Global Ministries announces Advent curriculum for children
by Tom Morse, executive of mission educationAhlan wa Sahlan: Welcome! Advent Stories for Children is a new curriculum designed to help children connect the Christmas stories in the Bible to real children who live in those places today. In this material you will visit Nazareth, Ein Karem, Bethlehem, and Beit Sahour and meet Nagham, John, Ronza, and Marianne-- four children who live in the cities where the Nativity story takes place. See how they find meaning in the stories from the Bible that happened in their hometowns!
Each city features a lesson containing a letter from a child in that city as well as a craft and activity, and can be implemented in a variety of ways such as in Sunday school, children's church programs, or a special Advent children's event. Connect your children to Global Ministries' Middle East Initiative and help them understand how their faith is connected to real people and real places in the world today. The Bible stories are explained in their historical context and encourage children to consider what those stories mean for them.
Through personal stories, the message of Advent and the promise of hope, peace, joy and love found in Jesus' birth is conveyed in new and meaningful ways. Get free curriculum
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Advent resources from NBA
As we celebrate the advent season this year, various NBA leaders are sharing advent worship resources. Rev. Dr. Ben Bohren, mission specialist for NBA XPLOR, has written a call to worship litany, affirmation of faith, and communion meditation (featured below). Find these and other materials throughout the advent season at:
Advent Communion Meditation
by Rev. Dr. Ben Bohren
I had not seen Janet in about two years. She was one of those dynamic youth in my church and stayed very active during her college years as well. We had shared deeply of faith and life, but now, we had just 45 minutes while I was on a flight layover in her town. We had just 45 minutes; what would that time be like?
In two minutes, we were off to the "real stuff of life." There was deep sharing, and we quickly looked at each other and knew we were not at a surface level. Suddenly tears came for both of us: tears of love and joy that our connection was still at that level of pure grace.
It was an intimate time; two persons reaching out and connecting in love.
How long since you've had an intimate conversation with God? You know, honest talk; not surface stuff.
This communion table is certainly one of those places to have that kind of talk. God has already reached out in love; in Bread and Cup...in Grace and Peace. And in this Advent time, we are reminded that God truly reaches out in the Child of Bethlehem...Emmanuel: God is with us.
God's part has been done...now it's our turn to do ours. God's heart is listening to our heart.
Remind & Renew event examines race
by Kurt Gwartney, senior director of seminary relations The January 2016 Remind & Renew conference at Phillips Seminary is intended to be a contribution to the conversation and argument about race that pockets of the nation and some religious communities are having.
Presenters invited to the conference Jan. 13-14 in Tulsa, Okla. will be addressing the question, "What is the conversation about race Christians in the U.S. should be having, and how might that conversation contribute to liberty and justice for all?"
Featured speakers include The Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, and The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, pastor at Greenleaf Christian Church, Goldsboro, NC and president of the North Carolina NAACP, and founder of the Moral Monday-Forward Together Movement. Within U.S. history, aspirational documents regarding basic human rights should lead us to believe the U.S. recognizes and protects the rights of all persons, regardless of race. But the history of doing violence to racialized and dehumanized others is at least as much a part of Christian and U.S. history as are movements for reconciliation, defense of human dignity, equality of opportunity, and equal protection under the law. Registration is now open for the 2016 Remind & Renew conference, with early sign up discounts through Dec. 18. Plan now to attend to be inspired and encouraged in the important work that is yours to do in the place you serve.
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Resources and continuing ed
- Pacific School of Religion online doctorate info session, Nov. 17
- Remind & Renew: Liberty & Justice for All, Jan. 13-14, Tulsa, OK
- 2016 Disciples Development Conference, Jan. 20-22, Jacksonville, FL
- Winter Talk, Jan. 25-27, Tulsa, OK
- Black Ministers Retreat, March 8-10, Jackson, MS
- Center for Faith and Giving's Stepping into Stewardship conference in partnership with the United Church of Christ, March 30-April 1, 2016
- Disciples Men Sessions, July 8-10, Ft. Worth
- Hispanic Assembly, July14-16, 2016, Coral Gables, FL
- Association of Disciple Musicians 55th Anniversary Conference, July 17-22, 2016, Evansville, IN
- National Convocation Biennial Session, July 21-24, Overland Park, KS (Kansas City area)
- National Youth Event with United Church of Christ, July 26-30, Buena Vista, FL
- NAPAD Convocation, Aug. 3-6, Oakland, CA
For more events, see the calendar hosted by Chalice Press.
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