Six New Things: Week of September 28

One

What hopes do you have for the future? Dreams for Our Daughters (Eerdmans) “encourages young girls to become leaders [who] stand up for themselves and others”; Awesomely Emma (Beaming) makes kids cheer at the inner awesome in themselves and others; and The Powerful Purpose of Introverts: Why the World Needs You to Be You (Baker) helps introverts embrace who God created them to be – both for their own benefit and that of a noisy world in need of their quiet strengths.

Two

While we’re discussing future leaders: check out Connection, Care, and Conscience: A Multifaith Reflection Guide for the 2020 Election Debates and/or create a viewing party and join United Theological Seminary and partners for a non-partisan, multifaith conversation on Zoom from 7:00-8:30 pm on Monday, October 5, 2020. Register here and follow the event page on Facebook.

And PLEASE READ Brian McLaren‘s two (+) excellent resources: The Five Electorates in 2020 and Clergy – Please Don’t Be Silent! (but be non-silent wisely and legally!). The former offers insight to the minds of voters; the latter offers legal and social wisdom for preaching in this election season.

Also, check The Ministry Lab’s Census & Voting lib guide for up-to-date resources through the election season.

Three

Become the leader you’re meant to be by discovering Sacred Balance: Aligning Body and Spirit through Yoga and the Benedictine Way (Broadleaf). Other tools for balance and healthy leadership: The Upper Room Academy’s Online Day Apart Academy; Minnesota Coalition for Death Education & Support’s Untangling Intangible Loss in the Treatment of Traumatic Grief; and United Theological Seminary’s Karen Hutt’s Innovation Workshops.

Four

Joe Davis invites you to Deepen Humility and Compassion with the IDI and/or join Round 2 of Davis’ and Dave Scherer’s Next Faithful Move.

Lead your people to “follow Jesus…”: “into overturning false power systems” with the help of White Lies: Nine Ways to Expose and Resist the Racial Systems That Divide Us (Zondervan) and toward creating A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community (PC(USA) Store).

Five

DO NOT MISS the MN Conf. UCC’s  Fall Iteration of their interactive at-home family faith formation toolkits, which will be available electronically in weekly installments (released on Wednesdays), Oct 7–Nov 18 (fall) and Nov 25–Dec 23 (Advent).

Six

Which brings us to what you’ve all been waiting for: Advent & Christmas Resources! Let Adam Hamilton and a panel of pastors or Clergy Education’s Anne Borsage guide you toward hopeful ideas for preaching Advent’s message after a year of loss and stress and helping children and families celebrate Christmas in a meaningful way.

Lead your people into a Season of Renewed Hope (or let the Season lead you into Renewed Hope!) by Creating Advent & Christmas Faith Practices in a Box for Your Congregation, based on Traci Smith‘s Faithful Families for Advent & Christmas; Families Celebrate Advent & Christmas 2020-21 Cards (Augsburg Fortress); PC(USA) Store’s 2020 ADVENT RESOURCE GUIDE: preaching * devotion * education; and be sure to check The Ministry Lab’s Advent & Christmas Faith Formation and Worship lib guides for frequent updates!