Six New Things: Week of October 19
One
Cultivate community connection and creativity – and empower your leaders – by Embracing the Gifts of Conflict for Social Change: Turning Toward Each Other: A Conflict Workbook (and attend their workshops: Part 1: Understanding Our Conflict Habits and Archetypes is Oct. 30); IRL: Finding Realness, Meaning and Belonging in Our Digital Lives (Broadleaf); Drew G.I. Hart’s Who Will Be a Witness (now an audiobook; MennoMedia); and/or Discipleship Ministries (UMC) & Path 1’s Blessed Are the Poor: Engaging the Community toward Social Transformation.
Two
Cultivate Divine connection with Contemplative Prayer. Discover one form through Minnesota Contemplative Outreach’s Introduction to Centering Prayer; or, if you’re tired of zooming to pray, try River Jordan‘s “quirky guide”, The Ancient Way: Discoveries on the Path of Celtic Christianity (Broadleaf). Deepen your practice during Shalem Institute’s one-day retreat, A Drink of Love or When Everything Is Adrift, join Richard Rohr in “rebuilding the Foundation”.
And join The Ministry Lab’s Midweek Retreat: create a personal rhythm, learn new forms, and find support and accountability!
Three
Cultivate racial equity and healing with Overcoming Racism’s 2020 Virtual Conference: Taking Back “We The People” (Nov. 13 & 14) and with The Work of the People’s powerful film series, America’s Unholy Ghosts.
Four
Cultivate the joy of singing with the National Lutheran Choir‘s In Memoriam, (Sunday, Nov. 1); learn How to Create a Virtual Anthem with Lauren Grangaard (check out some of her samples) of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians; and/or accept ALCM’s Virtual Christmas Carol Invitation. (Shout out to my fellow Lutheran musicians!!)
Five
Cultivate a hopeful Advent with Todd Outcalt’s Let Us Go Now to Bethlehem (Upper Room), with daily devotions for Advent through Epiphany, weekly small group reflection guides, scriptural suggestions, and prompts for processing weekly events; make Advent beautiful with resources from A Sanctified Art.
Embrace the challenges of this particular Season with Church Anew’s, Christ / Christmas / Covid, which promises “space to grieve and lament while reclaiming the prophetic hope of this season”; and prepare for a joyful Christmas with Illustrated Ministry’s long-awaited Do Not Be Afraid: A Virtual Christmas Pageant.
(See also our Advent & Christmas lib guides for Faith Formation and Worship – with new pageants and Great Ideas appearing regularly!)
Six
Cultivate a more promising future with The Ministry Lab regularly updated resources on voting and election protection, Great Ideas for everything from Cultivating Hope to Clergy Appreciation Month; from Engaging Children Online to generating Spirit Stories; and check out the Fall Family Connections Toolkits we’re creating in delightful collaboration with musician Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, Danger Boat Productions, Doing Good Together, and the MN Conference UCC – and watch for the Advent iterations!
