Day Mattar's Springing from the Pews is an explosive pamphlet which explores an episode of sexual violence through a verse play interwoven with confessions and journal entries. Mattar's poetry is eloquent, with a dark intensity underlying the sugary surface, with echoes of Frank O'Hara and Sharon Olds. A breathtaking read, Mattar's splenetic energy gushes out like water from a fire hydrant.
From the Pews in the Back is a book filled with questions about Catholic identity. How do young Catholic women see or define themselves? What is their relationship to the church? What are their struggles and joys? In a church that often consigns them to the pews in the back, what place are young women claiming? This collection of twenty-nine essays approaches these questions from a multitude of angles. These brief memoirs, to 'her with the insights of editors Kate Dugan and Jennifer Owens, offer a glimpse into what it means to be young, Catholic, and female in today's church. These women wrestle with the Catholic faith and with the church. They ask hard questions of the institution and are not willing to take easy answers. From the Pews in the Back is a new chapter in the dialogue about the role of women in the church. The voices of these women range from inspiring and energetic to challenging and wounded. Ultimately, though these women are stubbornly hopeful. They are claiming a place in the church and are calling other Catholics to talk with them about this claim.
Scandal {skan-dl} an action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong causing general public outcry or outrageWe live in a society where there are scandals in Government, Corporate America, family and even amongst friends. But what happens when scandal takes place in your church, and leaders that you hold in high esteem are morally corrupEnter the world of Bishop Gregory Fortune, a prominent Pentecostal preacher, father, and husband of almost thirty years. He has two children by the love of his life, Sheila. Though not a complicated man, he has big dreams to grow his ministry to a level of greatness. Then, unexpectedly, his simple life is instantly upgraded when a rare beauty walks into the doors of his small sanctuary. From the onset, an educated Nadira Horton is a quiet spirit, yet she has the aura of a Boss that Gregory recognizes almost immediately.Hungry for success, Nadira takes the bull by the horns and sets her business plan into motion . At her direction, Gregory's lofty dream of having a massive ministry materializes, and Sheila basks in the glory of their success without having put in any actual work of her own. Suddenly, Nadira finds herself in love with Gregory, who has also fallen hard for her.All the while, Nadira's best friend Myka is caught up in her own scandal. Dreadful secrets force her picture perfect marriage to fade in the most horrendous way imaginable.The old saying, 'If the head isn't right the body isn't either, ' reigns true in this congregation. Exceeding Faith Ministries and its members are all experiencing scandal while occupying the pews. Who will be the one to remove their white gloves, slide on their gladiator suit, and clean up the mess that their choices have left behind?
In the 1880s, socio-economic and technological changes in the United States contributed to the rejection of Christian architectural traditions and the development of the radically new auditorium church. Jeanne Kilde links this shift in evangelical Protestant architecture to changes in worship style and religious mission.
Delving into the widespread, contemporary longing for a more serious and communal experience of Christianity, this book provides important theoretical underpinnings and casts a vision for a new monasticism within the Wesleyan tradition. Elaine Heathand Scott Kisker call for the planting of neo-monastic churches which embody the Wesleyan vision of holiness in postmodern contexts. This book also points toward some vital shifts that are necessary in theological education in order to equip pastorsto lead such communities. Longing for Spring helps Wesleyans of all stripes understand the theory and praxis necessary for planting neo-monastic communities as a new model of the church that is particularly important in the postmodern context. The authors write in an engaging, conversational style that is conversant with postmodern culture, yet thoroughly informed by critical research. Heath and Kisker boldly challenge the imagination of the church, both within and beyond Wesleyan traditions, to consider the possibility of revitalizing the church through the new monasticism.
This book examines how the shifts in the early 19th century in New York City affected children in particular. Indeed, one could argue that within this context, that “children” and “childhood” came into being. In order to explore this, the skeletal remains of the children buried at the small, local, yet politically radical Spring Street Presbyterian Church are detailed. Population level analyses are combined with individual biological profiles from sorted burials and individual stories combed from burial records and archival data. What emerges are life histories of children—of infants, toddlers, younger children, older children, and adolescents—during this time of transition in New York City. When combined with historical data, these life histories, for instance, tell us about what it was like to grow up in this changing time in New York City
“Church is boring.” “It’s irrelevant.” “It’s full of hypocrites.” You’ve heard the excuses—now learn the real reasons men and boys are fleeing churches of every kind, all over the world, and what we can do about it. Women comprise more than 60% of the adults in a typical worship service in America. Some overseas congregations report ten women for every man in attendance. Men are less likely to lead, volunteer, and give in the church. They pray less, share their faith less, and read the Bible less. In Why Men Hate Going to Church, David Murrow identifies the barriers keeping many men from going to church, explains why it’s so hard to motivate the men who do attend, and also takes you inside several fast-growing congregations that are winning the hearts of men and boys. In this completely revised, reorganized, and rewritten edition of the classic book, with more than 70 percent new content, explore topics like: The increase and decrease in male church attendance during the past 500 years Why Christian churches are more feminine even though men are often still the leaders The difference between the type of God men and women like to worship The lack of volunteering and ministry opportunities for men The benefits men get from attending church regularly Men need the church but, more importantly, the church needs men. The presence of enthusiastic men is one of the surest predictors of church health, growth, giving, and expansion. Why Men Hate Going to Church does not call men back to church—it calls the church back to men.
To grow and remain vital, churches need to attract families. But the cultural landscape has changed and any church may have two-parent families with children, blended families, boomerang families, adult children of divorce and their families or lack of families, single adults whose family is the church, grandparents parenting again, childless families, co-habitation families, and children with three legal parents. What ministries are helpful in attracting and keeping families active and engaged in the life and mission of the church? This book will help church pastors and leaders navigate the changing tides in ministry to become the kind of church that families want to attend, where the church’s dynamic faith invites families who may then bring their friends.This means reaching out to all kinds of families, some with needs that only a church family can fulfill. With practical helps and suggestions for ministries, worship, small groups, and even facilities, author and family expert Linda Ranson Jacobs will help you create a welcoming place for everyone.
