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They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. –Acts 2:42
GLOW GROUPS are small groups you structure around your life.
Meet weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly! Choose folks you want to be in your group, and get to know new folks, too. Groups exist or can be formed for young adults, young families, parents of teens, empty nesters, a mix of folks, and more! Contact the church office if you're interested in being a part of a GLOW group.
Each group follows a simple four meeting rotation:
Gather (Food and Fellowship)
Learn (Study, watch a video, talk faith stuff)
Offer (give back, do a service project, volunteer)
Whatever (Go out. Stay in. Pray. Take the night off.)
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LEARN
Below you’ll find book suggestions (including links to purchase them), links to articles, video resources, and other ideas for ways in which your GLOW group might learn together. This list is by no means exhaustive; you are welcome to learn together as a group in whatever way you might choose.
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Acts of Faith
by Eboo Patel
This book is part autobiography part call-to-action. Through the telling of his own story Patel, the founder of the Interfaith Youth Core in Chicago, calls on people of all faiths to take seriously the formation of faith in the lives of young people.
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Five Practices of Fruitful Living
by Bishop Robert Schnase
This book is the follow-up to his “Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.” This book invites the reader to live into five practices that can help strengthen their faith: to receive God's love, to love God in return, to grow in Christ, to serve others, and to give ourselves fully.
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The Heart of Christianity:
Rediscovering a Life of Faith
by Marcus Borg
This book is a culmination of decades of writing by this progressive Christian theologian. Through his writing, Borg invites the reader to consider a vital Christianity that speaks powerfully of God’s love for Creation in ways often not done in the church today.
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Justice in the Burbs:
Being the Hands of Jesus
Wherever You Live
by Will and Lisa Samson
This book intertwines the stories of people struggling to live out their faith with practical hands-on ways in which we, the reader, might consider doing just that.
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When Christians Get it Wrong
by Adam Hamilton
This book addresses the reality that more and more people are turning away from the church because of Christians. This book provides readers the opportunity to gain a different way of understanding the issues that keep people away from Christianity and keep Christians from living a more compelling faith.
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United Methodists Address Mosque Conflicts is an article published on 8/19/10 by the United Methodist News Source. It talks about the responses that people of faith have had to the “Ground Zero Mosque.”
“Author: More Teens Becoming ‘Fake’ Christians” was published on cnn.com on 8/27/10 and discusses briefly a new book by Kenda Creasy Dean titled “Almost Christian” in which she explores the reality that many teens are embracing a “moralistic therapeutic deism” (watered down faith with God as therapist) and that many parents and pastors are unwittingly passing this on to teens.
Our Wesleyan Theological Heritage as United Methodists is a brief overview from the United Methodist Church about our history and theology.
Good Resources For Additional Articles
Video Resources
Nooma is a series of 24 10-14 minute videos taught by Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI. These videos cover issues of faith in a creative and innovative way. Each video contains a study guide with scripture references and discussion questions (http://www.nooma.com). (available in the church office)
Rudy Rasmus’s plenary lectures from 2010 Kansas East Annual Conference
Rudy is the pastor of St. John’s Downtown Church in Houston, TX (a United Methodist Congregation). In 2010 he presented two 75 minute plenary lectures at the Kansas East Annual Conference addressing our call as people of faith to eradicate poverty. (available in the church office)
Sexual Orientation and Identity and The Book of Discipline a study presented by the Kansas East Conference Task Force on Sexual Orientation and The Book of Discipline. (available in the church office)
Learn and Offer Together
You might also consider inviting someone from a local community organization to share with you about their organization and the work that they do in the community. A “Learn” opportunity like this provides a unique opportunity that you could partner with your “Offer” session by then going and offering your time and service to that organization.
Take a look at the “Offer” Opportunities here on the web for ideas about how you might set this up.
Looking for Other Ideas?
Feel free to contact Pastor Mitch in the church office (785-841-7500) or by email (mitch@fumclawrence.org) or Colette Wedan (785-841-7500) or colette@fumclawrence.org) if nothing on this list strikes your fancy or you’d like help finding something that fits a particular interest.
OFFER
The mission ministries of our church are divided into three primary areas: homeless outreach, community outreach, and beyond community outreach. Below are a few opportunities in each of these areas for your group to offer yourselves in servant ministry.
In addition to mission opportunities through the church there are a number of community opportunities. Many of them are listed through the Roger Hill Volunteer Center, a program of the United Way in Douglas County - http://www.rhvc.org/.
Homeless Outreach – Gary & Rose Schmidt 785.856.9521
- Jubilee Cafe provides meals to members of the Lawrence community who would not otherwise have breakfast.
- The meal is served from 7 a.m. - 8 a.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Volunteers are appreciated from 6 a.m. -9 a.m.
- Jubilee Cafe is always in need of help serving, especially during student breaks.
- First Church is a host congregation for Family Promise, part of the Interfaith Hospitality Newtowk. Once per quarter, First Church hosts up to four families with children currently experiencing homelessness. For one week we provide them with a safe place to sleep at night and three meals a day. Volunteers for cooking, spending the night, and spending time with the guest families are always needed!
Community Outreach – Jerry Feese, 785.842.4330, feedell@sunflower.com
- Adopt-A-Family Project - Families are adopted through First Church for Christmas needs between Thanksgiving and mid-December.
- Back-to-School Kits - Each July supplies are collected and kits are put together for students in our community.
- Food Drive for Trinity Food Pantry - In April, July & October the churuch collects food for this community program.
- Habitat for Humanity - Work days are scheduled periodically through the year.
Beyond Community Outreach
- Our church actively supports mission projects in Honduras and missionaries in Haiti & Mexico.
For more information on Outreach opportunities contact Tami Clark,
785-841-7500, or tami@fumclawrence.org.
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