[Oe List ...] New ways to do church

[Janice Ulangca]

Perhaps church study groups may be pointing to new ways of "doing church"?  Or at least new entry-points for those who haven't seen the point of "church".

Excitement here as 42 from probably 20 congregations are registered for an introductory workshop this Saturday (June 14) for the ecumenical JustFaith 30-week study program.  The series is based on broad scriptural themes & scholarship, while DVDs and a dozen or so books delve into current issues. Jack Jezreel, the founder and national director of JustFaith will be here Saturday. He's a fine presenter - caught interest of local United Methodists at a national UM social justice conference last year.  

JustFaith started out as a Catholic program, now is ecumenical, co-promoted by Bread for the World.  The program also has the groups, of 10-15 folks, visit local areas of need and good programs and plan their own projects as response to local situations.  Jack Jezreel and his small national staff do continual updating of materials and program processes in response to feedback from the local programs.  To date over 700 congregations have participated.  Saturday we have Catholics and Quakers, Presbyterians and Lutherans, Baptists and United Methodists, and new unaffiliated congregations represented.  A great mix.  Sure glad I learned from EI to appreciate the gifts of all traditions!

The Council of Churches here is sponsoring and heavily promoting the program, as part of a larger strategy to bring leadership development resources to local congregations.  The Peace with Justice Committee, which I chair, has 8 active clergy and laity who are experienced leaders, passionate about bringing faith resources to action for peace and justice. We've acted as the planning group for the Saturday workshop and hope to be able to schedule several groups around the area starting in September.  From ICA experience, I can see that it can make all the difference in the world if these small groups can stay connected and encouraged. 

Janice Ulangca

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: cdzoll at comcast.net 
  To: Order Ecumenical Community 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 7:49 PM
  Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] "Obama Tells You How He Did It" organizationally


  His name is Keith Wheeler and he is active in one of our church study groups, but not the church, per se. David Zollars
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: McCabe, Diann A 
    To: Order Ecumenical Community 
    Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 10:19 PM
    Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] "Obama Tells You How He Did It" organizationally


    Thanks for sending this.  It's good--who wrote it?

    Diann McCabe

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of cdzoll at comcast.net [cdzoll at comcast.net]
    Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 11:32 PM
    To: Order Ecumenical Community
    Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] "Obama Tells You How He Did It" organizationally


    I can't open either one of them, but I have a friend out here who wrote a pretty good piece for those friends you may have that don't think Obama is "the one." He gives what he calls the "upside" to many of the criticisms of Barack Obama.   David Zollars
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