First Steps

[Book of Faith Social Network]

What are you doing to help prepare your congregational leadership for the Book of Faith?

[Anna Marsh]

As staff for Book of Faith, I get to read much the email that comes our way. One of the benefits of this is hearing about the creative ways that congregations across the country are laying the groundwork for the initiative. Here are a few of my favorites so far:

*A couple in Florida is hosting a series of dinner parties/book clubs to get promote conversation around "Opening the Book of Faith", the introductory piece for the initiative.
*In NE Pennsylvania Synod, synod staff have created a page on their synod website to serve as a local hub for Book of Faith activity, including announcements, events and a blog.
*A group of congregations in the Midlands Conference of the South Carolina Synod plans to choose hymns for their Reformation Sunday hymn festival around the expressed goals of the initiative: Called, Enlivened, Empowered, Renewed, Empowered, Sent by the Word.

Stay tuned for more great ideas--as membership of this site grows, we encourage you to share with each other the ways you are getting started in your own contexts!

[Katy]

I'm not currently a part of a congregation. I think I need to ask myself an even larger question... what am I doing to engage myself and my communities with the Bible?

[Joyce Jungemann]

Appreciated these observations, Anna. Another area of interest to us is the significance of the tradition of our Lutheran liturgy. Beginning on page 1154 of the Cranberry hymnal are the Biblical references to our liturgy. Prior to graduating from the diakonia program in June, I became interested in the historic background rooted in the traditions of Judaism and early Christianity and in the Scriptural references, and I began researching and writing text. Now I'm on the Scriptural references section of the research and writing so that when our pastor returns from sabbatical October 1, I can review with him my interest for our congregation--perhaps a 2 minute talk before the Prelude, focused and ongoing weekly. (Incidentally, last week when we visited a "high church" Episcopal service, I was thrilled when the rector presented a "to-be-continued every week" beginning explanation of the Liturgy. With this Moses/Jeremiah experience I have been undergoing for a year, the rector gave me real inspiration to continue. . .). I've been working on it for 2 months; then I'll see what pastor says when he returns. In the meantime, I find my activity for the Book of Faith initiative and the Liturgy research often fuse together: both are reading and listening and studying Scripture.

Another encouragement to reading Scripture my husband and I are suggesting to guests during our dinners/luncheons introduction to "Opening" which we are hosting in our home: read the Sunday Scripture readings which are printed in our Sunday bulletin each Sunday prior to the next week's service: Lesson, Psalm, Epistle, Gospel.
We are discovering great enthusiasm for the four methodologies presented in Chapter 4 of "Opening"
and we encourage the application of the methods--one or all four--to Scripture reading of the Sunday Service readings each week. (We bought 12 copies of "Opening" to use for introducing the Book of Faith initiative, and often people want to buy a copy for their future use.)

Another idea we have is to enhance the Literary method with classical art. I will begin this study when I complete the Liturgy/Scripture research and writing. Because we are members of the Ringling Museum, we are aware of the large amount of religious art that depicts Biblical events.
Viewing the occasion of a Scripture passage created by an artist would enhance the discussion of character, setting, and symbol and also extend the Scriptural context of theme--wherever the discussion might lead individual participants studying God's Word. JJ

[Anna Marsh]

Joyce, I have attached the document you sent me. Thanks for your comments and great enthusiasm!

[Darlene Kalfahs]

As part our Synod Staff and as Resource Center Director, I encourage our congregations to share some of the exciting ways they are starting the conversation on the Book of Faith in their churches. There have been many ideas shared. One in particular is from Calvary Lutheran in Green Bay, WI. They began Calvary College and they offer a 2 year program with a number of small group offerings. Members feel like they are going to school, they can choose the various classes they want to take and at the end of the 2 years they are lifted up in a banquet, receiving a certificate. It takes the "fear" out of joining a group when you know that you are all beginning the learning process at the same time. It is a creative way to "hook" them into learning!

Anna Marsh said:

As staff for Book of Faith, I get to read much the email that comes our way. One of the benefits of this is hearing about the creative ways that congregations across the country are laying the groundwork for the initiative. Here are a few of my favorites so far:
*A couple in Florida is hosting a series of dinner parties/book clubs to get promote conversation around "Opening the Book of Faith", the introductory piece for the initiative. *In NE Pennsylvania Synod, synod staff have created a page on their synod website to serve as a local hub for Book of Faith activity, including announcements, events and a blog.
*A group of congregations in the Midlands Conference of the South Carolina Synod plans to choose hymns for their Reformation Sunday hymn festival around the expressed goals of the initiative: Called, Enlivened, Empowered, Renewed, Empowered, Sent by the Word.

Stay tuned for more great ideas--as membership of this site grows, we encourage you to share with each other the ways you are getting started in your own contexts!

[Eunice Woodberry]

When I was in seminary Professor Mons Teig showed us a bulletin that included a brief comment explaining the purpose of each part of the liturgy and scripture that supported it. It was printed in the margin right by the actual part. It enabled people to see it as they went through worship and also something to take home and check in their Bibles.

