The 21 sessions in the Unearthing Us Facilitator Guide correspond to the 21 poems in Unearthing Us: Poems and Practices for Discovering Our Fullest Selves by Joe Davis.
All sessions are written by Rev. Dr. Jia Starr Brown, an educator, activist, and curriculum designer who provides access to education, tools, and community that we all need to live whole and liberated lives.
This edition of Oneing brings together for the first time the faculty of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC): Richard Rohr, Cynthia Bourgeault, James Finley, Barbara Holmes, and Brian McLaren - teaching the rich concepts of “Order, Disorder, Reorder".
Path to Peace with Creation: "Follow the Peace Path" Cards
Churches can extend learning with this deck of 52 Peace with Creation Cards, packed with ideas for families to do at home together. Whether a church has summer Sunday school or not, these cards are a great way to stay connected with families and provide parents and caregivers an easy and fun faith formation resource. Purchase one deck of cards for each family.
An Illustrated Invitation for Families draws all ages into conversation with biblical stories that show us what God is doing in the world and invite us to consider how to join in that work. It can be used as a companion to other Illustrated Invitation products or as a stand-alone resource for families.
Includes Family Activities, Illustrated Story Cards, and Coloring Pages
Traci Smith, author of Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home (Chalice) offers two free downloadable practices to share with children and families: Snuggles under God's Wings and After a Natural Disaster.
Print these Mealtime Prayer Cards on paper or cardstock, then cut them out and place them in a bowl or basket on your table. These cards are designed to print neatly on Avery postcards as well (Avery #8387). If you have special family prayers, write them on the blank cards. At the beginning of your meal, take one out and use it to guide your mealtime prayer. Then, place it back in the basket for the next day! Take turns choosing a prayer each day. You can start by saying "Let us pray."
Traci Smith's Prayer and Conversation Cubes are easy to download, simple to assemble, and create prayer and story-sharing opportunities in classes, small groups, and family settings.
Help families in your congregation make prayer and conversation at the dinner table fun and easy! You may send out the file as a digital copy or printed file. Cube assembly is simple (requires a scissors and glue); instructions are provided. The prayer cube contains five simple family prayer ideas and one "choose your own or roll again." The conversation starters provide six easy ways to get your children talking! Blank cubes and a tip sheet are also included.
Curious Faith creates and curates compassionate, inclusive, and curiosity-filled content for adults and kids to grow together in their faith.
Their line-up includes:
New cues, podcasts, and video series added every season.
All are available through a monthly or annual online subscription for parents, guardians, grandparents, and mentors.
Create a free 'preview' account here.
The 21 sessions in the Unearthing Us Facilitator Guide correspond to the 21 poems in Unearthing Us: Poems and Practices for Discovering Our Fullest Selves by Joe Davis.
All sessions are written by Rev. Dr. Jia Starr Brown, an educator, activist, and curriculum designer who provides access to education, tools, and community that we all need to live whole and liberated lives.
Dive deeper with the free The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism study guide—perfect for church groups, book clubs, or individual reflection.
Christine Valters Paintner created a prayer cycle to accompany her book Birthing the Holy: Wisdom from Mary to Nurture Creativity and Renewal (Ave Maria Press). The prayer cycle includes video, audio, and written guides for Morning and Evening Prayer. It is a seven-week cycle. The full text and audio for the prayer cycle are available here.
It is available for a free will donation/offering.
Learn more and register/begin to download here.
We are humbled to be featured in Living Lutheran's January, 2022 article and study guide, Contemplating the New Year; Lutherans Explore Meditation, Mindfulness, and Contemplative Practices; article by Meghan Johnston Aelabouni; study guide by Robert C. Blezard.
Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living is a whole-congregation curriculum that studies the Bible through the lens of biblical practices.
Watch the Follow Me Overview video, visit the website, and/or download the sampler to learn more. Or, read more about each component:
Contemplative Bible Storytelling for Children & Grownups Alike
Hosted by Faith Formation, Open to Wonder is a podcast that helps us imagine together what faith looks like in our day-to-day lives by exploring all kinds of faith questions: big ones, small ones, weird ones, and hard-to-talk-about-in-church ones.
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The Many offer Brokenhearted and Brave: Devotions for Renewal and Resistance
The Nap Ministry blog by Tricia Hersey encourages napping as a form of resistance. See especially the August 3, 2020 post.
Pedraig O Tuama collects a number of beautiful resources on PLACE.
Krista Tippet interviews Rev. Otis Moss III: The Sound of the Genuine: Traversing 2020 with 'the Mystic of the Movement' Howard Thurman
The Labyrinth Society has a page of resources specifically for children.
Westminster Presbyterian Church's Thin Places, is a quarterly ecumenical newsletter of writings and individual, small group and congregational prayer opportunities.
Butterfly Prayer — The butterfly prayer in Traci Smith's Faithful Families is a simple practice that anchors us to breath, calm, and movement. She recommended it as a practice to teach children for times of stress and anxiety. This old VIDEO features Smith's boys sharing the practice.
ARC Retreat Community offers a wide range of in-person and online individual, family-friendly, and group retreat opportunities. Find their full summer schedule here.
Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth) is a hermitage retreat center in the Franciscan tradition called to serve God through prayer and by providing the oopportunity to retreat into the silence and solitude of a simple hermitage environment.
Abbey of the Arts offers Lift Every Voice: Contemplative Writers of Color Video Discussion and Book Group - a monthly conversation on how increasing our diversity of perspectives on contemplative practice can enrich our understanding and experience of the Christian mystical tradition.
Wood & Water offer online retreats throughout the year on topics addressing current events and issues.
Shalem Institute offers: Howard Thurman: The Writing of Jesus and the Disinherited, facilitated by Lerita Coleman Brown, PhD
The Episcopal House of Prayer offers Online Weekly Contemplative Prayer Opportunities as well as other Programs and Retreats and online Resources.
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The Gospel of Matthew is full of implications for how we can live (and even thrive) in the 21st century, but they may not be clear without first understanding the deeper context. Having a complete framework—from the historical and the theological to the cultural and literary—is what brings the teachings of Jesus to life.
You get:
The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion offers 10 Self-Compassion Practices for the Crisis in Ukraine.
Barbara A. Holmes' film series with The Work of the People: A Transcendent Leap (on our cosmic identities), Womanist Theology, Release the Fire (on Pentecost and the Spirit), Be the Mystery, Emerging Wholeness (on God's call to love our neighbor), A Contemplative Moment (on how contemplative prayer births prophetic proclamation and action).
Dr. Kristin Neff offers free Tips for Practices, Guided Meditations, and Self-Compassion Exercises.
OnBeing's new Poetry Films forum could be great as contemplative prayer prompts, worship elements or small group discussion starters.
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A fantastic book. The trailer is a beautiful contemplative practice. |
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Narrative Yoga connects a children's storybook with RCL texts for each Sunday |
"Choose Love" connects Elizabeti's School to Matthew 21:23-32 for Sept. 27th.
"Stepping Into the Unknown" connects Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach to Exodus 16:2-15 for Sept. 20.
"Live and Let Live" connects The Grumpy Pets to Romans 14:1-12 for Sept 13.
"Work It Out" connects Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse to Matthew 18:15-20 for Sept. 6.
Personalized Story & Stretch plans for family or community can be obtained by contacting Michel: MICHEL.OMBRELLA@GMAIL.COM.
