The Resources page consists of materials available from the School, from within the Diocese of North Carolina, and from Episcopal, Anglican and ecumenical sources that we consider helpful. They are organized as follows:

 

 

 

Episcopal and Anglican 

Episcopal and Anglican 

  • Lambeth, 2008 -- A series of 10 video journals featuring more than 30 bishops from around the world attending the 2008 Lambeth Conference of the Anglican Communion are now available for viewing at Trinity Wall Street's website. Produced for the Lambeth Conference by Trinity Wall Street, the video journals were shown at the outset of each conference day, introducing participants to the daily thematic focus. The journals portray the personal experiences of bishops and spouses as they relate to that day's theme and include segments which capture the life of conference.
 The videos run approximately five minutes in length and address topics ranging from evangelism, social justice and the environment to engagement in a multi-faith world and the abuse of power. Bishops in the videos include Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury; Daniel Deng Bul Yak, Archbishop of Sudan; Miguel Tamayo, Bishop of Uruguay; Edward Malecdan, Bishop of Northern Philippines; David Beetge, Bishop of Highveld, South Africa; Victoria Matthews, Bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand; Alexander John Malik, Bishop of Lahore, Pakistan; and Mark Sisk, Bishop of New York, USA
 
  • General Convention: A resource created in 2009, Preparing for General Convention 2009: A Resource for Congregations, written in collaboration with our Deputation to 76th General Convention is intended to help the people of our diocese to understand the work of General Convention. Whether the booklet is used to support discussions organized in individual congregations, or the booklet is simply distributed for individuals’ reading, it is still an informative booklet for all as we work to understand the actions of the once-every-three-year legislative sessions of The Episcopal Church. The General Convention was held in 2009 in Anaheim, California from July 8-17. If you are interested in a Summary of Actions of the 76th General Convention, here is a link.


    Electronic copies of the booklet Preparing for General Convention 2009 are downloadable here. 

     

