includes suggestions for using the catechism in sermons-for children specifically and for the entire congregation-and offers bulletin suggestions, and annotated bibliography, and a comprehensive listing of other catechism resources. -
Boundaries With Kids Participants Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartA video resource kit that helps parents bring control to their family and instill godly character in their children This ZondervanGroupware curriculum is a complete resource kit for helping parents put into practice the principles detailed in the book Boundaries with Kids. Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend take parents through the ins and outs of establishing family boundaries and cultivating sound character in their children. The video features presentations by the authors as well as dramatic vignettes. The 8 sessions can be used in large or small groups and are presented in a new test-proven small group interactive format. The complete ZondervanGroupware kit includes one leader9s guide, one participant9s guide, one Boundaries with Kids softcover book, one VHS video, and one DVD. Each element except the videos is also sold separately. An 8-Session Focus on Boundaries and Kids
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Boundaries With Kids Leaders Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$29.99Add to cartA video resource kit that helps parents bring control to their family and instill godly character in their children This ZondervanGroupware curriculum is a complete resource kit for helping parents put into practice the principles detailed in the book Boundaries with Kids. Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend take parents through the ins and outs of establishing family boundaries and cultivating sound character in their children. The video features presentations by the authors as well as dramatic vignettes. The 8 sessions can be used in large or small groups and are presented in a new test-proven small group interactive format. The complete ZondervanGroupware kit includes one leader9s guide, one participant9s guide, one Boundaries with Kids softcover book, one VHS video, and one DVD. Each element except the videos is also sold separately. An 8-Session Focus on Boundaries and Kids
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Boundaries In Marriage (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartYou long for a marriage marked by lifelong love, intimacy, and growth. And it can be yours–if you set wise boundaries. Boundaries are the “property lines” that define and protect each of you as individuals. Get them in place and you can make a good marriage better and possibly even save a less-than-satisfying one.
By the time you’ve completed this Groupware, you will know yourself and your mate better than ever before. You’ll also understand and practice the ten laws of boundaries in ways that can make a real difference in your relationship. Step by step, the Boundaries in Marriage Groupware helps you apply the biblical principles discussed in the book Boundaries in Marriage so you can–
* Set and maintain your personal boundaries and respect those of your spouse
* Establish values that form a godly structure and architecture for you marriage
* Protect your marriage from different kinds of “intruders”
* Work with a spouse who understands and values boundaries–or work with one who doesn’t -
In Search Of Christmas
$23.95Add to cartThis anthology of holiday material provides you with a complete collection of resources for drama, worship, and young people. It includes a wide range of resources from across the denominational spectrum. Copying privileges are included for all six segments.
Come! See What God Has Done is a Thanksgiving children’s event designed to heighten awareness of God’s many blessings. Six learning centers — each including posters, projects, a guided experience, follow-up activities, and a closing prayer — focus on such topics as families, nature, our religious heritage, and our bodies. Intended for kindergarten through sixth grade, this is an ideal activity for your church school and can be held during a single session.
A Chrismon Service portrays the drama of redemption through symbols of Jesus in the form of Christmas ornaments. (The word “Chrismon” is a combination of the words “Christ” and “monogram.”) As appropriate scripture passages are read, each symbol is presented and explained; worshipers participate in the service by hanging them on the Chrismon tree. Eighteen designs are included so that you can make your own Chrismons based on such symbols as the Epiphany star, the Christmas rose, and the angel.
The ABC’s Of Christmas offers four easy programs for Christmas worship, celebrating angels, bells, colors, and gifts. Each incorporates scripture, carols, and simple props together with dramatic readings to create a meaningful worship experience that will linger in the memory long after Christmastime passes.
The Angels’ Point Of View is a play in two acts that looks at Jesus’ conception, birth, and flight into Egypt from their perspective. Originally developed for a junior high Sunday school class, this piece is excellent for older youth and can be performed in a variety of settings. There are thirteen speaking roles, and complete directions for assembling props, costume, and scenery are included.
In Search Of Christmas is a light, contemporary drama that intersperses a series of brief dialogues between a husband and wife, two teenagers, and others illustrating how we can lose the real meaning of Christmas with faith-affirming conversations among individuals who have kept the season’s true spirit of joy and giving. Roles can be doubled up for the small congregation, and only a few basic props are needed.
