   
 Synod Resource Center
Visit the Resource Center Weekdays — and on Saturdays
 You
can visit the
virtual Resource Center any time, 24/7. Here is your
opportunity to visit the Resource Center in real space and time!
Saturday hours are now available by appointment from 9:00 a.m. until
1:00 p.m. Contact Karen
Matthias-Long to arrange a visit. Need directions to the
Resource Center?
Click here.
Click here to see what is available at your Resource Center.
Here's What's Hot in Your Resource Center
Check out these resources from
Dr. Mark Allan Powell, the keynote
speaker at the 2010 Synod Assembly.
- How Do Lutherans Interpret the Bible? (DVD and VHS)
- What Do They Hear? Bridging the Gap Between Pulpit and Pew
(book)
- Giving to God: The Good News About Living a Generous Life
(book)
- LIFT 2009 (DVD; includes keynote presentation by
Dr. Powell and the music of Dakota Road)
You can literally check them out by contacting
Debbie Frey at
the synod office. Or you can check them out by visiting the center, open
weekdays and now open Saturdays by appointment.
New in February 2010
Did you miss the 2010 Bishop’s Conference? Here are some new
resources from one of the presenters, Robert Corin Morris.
 Wrestling
with Grace: A Spirituality for the Rough Edges of Daily Life is
a how-to manual about loving yourself, others, the world around you, and
God – especially on the Thursday afternoons of life, when the going gets
rough. Bob Morris offers liberating news to anyone who longs for
everyday spiritual practice. He nudges us toward new ways of looking at
our own behavior and state of mind, showing us how to let God’s grace
into daily life. Our frustrations and fears actually can be a doorway to
grace. Ten prayer exercises at the end of the book provide ongoing
guidance for searchers.
 Provocative
Grace: The Challenge in Jesus’ Words Whether you are a devout
Christian, an inquiring seeker, or a rank skeptic, if you wish to
explore the teaching of Jesus, this book is for you. “The Jesus of the
Gospels, in all his modes of encountering people – as prophet, healer,
wisdom teacher, mystic, social critic, and nonviolent revolutionary, is
a disturber of our immaturities, one who challenges us to find and use
our strengths.”
 Suffering
and the Courage of God: Exploring How Grace and Suffering Meet
How we relate to suffering depends on how we choose to respond to the
everyday events of life. According to pastor and spiritual director
Robert Corin Morris, who faces his own struggles with chronic depression
every day, we need a new understanding of God’s role in human suffering.
The traditional view – that God is transcendent, “above” human
suffering, somehow, “beholding” and sympathizing with it – fails to take
into account how God also experiences suffering. In this life-changing
book, Morris challenges us- regardless of creed or denomination- to
consider a biblical picture of God that is radically different from the
traditional view. He reveals God’s gracious and courageous participation
in all aspects of our lives, both our sufferings and our joys.
Also new to our book shelves is a copy of Morris’ Prayers to
Green the Earth, a booklet of prayers to bless the day and
night, prayers in response to the many faces of the divine, and prayers
to the universal spirit of Christ.
New Evangelism and Prayer Resources by Martha
Grace Reese
Listed below are some resources
recommended by our synod’s Director for Evangelical Mission, The Rev.
Dr. D. Michael Bennethum. You may borrow them from our resource center.
If you have questions about how to use these resources, contact Pastor
Bennethum at 610-395-6891 or mike@nepsynod.org.
About the Author: Martha Grace Reese directed a four-year
evangelism research project funded by the Lilly Endowment. The study,
which included 1200 interviews, focused on highly effective examples of
evangelism in mainline churches and the motivations for evangelism.
These books arise from this groundbreaking study. Reese has been a
lawyer, a congregational pastor, and a middle judicatory minister; she
has spent the last decade coaching more than 150 gifted pastors in
spiritual leadership for church transformation. She serves as president
of GraceNet, Inc., which specializes in church consulting and coaching (www.GraceNet.info).
 Unbinding
the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism Pastors Key congregational
leaders and evangelism teams will benefit most from using this book as a
seven- to ten-week small group study. This book sparkles with
practicability. Each chapter concludes with questions, scripture
suggestions and group exercises. This resource helps committed leaders
deepen and start sharing their own faith, understand our cultural
context, and begin to plan for authentic congregational faith-sharing.
