Creative Ideas for Ministry with the Aged is a wise, timely and practical handbook that meets the urgent need for resources for ministry among the elderly. Written out of the author's own experience as a chaplain to a residential care community, it is suitable for ministers who visit the elderly; chaplains, pastoral visitors and caregivers; and all who help train others in elderly pastoral care. Part 1 explores the key theological elements of ministry with the aged, focusing on themes such as the sacrament of the present moment. It asks what constitutes spiritual care and conversation with those whose minds and bodies are failing? Part 2 provides simple service outlines for 'reconnecting with old treasures'; and includes liturgies for communion services, services of the word and remembering special days. Parts 3 and 4 offer imaginative ideas for pastoral practices and spiritual activities using prayer, song, laughter, memory, touch, anointing and more to address questions of loss, letting go, forgiveness, dying and resurrection.

This innovative and imaginative resource offers learning and worship activities and whole service outlines to help churches engage with the outside world and increase connectedness with the communities where they are placed, whether rural or urban. Current trends encourage us to reconnect with nature – schools are building outdoor classrooms, 11,000 organizations belong to the Wild Network which encourages children to get outside, while Forest Church, the Eco-congregation and the rewilding spirituality movements reflect this trend in the church. Definitely not just for energetic outdoorsy types, it creatively blends the Christian year with the natural seasons – such as an all-age Advent outdoor adventure, creating an outdoor Easter garden, kite flying at Ascension, building life-size David and Goliath, going on a prayer pilgrimage, autumn leaves and tree ribbons for remembrance, and much more.

James M. Houston and Michael Parker believe now is the time for the church to offer ministry to its increasing numbers of seniors and to benefit from ministry they can offer. They issue an urgent call to reconceive the place and part of the elderly in the local congregation, showing that seniors aren't the problem--they are the solution.

Pop worship music. Falling in love with Jesus. Mission trips. Wearing jeans and T-shirts to church. Spiritual searching and church hopping. Faith-based political activism. Seeker-sensitive outreach. These now-commonplace elements of American church life all began as innovative ways to reach young people, yet they have gradually become accepted as important parts of a spiritual ideal for all ages. What on earth has happened? In The Juvenilization of American Christianity Thomas Bergler traces the way in which, over seventy-five years, youth ministries have breathed new vitality into four major American church traditions -- African American, Evangelical, Mainline Protestant, and Roman Catholic. Bergler shows too how this "juvenilization" of churches has led to widespread spiritual immaturity, consumerism, and self-centeredness, popularizing a feel-good faith with neither intergenerational community nor theological literacy. Bergler s critique further offers constructive suggestions for taming juvenilization. Watch the trailer:

There is a great need today for opportunities for soul-weary people to respond to Jesus' invitation to 'Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest awhile' (Mark 6.31). This book is about helping you and others to rest and grow in God. Creative Retreat Ideas offers an imaginative mixture of ready made and build-your-own programme ideas for short and longer spiritual breaks, from half-hour 'tasters' for those busy with work or family responsibilities, to whole clay and roll weekend retreats. Part 1 introduces the process of facilitating retreats of' varying lengths. Part 2 introduces twenty practices for spiritual formation from the contemplative stream or Christian spirituality. Complete with resource sheets, these form basic retreat building blocks that can be used in a variety or ways to suit your context. Parts 3, 4 and 5 explore different ways of using these resources in a range of group ret real settings, including: Ten introduction outlines for people new to retreats or those with limited time. These range in length from thirty minutes to three hours and are ideal for existing meetings in your church, or may be woven into a youth programme, introduced in a 'fresh expression' context or offered in a rest-home, a prison, or to a community group wanting to explore spirituality. Five themed Data programmes lasting six to eight hours. Full details of process and content are provided as well as contemplative exercises to help retreatants go deeper with God. Three overnight or weekend retreats in which the commitment, the effort, and the journey combine with the darkness stillness of night-time to extend retreatantsÆ experience of God and to their own inner longings for freedom and wholeness.

Churches and their leaders have innovation fever. Innovation seems exciting--a way to enliven tired institutions, embrace creativity, and be proactive--and is a superstar of the business world. But this focus on innovation may be caused by an obsession with contemporary relevance, creativity, and entrepreneurship that inflates the self, lacks theological depth, and promises burnout. In this follow-up to Churches and the Crisis of Decline, leading practical theologian Andrew Root delves into the problems of innovation. He explores where innovation and entrepreneurship came from, shows how they break into church circles, and counters the "new imaginations" like neoliberalism and technology that hold the church captive to modernity. Root reveals the moral visions of the self that innovation and entrepreneurship deliver--they are dependent on workers (and consumers) being obsessed with their selves, which leads to significant faith-formation issues. This focus on innovation also causes us to think we need to be singularly unique instead of made alive in Christ. Root offers a return to mysticism and the poetry of Meister Eckhart as a healthier spiritual alternative.

Going a day retreat or quiet day is a regular activity for many local churches. During the preparatory seasons of Advent and Lent, they are especially popular. While many retreat houses and religious communities offer a programme for such days, many groups prefer a do-it yourself approach. This resource contains twelve complete day-long programmes that are, focused around different themes, appropriate for use at varying times of the Christian year, suitable for all ages, and assorted pastoral contexts. It also gives step-by-step instructions on creating your own programme from scratch.

This anthology reflects the life and witness of the Iona Community and is intended to encourage creativity in worship. Liturgies include: pilgrimage and journeys, healing, acts of witness and dissent, a sanctuary and a light, resources: beginnings and endings of worship, short prayers, prayers for forgiveness, words of faith, thanksgiving, concern, litanies and responses, cursings and blessings, reflections, readings and meditations.

This book is like no other book because it is the only known book to provide the ABC's for organizing or reorganizing the Sunday school or church school. The book is also loaded with suggestive forms to help any leader to construct his or her own forms for Sunday school or church school administration. This book reminds the prospective teacher, the current teacher, the VBS coordinator, training administrators, and the support leader and workers of their responsibilities. Any church pastor, superintendent, church leader, professor of Christian education, or director of Christian education will find this book as a valuable tool in Christian education.

Complete with encouraging testimonials, Zowie! includes countless practical resources including reproducible appendixes including Bible verse cards in English and Spanish, patterns, recipes, and contact information.