Last Year In Bethlehem: The Story Of Eli The Shepherd reminds us that the story of Christ’s birth is more than a holiday tradition. It com
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Road Signs Airlines And Stars
$12.95Add to cartThese all-new inspirational programs are sure to bring wonder and joy to your congregation’s seasonal celebration. In this book you travel with youth as they pick up friends and road signs on their way to a church Christmas party. It’s an exciting resource with a salvation message that’s perfect for a Sunday school program or worship service. Then join Mary and Joseph as they make their way to Bethlehem on Salvation Airlines in The Christmas Travelers. A Sunday school pageant with a unique twist, this program declares the message of Christ’s birth through narration, readings, and song. Star Of Wonder gives you an opportunity to involve older youth or college students in a complete Christmas Eve worship service for families.
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Worship Aids Series 1 Year 1
$18.95Add to cartPreparing to lead a congregation in worship Sunday after Sunday is a formidable and pressure-filled responsibility. That’s why busy worship planners will love this handy, easy-to-use resource with several prayers and a worship theme for every Sunday throughout the year. Each week’s material includes three scripture texts, with a call to worship, an invocation/collect, a prayer of confession, and suggested hymns relating to each passage. This complete collection offers a wide selection of practical aids for creating sincerely reverent, meaningful worship.
“The creative task of a worship leader requires useful resources, both practical and spiritual, for use in public worship as well as personal devotions. This volume provides a source for meditation, prayer, and fellowship with God and the people of God. The genius of the book is couched in the connection Kirkland makes between his own spirituality, the poetry of the biblical texts, and the spiritual quest of the worshiper and the worship leader.”
Ernest S. Lyght
United Methodist Bishop
New York, New York
“Every busy pastor appreciates well-organized and theologically sound help when planning worship each week. Kirkland’s vast pastoral experience and deep spiritual commitment can greatly enhance worship in our congregations. Worship Aids will prove to be a very useful tool in every pastor’s study.”
F. Herbert Skeete
United Methodist Bishop Emeritus
Riverdale, New York -
Speaking The Word
$12.95Add to cartWhat is the condition of the public reading of scripture in your church? If you are searching for new ways to present meaningful scripture reading in the worship setting, this book will help you.
The creating of a speaking choir is one way to elevate oral reading of scripture. This can be a small or large group, depending on the talents and size of your congregation.
Once a choir is formed, it needs direction and reading material. This book offers both. The author provides 30 choral readings and directions on making the choir an effective ministry in your congregation.
The readings are based on Old and New Testament scripture. Topics range from Christmas and Easter to Mother’s Day, praise, missions, and service.
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Proven Resources For Stewardship Promotion
$16.95Add to cartIt’s no secret that because stewardship is often viewed as little more than a euphemism for discussing money and budget matters, it’s an uncomfortable topic for many in the ministry. But Allan Weenink makes no apology for his zealous approach to stewardship — he believes that the spiritual dimension is just as important as the financial, and that cultivating the grace of generosity is vital for Christian ministry. Drawn from countless workshops and seminars conducted during Weenink’s years as a stewardship consultant, this book provides a wealth of proven “hands-on” material that will help you develop an effective stewardship model. It’s a practical ministry resource that will yield bountiful dividends!
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Graduation Is Not For Angels
$18.95Add to cartMany of today’s growing churches are turning to drama to convey the biblical message. These visual portrayals are used for sermon emphasis, general interest, and greater membership participation — with exciting results. Add life to your congregation with over twenty concise, powerful, and life-changing sketches. Needing only simple staging and props, these sometimes humorous skits depict both modern-day and ancient Bible personalities. Several dramas appropriate for youth are included.
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Wheres Noah
$19.95Add to cartWhere’s Noah? features the classic biblical story of Noah, the flood, and God’s salvation in a worship format that engages all generations. This resource features monologues, brief pithy sermons, the exchange of animal tokens, crossword puzzles, an Easter Sunrise play, and other creative worship/learning experiences.
Worship leaders, clergy, and drama players will find this a refreshing series for congregational unity and growth.
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Lenten Worship For Young Adults
$12.95Add to cartEach of these six worship services includes a meditation of about fifteen minutes, as well as prayers, suggested hymns and responsive readings.
