PM programs

Adult Journey

by David Crean & Amanda Millay Hughes, the authors of J2A

This program is especially appropriate for parents  of teens & young adults addresses two questions: "How does my story resonate with the Gospel story?" and "How can I live the Gospel story? Adapted from the Journey to Adulthood (J2A) youth program, the Adult Journey is ideal for introducing J2A to a congregation (and recruiting leaders!)
 

Discipleship Groups

A CHURCH GROWTH CELL GROUP MINISTRY

This small group program builds community, strengthens congregational leadership and facilitates church growth. Discipleship Groups gather to pray, study and share in order to be more faithful ministers in their daily life and work. Group members discuss ministry situations and concerns members encounter is daily life and engage in theological reflection. These groups become centers of pastoral support in congregations. They undergird the minstry of small congregations and assist large congregations in building community and personal relationships. These groups are especially helpful in integrating newcomers into congregational life.

Emerging Worship e-Manual

Exploring Worship in the Ancient-Future Church

by The Revs. Linda L. Grenz and Laura Rose

What is emerging worship? How can our congregation explore what it means for us. This resource focuses on mainline churches can learn from  the Emergent Church movement in the United States and the Fresh Expressions movement in England. One of us (Linda) is a priest in the Episcopal Church and the other (Laura) is a pastor in the United Church of Christ. So we will bring those perspectives into this resource.

Jesus Was An Episcopalian

(and you can be one too!)

by The Rev. Christopher Yaw

It's an amazing time to be an Episcopalian!  This brilliant little book invites both newcomers and long-time Episcopalians to take a fresh look at all the Episcopal Church has to offer. Chris Yaw uses his journalism skills to tackle church history, modern changes and deeply rooted theology in a light-hearted, down-to-earth, very readable style that helps us look at who we are and who God is calling us to be.

Journey in Faith

Faith Formation
for Today's Church

Are you seeking the sacred in your daily life? Are you looking for a way to grow with others in your church? Will you set out on a pilgrimage that leads toward deeper community, stronger faith and the skills to minister in the world? Journey in Faith supports and enhances the baptismal ministry of the whole people of God. It is a multi-year, multi-faceted program that renews and revitalizes congregations and is especially suited for younger adults. Each Unit is a set of six sessions that can be done individually and in any order rather than as an ongoing program.

Lift Up Your Hearts

EXPLORING THE EUCHARIST

Help adults develop a deeper understanding of the Eucharist. This program guides them through the Eucharistic service and involves them in the key aspects of confession, proclamation, offering and thanksgiving. It helps participants explore how they live those dimensions in daily life. Great for those new to the church and for congregations seeking to deepen their understanding of the Eucharist. Also includes liturgical notes outlining two ways to develop an instructed Eucharist for your congregation.

Living in Community

Exploring Benedictine Spirituality

For centuries, the Benedictine Rule of Life has helped people live a more balanced life. Living in Community addresses the question: "What does it mean to be part of a Christian community in a secular world?" It focuses on Benedictine spirituality as a way to invite people to reflect on how we live together as a Christian community and engages participants in developing a Rule of Life for themselves.

Love One Another

LISTENING FOR THE SACRED IN THE FAITHFUL COMMUNITY 

Help your members learn to listen in a loving way. This program explores the advantages of operating from a reconciling rather than an adversarial model when dealing with controversial issues. An orientation session introduces group members to concepts and skills they will need throughout the process. The next section describes the process used for each subsequent session. This process can be used to discuss a variety of issues in a way that honors all members of a congregation. It was originally designed to help congregations talk about abortion -- it would be useful in discussion the role of gays and lesbians in the church, immigration policies and other current issues. This resource includes Leader's Guide and handouts.

Practically Christian

Connecting Baptismal Vows and Prayer Forms

The Practically Christian process links the five baptismal vows with six classical prayer forms of Adoration, Penitence, Intercession, Petition, Thanksgiving, and Praise and moves each person to faithful action and reflection. These six units are sequential but could be taken in any order with some minor adaptation. Each unit can also be done as a separate program. Each unit has six sessions for connecting the unit's prayer focus (for instance, Adoration) with each of the five baptismal vows and concludes with a group celebration. 

Teach Us To Pray

This program introduces participants to the full spectrum of Christian prayer methods and encourages them to incorporate these practices into their daily lives. Twenty-two lesson plans can be used as a year-long course, as four separate courses or individually.

The Many Faces of God

AN INTERFAITH ENCOUNTER FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS

This is an introduction to various world religions compared with the theologies of the Christian faith. Participants have the chance to go deeply into some important Christian theological issues while they learn the basics about some of our interfaith neighbors.

Venture Series A: Christian Beginnings

EXPLORING THE GREAT IDEAS AND IMAGES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

The basics of Christian history and faith; Venture is made up of four series (A, B, C, and D) and each series offers six sessions on each of four topics: theology, church history, liturgics, and Holy Scripture — 24 sessions per series. The series focuses on the formation of the core elements of our faith: creeds, rites and the Canonical Gospels. The sessions would work especially well for a Sunday Forum or Adult Sunday School.

Venture Series B: Reformation

EXPLORING THE GREAT IDEAS AND IMAGES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

The basics of Christian history and faith; Venture is made up of four series (A, B, C, and D) and each series offers six sessions on each of four topics: theology, church history, liturgics, and Holy Scripture — 24 sessions per series. This series focuses on the theme of Reformation as found in the Exile, Western Christianity and the development of the Prayer Book, The sessions would work especially well for a Sunday Forum or Adult Sunday School.

Venture Series C: Prophetic Voices of Freedom

EXPLORING THE GREAT IDEAS AND IMAGES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

The basics of Christian history and faith; Venture is made up of four series (A, B, C, and D) and each series offers six sessions on each of four topics: theology, church history, liturgics, and Holy Scripture — 24 sessions per series.  This series focuses on liberation -- in the exodus, the American Revolution, and in liturgy. The sessions would work especially well for a Sunday Forum or Adult Sunday School.

Venture Series D: One God, Many Faith

EXPLORING THE GREAT IDEAS AND IMAGES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

The basics of Christian history and faith; Venture is made up of four series (A, B, C, and D) and each series offers six sessions on each of four topics: theology, church history, liturgics, and Holy Scripture — 24 sessions per series. This series focuses on the Christian faith and its relationship with other faiths. The sessions would work especially well for a Sunday Forum or Adult Sunday School.

Who Says So?

ENCOUNTERING THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE

This program helps participants understand the diversity of positions related to the authority of Scripture. They also learn methods of exploring and interpreting God's Word, and reflect upon its authority in their own lives.