Untitled Document

Words unfamiliar to most Americans are now heard daily on the evening news: Islam, Allah, jihad, Quran, fatwa, imam, ummah, Ramadan.Today there are approximately seven million Muslims, and more than 13,000 mosques in North America. Now that Muslims are our neighbors, how do we talk to them about Christ? What do Muslims think about Jesus? Which beliefs do we share in common with Muslims and where do we differ from them? Do we worship the same God they worship? Is the Father of Jesus the God of Muhammad? Noted theologian, best selling author, editor, and Dean of Beeson Divinity School at Stanford University, Dr Timothy George, teams with T. N. Mohan, award winning producer-director to answer these and other questions in this visually rich four-part series.The series avoids the angry condemnation of all Muslims on the one hand, or a compromising of Christian truth-claims on the other. Muslim views are stated fairly and objectively from Muslim scholars who appear in the series.The programs set forth basic and foundational differences between Christianity and Islam and the implications for how we understand God, Christ and the meaning of salvation.

Four 25-minute programs:
The Tenets of Islam
The Trinity
The Bible and Incarnation
The Cross and Salvation
A 32-page study guide is included. Vision Video.

Two new stewardship videos:

Faithful and Wise

Ask most Christians what the word “stewardship” means to them, and you will most likely get answers that center around giving money to the church. But in reality, money is just one of the gifts God has given to us to use to His glory. James 1:17 says,“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” Faithful and Wise looks at how we can explain our giving into every facet of our lives: our possessions, our time, our talents and skills, our physical environment, our spiritual environment and our money.

When we serve God with all the gifts God has given us, the blessings to ourselves and to others will be multiplied far beyond what we can imagine.
Presented by Mark Vincent Design For Ministry Christian Stewardship Association
Paraclete Video Productions

Children and Stewardship

Will our children be stewards?

Do you realize that in 1998, 29 million adolescents in America had a combined income of $102 billion? Of this they spent $67 billion and additionally influenced the spending of another $42 billion.

Do you also know that in the same year 4 to 12 year-old children had a total income of $20.3 billion, of which $17.3 billion was spent, and they influenced the spending of an additional $170 billion?

Terry Parsons poses these questions to invite our attention so that we begin to realize that the messages we send our children during their formative early years will greatly influence their habits for the rest of their lives.The discussion centers on what parents can do with their children and what our congregations can do to assist them in these early formative years, not about getting children to put more money in the offering plate.

“We need a healthier attitude about wealth,” notes Parsons as she reminds us that Jesus had much to say about our relationship to our money. “What is the role of money in my [our] life [lives] as a member of the body of Christ? What memories do you want your children to have? What memories do you want them to carry to adulthood?”

A must see-and-reflect video. Use it with stewardship leaders in all congregations that are concerned with their children’s healthy formation around issues of God and money. Then use it with Christian educators of all age groups as you begin to identify components of your year-round stewardship program.

Videotaped presentation by Terry Parsons (Missioner for Stewardship and Discipleship at The Episcopal Church Center) on March 9, 2002 at the Bishop’s Annual Conference for Stewardship in the Diocese of Kansas.

Beginning Ministry Together Project publishes book on Clergy Transitions

By THE REV.ADRIEN DAWSON

The Rev. James C. Ransom, Rector of Trinity Church,Towson, presents Bishop Ihloff with a copy of Beginning Ministry Together and offers thanks for the participation of the Diocese of Maryland in the project.

The fruit of a long process of creative research has come to glorious flower in the publication of Beginning Ministry Together-The Alban Institute Handbook for Clergy Transitions (Alban: 2003).

It was nearly a decade ago that Jim Ransom of Maryland and Bud Holland of Pennsylvania met with Roy Oswald on a blisteringly hot summer’s day at a restaurant in Baltimore's Inner Harbor to lay out the case that much had changed in the church’s understanding of ministry and mission, and in congregational dynamics, since the transition process then in use was developed, and that we needed to take a fresh look at how congregations make the transition from one pastor to another.

The three of us could not have imagined the grace-filled journey that was to begin that day,” said Ransom.

