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Prepare! 2023-2024 CEB Edition: An Ecumenical Music & Worship Planner
by David L. Bone Mary ScifresA weekly worship planning book for pastors and musicians.An all-in-one resource that helps both the music director and pastor plan the worship services for each Sunday and holy day of the church year, the 2023-2024 edition Prepare! is lectionary based and placeseverything at your fingertips:- New theme index! Includes themes like: assurance, doubt, family, justice, prayer, temptation, and many more.- Scripture Index.- Calendar format that helps you plan the entire choir year, from September through August.- Eight or more suggested hymns for each service keyed to 16 hymnals from at least 7 different denominations, including: Africana Hymnal, The Baptist Hymnal, Chalice Hymnal (Disciples of Christ), The Faith We Sing, Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal, The Hymnal 1982 (Episcopal), Hymns for the Family of God, Lutheran Book of Worship, The Presbyterian Hymnal, The New Century Hymnal (United Church of Christ), Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship, Songs for Praise and Worship Singalong Edition, The United Methodist Hymnal, Voices United, Worship & Song, and Worship III (Roman Catholic).- Complete lectionary text of the Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel readings, using the Common English Bible translation.- Reproducible worship planning forms.- Resources for holidays and special days.- Suggestions for prayers, solos, anthems, visuals, and much more.Also available with New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) texts
Remember Leader Guide: God's Covenants and the Cross
by Susan RobbRemember the God who remembers us.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options.God’s covenants throughout the Old Testament show the character of God’s promises to the people of Israel. In this book, Susan Robb leads readers through the covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, followed by the new covenant established on Maundy Thursday. The Lenten story culminates with an examination of the cross as another example of God’s promise for a new world.Susan Robb teaches readers the basic lessons of the covenants through a mixture of biblical history and personal stories. Her pastoral character and warm tone provide a basis for understanding God’s promises through history and the role of Jesus’s passion and crucifixion in the history of the covenants.Remember can be read alone or used for a six-week group study and church wide Lenten program. Components include a comprehensive Leader Guide and video teaching sessions featuring Susan (with closed captioning).
Thrive Women's Bible Study Leader Guide: Living Faithfully in Difficult Times
by Jennifer CowartWalking in Faith…even when times are tough.In Thrive, author and teacher Jen Cowart helps women develop the habits and attitudes necessary to thrive, whatever their circumstances. Leading readers through the Book of James, a letter written about enduring hardships, she lifts up six characteristics of mature Christians. From endurance and humility to controlling our words, Jen helps participants find the divine and the practical in living faithfully.Jen’s teaching has inspired thousands of women across the country. Her authenticity inspires others to open their hearts and minds. One reviewer wrote, “Her ‘realness’ and her vulnerability just work together to open your heart to dig deeper and deeper.”Through this study, women will find inspiration and tools around six traits:Endurance – Embracing obstacles as a means to maturity.Wisdom – Using a heavenly perspective on earthly issues.Action – Living a life where actions match faith.Control – Taming the tongue.Humility – Developing the attitude of Christ.Prayer – Exercising the power tool of the faith.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options.Additional components for this six-week Bible study, each available separately, are a Leader Guide and six video sessions, 8 to 13 minutes long (with closed captioning).
Being United Methodist Christians: Living a Life of Grace and Hope
by Andy Langford Sally Langford Ann Langford DuncanLearn what it means to be a United Methodist Christian.How may we describe United Methodists? Where do we come from? What do we believe? How do United Methodists act? What are our distinctive characteristics? What is required to be a member of our denomination? How do we grow as disciples of Jesus Christ within this great communion?In this resource, we offer answers to these questions and others in broad strokes as we describe our United Methodist Church. We will introduce you to how United Methodists live and think as followers of Jesus Christ.The United Methodist Church possesses the characteristics of many other Christian traditions but has its own distinctive profile. Our denomination combines knowledge and vital piety, believing that serious theological reflection and spiritual practices are both part of the Christian life. United Methodists link personal and social holiness, expecting high personal integrity and deep concern for social justice. We are both evangelical and sacramental, showing concern for people who have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and honoring the transforming power of Baptism and Holy Communion. We welcome people with many different theological perspectives. Finally, United Methodists are both local and connectional, expressing our faith in local congregations, regional associations, and global missions, so that we might do more together than any of us could do separately.This book will help readers:· hear and claim for themselves the story of God’s love, God’s redemption, and God’s ongoing presence and power through Jesus Christ.· explore and claim for themselves the unique beliefs and emphases of United Methodist Christians.· identify ways to live day by day as United Methodist Christians as individuals and in community with other Christians.We invite you to claim for yourself the continuing story of God’s mighty acts of creation, redemption, and power through Jesus Christ within our great denomination. As you begin or continue to see yourself within this living, dynamic part of the universal body of Jesus Christ, we invite you to live, be, and grow as a United Methodist Christian.The book includes reflection questions. Supplementary resources include a downloadable Sermon, Worship, and Study Series outline.
