Current Events

Beyond Beliefs

HOW UNDERLYING BELIEFS SHAPE PUBLIC POLICY AND CULTURE 

Have you ever wondered where public personalities, politicians, and institutions get their positions on issues? Do you want to explore the values you apply to difficult social issues -- perhaps unconsciously? Learn to analyze the core values underlying all sides of an issue and then examine the various positions as they relate to the values and beliefs of the Church.

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Do The Right Thing

An ethics course that uses challenging case studies to engage participants about what they would do in a given situation and what ethical principles they would use to make their decisions. The 21 scenarios were originally created by older adults for older adults. However, they work well for mid-life and younger adults who also face end-of-life decisions, decisions about sex and sexuality, the costs of long-term care, the relationships between family members and more!

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Growing Toward God: A Choice Between Impossibles

Sister Joan Chittister looks at the state of the world and as an antidote to materialism and individualism evokes the Benedictine values of creative work, holy leisure, wise stewardship, loving community, humility and peace.

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Growing Toward God: Setting The Stage

A CULTURAL SPAN

In this adult education DVD and program, Phyllis Tickle explores the situation facing people of faith with new alignments of faith, understanding and hope. From her perspective as religion editor of Publishers Weekly, Phyllis Tickle surveys some of the main influences that have led to what she calls “the post-Enlightenment church.” She examines the “three cords of one cable—spirituality, corporeality, and morality,” that bind us together as a culture, and helps us to see religion as a human construct that changes as the society changes.

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Growing Toward God: We All Get Healed

In this DVD program Jim Wallis discusses the relationships between poverty and war, fear and security and urges the listeners and the nation to do more to combat global poverty. The editor of Sojourners Magazine, Jim Wallis, discusses the relationships between poverty and war, fear and security, invoking Martin Luther King’s view that the only security is a common security. He also urges the listeners and the nation to do more to combat global poverty, quoting the prophet Micah’s vision of each person “sitting under his own vine and fig tree.”

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Hope for Haiti

EDUCATION & FUNDRAISING FOR THE "REBUILD OUR CHURCH" CAMPAIGN

by The Rev. Linda L. Grenz

Over 150 pages of education, fun and fundraising resources for congregations that want to learn about and join the campaign to rebuild the Cathedral complex in the Diocese of Haiti. This resource packet contains lesson plans for adults, youth and children -- several can be used with intergenerational groups. You'll learn about the country, the diocese, and the ministry of the church in Haiti. You can also explore some of the fun cultural aspects of Haiti: the tap-tap busses, fanal lanterns, proverbs, jokes and folk tales....and recipes to host a Haitian feast. Plus you'll get over 25 fundraising ideas, including detailed instructions and recipes for the trendy "Cupcakes and Cake Balls Fundrasier" and a Guide to Fundraising  to help you get organized -- tools you can use for years to come. 

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Just Neighbors

AN INTERACTIVE POVERTY AWARENESS PROGRAM

Explore poverty in an engaging and profoundly meaningful way! Through videos, interactive exercises, Scripture and discussions, participants will learn about the struggles of neighbors in need. Can be done as individual sessions or as a series of nine sessions with youth and adults.

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