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How does someone obtain wisdom, knowledge, and understanding? How
do they apply them to their lives? This volume of Immersion Bible
Studies focuses on touchstone Scriptures that reveal the essence of
wisdom as found in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.
Written in a conversational tone, this study engages readers in the
virtues shared while deepening their love of the Bible.
Easy-to-follow, step-by-step suggestions for leading a group are
provided, as well as questions to facilitate class discussion.
Immersion, inspired by a fresh translation--the Common English
Bible--stands firmly on Scripture and helps readers explore the
emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs of their personal
faith. More importantly, they ll be able to discover God s
revelation through readings and reflections."
Imagine that it's Christmas Eve and you're on your way to the store
before the annual candlelight service. Suddenly you find yourself
transported back in time to the night of the birth of the Messiah
The places you're used to seeing are all gone; the usual trappings
of modern society don't work. And, to top it off, you're placed in
a situation where you have to help a young couple deal with having
a baby -- with no hospital Yikes
This imaginative chancel drama for Advent or Christmas will make
the members of your congregation think about the night of Jesus'
birth in a new way. A variety of ages can be used in the production
from young children to older adults. The dialogue can be easily
modified with local references. Suggested readings and music are
included for use between scenes for additional congregational
involvement.
Frank Ramirez is the pastor of Everett Church of the Brethren in
Everett, Pennsylvania. A graduate of the University of LaVerne and
Bethany Theological Seminary, Ramirez is the author of numerous
books, articles, and short stories. Frank has been a long-time
writer for CSS' online subscription "StoryShare." His CSS titles
include "Gabriel's Horn, The Christmas Star," "The Bee Attitudes,"
"Partners in Healing," " He Took a Towel," "Coming Home,"
"Lectionary Worship Aids "series, " "and "A Call to Worship."
At twelve the muse gave me a tap. These lines for my life are a
map. A few are just verse And a couple are worse, But the ones that
are left are effusive.
Drama can be a wonderful tool for presenting spiritual truths in a
fresh and creative way. "Come All Ye Faithful" is a valuable
resource for churches seeking new methods for presenting the joyous
message of Advent and Christmas. From an insightful allegory
illuminating the symbolism of the Advent wreath to mice depicting
the nativity scene in whimsical verse, this resource will appeal to
any dramatic preference.
These plays can be used by congregations of almost any size, with
only minimal props and costuming required. Copy privileges are
included.
The plays featured in this volume are:
- "The Living Advent Wreath" -- a musical allegory depicting a
pilgrim's journey to discover the true meaning of Advent as
revealed through the Advent Wreath (sheet music is included).
- "The Mouse Christmas" -- a lighthearted children's play written
in rhyming verse.
- "The Ad Vent Wheat" -- a humorous children's play offering a
slightly altered view of the Christmas message.
Each of these plays will help congregations capture anew the true
joy of the Advent and Christmas season.
Frank Ramirez is the pastor of Everett Church of the Brethren in
Everett, Pennsylvania. A graduate of the University of LaVerne and
Bethany Theological Seminary, Ramirez is the author of numerous
books, articles, and short stories. His CSS titles include
"Gabriel's Horn," "The Christmas Star," "The Bee Attitudes,"
"Partners in Healing," "He Took a Towel," "Coming Home,"
"Lectionary Worship Aids," and "A Call to Worship."
"Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (Psalm
119:105).
This all-new edition of a perennial CSS favorite is a valuable
resource for busy pastors, worship planners, worship service
planners, and worship resource planners. It's an easy-to-use
reference offering several prayers relating to the assigned
scriptural passages for every Sunday and major observance in Cycle
C of the Revised Common Lectionary. For each First, Second, and
Gospel reading there's a call to worship, a collect, a prayer of
confession, and suggested hymns -- plenty of inspiring material for
the creation of fresh, meaningful worship services. Supplemental
resources include numerous prayers for general use, worship
material for Mother's Day, and a brief service for hunting season
that highlights the connection between responsible hunting and
God's creation. In addition, there are alternate verses for use
with several familiar hymns plus hymns from the Brethren tradition.
This complete collection offers a wide selection of practical aids
for creating sincerely reverent, thematically unified worship
experiences in which hymns, prayers, and scripture all work
together to illuminate the powerful connection between God's Word
and the daily lives of the people in the pews.
"These are not words to be admired. They are words to be prayed.