The United Methodist Music & Worship Planner 2023-2024 CEB Edition
by Mary Scifres David L. BoneA weekly worship planning book for United Methodist pastors and musicians.An all-in-one resource that helps both the music director and pastor plan the worship services for each Sunday and holy day of the year, The United Methodist Music and Worship Planner 2023-2024 is lectionary-based and places at your fingertips: Weekly pages in spiral-bound format that help you plan the entire worship year, from September through August. Eight or more suggested hymns for each service keyed to United Methodist worship resources: The United Methodist Hymnal, The Faith We Sing, Worship & Song, The United Methodist Book of Worship, and The Africana Hymnal. Complete lectionary text of the Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel readings using the Common English Bible translation. Reproducible worship planning forms. Resources for holidays and special days. Suggestions for prayers, solos, anthems, visuals, and much more.Also available with NRSV texts
For Justice and Enduring Peace: One Hundred Years of Social Witness
by Jessica Mitchell SmithA look at the Methodist tradition of social witness.Since the beginning of the Methodist movement, “Methodists” have spoken to the issues of the day as an expression of the Wesleyan commitment to social holiness. The General Board of Church and Society upholds the Wesleyan commitment to social holiness through witnessing to just social policies and practices. This 100-year commemorative book will utilize archival materials from the agency’s historic publications to tell the story.
The Cats of Silver Crescent
by Kaela NoelIn this stand-alone novel with themes of friendship and family, twelve-year-old Elsby discovers a family of talking cats living in the house next door and must help them harness the magic that made them that way. From the author of the acclaimed Coo, The Cats of Silver Crescent is for fans of Kathi Appelt and Katherine Applegate.With her mother busy traveling for work, Elsby isn’t thrilled to be spending a few weeks with her great-aunt Verity. Luckily, she has her notebook and a lush garden to sketch to help pass the time. But a visitor takes Elsby by surprise: a cat standing on its two hind legs and dressed like a sailor dashes across the garden and into the neighboring woods!Elsby can’t believe her eyes, and she can't imagine that Aunt Verity would believe her, either. But that night, the cat and three of his cat companions approach Elsby. They need Elsby’s help. While the cats can talk, think, and behave like humans, the magical spell that made them that way will revert if it’s not renewed soon. Elsby might be the only one who can save them—but every enchantment comes at a price.A contemporary fantasy about family, friends, trust, and the magic that’s inside everyone, The Cats of Silver Crescent will captivate animal lovers and fans of Jenn Reese’s A Game of Fox & Squirrels.