A service based on the Seven Last Words
A call to service
An evening service for Lent
A service based on theological ideas
A service based on Baptism
A service based on Holy Communion
No formal rehearsal is required and each service involves between four and seven participants. -
When Its Twilight Time
$14.95Add to cartThis book offers 30 meditations and complete orders of worship for use by clergy or lay persons at retirement centers. Each service includes and opening prayer, suggested scripture, hymns, easy-to-present meditations and appropriate closings. Along with 26 topically-based services, this volume features worship outlines for Easter, communion, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Worship themes include:
* If We Are Dreamers
* The Best Surprises
* The Larger Design For Living -
18 Special Worship Celebrations
$13.95Add to cartGod is constantly adding ingredients to our life of faith and creating a wonderful mixture of faith, hope and trust in Jesus. (from A Feast Of Worship)
As a quilt wraps us up in the warmth of its cover, we thank God and mothers for the warmth of their love. (from A Special Youth Service For Mother’s Day)
18 Special Worship Celebrations is a collection of worship resources that enhance the life of any congregation. It follows the style of The Weaving Of Hearts, the author’s popular first book of worship resources.
Themes include:
Morning devotional service
Memorial Day observance
Celebration of baptism
Installation of pastor
All Saints’ Day
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This You Can Believe (Revised)
$22.95Add to cartThis newly revised study of the Apostles’ Creed, originally published in 1987, now contains seventeen chapters and study guides, significantly expanding upon the seven chapters of the original work.
When first published, this landmark book went through three printings as churches of many denominations found it to be an excellent guide not only for new members coming into the church, but also for long-time members who wish to have their faith reinforced and renewed.
This study guide is appropriate for youth, young adults, and seniors. It is a helpful resource for catechism classes, Sunday school classes, high school or adult Bible study classes, new member classes, or renewal of faith courses.
Brokhoff writes in contemporary language that will help the average person to come to an understanding of the Christian faith as recorded in the Apostles’ Creed. His work lends itself to personal study or group discussion.
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Lenten Resources For Worship Leaders
$12.95Add to cartThese field-tested materials represent the creative effort of many denominations. Each includes ideas for preparation, items needed, suggestions for use, number of parts, and the time for best use.
This complete Lenten volume for busy ministers includes:
Shadows Around The Cross: A Tenebrae
A Good Friday Vigil
The Service Of Diminishing Lights — for Sundays in Lent
Justified By Greed: Monologue Of A Pharisee — for Lent
The Passover Haggadah: A Traditional Seder Service
Litany For Forgiveness
Litany For Palm Sunday
Litany For Easter
Meditation: Forgiveness Is Peace
Meditation: You Make The Difference
Litany Of Confession
Litany For Peace -
Creating Gods Family In Christmas
$7.95Add to cartThe traditional children’s pageant comes together with Christmas scripture lessons, hymns, and other elements of a worship service. The program culminates with the completion of a “living” creche, gradually built throughout the ceremony. Among the very practical features this resource offers are “Leader’s Helps” and a sample bulletin format. No memorization of lines is required. The only setting required is a simple backdrop and manger.
Here is a family Christmas worship resource that provides opportunities to involve children from pre-kindergarten on up.
Included are:
Call to Worship
Christmas hymns
The Christmas scripture lessons
Age group presentations from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade
A suggested bulletin layout
Leader’s helps -
Raising The Roof
$26.00Add to cartPastoral-to-program size change is frequently described as the most challenging of growth transitions for congregations. Now Alban senior consultant Alice Mann, author of The In-Between Church: Navigating Size Transitions in Congregations, addresses the difficulties of that transition in this resource designed specifically for a congregational learning team.
Conceptualized and developed by Mann for an Alban on-line seminar program test event conducted with 12 congregations in transition, her newest book features a five-step process enabling the learning team to engage a wider circle of congregational leaders and members in study, discernment, and planning. Never-before published resources include discussion of a major new concept-passive barriers to growth-plus Mann’s “System Change Index” tool to help congregations measure their progress from pastoral-size to program-size ways of operating.
From preparing the congregation’s board and members, selecting the person to guide the learning process, and recruiting the learning team, to creating and celebrating a plan for congregational learning and action, Mann provides all the resources a congregation needs to address this significant size transition period.
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Creative Bible Lessons In Galatians And Philippians
$26.99Add to cartGrace, growth, freedom, and faith are the themes of these 12 dynamic lessons based on the letters from Paul to the Christians in Galatia and Philippi. As the next volume in the popular Creative Bible Lessons series, Creative Bible Lessons in Galatians & Philippians comes power-packed with the teachings of Paul. Six lessons from each book will guide you and your students through many of the Gospel’s central truths, including:
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Instant Period Costumes
$19.95Add to cartWhy spend a small fortune to rent costumes when you can create them yourself for less than a day’s rental price? Make them the easy way from cast-offs without sewing! Included in this book are over 100 ingenious costume designs with photos and diagrams for many period characters from Egyptian, Greek and Roman all the way to Punk. These conversion costuming ideas will save you time, money and deadline disasters and give you precisely the costume you want. Barb Rogers is the founder and owner of Broadway Bazaar Costumes, a popular and growing costume shop in Mattoon, Illinois.
