Jan Johnson offers an innovative Advent small-group study built around a careful contextual reading of scripture combined with the imaginative reading approach introduced by St. Ignatius. The title Taste and See hints at how readers are invited to experience the stories of the season with their senses. Drawing on that experience of scripture, participants then consider how these stories speak to their own lives.

"Grief is such a messy thing," Roberta Bondi writes in the introduction. "It fills us with many ideas and images, memories and fantasies, celebration and bitter regret all at once — all superimposed upon one another. No wonder it wears us out." In this book of poetry and reflections on her mother's death, Bondi acknowledges her grief in the presence of God over the span of a few months. She expresses many conflicting feelings: love, pain, anger, guilt, emptiness, confusion, exhaustion, relief...

iKids—the generation emerging in the midst of the digital revolution. A generation defined by a vast and rapidly changing technological landscape, the iKids generation will never know a world without touch screens, social media, and the internet. iKids: Parenting in the Digital Age takes a close look at the culture of this generation and raises critical questions about the effects of technology on children's brains, physical health, educational experiences, relationships, and faith formation.

SEX: A Christian Perspective on Our Bodies, Decisions, and Relationships for 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Youth is designed to open the door to serious conversation, decisions, and commitments on the part of younger youth as they wrestle with what it means to be Christian and sexual beings. This resource is intended to strengthen relationships between youth and their adult, to foster deep conversation during this experience, and to provide the beginnings of conversations that go beyond this experi...

Life Together in the United Methodist Connection is an advanced course in Lay Servant Ministries that gives participants an overview of the structure and organization of The United Methodist Church. The course is arranged in five two-hour sessions with short devotionals at the beginning of each session intended to ground class instruction and discussion in scripture. Life Together in the United Methodist Connection is required for Lay Servants who wish to become certified Lay Speakers and an ...

What beliefs set United Methodists apart from other denominations? How has Methodism changed since its beginning in the 18th century? Living Our United Methodist Beliefs is the Leader's Guide for a course that will help participants better understand United Methodist beliefs and history. It is ideal for a new members class or an adult confirmation class. Use the Leader's Guide with these companion components: Living Our Beliefs: The United Methodist Way by Kenneth L. Carder A Brief Histor...

Walking through Lent is a selection from The Upper Room Disciplines. These seven devotionals focus on renewing our commitment to God through self-reflection and repentance. For the current edition of The Upper Room Disciplines click here.