A Magical Girl Retires: A Novel
by Park SeolyeonA millennial turned magical girl must combat climate change and credit card debt in this delightful, witty, and wildly imaginative ode to magical girl manga.Twenty-nine, depressed, and drowning in credit card debt after losing her job during the pandemic, a millennial woman decides to end her troubles by jumping off Seoul’s Mapo Bridge.But her suicide attempt is interrupted by a girl dressed all in white—her guardian angel. Ah Roa is a clairvoyant magical girl on a mission to find the greatest magical girl of all time. And our protagonist just may be that special someone.But the young woman’s initial excitement turns to frustration when she learns being a magical girl in real life is much different than how it’s portrayed in stories. It isn’t just destiny—it’s work. Magical girls go to job fairs, join trade unions, attend classes. And for this magical girl there are no special powers and no great perks, and despite being magical, she still battles with low self-esteem. Her magic wand . . . is a credit card—which she must use to defeat a terrifying threat that isn’t a monster or an intergalactic war. It’s global climate change. Because magical girls need to think about sustainability, too.Park Seolyeon reimagines classic fantasy tropes in a novel that explores real-world challenges that are both deeply personal and universal: the search for meaning and the desire to do good in a world that feels like it’s ending. A fun, fast-paced, and enchanting narrative that sparkles thanks to award-nominated translator Anton Hur, A Magical Girl Retires reminds us that we are all magical girls—that fighting evil by moonlight and winning love by daylight can be anyone's game.Translated from the Korean by Anton Hur
Life \ Vida (Spanish edition): Mi historia a través de la historia
by Pope FrancisPor primera vez, el papa Francisco cuenta la historia de su vida, revisitada a través de los acontecimientos que han marcado a la humanidad en los últimos ochenta años, desde el estallido de la Segunda Guerra Mundial en 1939, cuando el futuro era un niño, hasta nuestros días. Vida es un viaje extraordinario por la historia del mundo a través de la mirada de un hombre excepcional. Con observaciones agudas y reflexiones profundas, el papa Francisco nos transporta a los sucesos más significativos de los últimos tiempos, desde el Holocausto hasta la caída del Muro de Berlín, pasando por el golpe de Videla en la Argentina y el Mundial de 1968, cuando Maradona marcó el famoso gol de la «mano de Dios». Desde su mirada única, el pontífice comparte en estas páginas sus recuerdos y reflexiones del Holocausto, las bombas atómicas de Hiroshima y Nagasaki, el ataque a las Torres Gemelas en 2001, la recesión económica de 2008, la pandemia, la renuncia de Benedicto XVI y el cónclave que lo eligió. El «papa callejero» abre su baúl de los recuerdos y, con la franqueza que lo caracteriza, nos transmite mensajes importantes sobre las principales crisis que nos confrontan hoy en día, entre otras, la desigualdad social, la crisis climática, la guerra, la carrera armamentística, la discriminación y las luchas en favor de la vida. «No hay que olvidar la lección más importante: podemos releer la historia de nuestra vida para hacer memoria y poder transmitir algo a quien nos escucha. Pero, para aprender a vivir, todos tenemos que aprender a amar». —Papa Francisco----For the first time, Pope Francis tells the story of his life as he looks back on the momentous world events that have changed history—from his earliest years during the outbreak of World War II in 1939 to the turmoil of today. An extraordinary personal and historical journey, Life is the story of a man and a world in dramatic change. Pope Francis recalls his life through memories and observations of the most significant occurrences of the past eight decades, from the Holocaust to the fall of the Berlin Wall, Videla’s coup in Argentina to the moon landing in 1969, and even the 1986 World Cup in which Maradona scored the unforgettable “hand of God” goal.Here are the frank assessments and intimate insights of a pastor reflecting on the Nazi extermination of the Jews, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the 2001 terrorist attack on America and the collapse of the Twin Towers, the great economic recession of 2008, the Covid-19 pandemic, the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI, and the subsequent conclave that elected him Pontiff. The “pope callejero” recounts these world-changing moments with the candor and compassion that distinguishes him, and offers important messages on major crises confronting us now, including social inequalities, climate change, international war, atomic weapons, racial discrimination, and the battles over social and cultural issues.
Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees
by Aimee NezhukumatathilFrom the New York Times bestselling author of World of Wonders, a lyrical book of short essays about food, offering a banquet of tastes, smells, memories, associations, and marvelous curiosities from natureIn Bite by Bite, poet and essayist Aimee Nezhukumatathil explores the way food and drink evoke our associations and remembrances—a subtext or layering, a flavor tinged with joy, shame, exuberance, grief, desire, or nostalgia.Nezhukmatathil restores our astonishment and wonder about food through her encounters with a range of foods and food traditions. From shave ice to lumpia, mangoes to pecans, rambutan to vanilla, she investigates how food marks our experiences and identities and explores the boundaries between heritage and memory.Bite by Bite offers a rich and textured kaleidoscope of vignettes and visions into the world of food and nature, drawn together by intimate and humorous personal reflections, with Fumi Nakamura’s gorgeous imagery and illustration.