“We insisted that what was needed was objective research and analysis of actual transitions. Before we knew what that meant, over 150 people from 70 Lutheran and Episcopal congregations from nine dioceses and synods were being interviewed, and over $150,000 in grants was coming together from many sources (including the Diocese of Maryland) to finance the work.” The steering committee, chaired by Jim Ransom, was made up of determined leaders.

Then came the Beginning Ministry Manual, the training of transition companions, and the testing of the material in congregations where pastorates were changing.This phase brought a whole new group of lay and clergy leaders into the project. Much was learned and many changes were made to the material, contributed now by Roy Oswald and several other authors, including Anne Reed from Maryland.

The last phase of the project proved to be every bit as complex as the previous phases: the editing and publishing of Beginning Ministry Together. Jim and Ann Heath, from the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, edited and re-edited material to produce Beginning Ministry Together.

While the publication of this Alban Handbook for Clergy Transitions brings the Beginning Ministry Project to a close, endings are just beginnings in disguise. Several dioceses and synods have trained companions who are using the material and learning from this project daily.As Beginning Ministry Together is purchased and used by American churches and beyond, it will be more than interesting to discover the ways in which the grace of this journey is being shared.

Using Beginning Ministry Together in her ministry transition, Ann Svennungsen writes, “Besides its comprehensive practical resources, this book is wonderfully attentive to the spiritual needs of this luminal time in the lives of congregations and clergy, and offers faithful practices for remaining grounded in the steadfast love of God.”That is exactly what Jim Ransom was trying to accomplish in arranging that lunch on a swelteringly hot summer’s day in Baltimore. Clearly, it was not in vain.

Beginning Ministry Together may be purchased for $20 from The Alban Institute, 800.486.1318.

[Return to Top of Page]

Share the Good News at home

Living the Good News has added a new component to its best-selling lectionary-based curriculum called At Home with the Good News.

This reproducible handout for families is a refreshing and simple way to share the Good News at home.The whole family will enjoy the creative, easy-to-lead activities. Parents will welcome the Bible backgrounds, parenting tips and quick information on feasts, saints and seasons. Church staff and volunteers will appreciate the flexible and cost-effective reproducible format.

Living the Good News is the leading lectionary- based curriculum for all ages.The curriculum follows the three-year cycle of the Sunday scripture readings and invites children and adults to meet Jesus week by week as they explore the stories proclaimed in the Eucharist. Both The Book of Common Prayer lectionary and the Revised Common Lectionary are integrated into the curriculum and include activities that introduce children to Episcopal understandings of Baptism, Eucharist, and the hymns and prayers of the Episcopal Church.

Sold seasonally, Living the Good News curriculum incorporates easy-to-use session plans, appealing artwork and visuals to hold everyone’s attention, a variety of engaging activities and knowledge of individual learning styles and ages. Other program components include leader’s guides, participant papers, visual packets and songbooks.

At Home with the Good News sells for $14.95 per season.The handouts are recommended for families with children in preschool through sixth grade.They can be ordered by calling 800.824.1813 or faxing orders to 717.541.8128. Samplers of Living the Good News curriculum may be requested by calling the same number.
[Return to Top of Page]

An Invitation to a unique Armistice Day Celebration

Bishop Suffragan John L. Rabb, visiting Epiphany Church recently, and McPherson admire one of the museum artifacts, a quilt made from WWI uniforms and work clothes by the grandmother of a member of the diocese. -- Photo by The Rev. J. Michael Coram

By VAL HYMES

Bishop Robert W. Ihloff, The Rev. Phebe L. McPherson, and the congregation of Epiphany Church in Odenton invite members of the Diocese to attend the rededication of the only World War One chapel in the United States, Epiphany Chapel and Church House in Odenton, Sunday, Nov. 14, 2:30-4 p.m. T

he chapel, now Epiphany Church, will house a Social History Museum demonstrating the chapel's role as a home and church away from home for doughboys during the "Great War."

The event includes a 1918 Armistice celebration and reception.

For information, call the Rev. Phebe McPherson, 410- 902-7002.
[Return to Top of Page]