Böcker utgivna av BRF (The Bible Reading Fellowship)

A series of essays by different contributors exploring what Messy Church brings to the wider church, how these different forms of church community can coexist, and what this might mean for the future of the church.

In popular culture there is a perceived conflict between science and faith, yet in many ways scientific understanding can enhance faith. Messy Church Does Science offers Messy Churches the tools to use science to explore aspects of the Christian faith; demonstrate that science and faith are complementary; and enable children and adults alike to appreciate the wonder of creation. Ten sizzling sessions provide inspiration for the Bible-based activities element of Messy Church.

This unique and ground-breaking book is a summons to a subterranean spiritual adventure, an odyssey of the soul. Its aim is to invigorate and inspire a search for something deeper in the spiritual life, and links us with trusted spiritual guides to support us as we progress in a journey of discovery. We will mine the rich seams of Christian spirituality, risk the depths, face the darkness and make astonishing, transformative discoveries.

Coming up with craft and activity ideas to explore a Bible story is one thing; but when it comes to sharing that story in the gathered celebration, many Messy Church leaders struggle to find the right language and approach. The parables that Jesus told intrigued, inspired and engaged the crowds in his day, combining everyday imagery with surprising twists that prompted all ages to wonder and discover the treasures of the kingdom of heaven for themselves. This resource aims to recapture that storytelling style for Messy congregations today.

Musings of a Clergy Child was written when Nell Goddard was a Theology student at Durham University. She grew up as the daughter of two ordained priests, who have had jobs ranging from Oxford chaplain to academic theologian to priest-in-charge of a central London parish. She is passionate about justice, ethics and feminism and is a co-founder of a Christian social justice society at Durham University, which is part of the national movement, ''Just Love''.

Equipping your Messy team to pray and encourage others to do so, both within and outside the Messy Church context - Communicating prayer as a concept - Praying as a team in advance and on the day - Prayer ideas for the activity time, celebration time, and at home as a family - Ways of praying the Lord's Prayer - Ways to reimagine other traditional prayers - Creating a prayer space - A Messy Quiet Day outline

Night-themed Bible stories for families to share together Sleep, dreams and the night can be mysterious and sometimes troubling. Children can be afraid of the dark, have nightmares and night terrors, sleepwalk, or have insomnia. How do we address their concerns and fears and help them to draw close to God at night? This collection of Bible story retellings exploring GodΓÇÖs character and promises will enable parents to help children grow in peace, confidence and understanding of who God is. Includes: - Bible story retellings, each including a prayer, direct Bible quotations, and one or two questions to discuss as wished - Guidance for parents, including tips on how to encourage childrenΓÇÖs connection to God at night, and how to troubleshoot specific spiritual and emotional issues that arise around sleep, night and dreams

Helping churches to reconnect and value their environment. A creative worship and activity resource for churches to use outside the church building, Outdoor Church functions in any green space and is suitable for churches in urban, suburban and rural contexts. - Four sessions for each season - Four stand-alone service outlines, one for each season - Material based on Bible stories and parables - All-age activities and seasonal prayers - Indoor alternatives for rainy days

Reprinting for February 2020How can we encounter the risen Lord Jesus in a life-transforming way? How can we be equipped and strengthened to share the message of the resurrection with the world? The post-resurrection encounters between Jesus and the disciples provide us with some of the most profound and personal moments to be found in scripture. The risen Christ comes to his disciples in all their brokenness ΓÇô their sadness, fear, doubt, shattered dreams and failure ΓÇô and calls them to a future filled with hope, confidence, confirmed faith, new beginnings and restored lives. Encountering the Risen Christ reflects on the main characters in the post-resurrection accounts and shows how we too can encounter Jesus Christ in a life-transforming way. The seven chapters plus discussion material can be used across the seven weeks from Easter to Pentecost in individual reflection or group study, or at any time of year.

Drawing on the expertise of the Arthur Rank Centre, this title explores the various key aspects and challenges of leading a rural church. It includes links to the ARC's training programmes, web-based resources and publications.