Secure Relating: Holding Your Own in an Insecure World
by Sue Marriott Ann KelleyExperienced mental health professionals and hosts of the Therapist Uncensored podcast offer a groundbreaking new clinical perspective that integrates modern attachment theory, relational neuroscience, and current cultural context to create a hopeful framework for deeper and more permanent change, growth and connection in all types of relationships.Secure Relating offers a refreshing and innovative approach to understanding and improving relationships in today's increasingly polarized world. Drawing on over thirty years of professional clinical experience, authors Ann Kelley, PhD and Sue Marriott, LCSW, CGP integrate modern attachment theory, relational neuroscience, and depth psychology into practical tools for deepening self-awareness and navigating closeness with strength in even the most challenging relationships.Instead of the popular broad attachment categorizations, Secure Relating presents a nuanced understanding of attachment and interpersonal defensive patterns, allowing readers to delve into the complexities of their own experience and apply the specific skills they need.Refreshingly, Kelley and Marriott make complex concepts accessible and relatable, emphasizing the realistic capacity for neural change and psychological growth. They provide contemporary concepts and interactive tools such as the Modern Attachment Regulation Spectrum, a new framework that helps readers identify their unconscious defensive patterns, update and revise their personal narratives, and cultivate a secure state of mind amid chaos and adversity. Secure Relating delivers hope, connection, and empowerment amidst the many barriers to emotional closeness and provocations towards self-protection by offering a comprehensive approach to understanding and transforming all kinds of relationships into more secure and satisfying bonds.
Priya's Kitchen Adventures: A Cookbook for Kids
by Priya KrishnaFrom the beloved New York Times bestselling author of Indian-ish and Cooking at Home, an illustrated cookbook for kids and their parents that draws on Priya’s childhood experiences traveling the globe with her family. With delicious recipes and laugh-out-loud stories, Priya’s Kitchen Adventures will get kids cooking and expand their curiosity about the world.Climbing the Great Wall of China, camping in the Amazon jungle, sliding down the dunes of the Sahara Desert—oh, and did she mention slurping ramen in Japan, sipping aguas frescas in Mexico, and enjoying British high tea? Before Priya Krishna was a celebrated food writer, she was a kid traveler. Thanks to her appetite for exploration (and a mom who worked in air travel), by the time she was a teenager she had done all this and more. Traveling unlocked Priya’s sense of discovery and inspired her to get cooking.In this bright and kid-friendly cookbook, kids can travel the world with Priya—no passport required, just an open mind and a kitchen. Through her eyes, kids and their parents can see—and taste!—China, Greece, Peru, Mexico, Morocco, England, Italy, Japan, France, Egypt, Trinidad and Tobago, and India. The whole family will love making and tasting each kid-tested recipe—brought to life with vivid photos and colorful illustrations plus step-by-step how-to photos—and sharing Priya’s dynamic and often hilarious tales of adventure. They’ll come to discover what Priya was lucky to learn as a kid: that cooking is one of our greatest superpowers, allowing us to travel in our own kitchens and learn about incredible places and cultures—without the jet lag.Recipes include:Pork and Chive DumplingsSpanakopitaTostadas with Refried Beans and SquashMiso RamenPesto PastaChocolate MousseArtichokes with ButterHummus Bi TehinaVegetable TagineCrepesWith Priya’s Kitchen Adventures, the whole world is open for discovery—right from your very own kitchen!
The Chain: Love, Betrayal, and the Sisterhood That Heals Us
by Chimene SuleymanA devastating personal testimony and a searing indictment of persistent misogyny.In January 2017, Chimene Suleyman was on her way to an abortion clinic in Queens, New York with her boyfriend, the father of her nascent child. It was the last day they would spend together. In an extraordinary sequence of events, Chimene was to discover the truth of her boyfriend's life: that the man she’d loved had gaslit, lied to, stolen from, and painfully betrayed her and many others.In this spellbinding memoir, Suleyman exposes one man's control over many women and the trauma he left behind and celebrates the sisterhood that formed in his wake despite—and in spite of—him. With radiant prose and incisive observation, Suleyman questions society’s complicity in allowing those who would do women harm to flourish and contemplates why others remain silent witnesses by accepting and normalizing shameless behavior towards women. She demonstrates how women themselves are acculturated to perform prescribed roles of giver and nurturer, to be self-sacrificing and subordinate, and to bolster the egos of others by remaining silent and ignoring their own protective instincts.A soul-baring story, brilliant cultural critique, and celebration of the healing power of sisterhood, The Chain is a book for any woman who has questioned her relationship and buried her doubts, for any woman who can't quite identify the source of her unease and for any woman who has been sheltered by the fierce protection of her female friends.
