The latest in "Gospel Conversations" as well as other resources to sustain you in your journey...

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For those who have lost the link to our Advent Calendar, here it is:

DIOCESAN ADVENT CALENDAR

Special Holiday Edition of Gospel Conversations

This will be available after Christmas and will be sent to all Nourishing Faith subscribers

Gospel Conversations  

This week's Gospel Conversation: Dec 22nd, Advent 4. Luke 1:39-45

Advent 4! So close to what we've been waiting for, and today we join in imagination with two women who are also waiting expectantly, actively, and faithfully. This is a rare story in the Bible in that it would fulfil the Bechdel test (google it!) - and is aptly discussed by a panel of three women: Lisa Emerson, Peg Riley, and Anne van Gend, with Michael as usual holding it all together! Join us as we celebrate this beautiful and meaning-packed story of our faith.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE CONVERSATION

Last week's Gospel Conversation: Dec 15th Luke 3:7-18

How many of you have started a sermon with the line, "You brood of vipers"? It's an unusual way of attracting people to the Good News, but it seemed to work for John! Andrew Doubleday from UCANZ joins Michael today, along with Gillian and Esther, to discover what such unusual preaching has to say to us in this time and place.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE CONVERSATION

See all the videos in this Gospel Conversation series on our website

For last year's Conversations, click here.

Faith Communities Videos

See our website for the latest videos

Crafting the Lectionary for the Church

For Rev. Lawrence Kimberley, the lectionary is far more than a mere schedule of readings—it is a spiritual endeavour and an act of service. As one of the key creators of the annual lectionary for the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia we asked Lawrence to share with us about his work (Anglican Movement, Diocese of Wellington, 3 December 2024)

An Advent Gift!

Faith communities and individuals across the Diocese have pooled ideas to form an online Advent Calendar for anyone who would like to mark our journey to Christmas together. Each day you click on a new door, and find a message, video, photo or idea to connect us with each other, and help us think about hope, peace, joy and love.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE CALENDAR

Another Advent Resource

The Diocese of Waiapu has created an Advent resource which is free for all to use. They write: "This study has been designed to be undertaken in two different contexts: by groups meeting in parishes or other ministry units (for example, schools or workplaces), or by people on their own to do at home. You might want to do it as a family. It’s happened in response to a request for an Advent study, a way of helping people reflect on this season and what it means to prepare for the coming of Christ."

Access the study HERE or contact Anne on enabler@calledsouth.org.nz

(See further down the article for further Advent ideas or visit our DEEPENING FAITH PAGEwhere seasonal resources are regularly refreshed!).

The Weary World Rejoices

"The Weary World Rejoices" is a rich and varied resource suited for individual, family or faith community use.

It is brought together by Kate Bowler, whom some of you may know of. She has a podcast called "Everything Happens" which explores the experiences of people of faith as they work through times of suffering. The hope which shines through these stories is never "cheap" hope, but hope which faces the reality of darkness with unquenchable glimmers of light.

This resource gives reflections, prayers, and responses for every day of Advent, together with ideas for weekly gatherings/prayer times/study times around the lighting of each Advent candle. There is also a playlist of music to accompany many of the reflections.

The study can be downloaded HERE or you can choose to use her website HERE.

Looking to 2025

Look to the Deepening Faith page for updates on conferences and courses available in 2025 - for example, a Trauma-informed ministry course from Knox College, and the HOPE 2025 Conference in March!

HOPE 2025

https://www.laidlaw.ac.nz/events/hope-conference/

In a world where the toxicity of the contemporary Western church is regularly, and often justifiably highlighted, explore with us how contemporary churches can and should be places of transformation and healing.

Join us for Hope 2025 - an academic conference where theologians and practitioners can gather together to explore how contemporary churches are and can become flourishing communities. We will look at how God’s specific design for churches is that they are places of hope and restoration; both as overarching communities, and for individuals within these
communities. The conference will undertake a multidisciplinary and practical exploration of how, guided by the Spirit of God, we can positively create and sustain flourishing communities that heal and empower individuals within them. 

Gathering the voices of practitioners, biblical scholars, systematic theologians, practical theologians, counsellors, and sociologists, the conference will discuss, explore, and draw some conclusions about how contemporary Western churches are and can become flourishing communities, which provide health and healing both to the overarching church body and to the individual bodies of which they are comprised.

Resources from Elsewhere

Te Tiriti?

As the hikoi has now taken place, what does that, or the Treaty Bill itself, mean for us down in the south of the country? What does it mean for Pākeha as well as Māori? Sometimes we do not realise ourselves why we and others should have such an emotional response to issues like this, but historian Dr Alistair Reese can perhaps help us understand that a little better. Check out his article HERE on Pākeha identity and the Treaty.

Pray the News with Anglican Missions

In a world filled with constant news, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the overwhelming negativity, conflict and need around us. Within those headlines is a powerful place to pray.

Pray the News is a weekly blog published by Anglican Missions to enrich the intercessory prayer life of the church as we pray into the biggest social, cultural and geopolitical headlines facing the world.

We believe that prayer makes a difference and is an active engagement with the heart of God. Sign up to receive updates every Thursday on issues that we can pray into - together.

The Bible Project

Are you familiar with 'The Bible Project'? The Bible Project help people experience the Bible in a way that is approachable and transformative, primarily through animated video bible studies. They combine beautiful illustration and robust theology into a wonderful resource that connects across generations. 

Our lectionary is taking us through the Gospel of Mark right now. The Bible Project has a great video that gives an overview of the structure and purpose of Mark. Check it out here.

If you’ve been looking for something to use which isn’t Alpha but is aimed at the same sort of audience as Alpha, have a look at 321. It’s a new study series, made by an Australian Anglican priest in London who is making quite a splash as a speaker at the moment: Glen Scrivener. The course takes us through a basic introduction to Christianity in a way that encourages us to question and think, and always come back to Jesus. Best of all, it’s free! Click HERE to go to the website.

Deepening Faith: Children's Spirituality
There is another new course up in the brilliant resource, "Discipleship Pathways." This new, short, free, online course looks at the spirituality of children, and would be helpful for many of us! Whether you are wanting help in understanding your own children or grandchildren, or being ready for when children pop into church, or running a children's programme, it would be worth having a look at this.

There are also courses available on Intergenerational Communities, Preaching on Purpose, Baptism Unpacked, Children and Family Theology and many others. Check them out HERE.

The Deepening Faith webpage has a whole range of  resources. Note that Anne Gover has recently gifted her huge range of study notes to anyone who will find them useful. These are simple-to-use, informative and engaging studies which cover biblical characters, books, baptism and a host of other topics. If you are part of a small group (or would like to start one) these will make your preparation easy! Find them in a dropbox folder HERE.

About Nourishing Faith Videos and Podcasts

We have a webpage for our video and other resources but we will also keep this article updated each fortnight with the latest resources that we would like to share with you. We also have a Nourishing Faith mailing list that sends an update of this article to you every week. 

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If you have any resource you think is worth sharing more widely, contact Anne van Gend, John Graveston or Andrew Metcalfe so we can share them in this space.