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Creative Bible Lessons In Psalms
$24.99Add to cartThe ever-popular Creative Bible Lessons series from Youth Specialties brings you Creative Bible Lessons in Psalms, written for real teenagers who live very real lives. The Psalms, in all their glory – and anguish – are brought to life for your students through 12 spirited and interactive lessons on themes like:
* Struggles and persecution
* Thanksgiving and worship
* Thirsting for God
* Holiness
* Joy bursting through despair
* Forgiveness and renewal
To help you teach each lesson are clips from easy-to-get videos . . . games for mixing and games with a purpose . . . in-depth, ready-to-use questions for small-group discussions . . . original role plays, scripts, and spontaneous melodramas – plus a lot of other activities to choose from that give your students not only an occasional laugh, but also a taste of prayer as an opportunity to be honest, and true, and personal in our communication with God -
Worship Centered Youth Ministry
$14.99Add to cartWorship. What images come to your mind as you see this word? Some envision believers singing praise songs and lifting their hands. Others see people bowed in fervent prayer or sitting quietly meditating on Scripture. While these images may represent expressions of worship, they do not convey a complete picture of the biblical concept of worship. What is authentic worship? As youth ministers in today’s culture, how close to the mark of true worship are we leading our teens? In this book, Jon Middendorf tackles these tough questions and more. Beyond the typical ideas of worship, Middendorf explores the biblical definition and challenges the reader to move to a deeper understanding. Through describing a typical youth ministry program and offering principles for a worship-centered lifestyle, he directs youth workers on a journey toward a worship-centered youth ministry–a journey that will lead both the workers and their teens into a deeper, richer walk with Christ.
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Boundaries In Marriage Workbook (Workbook)
$19.99Add to cart1. What’s A Boundary, Anyway?
2. Applying The Ten Laws Of Boundaries To Marriage
3. Setting Boundaries With Yourself
4. It Takes Two To Make One
5. What You Value Is What You’ll Have
6. Value One
7. Value Two
8. Value Three
9. Value Four
10. Value Five
11. Value Six
12. Three’s A Crowd
13. Six Kinds Of Conflict
14. Resolving Conflict With A Boundary-Loving Spouse
15. Resolving Conflict With A Boundary-Resistant Spouse
16. Avoiding The Misuse Of Boundaries In Marriage
208 PagesAdditional Info
1. What’s A Boundary, Anyway?
2. Applying The Ten Laws Of Boundaries To Marriage
3. Setting Boundaries With Yourself
4. It Takes Two To Make One
5. What You Value Is What You’ll Have
6. Value One
7. Value Two
8. Value Three
9. Value Four
10. Value Five
11. Value Six
12. Three’s A Crowd
13. Six Kinds Of Conflict
14. Resolving Conflict With A Boundary-Loving Spouse
15. Resolving Conflict With A Boundary-Resistant Spouse
16. Avoiding The Misuse Of Boundaries In Marriage
208 Pages -
Small Group Starter Kit (Student/Study Guide)
$12.00Add to cartWant to build significant relationships, grow in your knowledge and understanding of Scripture, and learn how to reach out to others? But you don’t know where to begin? This easy-to-use guide gives you everything you need for the first meetings of a small group. Getting acquainted, setting expectations, studying Scripture — it’s all here in a step-by-step format that’s sure to get you started on the right foot. 6 Studies for new groups.
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Small Groups In The Church
$20.00Add to cartThis planning and leader training handbook offers a distinctive broad-based, small-group approach to building community. From the Jewish havurot to Christian koinonia, you will gain a thorough understanding of community, learn how to plan an effective small-group ministry, how to select and train leaders for all kinds of small groups, and how to start small groups that are a part of and not apart from their congregations. Appendices provide an overview of the sociological, psychological, and biblical theological literature on community and a wealth of presentation and leader training resources.