This resource aims to introduce, explain and explore the Christian faith, providing familiarity with the Bible story and context for widely used references in popular culture such as David and Goliath, the great flood or the good Samaritan. It covers 36 key Bible passages in a year, each accompanied by a readable, ready-prepared thought for the day, including interactive questions, a prayer and a song suggestion. Each assembly offers a choice of traditional and contemporary versions of the Bible and of classic and modern Christian prayers to suit the school's preference.

Assesses the stresses and pressures of the job. This title shows how to find a way to be prioritising a relationship with God and leading others into that relationship.

A practical exploration of the Christian principle of hospitality from the founder of Messy Church In Messy Hospitality Lucy Moore demonstrates how hospitality can be practised in Messy Church and other church contexts to promote mission and faith formation, addressing the theology of hospitality and how it can be expressed at the welcome table, the activity table, the LordΓÇÖs Table, the meal table, and in the home. Also included are insights from the secular hospitality industry, how to train Messy Church teams in hospitality, audit-style questions for the reader to apply in their own context, and five complete session outlines for Messy Churches.

What does bereavement feel like? What helps us endure the dark days? How can we grieve so as to be comforted and, in our own way, recover and create a new life for ourselves? This book deals with these questions.

365 illustrated stories from the Bible, a page for every day of the year. Every main event in the Bible is included, retold as a continuous narrative to make the Bible accessible to all readers.

An excitingly different approach to sharing Bible stories with children What is a Whoosh? It¿s a drama strategy developed by the Royal Shakespeare Company¿s education unit and popularised in schools, involving every child in physical interaction with the story. Why Whoosh? It enables children to retain details of the narrative more effectively and to discuss the meaning of a story with greater understanding and insight. And it¿s lots of fun! What¿s in this book? 50 Bible stories for use with 7¿11 year olds, follow-up activities, discussion starters and prayers, and tips for leaders on how to use the whooshing technique. How do I use this book? It can be used with minimal preparation to provide a full Bible story teaching programme or to supplement an existing one, and is suitable for a range of contexts: Sunday school, midweek group, family service, holiday club, Messy Church celebration, or primary school.

Prayer is a vital part of the Christian life but people often struggle with it. This book offers 80 ideas for setting up 'prayer stations', ways of praying that involve the senses, acknowledging the importance of enacting rather than simply reflecting.

Brings together essays and case studies from a range of contributors examining the growth of Messy Church and discussing questions of sustainability, discipleship, all-age church, sacramental, interdenominational, ecumenical and international possibilities, and the future of Messy Church.

Clergy inhabit a fantastic, pressurised, privileged, frustrating and humbling role. They get to join in the highest and lowest points of people's lives, often on the same day. They have experiences. If they are very skilled they learn from them as well as laugh about them.

In the dark and turbulent centuries after the Roman occupation of Britain, and during the Anglo-Saxon colonisation, the light of heaven still shone through the work and witness of the monastic communities, 'villages of God', which dotted the land. This book explores the Hilda's life and ministry.

This is a book that helps church leaders think through how to go about creating long-term communities for those who go along to Messy Church. It gives church leaders the theology and practical steps for a longer-term strategy to ensure that Messy Church and those who come along are given the right nurturing environment to grow and flourish.

A guide to crafts that teaches favourite Bible stories in any setting. It covers the paper plate, each craft uses basic, everyday materials such as card, felt-tipped pens, scissors and glue and can be completed as suggested or adapted to suit the needs and skills of the children.

Features a wealth of practical, field-tested ideas designed to reinforce Bible stories. This title includes games that are a great way to reinforce a teaching point or to help children unfamiliar with the Bible to remember a story. It presents differentiated ideas that make the games suitable for all ages from 4-11.

Overflowing with creative ideas to draw the community together for fun, food, fellowship and worship, this resource book contains 15 themed programme outlines. Each outline has ideas for creative art and craft activities, meal plans and recipes for eating together and family-friendly worship.

Building on the popularity of Messy Crafts, this title extends the range of messy things to do at your Messy Church with a particular focus on the Christmas season. It includes crafts for Advent, crafts for Christmas and more general winter-themed activities to take you on into the New Year.

This is the Bible, retold for younger children in 365 much-loved stories and illustrated by a variety of popular artists.