My most recent church related book was Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples
(Rainer and Geiger) which was really inspiring. Some similar teaching was given at the Global Leaders Summit (Willow) which was held in Helsinki this weekend. I'm wondering if it really can be that simple - imagine if each of our churches found the one thing they were to do (instead of trying to do so much and wearing ourselves thin!) and really excelled at doing it. Mmmm. And there were loads of books to tempt me at the conference too ... sigh!Here at Rev Gals we'll be discussing two books before Christmas. Yes Two. And they both look great (and not too heavy)
The First Christmas (Marcus J Borg and John Dominic Crossan) will be led by Mary Beth two weeks from today
Review
"With meticulous scholarship and accessible language, "The first Christmas"... uncover(s) the genuine meaning of...the Birth of Jesus." -- The Progressive Christian
and Rev Abi will guide us through the second, Run, Shepherd, Run, ( L. William Country), on December 8th.
"The Advent season is filled with rich themes that have fascinated poets. This book presents a poem a day for devotional reading during Advent and the twelve days of Christmas." ... so if you love poetry this book looks like a must for Advent this year.
You can order via the links in the side bar. (small commission then goes to this ring)
Oh and don't forget to send in your nominations (from your blog or another in the ring) for this week's Festival Wednesdayfestival@gmail.com ...we all want to read what's happening in YOUR neck of the woods, and maybe you'll tell us what you've been reading recently.
Cheers and heaps of blessings!
PS someone might sneak in later and add something musical. My apologies for lack of pictures too -blogger was NOT co-operating today!
Thanks Lorna!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lorna! The Simple Church idea sounds intriguing. I'm guessing you might have read Christianity for the Rest of Us by Bass; in a way, each of the churches she profiled had found one thing they were really good at, although I don't know that they stopped trying to do everything -- I think that's an occupational hazard for clergy and churches alike!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Simple Church! LOVE. IT.
ReplyDeleteIt takes programs out of the picture, and lets you look at people. Who do you consider your "people"? If they are only inside the church, no problem. If you want to reach inside AND outside, it gets a little trickier.
But every church really needs to decide if they need (really "NEED") to have a
-preschool
-choir
-contemporary/traditional service
-nursing home ministry
-soup kitchen
-homeless shelter
-hurricane relief team
-homeschoolers group
-quilting group
-stamping group
-prayer group
-cross-stitch the kneelers group
-picnic/rodeo/walk for the cause
and on it goes...
Unless you have people who are passionate about leading all these things you become event or program driven.
That's not very simple.
I found it helpful for discussing and refining my own ministry vision and action plan.
Sorry... got a little carried away... I'll be quiet now. :)
d
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ReplyDelete(message above was me - but I was signed into WedsFest and came up as someone else!)
ReplyDeletedeb don't keep quite - you inspired me :) thanks!
and AK I haven't read it - sigh another book I'd like to purchase but can't afford to.