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Videos That Teach
$22.99Add to cartWith Videos That Teach you can use clips from 75 of the best recent movies on video — already collected and organized by topic and Bible reference, complete with start and stop times — to illustrate your lessons and launch provocative discussions among your students. Discussions that get kids talking about themselves and life, about God and the Bible. Browse the book to find the movie clip you like, or use one of the Quick Clip Locators (by topic of Bible reference) to quickly find the perfect reinforcement for your lesson. Or build an entire lesson from a clip–with each clip are summaries of the movie and the clip, start and stop times, Bible references, and discussion starting questions. And given the breadth of movies in Videos That Teach you’re almost guaranteed to find what you want for a topic to teach of a discussion to lead — Forrest Gump, The Spitfire Grill, Michael, City Slickers, Romeo and Juliet (1996), Grand Canyon, Mrs. Doubtfire, Naked Fun, Fried Green Tomatoes, Mr. Holland’s Opus. And lots more. Whether you’re a youth worker, Bible study or small-group leader, or Sunday school teacher, with Videos That Teach you’ll get your students thinking biblically instead of merely absorbing passively.
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32 Ways To Become A Great Sunday School Teacher
$25.99Add to cartSo you finally volunteered to teach Sunday school. Don’t panic! This resource will teach you how to effectively study a Bible passage, use questions in teaching, create a positive classroom atmosphere, and much more. Whether you’re a first-time teacher or a seasoned veteran, this invaluable guide will help you find your way!
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Confirmation : Engaging Lutheran Foundation And Practices
$20.00Add to cartPart 1: Lutheran Practices
Confirmation Ministry: Models And Stories-Mary E. Hughes
The Changing Face Of Confirmation-Kent L. JohnsonPart 2: Lutheran Foundations
Lutheran Confirmation Ministry In Historical Perspective-Luther E. Lindberg
The Theology Of Confirmation-Margaret A. Krych
The Content Of Confirmation- Margaret A. KrychPart 3: Confirmation Ministry: God’s Work Through Community
The Congregation As Confirming Community-Norma Cook Everist
Living In The Spirit-Robert L. Conrad
Adolescent Development- Diane J. Hymans
Lifelong Education And Pastoral Ministry-Nelson T. Strobert
Educational Approaches And Teaching Methods-Donald R. JustAdditional Info
This book is alive…alive with a vibrancy of excitement about ministry with youth and, above all, confirmation ministry. This is a book that is theoretical and practical, paying attention to the variety of contemporary practices in congregations and yet holding a solid continuity with the past heritage of the church. It answers questions such as, What’s happening in congregational confirmation ministry today? Why do we have confirmation? What is it? How might we think about confirmation ministry in our own congregation? -
Lights Symbols And Angels
$12.95Add to cartLights, Symbols And Angels is a compilation of related worship resources that will enhance the Advent/Christmas worship life of any congregation, large or small.
O Come, Blessed Light Of The World! is ideal for raising awareness of the Advent season for families. Those using the material will learn about the Advent candles, read God’s Word for the day, and have a challenge of action each week. Devotions include a reading, reflection, and prayer.
Celebrating The Advent Wreath is a special Advent service which can be used for mid-week or women’s programs. Reflections on each candle will help participants learn more about the Advent wreath.
Christmas Symbols And Songs is a program which blends sharing the meaning of traditional Christmas symbols with the singing of a variety of carols. It’s excellent for a fellowship potluck, women’s tea or program, mid-week worship service, or an intergenerational event.
Angels Inspire Our Worship is an order of worship with a skit that’s ideal for a youth program. The skit, Hark! It’s Harold And The Angel Band, dramatizes an imaginary encounter between Gabe (the archangel Gabriel disguised as a stock boy), Mr. Grumpy and Mr. Grumpier (old men shopping at Heaven’s Grocery Store), and an angel band led by Harold.
Angels In The Outfield is a resource for a Sunday worship experience, mid-week service, or special Advent program. The worship is designed around the ministry of angels, using a baseball theme with appropriate hymns featuring angels.
A Christmas Celebration is a communion/candlelight service for Christmas Eve with readings, litanies, and carols.
A prolific and enthusiastic writer of worship resources, Cynthia E. Cowen has been an established writer with CSS Publishing Company since 1991. She received a B.A. degree in education from Northern Michigan University and is a graduate of the Northern Great Lakes Synod Lay School for Mission. Cowen has served as a licensed lay minister in the Northern Great Lakes Synod of the ELCA at Calvary Lutheran Church, Quinnesec, Michigan, and is currently a rostered Associate in Ministry in Youth And Family at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Iron Mountain, Michigan. She was elected to the Executive Board of the Church Wide Women’s Organization of the Women of the ELCA in 1996, and served on its Printed Resources committee.
