Social Media for Congregations Event

This fall, the Faith Formation Team's theme will be "Getting Your Church Wired: A helpful guide to social media, online ethics and your congregation."

It seems that the Ohio Conference also thought that this would be a good idea. They are hosting two events that fall under this theme. Click on this link to see the invitation and sign up!

Where & When Friday, September 28, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Bath UCC 3980 W. Bath Road Bath, Ohio 44333 Map/Directions Saturday, September 29, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. St. John's Church 59 E. Mound Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 Map/Directions

Reformatting

The Faith Formation Team is hard at work! We will get you (pastors and lay leaders) more resources for advent, lent and summer!

Until then, may you feel the movement of the Spirit in the warm breezes of summer. May the sun warm your skin and remind you of your Creator's love. And may you have a meal on the beach with friends like Christ. In God's many names, Amen.

A Great Liturgical Resource

If you are looking for a one-stop-shop for fresh liturgy, look no further than the blog re:Worship. Christine Longhurst is the author of the blog and pulls from a variety of online resources. 

The site is easy to navigate and well labeled. Say if you were looking for a call to worship for Easter 7 Year B, you would be able to find it quite easily on the right hand side under "labels." 

I use re:Worship when I have to plan worship and find that is a great resource.

Textweek Resource

Are you looking for creative ways to put together liturgy? Do you have an upcoming Children's Moment to lead? Are you involved in a lectionary-based Bible study? Are you preaching next week?

If you answered, "Yes" to any of these questions, you might want to check out www.textweek.com. Textweek.com is a lectionary-based site that has gathered resources from all over the Web. From the site, you can research upcoming texts, read sermons, match movies and music to scripture, and discover options for children. 

Easter Morning Celebration Ideas

Here is a list of ideas generated by the our team here. We're still looking for submissions, so if you have any thoughts or ideas, send 'em our way!

• Place ribbons with the world Alleluia on them and on Easter morning, the ribbons are tied to balloons and released in the sanctuary
• Decorate the railing and entrance to the church with helium balloons to give a festive feel
• Hold an Easter Breakfast
• Have a cross with notes people would like forgiveness for placed up with tacts or nails throughout Lent and on Easter Sunday those notes are burned or simply gone
• Have people write on rice paper things for which they want to be forgiven for and then on Easter morning they are placed in the Baptism font where they dissolve
• Host a Holy Humor Sunday the Sunday after Easter to continue the laughter and joy of the resurrection.

Looking for Submissions!

Hey, are ya still reading this here blog?

Has it helped you in planning for Lent at all?

If so, GREAT!

If not, boy do we have a once-in-a-lifetime chance for you! We are taking submissions for Holy Week and Easter services! You can get your great idea published in a blogpost to help out your fellow clergy, lay-leaders, and worship planners! Let’s resource our ideas and share!

So what has worked in the past? A Palm Sunday Luncheon? A children’s pageant? An Eastern Morning Sunrise service where part of the service is held outside and your praise band drummer floats above the congregation for a solo?! Okay, maybe not the last part… but we’d love to hear your ideas. Please email Luke at luke AT sylvaniaucc DOT org your ideas for worship.

Help us form the faith and make disciples! God bless!

Resources from Marilyn Deever

Websites : http://www.ucc.org/justice/health/faithfully-facing-dying/

Resources: Books, Drama, Readings, Activities Paetkau, Henry, Reflections by Candlelight. Contemporary Drama Service, Meriwether Publishing LTD, Colorado Springs, CO 80933. Readings for the Sundays of Lent and Easter

Dyck, Paul, The Lenten Candles. Contemporary Drama Service. A series of Lenten calls to worship

Shiplett, Gary R. The Lenten Banner: Contemporary Drama Service. A visual portrayal of the last days in the life of Jesus Christ. This is a bannerkit that includes banner design instructions and scripts for a banner presentation liturgy.

Reese, Rolland R. From My Point of View: Ten Dialogues on the Passion. CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio. This resource presents twelve persons who played crucial roles in the death/resurrection event of Jesus Christ.

Stoner, Marcia Joslin, Seasons of Faith :Teaching the Christian Year For Intergenerational Use. Abingdon Press. Nashville, Tennessee. Worship activities, Lenten studies, and activities are on pages 65 through 106.

Griggs, Donald L. Discovering the Psalms: Passion, Promise and Praise. The Kerygma Program. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15234. Online: www.kerygma.com . This is a deep exploration of the Psalms particularly recommended for Lent or a special study on spirituality. It includes 49 days of guided reading of the Psalms. The Leader’s Guide is available on a two-disk set–lesson plans in PDF form and a slide presentation. The image JPEGs of maps, art, prayers, etc may be used to create presentations for use in a variety of ways.

Whitcomb, Holly. Feasting with God. Out of Print but can be found at www.Amazon.com