Reina Ramos: Reina Ramos: Tour Guide (Spanish Edition) (I Can Read Level 2)
by Emma OtheguyThis popular Level Two beginning reader title about Reina Ramos showing her cousin around her beloved city is now available in Spanish translation. This Spanish-language book can be enjoyed by fluent Spanish speakers as well as those learning the language, whether at home or in a classroom.Reina tiene muchas ganas de que su primo llegue de visita. Pero al comienzo, no es tan divertido como ella había imaginado. Andrés siempre está conversando con la abuela sobre gente y lugares que Reina no conoce. Sin embargo, la amistad entre los dos florece cuando Reina decide mostrarle a Andrés lo que hay en su ciudad.Reina Ramos: la guía turística es un libro ¡Yo sé leer! de nivel dos concebido para los niños que leen solos pero todavía necesitan un poco de ayuda. Ya sea que se compartan en el hogar o en el aula, está demostrado que las historias cautivantes, las oraciones más largas y los juegos del lenguaje de los libros del nivel dos ayudan a los niños a dar los siguientes pasos hacia el éxito en la lectura.
Libby Loves Science: States of Matter (I Can Read Level 3)
by Kimberly Derting Shelli R. JohannesLibby loves science! In this STEM-themed Level 3 I Can Read! title, Libby and her friends learn about solids, liquids, and gases. A great choice for aspiring scientists, new readers, and fans of Andrea Beaty’s Ada Twist, Scientist. Includes activities, a glossary, and a fun science experiment to do at home.Libby loves science—and experimenting! In this Level 3 I Can Read! title, Libby and her classmates are excited to welcome a new student into their classroom. When the ice cream for the welcome party melts, Libby is curious to see how the three states of matter can save the celebration. Experiment with Libby and find out!The Loves Science books introduce readers to girls who love science, as well as basic concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math. This Level 3 I Can Read! explores how solids, liquids, and gases are all around us, and includes two experiments to try at home or school, as well as a glossary. A great pick for newly independent readers and an ideal companion to Cece Loves Science: Push and Pull, Libby Loves Science: Mix and Measure, Vivi Loves Science: Sink or Float, and Vivi Loves Science: Wind and Water.
Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith
by Adam HamiltonDoes your faith make room for questions?Everyone has doubts. Where is God when bad things happen? Does God hear our prayers? Is there a heaven? How can we know? Often, we treat such questions as the enemy of faith. But uncertainty doesn’t mean our belief is lacking. Doubt can be a path to a deeper, richer encounter with God. In Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith, join best-selling author and pastor Adam Hamilton as he discusses some of our most significant sources of doubt and shows how a steady trust in God can emerge from them. You will delve into questions like: “Does God exist? How can I know?” “Is the Bible true?” “Why do prayers go unanswered?” Hamilton approaches these sources of doubt with honesty and insight, drawing on the rich wisdom of the Bible, Christian tradition, and his experience walking with thousands of people on their spiritual journeys. Whether you’re a longtime Christian or someone brand new to faith, this book will lead you to a trust in God that gives you the courage to ask tough questions. Though you may wrestle with doubt, you’ll discover a faith that—rather than providing simple answers—includes belief and trust as well as uncertainty and mystery. The book can be used anytime throughout the year and can be read alone, used by small groups, or as an outreach gift for visitors. Components include a comprehensive Leader Guide, a six-session DVD featuring Adam Hamilton (with closed captioning), and a digital worship and sermon series, making this perfect as a group study and churchwide program done throughout the year.
Context: Putting Scripture in Its Place
by Josh ScottExploring the Chapter Behind the Verse. Context looks at verses we know by heart but may not know the people, places, and times that give them meaning. Josh Scott delves into these well-known Scripture verses, exploring their true meanings by examining them in their original biblical context. Through this process, he unveils fresh and enlightening interpretations that are often missed when these Scriptures are taken out of context. The book can be read alone or used by small groups anytime throughout the year. Components include video teaching sessions featuring Josh Scott and a comprehensive Leader Guide, making this perfect as a six-week group study.