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Creative Bible Lessons From The Old Testament
$22.99Add to cartOkay, so they used mule mail instead of e-mail — but they were still surprisingly modern men and women. With emotions, decisions, and dilemmas as raw and real as the students sitting in front of you every week. David and Rahab, Daniel and Ruth–even with their rough edges, they passionately loved Jehovah in a way today’s adolescents can understand and emulate. Here are 12 Old Testament character studies, including– Believe it or not -Abraham: Living by faith is not for wimps – Faith overcomes a fast past -Rahab: What you live is what you believe. Everything else is just talk. – The waiting game -Joseph: Trials and temptations can make us strong. – Benchwarmer to first string -Moses : Often God uses the least likely person to do great things. – Right woman, right place, right time -Esther : God has created each one of us for a purpose. – Keeping promises -Ruth: Commitment means more than saying the right words. – Bad days for good people -Job: Suffering may be the condition from which humans benefit the most. – The long way home -Jonah: Sometimes we simply say no to God. — And to help you teach the lesson are clips from easy-to-get videos . . . games for mixing and games that teach . . . in-depth, ready-to-use questions guaranteed to spark small-group discussion . . . original role plays, scripts, dilemmas faced by these ancient but very human believers in their Yahweh. For youth workers, Sunday school teachers, and CE directors, Creative Bible Lessons from the Old Testament will help your students understand that the God who offered hope and courage to ancient history-makers still does the same for teenagers today.
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Choir Members Companion
$5.99Add to cartThe Choir Member’sCompanion is designed for use by individual choir members in a local church adult choir. The book is intended for purchase by the choir director to be given to choir members as gifts or as a way for choir members to better understand musical symbols, terminology, and symbols used in choral music. The Choir Member’sCompanion is designed for use by individual choir members in a local church adult choir. The book is intended for purchase by the choir director to be given to choir members as gifts or as a way for choir members to better understand musical symbols, terminology, and symbols used in choral music. CONTENTS: 1. Introduction to Choir Membership 2. Basic Music Reading Skills 3. Musical Road Map 4. Basic Vocal Techniques 5. Sight-reading New Music 6. How to Mark Your Music 7. Preparation for Worship 8. Preparation for Other Performances 9. Glossary of Musical Terms and Symbols
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These Are The Candles
$7.95Add to cartHere is a resource that will dramatize the lighting of the Advent candles during your worship service. The lighting of each candle is proceeded by a statement, which the author suggests may be read from offstage.
The series of statements reveal the significance of the traditional Advent characters: the angel, the shepherds, the wisemen, Mary and the Christ child.
This simple but dramatic resource provides an explanation of the deeper meaning of the events preceding Jesus’ birth, as they spell out the relationship of these individuals to Christ, the Light of the World.
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Its A Matter Of Faith And Life 3
$21.95Add to cartThis book, one of a three-part series, is a narrative reflection on Dr. Martin Luther’s Small Catechism. Its uses are many:
A companion guide for catechism classes.
A manual for new adult member classes.
A preaching resource.
Inspirational reading for those who want to know more about the faith-life of a Christian.The book began as a video series broadcast on the Michigan City, Indiana, cable system. The series was also used in the catechetical instruction of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Michigan City, where Dr. Albertin is pastor.
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Its A Matter Of Faith And Life 2
$29.95Add to cartThis book, one of a three-part series, is a narrative reflection on Dr. Martin Luther’s Small Catechism. Its uses are many:
A companion guide for catechism classes.
A manual for new adult member classes.
A preaching resource.
Inspirational reading for those who want to know more about the faith-life of a Christian.The book began as a video series broadcast on the Michigan City, Indiana, cable system. The series was also used in the catechetical instruction of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Michigan City, where Dr. Albertin is pastor.
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Its A Matter Of Faith And Life 1
$23.95Add to cartThis book, one of a three-part series, is a narrative reflection on Dr. Martin Luther’s Small Catechism. Its uses are many:
A companion guide for catechism classes.
A manual for new adult member classes.
A preaching resource.
Inspirational reading for those who want to know more about the faith-life of a Christian.The book began as a video series broadcast on the Michigan City, Indiana, cable system. The series was also used in the catechetical instruction of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Michigan City, where Dr. Albertin is a pastor.
