Children's Advocacy

My Boat Is So Small: Creating a Harbor of Hope and Health Care for All Children — National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths^® Manual, Vol. 16. For many years Children’s Sabbath has been a way to annually remind ourselves of how much work needs to be done to take care of the children among us. Now is the time to begin preparations for the 2007 observance of Children’s Sabbath. With the help of the Pentecost Offering, the Office of Child Advocacy is offering Presbyterian congregations a copy of the manual free of charge.

Christian Formation

An Invitation to Join the Order of Elders
Elders are an essential part of the Presbyterian system of governance. The Order of Elders provides elders with a new way of living out the promises made at ordination. Elders are invited to serve and be served, to inform and be formed, to nourish and be nourished. The Order of Elders is a project of the Office of Christian Formation, and is part of the work and ministry of Theology Worship and Education. For more information, call (888) 728-7228, x5335.

To the Hills: PYWA Fall Retreat 2007
The Office of Youth Ministry and the Presbyterian Youth Workers’ Association are hosting a retreat for Youth Workers to renew and restore themselves. These simple postcards are available from the Office of Youth Ministry, (888) 728-7228, x5639 or x5499.

Curriculum

Life Together Music Resources
Beginning in the fall of 2007, every quarter of children’s curriculum for We Believe will include songs to be found in the Life Songs Songbook or on one of two Life Songs CDs. A simple melody line and the words to the songs are printed in the Life Songs Songbook. The Life Songs Leader Book includes a full piano score and guitar chords for each song. The CDs provide both a recording with voices and one that is purely instrumental. As the Songbook points out, “To sing of faith is to sing of the life that is God’s gift.” Certainly we hope that churches will find these resources to be a gift that they and their children will enjoy for years to come. There are four pieces to this curriculum that are included: LifeSongs Leader Book, LifeSongs Songbook, LifeSongs CD Vol. 1 (Ages 3 to 6) and LifeSongs CD Vol. 2 (Ages 7 and up).

Toddlers and Twos resources for the fall
I am sending you the Annual Teacher’s Guide (2007–2008) and the Bible Picture Cards. These resources did not make the curriculum standing order, and are sent with this box. Many of you have asked not to receive the resource kits, since they do not seem to change all that much and pile up on your shelves. If you need this resource, just let me know.

Hunger

Joining Hands Against Hunger Poster
This is a new poster to help promote the Joining Hands initiative. It is inclusive and lively. The poster may help you to use the book that was sent last summer.

Partners for Just Trade Brochure
This is a great fundraising opportunity that uses fair trade products and goods. Partners for Just Trade is an initiative of the Presbyterian Hunger Program and Joining Hands Program. It offers congregations the choice of raising money and awareness of fair trade issues. For more information contact the Presbyterian Hunger Program.

PHP Resource Guide
This new resource guide from the Presbyterian Hunger Program lists all of their newest resources, as well as many online items.

Souper Bowl of Caring: Presbyterian Update
This short flyer updates Presbyterians about the impact they have made with the Souper Bowl of Caring, a Presbyterian Hunger Program supported ministry. For more information, visit the Souper Bowl of Caring Web site or the Hunger program Web site.

Justice & Peacemaking

PHEWA Newsletter for the Third Quarter
The PHEWA Newsletter contains models of ministry, advocacy alerts, information about vulnerable populations and more. Limited quantities can be ordered through the PHEWA office.

Presbyterians and Military Service (Spanish Version)
Los Presbiterianos y El Servicio Militar examines options related to military service for followers of Jesus in question and answer form. Issues covered range from enlisting to registering with Selective Service to issues related to a possible draft to an understanding of conscientious objection.

Presbyerian Publishing Corporation

The Gospel according to Hollywood, by Greg Garrett. Garrett looks at the theological elements in dozens of classic and recent Hollywood films, including a discussion about what the new openness to spirituality in the movies might mean for the future of American cinema and American religion. This is a new addition to the Gospel according to ... series, which contains classic and recent films.

Tokens of Trust: An Introduction to Christian Belief, by Rowan Williams. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams uses classic statements of the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds to guide readers through central elements of Christian faith. Questions such as: What does it mean to believe in God? Can God possibly be almighty in the midst of so much evil and disaster? What does it really mean to follow Christ in today’s broken world? Williams demonstrates that each of the basic tenets of Christian faith flows from the fundamental belief that God is worthy of our trust.

