In an effort to deal with today’s economy and reality, the Episcopal Church is offering a free resource, Finding Hope in Hard Times: Seven Spiritual Practices, designed to provide faith communities with practical and spiritual disciplines in order to nurture a culture of generosity and hope, in the midst of fear, anxiety and despair.
“Christian hope is based on trust,” explained the Rev. Laurel Johnston, the Episcopal Church’s Program Officer for Stewardship. “Trust that God will continue to fulfill God’s promise in a new way to each generation that leads to freedom, free to be the people God intended us to be. The Finding Hope in Hard Times resource guide invites communities of faith to take on seven disciplines that nurture hope and a path towards spiritual and financial freedom.” (more…)
For parishes and committees looking for resources to strengthen group communication skills, the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD) offers a website full. At diocesan leadership conference and General Convention, we spent time learning about public narrative, adding some form to our storytelling and organization presentation skills. Many of us have had some exposure to Appreciative Inquiry and other dialogue techniques but are unsure of the range of these methods and the specific situations for which the technique is best suited. (more…)
A Lenten Gift from St. Martin’s-Ellisville. This year forty-three parishioners contributed to a collection of 46 meditations. The daily readings cover the 40 days – as well as the six Sundays — of the Lenten season. Mary Drastal contributed the original cover image; Ruby Downs and Janet Theiss produced the books in the church office. 