The Angels of Christmas: Hearing God's Voice in Advent
by Susan RobbExplore the four angelic visits surrounding the birth of Jesus with Susan Robb in The Angels of Christmas, a four-week Advent study. The Angels of Christmas: Hearing God’s Voice in Advent, a four-week Advent study by Susan Robb, explores the four angelic visits surrounding the birth of Jesus with Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. In this study, the reader will explore the visits and dive deep into the history of the angel Gabriel–and other angels–in the Old Testament. The Angels of Christmas uses these four angelic appearances to discuss God’s presence in history and our lives today. The messages of the angels hold meaning for listeners both then and now.
The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2025: Planning Sermons for Every Sunday of the Year
by Charley ReebThe local pastor’s go-to resource for weekly sermon planning.The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2025 is Lectionary-based and follows the calendar year (January - December). It includes special days like Maundy Thursday and Ash Wednesday, and indexes for Scriptures and themes, to assist preachers with non-Lectionary sermons.Each entry begins with a preacher-to-preacher prayer for preparation, then moves to the key feature: a commentary on one or more texts for the week, exploring themes and storylines, theological reflections, and thoughts about how the text and topic relate to our lives today. Also included are ideas for bringing the text to life--stories, illustrations, ideas for further reading, questions the preacher might pose to the congregation, and suggestions for a ‘call to action’ in response to the message.Finally, for the preacher’s ongoing enrichment, the Annual includes excerpts from new books on preaching and homiletics. This helpful resource is written by every-week preachers who aim to come alongside you, offering a reliable starting point for your sermonic planning, writing, and delivery.
An Unlikely Advent: Extraordinary People of the Christmas Story
by Rachel BillupsExpect the unexpected this Christmas.This four-week Advent study focuses on the experiences of four sets of often overlooked characters in the Nativity story. During this Advent season, Rachel Billups guides readers through the themes of hope, love, joy, and peace by sharing the stories of Elizabeth and Zechariah, Herod, the Magi, and the shepherds. Each set of unexpected characters has something to teach about living faithfully on the journey to Christmas.Additional components to use the book as a four-week small group study include a leader guide and DVD/Video Sessions featuring Rachel Billups.
On Purpose Leader Guide: Finding God's Voice in Your Passion
by Magrey deVega Sam McGlothlin Jevon Caldwell-Gross Susan RobbBe part of something more.We are hungry for a sense of purpose, direction, and calling in our lives. That’s as basic an ingredient to the human experience as they come. We want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We want to participate in something that has eternal merit and lasting impact. We do not want to live a shallow, hollow existence. We yearn for deeper meaning, for deeper purpose within our lives. We want to be more than we are.In On Purpose: Finding God’s Voice in Your Passion, authors Magrey deVega, Sam McGlothlin, Jevon Caldwell-Gross, and Susan Robb help us see God's purpose for our lives, how to open ourselves to God's voice, and how to take the first or next step to follow God's call. As you read this book and explore your life alongside others, you’ll learn how to channel your passions, hear God’s voice, and live the life you were meant to live.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the four-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options.Additional components for the four-week small group study include the book and DVD/Video Sessions featuring the authors.
Multiplying Love: A Vision of United Methodist Life Together
by Paul W. ChilcoteA Vision of United Methodist Life Together.Our world needs love during these desperate days of radical polarization and division. Our United Methodist churches yearn to embrace love more completely because God first loved us. Our “faith” (including doctrine) is important; Christian “hope” (including renewal) is important; “love” of God and neighbor is more important. Multiplying Love underscores what matters most and stands in contrast to divisive misreadings of essential Methodist teachings. Chilcote helps us embrace anew the Wesleyan vision of love of Jesus as central to what we believe and how we live.When I finished Multiplying Love, I found myself jumping up and down shouting, “Yes, yes, yes! Gosh, do we need this!” We are at a remaking moment in the church. Dr. Chilcote beautifully articulates the deeper theological vision that beckons and sustains us. Multiplying Love helped me more thoroughly embrace the kind of loving people we are hoping to become. That’s what it’s all about to me, and this book nails it!—Rev. Christy Allen Holden, co-creator of The Channel UMC, a new hybrid community of faith (@christyallenholden)Every United Methodist pastor would do well to invite their church council to read Paul Chilcote’s brief and powerful Multiplying Love. It recalls the power of the Wesleyan approach to the gospel and makes a compelling case for the future of The United Methodist Church. I loved this book!—Rev. Adam Hamilton, Kansas pastor and author of Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith
Heaven and Earth Leader Guide: Advent and the Incarnation
by William H. WillimonWatch out. God is on the way.It’s not within our own power to make a fresh start. If we’re to have a future different from the past, it must come as a gift, something not of our devising. What we need is a God who refuses to be trapped in eternity, a God who not only cares about us but is willing to show up among us and do something with us, here, now.In Heaven and Earth: Advent and the Incarnation, Will Willimon introduces you to the God who does just that, bringing heaven to earth and changing everything. In Advent we celebrate and anticipate the earth-shaking, life-transforming good news that God is coming to us. Watch out. Get ready. God is on the way.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the four-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options.Additional components for the four-week small group study include the book and DVD/Video Sessions featuring Will Willimon.