This is all about talking to God. Just as importantly, it's about
listening to God talking back.... I hope that people use times of
silence, both in worship and in life, to allow the opportunity for
God to speak. There is, of course, no controlling God. We cannot
pull on a chain and ensure a reply. That would be magic. But we can
at least work on the assumption that prayer is a conversation --
not a harangue, part medical report and part Santa wish list. We
can also work on the assumption that this is the Lord of the
universe we are speaking to, awe-inspiring and majestic, yet
somehow marvelously secure as a God who encourages us to speak on
an intimate basis."
(from the Introduction)
Frank Ramirez is an author and pastor in the Church of the Brethren
who has written numerous books, articles, and short stories. A
graduate of LaVerne College and Bethany Theological Seminary,
Ramirez has served congregations in Indiana and California, and is
currently pastor at Everett Church of the Brethren in Everett,
Pennsylvania. In addition to volumes of "Lectionary Worship Aids"
for Cycles A and B, his other CSS titles include "A Call To
Worship," "Partners In Healing," "He Took A Towel," "Gabriel's
Horn," and "The Christmas Star."
The Old Testament is a rich tapestry that details how God's plan of
salvation was being worked out centuries before the birth of
Christ. Yet many people in the pews are not as familiar as they
should be with the Hebrew scriptures and their profound lessons for
modern living. In this penetrating collection of spiritually
enlightening messages based on the First Readings from Cycle C of
the Revised Common Lectionary, five distinguished preachers unlock
the secrets of some often overlooked passages from the Old
Testament and the book of Acts. These sermons for each Sunday and
major celebration throughout the entire church year illuminate the
wisdom of the prophets, and they demonstrate how relevant their
timeless themes of justice and righteousness remain for our
twenty-first-century culture. Each thought-provoking message is
filled with compelling stories and illustrations that help readers
see how to "profit from the prophets."
This essential resource is useful for:
- Fresh homiletical approaches to the lectionary texts
- Inspiring preaching illustrations and sermon starters
- Understanding scripture passages
- Bible study and discussion groups
- Personal devotions and inspirational reading
Frank Ramirez believes that youth and children are the church of
today and should be invited to participate regularly in worship as
scripture readers, musicians, speakers, and worship leaders. Drama
is an especially great way to keep young people speaking,
performing, and sharing in front of the congregation -- not only is
it fun and inspirational, but drama is also an effective method for
making God's word take on flesh and dwell in our midst. This set of
six delightful plays puts Christ at the forefront while
entertaining all ages and teaching deep truths. The flexible pieces
can be performed elaborately with full costuming and staging, or
simply read directly from the script in readers' theater style.
From "Witnesses to the Light," featuring angels named Fantastic,
Marvelous, Wonderful, and Gabriel, to the whimsical "Holy Water,"
with sheep named Be Bop, Bo Peep, Bah Humbug, and Bill, the dramas
in The Bee Attitudes are sure to please.
The practice of anointing for healing appears countless times in
the Bible ? yet in many Christian traditions, anointing is seldom
practiced today. But it is an essential rite that reminds us that
God is firmly in control of all aspects of our lives. Anointing
affirms and symbolizes our partnership with God, who is the true
source of restoration and healing. Through the practice of
anointing, we invite God to be part of the healing process for
anyone who is sick physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
Partners In Healing is a complete guide with all the resources you
need to revive this ancient practice as part of a comprehensive
ministry of healing. The biblical and historical background for
anointing is investigated, and sample services and prayers are
included, as well as sermons that can be used to introduce this
ministry to congregations unfamiliar with it. There are also
discussion questions and activities, making this an excellent
resource for small group study.
Looking for something fresh and creative for the Advent season?
Here's a charming set of five lighthearted plays that's sure to
engage audiences and set the holiday spirit while remaining focused
on the scriptural message. Written in whimsical rhyming verse, the
scenes detail the prophecies of the Messiah and the story of the
Incarnation through the interaction of three angels (Gabriel,
Wonderful, and, Marvelous) with several biblical characters.