Joyce Jungemann said:

Appreciated these observations, Anna. Another area of interest to us is the significance of the tradition of our Lutheran liturgy. Beginning on page 1154 of the Cranberry hymnal are the Biblical references to our liturgy. Prior to graduating from the diakonia program in June, I became interested in the historic background rooted in the traditions of Judaism and early Christianity and in the Scriptural references, and I began researching and writing text. Now I'm on the Scriptural references section of the research and writing so that when our pastor returns from sabbatical October 1, I can review with him my interest for our congregation--perhaps a 2 minute talk before the Prelude, focused and ongoing weekly. (Incidentally, last week when we visited a "high church" Episcopal service, I was thrilled when the rector presented a "to-be-continued every week" beginning explanation of the Liturgy. With this Moses/Jeremiah experience I have been undergoing for a year, the rector gave me real inspiration to continue. . .). I've been working on it for 2 months; then I'll see what pastor says when he returns. In the meantime, I find my activity for the Book of Faith initiative and the Liturgy research often fuse together: both are reading and listening and studying Scripture.

Another encouragement to reading Scripture my husband and I are suggesting to guests during our dinners/luncheons introduction to "Opening" which we are hosting in our home: read the Sunday Scripture readings which are printed in our Sunday bulletin each Sunday prior to the next week's service: Lesson, Psalm, Epistle, Gospel.
We are discovering great enthusiasm for the four methodologies presented in Chapter 4 of "Opening"
and we encourage the application of the methods--one or all four--to Scripture reading of the Sunday Service readings each week. (We bought 12 copies of "Opening" to use for introducing the Book of Faith initiative, and often people want to buy a copy for their future use.)

Another idea we have is to enhance the Literary method with classical art. I will begin this study when I complete the Liturgy/Scripture research and writing. Because we are members of the Ringling Museum, we are aware of the large amount of religious art that depicts Biblical events.
Viewing the occasion of a Scripture passage created by an artist would enhance the discussion of character, setting, and symbol and also extend the Scriptural context of theme--wherever the discussion might lead individual participants studying God's Word. JJ

[Eunice Woodberry]

I brought it up at a council meeting but being unsure of what the initiative was about and what we could do I didn't create any interest. Shortly after that I learned that our synod (SWMN) was encouraging everyone to read through the gospels. I think the plan it to read each 3 times in the next year. People are to reach a chapter a day. Each week we receive 7 short writings 1 for each chapter for that week. Various people living in our synod write them. Synod office emails these to us each week to print for our congregations. They are also listed on the home page for our synod. http://www.swmnelca.org/

[Pastor David Cline]

We began a new education team. They encouraged others to come to our evening VBS where an adult class was offered as together we looked at the first "book of faith" resource. We explored methods of studying scripture, we took assessment surveys that was shared in large groups. 60 adults attended each night!

From that first group we are beginning "the book of faith" initiative by reading together the Gospel of Mark in two ways. On Monday night for six weeks a group will gather for the live web class on the Gospel of Mark led by Luther Seminary. On Tuesday morning, a group of 40 people gather weekly to read through a book of the bible, On Wednesday night two members of the congregation are leading a study of the lessons for the coming Sunday, and on Sundays I (the Pastor) will lead a more basic study of the Gospel of Mark.

In addition, are beginning to sign up 40 members who each will write their favorite bible verse, a 5 sentence devotional, and a two sentence prayer. During Lent these will be emailed to congregational members each day. These "devotions" will include individuals from both our companion congregation in Tanzania and the Latino worshipping community that we host at Grace.

We look forward to the publication of the "Lutheran" Bible next year and the ongoing prepared Bible studies.

DC

[Geoffrey Beebe]

I'm using the "Opening the Book of Faith" resource in our Sunday adult class this fall. Divided each of the three chapters into two, so will cover those in 6 weeks. After that will do the 4 Bible studies. So, it will be covered over 10 weeks. I'm looking forward to this opportunity and for the discussion!

[J C Hildner]

We are beginning a verse of the month campaign. One (or a couple) verse(s) will be published in newsletters, bulletins, web sites and on a business card to be given away at worship which will have a verse that we are encouraging people to memorize. Each week, there will be some words about the verse--possibly context, information about its use in liturgy or theology, personal reflections or whatever might share its value--written in the bulletin by the verse(s). The hope is that by the end of the year, many in our congregation will have a dozen bytes of scripture that they can pull out of their pocket for various life situations. Hopefully, they will feel that scripture is more accessible to them through this method of fluency and understanding.

[Earl Janssen]

We started well before this initiative began. One of the things we've done is to use The Teaching Company materials on the Story of the Bible and The Old Testament in some adult classes.

This fall, we are emphasizing reading through scripture in a year. I'm creating a weekly handout with the day's readings summarized and helping people keep the daily reading in perspective. Our Sunday adult class will be getting a preview of the week's reading as well as addressing any questions that come from the previous week's reading.

Earl Janssen

[Patricia A. Colson]

Our Congregation has register to be a partner in these conversations and we have sent 6 people to the first synod session. I still feel our education Board is stil at loose end at how to get Started. Our Pastor has Weds. morning study of the next week's readings but we have been doing that right along. I would like something all of us to be envolved in that can't make Weds.