Adult Bible Studies Spring 2024 Teacher/Commentary Kit: Spring 2024 Teacher/Commentary Kit
by Stan PurdumGrow your faith. Transform your life.Cultivate a deeper relationship with God through Adult Bible Studies. This resource, endorsed by the Curriculum Resources Committee of The United Methodist Church, offers a year-round, weekly Bible study plan for Sunday school classes and other small groups.Each weekly lesson offers background and focal Scriptures, key verses, and doctrinally sound and relevant biblical interpretation and application in a readable font size. Annual plans provide comprehensive coverage of the Bible, special lessons during the church seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter, and suggestions for developing spiritual practices such as prayer, worship, community, and service, among many others. Adult Bible Studies is a reliable companion and guide for learning and growing in Christian faith.The Kit includes a teacher’s book and a Concise Commentary that are supplementary and complementary to the Adult Bible Studies student book.The teacher’s book provides biblical background, exposition, and suggestions for leading weekly group discussions and nurturing spiritual practices among class members. Small group leaders, teachers, and facilitators—both seasoned and just starting out—love the easy-to-use format and the wealth of information provided to prepare for each week’s discussion. Based on the trusted Abingdon Basic Bible Commentary, the Concise Commentary provides expert biblical Commentary for the focal Bible passages used in Adult Bible Studies. The Commentary includes each Sunday’s focal Bible passages, unit introductions, and expert Commentary on each passage. Plus, you can pronounce everything correctly with the included pronunciation guide for Bible names and places.Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enhance your preparation and teaching with the help of the Adult Bible Studies Teacher Book and Concise Commentary!Spring 2024 Theme: Encounters in Prayer and LoveThis spring, our Bible lessons follow the theme “Encounters in Prayer and Love.” Because Lent falls during this quarter, the first unit has five lessons and ends with Easter Sunday. The second unit has eight lessons. The teacher book writer is Stan PurdumVisit AdultBibleStudies.com and sign up for the weekly newsletter to automatically receive the FREE Current Events Supplement and other information about these resources and more!
Pursued - Women's Bible Study Leader Guide: Gods Relentless Love for YOU (Pursued)
by Jennifer CowartDiscover how God is pursuing you as you explore.We all want to be loved. We long to be desired, pursued—whether by a special someone, our friends, or others in our lives. This longing for love and acceptance is the underlying story of many of our lives, and it's the overarching story we see throughout the Scriptures. Although the Bible tells many stories, the main theme is God’s relentless love for us.In Pursued, a six-week Bible study by Jennifer Cowart, we will explore God’s great love for us from Genesis to Revelation. We will see that God passionately pursues people who do not deserve His love, and we are those people! Like Cain, Abraham, Sarah, Rebekah, David, the woman caught in adultery, Peter, and so many others, we are the ones who have broken relationship with God. But He runs after us anyway to bring us home. In this study, we will explore God’s love as evidenced in the stories of creation, the patriarchs, the judges and prophets, Jesus, and the early church. Together we will dive into a great love story and discover that it is our story!Through this study women will:- See the big picture of God’s love for them throughout the Scriptures- Discover that God wants a personal relationship with them- Experience God’s relentless love for them individually- Realize that God never stops pursuing themComponents for this six-week Bible study, each available separately, include a Participant Workbook, a Leader Guide, and video sessions with six 25-minute segments (with closed captioning).