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Creative Bible Lessons In Romans
$16.99Add to cartThink of it as a lean, mean Bible doctrine course–without the lecture. But with lots of options, videos, music, and drama. And small group work. And reproducible, interactive worksheets with eye-catching designs and soul-searching content. (Like, what else do you expect from St. Paul when he sits down to write the meatiest book of doctrine in the Bible?) in the 12 clear, complete sessions of Creative Bible Lessons in Romans. Author Chap Clark guides kids (and you) through the Big Ideas in this first-century letter to Christians trying their darndest to live godly lives in an ungodly culture. (Sound familiar?) From the not-so-savory picture the apostle paints of humankind in the opening chapters. . .through his celebration of grace and acceptance in midbook. . .to his tightly reasoned argument that love should fuel a Christian’s decisions and relationships–here are topics made to order for teenagers living at the turn of the 21st century. Teach your way through Romans with these read-to-go sessions. Or scavenge whatever you want of the creative scripts, handouts, and other options to customize lessons of your own. Any way you use it, Creative Bible Lessons in Romans is your no-doze ticket to solid Bible doctrine.
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Visions Of Lent Year 3
$12.95Add to cartA new and unusual service for Lent…!
At the beginning of Lent each family in the congregation is invited to lend a plant from home (silk or live), following a Jewish Shavuot custom. The following Sundays in Lent build on this focal point as an object is added each week. Two readers participate in a dialogue explaining the symbol for that day. A child brings the symbol forward and holds it during the dialogue. In this way several families are able to participate.
Visions of Lent Year 3 also includes:
* Sample bulletin insert prior to Lent
* Example of plant reminder that can be used in bulletin
* Sample Torah for bulletin inserts
* A suggested worship service for Palm/Passion Sunday -
Last Covenant
$7.95Add to cartThese two dramatic choral readings will place a permanent imprint on the conscience of all who speak and hear them. They won’t be heard as much as they will be felt. The pain and the anguish, the emptiness and hatred of that Friday long ago will fill the senses with such powerful rage that anyone in attendance will be transformed from passive bystanders to active participants in the quest for life as the glorious news of the risen Christ is known on Sunday.
Both choral readings involve five voices, which may be chosen from the congregation or can be performed as a choir litany. The combination of these voices will convey the strong emotions and images of the drama of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Both can be substituted for the sermon. No costumes or props are required.
With an order of worship, Easter Day’s reading includes congregational singing of nine hymns with the choral reading. The Last Covenant is a wonderfully effective way to involve the entire congregation in “”The Greatest Story Ever Told.””
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Visions Of Lent Year 2
$7.95Add to cartVisions of Lent Year 2 — Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) offers congregations a weekly presentation to be included in the regular Lenten worship service. This follow-up to Volume 1 (which concentrated on the Feast of Passover) focuses on the Palm Sunday story and six elements within that story that were significant parts of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. The festival is rooted in Leviticus 23:33f, where God commanded Moses to declare the festival to the people of Israel as a reminder of the temporary shelters they lived in when He delivered them out of Egypt.
Preparation for this worship series is very simple. Lent I begins with a plain, “symbolic” booth which is placed somewhere within the sanctuary. For the next five weeks objects are gradually added inside the booth.
Objects include:
Lent 2 — citron (or other citrus fruit) in an attractive yet simple container
Lent 3 — musical instruments (flute, cymbal, lyre, harps, trumpets, etc.)
Lent 4 — donkey figure or picture
Lent 5 — a large crown
Lent 6 (Palm Sunday) — palm branchesEach presentation involves four participants including: minister, a youth and two other readers. Parts are brief and need not be memorized.
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Who Me Do A Program 1
$17.95Add to cartThe title of this book is a cry often heard by leaders of organizations. This resource is a response to that cry. Designed to be a 12-month guide, there are programs for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, the Christmas season, Lent and more.
The programs are designed for easy implementation at women’s meetings, youth gatherings and congregational events. Leader’s helps are provided to indicate what props, songs and readers are needed. This collection of 15 programs is reflective, at times humorous, and includes skits, meditations and other suggestions to fit particular seasons.Programs for various months include:
* February — A Heart Filled With Love
* March — From Slavery To Sainthood
* May — A Humorous Look At Some Hopeful Women
* July — God’s Picnic Basket
* August — The Armor Of God
* October — In Pursuit Of The Right Spirit
* November — The Exodus Murmurs
* … and eight more -
I Come Away Stronger A Print On Demand Title
$39.99Add to cartMillions of Americans are joining small groups. Among the religious, prayer fellowships, accountability groups, house churches, Bible-study groups, and covenant groups are being touted as the wave of the future. But are small groups delivering what they promise? Are members really finding the support, encouragement, and deepening spirituality they seek? Or are the answers ambiguous?