Theology

Exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the World, by Darrell L. Guder. The Great Ends of the Church represent a brief statement of principles found in the Book of Order. Exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the World is the fifth in the Great Ends of the Church series of books published by Congregational Ministries Publishing (but detailing the sixth Great End). Guder envisions the sixth Great End, the exhibition of the kingdom of heaven to the world, as the end or goal of the others, but not in the sense of a finished goal. The exhibition of the kingdom of heaven is a gift of grace that flows through our hearts and souls to reach out to the world — manifesting Christ’s presence to the world.

Women's Ministries

2007 Thank Offering Promotional Material. The packet provides resources for celebrating and interpreting the 2007 Thank Offering at gatherings in congregations, presbyteries, and synods, and can be used as a source of information for PW circles, newsletters, bulletin boards, speakers, displays, and publicity.

Korean language version of the 2007–2008 Horizons Bible Study flier, Above and Beyond: Hearing God’s Call in Jonah and Ruth, by Carol M. Bechtel. What does it mean to hear God’s call? It is often assumed that only those who go into some kind of formal, full-time ministry have heard a “call.” In the 2007–2008 Horizons Bible Study, Above and Beyond: Hearing God’s Call in Jonah and Ruth, Old Testament scholar and pastor Carol Bechtel looks at what God’s call meant for Jonah and Ruth. Not just a “fish story” or a “Cinderella tale,” these biblical books, says Bechtel, offer us insight into what it means for each of us to hear and heed God’s call. Translated into Korean by Kwangae Yoon with Suggestions for Leaders by Hyeyeon Yoon.

Spanish language version of the 2007–2008 Horizons Bible Study flier, Above and Beyond: Hearing God’s Call in Jonah and Ruth, by Carol M. Bechtel. What does it mean to hear God’s call? It is often assumed that only those who go into some kind of formal, full-time ministry have heard a “call.” In the 2007–2008 Horizons Bible Study, Above and Beyond: Hearing God’s Call in Jonah and Ruth (Por Encima y Más Allá: Escuchando la Llamada de Dios en Jonás y Rut), Old Testament scholar and pastor Carol Bechtel looks at what God’s call meant for Jonah and Ruth. Not just a “fish story” or a “Cinderella tale,” these biblical books, says Bechtel, offer us insight into what it means for each of us to hear and heed God's call. Translated into Spanish by Rosario de Lugo Batlle with Suggestions for Leaders by Julissa Álvarez-Garcia.

Horizons Bible Study Resource flier for the 2007–2008 Horizons Bible Study, Above and Beyond: Hearing God’s Call in Jonah and Ruth, by Carol M. Bechtel. Horizons is not just a magazine, it’s a Bible Study too! To support the 2007–2008 Horizons Bible Study, Above and Beyond: Hearing God’s Call in Jonah and Ruth by Carol M. Bechtel, Horizons magazine subscribers will receive — free as a part of their subscription — a special Bible study resource in each issue of Horizons magazine, beginning with the July/August 2007 issue and concluding with the May/June 2008 issue.

Save the Date. This card is a handy reminder to save the dates to attend the 2009 Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women: July 11–15, 2009!

World Mission

The Cradle of Our Faith: The Enduring Witness of the Christians of the Middle East. The seven countries profiled in this book span two continents and vast stretches of geography. The Christians who live in the Middle East today are the “living stones” of the early church: a vital, dynamic presence in a region that is both the cradle of ancient civilizations and the site of contemporary geopolitical developments that affect the whole world.

HighLights, Spring/Summer 2007. This periodical, published twice yearly, offers news, features, and commentary relating to the ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) around the world.

Worship

Call to Worship: Worship Aids for Year A (2007–2008), Vol. 41, Issue 1, Includes worship planning aids for every Sunday and holy day in the church year. You’ll find prayers of confession, calls to worship, suggestions for hymns, psalms, global music, praise and worship songs, choral anthems, organ selections, and handbell music. Tied to the Revised Common Lectionary, suggestions related to both thematic and semi-continuous readings are included. This issue also includes book reviews, articles, a complete index for the last 15 years of the journal, and a new feature on liturgical art.