 Unbinding
Your Heart: 40 Days of Prayer and Faith Sharing is a six-week,
church-wide, small group Evangelism-event! It’s perfect for a Lenten,
summer, or fall study for all established classes and small groups, and
new ones formed just for the Evangelism-event. This resource is a
six-week version of Unbinding the Gospel, with the addition of 40 days
of individual prayer exercises coordinated with each chapter. It will
enrich your church’s community life. It will help individuals risk
faith-to-Face encounters with God. Your entire congregation will begin
to talk about their faith. The E-event creates momentum in your church.
 Unbinding
Your Church Pastors, teachers and church musicians are busy.
This collection of fully integrated resources will help your church work
and pray through this series seamlessly. You will spend your time on
what matters – praying, teaching, working directly with your people.
This resource offers worship resources, step-by-step planning tools, and
integrated web sections (free and downloadable!).
 Unbinding
Your Soul: Your Experiment in Prayer and Community Many people
who aren’t connected with a church would love to try a no-obligation
experience of substantial spiritual discussion, prayer and community.
This resource prepares church members to invite their friends into a
4-week small group experience with short study chapters, an individual
prayer journal, prayer partner activities and group exercises. Groups
could opt to continue for additional four-week segments. Groups should
double. Some may double again. To preview these books visit the Resource Center or contact Karen
Matthias-Long at Karen@nepsynod.org
or Debbie Frey at
Debbie@nepsynod.org.
Communicating with God (January 2010)
Need help communicating with God?
 Praying
in Color This new prayer form can take as little or as
much time as you have or want to commit, from 15 minutes to a weekend
retreat. "A new prayer form gives God an invitation and a new door to
penetrate the locked cells of our hearts and minds," explains Sybil
MacBeth. "For many of us, using only words to pray reduces God by the
limits of our finite words."
 Praying
in Color: Kids’ Edition A resource to change the way kids
pray – and how adults teach them to do it. Drawing with markers or
crayons is half the prayer; the other half if carrying the visual
memories throughout the day.
For more information and examples of the Praying in Color
resources, visit
www.prayingincolor.com.
 Praying
with the Body – Bringing the Psalms to Life A step-by-step
guide to discover how to use motion, together with the vibrant words of
the Psalms, to reinvigorate your daily prayer life. (Books and DVDs by
Paraclete Press.)
To preview these books and DVDs, visit the Resource Center or contact
Karen Matthias-Long at
Karen.matthias-long@ecunet.org or Debbie Frey at
Debbie@nepsynod.org.
Don't Forget These Resources, Added Last Fall
 New
Bible studies are available from Augsburg designed to support the Book
of Faith initiative. The series are ideal for Bible study or small
group ministries and include leader and learner guides and DVD
introductions.
  BOOKS
OF FAITH SERIES – Study books of the Bible with an eye toward the
historical, literary, devotional, and Lutheran theological approaches to
the text. Books available to date are Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, John,
Romans, and 1 John.
PEOPLE OF FAITH SERIES –
 These four-session studies focus on
four major people in the Old Testament. A Gardener, Two Travelers and a
Cheat (Adam, Abraham, Sarah, Jacob) and A Lamenter, a Dreamer and
Two Pretty Good Leaders (Rachel, Joseph, Moses, Joshua) are the first
in the series.
 TOGETHER IN FAITH SERIES – These studies can be used to connect
with worship themes that follow the Revised Common Lectionary. God’s
Standard or Gold Standard?: Studies in Proverbs is a three-week series
that begins September 6. Free downloadable preaching and liturgy supports
are available.
Making Sense of Scripture:
 Big Questions about the Book of Faith
is a fresh, conversational, seven-session study dealing with seven big
questions about the Bible. It’s a great introductory course for those just
getting started with the Book of Faith initiative.
To preview these adult Bible studies, visit the
Resource Center at 4865 Hamilton Blvd., Wescosville, or contact Karen
Matthias-Long at
Karen.matthias-long@ecunet.org or Debbie Frey at
Debbie@nepsynod.org.
How to Search
You may
search for resources in our library using either a quick
keyword search or more advanced options.
If you have any questions, please
email us or call Debbie Frey
at 610-395-6891.
Clicking
this link to
take you directly to the search form for the resource library. Note:
Clicking the link will open a new window.
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