I Come Away Stronger, the complement to Robert Wuthnow’s Sharing the Journey, presents fourteen case studies of small groups – from a women’s Bible study, to a peace fellowship, to a group for senior citizens. What small groups are like nationally and how their members understand spirituality can be gauged from the results of a national survey presented in the appendix.
This survey is given life and flesh in the extended portraits of each of the groups. These portraits are powerful and highly personal because they tell the stories, both collective and personal, of each group, revealing agreement and dissension, closeness and alienation, growth and stagnation. The result is an intimate inside look at the dynamics of small groups.
In a concluding chapter, Wuthnow places the small group movement in the changing context of American religion and society, showing why is has emerged and where it is headed, raising crucial questions that religious leaders and group members need to ponder as the movement continues to grow.
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Visions Of Lent Year 1
$7.95Add to cart“Worship in Lent provides an opportunity for a congregation to reflect significantly on our faith. Unlike Advent and Christmas, Lent is free from the excitement busyness and commercialism that distract us as worshipers. We need to hear Gods voice afresh. The Passover tradition is a wonderful vehicle for that kind of listening,” writes Betty Lynn Schwab.
Visions Of Lent, Year 1 (three-book series) is a resource for congregational worship on each of the six Sundays in Lent. Special to Year 1 is a Maundy Thursday communion service.
The series provides congregations with a weekly presentation, which may be placed in the worship service. Each presentation offers a symbol. Symbols for Year 1 are Passover-related.
Symbols are:
The bitter herbs
The scorched shank bone
The green herbs
The fruits and nuts
The unleavened bread
The roasted egg -
Teaching The Bible To Adults And Youth (Revised)
$20.99Add to cartTeaching the Bible to Adults and Youth shows how to make the “transparent” – with God evident throughout. Dick Murray offers suggestions for teaching, provides different approaches and perspectives from which to teach and conduct activities for learning, and examines such Bible study series as Kerygma, Trinity, Bethel, and Disciple.
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What Shall We Do With This Baby
$7.95Add to cartJan Spence created this short Christmas Eve children’s program for her small, rural church. It includes five brief scenes built around a suggested order of worship. Clergy can easily write a meditation to complete the service.
Speaking parts are available for a narrator and two readers. These roles are appropriate for junior or senior high students.
Any number of younger children can easily be added in non-speaking roles as shepherds, angels, and wise men. The program also included speaking roles for Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus.
The service has appropriate breaks for carols or songs by children’s choirs.
Narrator: What shall we do with this baby? Yes this is the question that has echoed through time. Nothing is more helpless and needy than an infant alone. Without human help, a baby alone cannot thrive or survive. What shall we do with this baby indeed!
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What Grace They Received
$12.95Add to cartHere are 12 worship resources about modern-day saints. Eleven are designed for “the sermon slot.” Dag Hammarskjold’s chapter is an entire liturgy. Each resource has parts for two or more readers. One is the narrator while another shares excerpts from the writings of the saint. Additional readers may make connections to our lives today.
The 12 saints are:
* Wilhelm Loehe
* St. Benedict
* Cyril and Methodius
* Bartolome de Las Casas
* Thomas Aquinas
* Albert Schweitzer
* Perpetua and Felicity
* Dag Hammarskjold
* Athanasius
* St. Ignatius
* Ludwig Nommensen
* John Christian Frederick HeyerLutherans will find these 12 commemorated in the Lutheran Book of Worship during 1993 and 1994.
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Symbols Of Sacrifice Year 3
$7.95Add to cartThe sacrificial life of Christ is a major focus of Lent. Symbols Of Sacrifice provides the congregations with opportunities to create visual worship aids representing Christ’s life during worship.
Each weekly presentation builds a growing reminder of Christ’s sacrifice for the congregation.
This series offers a list of symbols and explanation of the symbols. These are provided for the Sundays of Lent and Easter Sunday.
Symbols are:
Sandals
A globe of the world
Money
A lantern
A grain of wheat
A cloak
A white robeThis is one book in a three-part series of Symbols Of Sacrifices. Other books in this series are Year 1 and Year 2.