Congregations of any size will find these sketches easy to use --
only a small cast is needed, and the readers' theater format means
no extensive costuming or staging is required. Scenes include: *
Gabriel's Horn (Last Sunday of Pentecost) * The Honeymooners
(Advent 1) * The Cleanup Crew (Advent 2) * The Reading Club (Advent
3) * Step Up To The Plate (Advent 4) Two of the angel characters
reappear after a 33-year "vacation" in "M.I.H. -- Missing In
Heaven," an Easter verse drama (also written by Frank Ramirez)
included in the CSS anthology Roll Back The Stone. Frank Ramirez is
the pastor of Everett Church of the Brethren in Everett,
Pennsylvania. A graduate of the University of LaVerne and Bethany
Theological Seminary, Ramirez is the author of numerous books,
articles, and short stories. His CSS titles include Partners In
Healing, Coming Home, The Christmas Star, He Took A Towel, A Call
To Worship, and Lectionary Worship Aids.
Preparing to lead a congregation in worship each Sunday is a
pressure-filled responsibility. That's why busy worship planners
will love this all-new edition of a perennial favorite CSS
reference. This resource is easy to use, with several prayers and a
worship theme relating to the assigned scriptural passages for
every Sunday and major observance in Cycle A of the Revised Common
Lectionary. For each First Lesson, Second Lesson, and Gospel text
there's a call to worship, a collect, a prayer of confession, and
suggested hymns. This complete collection offers a wide selection
of practical aids for creating sincerely reverent, meaningful
worship experiences.
Coming up with fresh, meaningful worship material each Sunday that
illuminates scripture and preaching themes is a pressure-filled
responsibility. That's why busy pastors and worship leaders will
love this all-new edition of a perennial CSS favorite. It's an
easy-to-use reference offering several prayers relating to each
week's assigned scriptural passages in Cycle B of the Revised
Common Lectionary. For each First Lesson, Second Lesson, and Gospel
text there's a call to worship, a collect, a prayer of confession,
and suggested hymns. Supplemental material includes alternate
verses for several familiar hymns, as well as an anointing service,
a communion and feetwashing service, and a lamentation service for
the anniversary of 9/11. This complete collection offers a wide
selection of practical aids for creating sincerely reverent,
thematically unified worship experiences in which hymns, prayers,
and scripture all work together to dance in and around God's Word.
Busy pastors and worship leaders are always searching for worship
elements that underline the scripture passages and provide a
unifying theme. "A Call To Worship" answers that need, supplying a
range of calls to worship, prayers, and litanies for each Sunday,
all based on the readings for Cycle B of the Revised Common
Lectionary. A special feature is a weekly "children's benediction"
that summarizes the day's theme in a brief phrase that young people
can understand and repeat with the congregation. "A Call To
Worship" is a valuable library of resources that you'll want to
have right at your fingertips
Frank Ramirez is an author and pastor in the Church of the Brethren
who has written numerous books, articles, and short stories. A
graduate of LaVerne College and Bethany Theological Seminary,
Ramirez has served congregations in Indiana and California. His
other CSS titles include "The Christmas Star," "Coming Home," and
"He Took A Towel."
Appropriate for Maundy Thursday or any time throughout the year,
this resource contains several sermons and a full-blown service of
Holy Communion, Feetwashing, and Agape Meal (or Love Feast).
Detailed bread recipes and instructions for all the preparations
are included along with bulletin texts.Examination Service And
Feetwashing Service Meditation: "Broken For You" Service: The Lords
Supper Sermons Include: "Seeing A Familiar Friend All Over Again
For The First Time" "Peter Asks A Question" "No Forks Or Napkins"
Frank Ramirez is pastor of the Elkhart Valley Church of the
Brethren in Elkhart, Indiana. A native of California, he has also
lived in Virginia, Tennessee, and Illinois. He has served as a
parish pastor since graduating from Bethany Theological Seminary.
Ramirez has written eight other books, numerous articles, and short
fiction.
After many years of preaching from the first three chapters of Luke
and the first two chapters of Matthew, Frank Ramirez decided to
preach about something a little different around Christmastime.
What evolved was this series of seven messages for the Sundays
beginning with Advent and ending with Epiphany.
Why a sermon series based on the Old Testament book of Haggai?
Ramirez writes, "I've always been fascinated by the lesser known
books of the Old Testament, partly because I'm afraid of being
embarrassed in heaven if I don't recognize some of these people "
Frank Ramirez is pastor of the Elkhart Valley Church of the
Brethren in Elkhart, Indiana. A native of California, he has also
lived in Virginia, Tennessee, and Illinois. He has served as a
parish pastor since graduating from Bethany Theological Seminary.
His other interests include beekeeping and marathon running.
Ramirez has written seven other books, plus numerous articles and
short fiction.
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