Whilst much of the literature on faith development tended to focus on the stages and styles characterised by young people, John Roberto's new book gives us everything we need to draw new insights into the formation of adults in the Christian faith.
Read MoreNew books about St Francis
Celebrating St. Francis through Learning
The feast of Saint Francis of Assisi was celebrated on October 4th. While many churches host animal blessingsSt. Francis Day is also an opportunity for study and education.
New ways of thinking about Leadership
Forbes magazine has created this video that highlights thinking about leadership using scenes from the popular cinematic series, of films, Star Wars.
Read MoreWant to help people understand Anglican Christianity?
Launched now at www.formedfaith.org is the new Exploring Anglican Identity material.
Archbishop Phillip is the star of five short videos, each dealing with a different aspect of Anglican identity. Each video has discussion questions aimed at provoking conversation, whether you use them at a confirmation class, a bible study/other small group or even play one a week at morning tea after church. Archbishop Phillip has summed up nuanced ideas concisely and with humour.
Read MoreFollow in the footsteps of Jesus...
Bible Challenge: A Tool for Churches to Read the Bible in a Year
The Bible Challenge is a Bible study published by Forward Movement, designed to allow adult learners to read the Bible in a year. We wanted to know how this program works in a parish, and our friend Andrew was happy to let us know how St Gregory's, Boca Raton, FL used the program.
Read MoreThe Spirit of Advent
Free reflection booklet invites you into the spirit of Advent
Anglican Overseas Aid has launched a new, pocket-sized reflection booklet based on the
weekly themes of Advent. The booklet had been inspired by the agency’s Gifts of Light
Christmas gifts catalogue, which last year was redesigned around the themes of Advent.
After realising that charity Christmas gift catalogues often don’t emphasise the central story of the Christmas season, the agency redesigned its Gifts of Light catalogue to follow the traditional
themes of Advent – hope, love, joy and peace - and the Advent lectionary readings.
The Advent Booklet can be ordered in bulk for use by churches and other groups, or as part
of orders of Christmas gifts from the Gifts of Light catalogue. To find out more about the
Advent Booklet, and download a pdf version, visit
www.anglicanoverseasaid.org.au/donate/gifts/free-advent-reflections-booklet
Australians Together
Australians Together is a fresh approach to building relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians that seeks to plant a seed in peoples’ hearts and minds; the idea that Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians can live in respectful, peer relationships with each other.
Read MoreResources for conversations across faiths
As the world becomes more pluralistic there are two or more responses we can make. We can draw back into our turtle shells, put fingers in our ears and pretend its not happening or... we can begin conversations within and beyond our communities to discover ways forward in peace.
Read MoreHumanising the "other"
Something about us as humans means it's easier to have compassion for those who are like us. And, correspondingly, it's harder to care about those who are different. Because Jesus calls us to rise above that 'tribal nature', resources which help to do that are super useful!
Read MoreUnderstanding our ourselves, digitally
If you want to educate people you need to understand them. And these days, if you want to understand them you need to have some ideas about the world that they live in and how they navigate it.
To that point, Deloitte's new edition of its yearly study into the digital habits of Australians is fascinating!
Read MoreGrowing Disciples 21C
If you are interested in having a stroll through the ideas of someone who has been working in the field of faith formation for a long time, and who has significant runs on the board of encouraging people towards discipleship then the blog of UCA Education specialist Craig Mitchell is a great place to start.
Read MoreVideo Resource: Australian Suffragan Bishop seeks climate justice
Suffragan Bishop Tom Wilmot in the Archdiocese of Perth, Anglican Church of Australia, welcomes the moral leadership provided by the Papal Encyclical Laudato Si’ and reflects on the situation in Australia.
Watch this video in which he urges us to...
Read MoreArchbishop Phillip explores Anglican Identity and Ethos
After much discussion about how good the Archbishop’s address to Synod was this year, here’s the terrific section on Anglican identity, shared again with the PAX group at St Thomas’ Toowong a few weeks ago.
If you’ve ever wondered about the origins of the Anglican Church, have a look!
Read MoreInnovation! The Youth Ministry Change Project
Anyone who’s been in youth ministry awhile shares some ongoing frustrations: Families are busy. Programs are not attended like they once were. It’s not clear that programs even work. What you have observed at your church is backed up by cross-denominational research: programs don’t build faith.
But now we know what does...
Read MoreSkills for Living with Diversity
Wondering if there are better ways to deal with religious and cultural diversity? If part of God's mission for the church is to discern where God is already at action in the community around us then that's something worth wondering about!
Here are the details of a program being run by Griffith Uni's Centre for Interfaith and Cultural Dialogue and Believing Women for a Culture of Peace...
Read MoreFree Resources for Freedom Sunday
There are estimated to be between 21 and 30 million people caught in slavery in the world today - suffering cruel and brutal treatment in every part of the world. The Freedom Sunday resource has been designed for local churches and can be adapted for use in different contexts around the Anglican Communion...
Read MoreA Doubter's Guide to the Bible
Dr John Dickson appeared on Brisbane's 612 ABC station recently to talk about his new book, A Doubter's Guide to the Bible. Introduced by announcer Steve Austin as a historian, Dickson gives a masterclass in apologetics.
Read MoreCOMING SOON – Big BIBLE360 news
You’ve already heard about the new modules in the BIBLE360 series coming your way. That’s Introduction to the Prophets and Exploring Anglican Spiritualities, in case you missed that news. Both of those are dynamite and manage to combine learning and personal faith growth material too.
But on the way is some big news about the expanded “360” family of learning experiences for your parishes.
Read MoreMarks of Mission conference
The Common Life Missions Conference looks like it will be a good one. I've heard of a few people from our diocese (Southern Queensland) who will be heading across, including people from ABM and others.
With more than 50 workshops focusing on all aspects of the Marks and keynote speakers from New Zealand, Ireland and more it'd be hard to come away feeling like you'd had anything other than a great learning experience.
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