Congregational Wholeness | Leadership Education & Faith Formation   
Right Relations  |  Children, Youth & Young Adults   
 
   Leadership Education, Faith Formation  

The health and growth of all members of the church is essential to the witness of the church. Nurturing faith of all ages through leadership development, spiritual practices and faith formation enables members of our faith communities to live their lives abundantly and to participate faithfully in God's mission.

Here are some resources that might help to foster leadership development, spiritual practices and faith formation.

Adult Study, Confirmation, Youth Group

These programs are ideal for short programs:

Jesus for the Non-Religious (DVD) – featuring a lecture by John Shelby Spong (68 minutes)

Living the Questions 2.0 (DVD) – twenty-one 20 minute sessions.

Religions of the World (DVD) – Protestant Christianity, Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christianity, Judaism. Narrated by Ben Kingsley, running time 50 minutes each

Countering Pharaoh's Production – Consumption Society Today;

Victory and Peace or Justice and Peace?;

Paul: An Appealing or an Appalling Apostle?

New Books:

Eternal Life: A New Vision by John Shelby Spong

The First Paul by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan

A People's History of Christianity by Diana Butler Bass

Bounce: Living the Resilient Life by Robert J. Wicks

2010 Lenten Book: There is No ATM in the Wilderness This Lenten devotional book deals with how our relationship with money affects our relationship with God and others, including the earth community. Reflections for this devotional resource were written by lay and clergy from across the United Church . Available from UCRD .

Jesus 24/7: A Short Course in Faith for the Questing Christian by David Bruce. Using a style accessible to all readers, and the United Church 's beloved “A New Creed” as a springboard for study, author David Bruce encourages every questing Christian to honour the Spirit by daring to ask. Twelve study sessions and 12 take-home exercises form the workbook. For group and individual use. (available from UCRD 978-1-55134-166-8, $16.95)

Leadership Develoment Fund grants are available for lay and clergy pursuing further training or education.

Spiritual Practices
There are many ways of engaging in spiritual practices, there is no one right way to nurture our relationship with God, but like all relationships, our relationship with God invites us to invest ourselves – our thoughts, feelings, questions, energy, and time – our very selves – body, mind and spirit - in the relationship.

Spiritual practices are often three-fold in nature; they include sacred space, one or more centring activities and prayer.
Contemplative Prayer
Lectio Divina
Honouring the Sabbath
Journaling
Creating Sacred Spaces
Gratitude

Weekly Devotions

Charlie Ketcheson Camping and Leadership Award Fund
The Charlie Ketcheson Camping & Leadership Fund will offer financial assistance to Quinte area children and youth so that they can experience the fun and leadership opportunities offered at one of four Bay of Quinte Conference camps and leadership centers and by other youth and young adult activities sponsored by The United Church of Canada.

Further information is available from the Conference Office and on the Charlie Ketcheson Camping and Leadership Fund page.