 An ecumenical group in Elkin, including some from Galloway Memorial Church, has been meeting for over a year in an effort to find peaceful ways to resolve international and interpersonal conflicts, and a small discussion guide, The Prince of Peace: A Christian View of War (July 2008), is a result. It includes some historical perspectives, references to current attempts at international conflict resolution, and some questions for group discussion. You may access the guide here and make copies as needed. If you have questions or comments, please send them to freasplace@wilkes.net, or call John Freas at (336) 957-2753."Rejoice in the Lord!", is an excellent small group bible study on the book of Philippians, originally for St. Paul's Episcopal Church, in Winston-Salem, NC. This study is structured for a one hour class over 12 weeks, and provides a facilitator's plan as well as a study guide for participants. Each week, the class explores a scripture passage from Philippians. Questions are provided for further reflections and invite deeper discussion if time allows. The curriculum creators have also provided optional materials for further study or for other activities. Materials can be requested from Heidi Hawks, at St. Paul's Church.  
  • Dreaming New / Dreaming Big is a simple but challenging series of questions and commentary designed to encourage group reflection about how we “fit” into “the dream of God, developed by The Rev. Susan Sherard. Susan Sherard has agreed to our making this material available on our website. We commend them to you. 
  • Theological Education for All: Originally conceived by the Council of Episcopal Seminary Deans in conversation with the Offices of Ministry Development and Ministries with Young People at the Episcopal Church Center, Theological Education for All seeks to inspire all Episcopalians to be theologians and to call congregations to intentional theological reflection and learning. Persons new to the Church and those with experience in education and formation ministries will find at this website annotated links to interesting and useful web sites, articles, bibliographies and downloadable resources for exploration of the Christian faith and spirituality. The site is designed to serve as a platform for interactive forums on current topics of interest to practitioners and learners and we are looking for volunteers to moderate hosted discussions.
  • Theological Education Sunday: Following a 1997 General Convention resolution, the first Sunday in February has been named as Theological Education Sunday, an occasion to encourage active participation by all in the search for knowledge of God. The website provides background information, materials and ideas, and worship resources for the Sunday.
  • A Renewed Vision: Profiles in Theological Learning: This video in two parts shares stories of Episcopalians learning about God and growing in their trust and understanding of Christian faith and service. The stories are designed to encourage us all to seek the presence of God in our lives.
  • Called to Teach and Learn: The Episcopal Church's Official Catechetical Guide provides vision and insights for clergy and laity involved in the Church's educational ministries. 
  • The New Church's Teaching Series: This thirteen-volume series explores the Christian faith and the Episcopal Church, revealing the distinctive vision Anglicanism offers for the people of God today. Each book includes a study guide and a list of additional resources and is suitable for group study. For details about the series, visit Cowley Publications. Orders may be placed at Education/Liturgy Resources in the Diocese of North Carolina.
  • Education for Ministry (EfM): EfM is a four-year program of theological education-at-a-distance of the School of Theology of the University of the South. It covers the basics of a theological education in the Old and New Testaments, church history, liturgy, and theology. Students meet regularly, usually once a week, in seminars under the guidance of trained mentors. Our diocesan EfM coordinator is Shelley Kappauf, on the School of Ministry staff.
  • Via media: These resources respond to the need for the Episcopal Church to spread the message of “an inclusive, powerful, passionate God to all people.” An evangelism tool that presents the basic tenets of Christianity from an inclusive, Anglican approach to scripture, traditions, and reason, leads the participants to a broader view of the journey of faith and the role that the Church can play in society, Via media is a small group participatory program. The Diocese of North Carolina is a sponsoring diocese, and the School of Ministry is the contact for Via media within the Diocese. Contact us for details about our diocesan involvement. 
  • Alpha: A ten-week opportunity to “explore the validity and relevance of the Christian faith for our lives today,” Alpha is a practical introduction to the basics of Christianity. Each week people meet together for a meal, a talk on topics such as "Who is Jesus?", "Why Did Jesus Die?", and "How Can I be Sure of My Faith?", followed by small group interaction. There is a day or weekend retreat midway through the course, which focuses on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. While now this would appropriately be considered an ecumenical program, we’ve placed it under the Anglican rubric due to its origins at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton, in London. The syllabus of the course is contained in Questions of Life by the Rev. Nicky Gumbel. 
  • The Discovery Series: A Christian Journey, is a video series offered by the Diocese of Texas and is designed for all Christians. It can be used flexibly to enhance current education programs, including confirmation or baptism classes. The five videos include (1) The Path to Episcopal Worship, with an instructed Eucharist and a history of the Episcopal Church; (2) A Journey of Faith, with basic information about the Bible, the Trinity, the Kingdom of God, who Jesus is, the Creeds and Baptism; (3) A Path to Spiritual Maturity, with a discussion about the importance of Bible study and different forms of prayer, personal and corporate; (4) Our Spiritual Gifts, on assessing spiritual gifts, defining ministers as “all of us” and instilling the importance of personal involvement in ministry, both in and beyond the congregation; and (5) The Great Commission,showing how our stories are reflections of ancient stories in the Bible and teaching participants how to share their own stories with friends, neighbors and coworkers, making disciples who make disciples. Materials include five courses, a facilitator's video and printed facilitator's and participant's guides and workbooks. To order materials by e-mail, go to discovery@epicenter.org, or contact Shirley Platt at splatt@epicenter.org, or call her at 800-318-4452 
  • Emmaus: The Way of Faith, is a course designed to welcome people into the Christian faith and the life of the church. It is rooted in an understanding of evangelism, nurture and discipleship modelled on the example of Jesus as told in the story of the Emmaus Road. Emmaus aims to involve the whole church in evangelism, the nurture of new believers and ongoing Christian discipleship. The course progresses through three stages - contact, nurture and growth, and is used by over 6,000 churches in the UK. Emmaus is ecumenical, although it is written by five Anglicans. For more detailed information, visit the website or contact emmaus@c-of-e.org.uk 
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  • Episcopal Seminaries: Our seminaries both opportunities for theological study – including short-term programs for laity as well as clergy – and often produce resources for parish study. Here are their links: 
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  •  Ecumenical, other denominations, and non-denominational 
  • Ecumenical, other-denominations, and non-denominational 
    • Kerygma: This long-established resource provides a wide variety of Bible studies – for long or short periods; and at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Year-long series include “Discovering the Bible,” “the Bible in depth,” and “the Bible and theology.” Their intent is to assist participants to learn the basics and complexities of the Bible, develop skills for interpreting Scripture, and apply learning from the Bible to personal and corporate life. 
    • The Servant Leadership School of Greensboro: The School, housed at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, offers opportunities to explore both an inward journey of personal transformation and an outward journey, discerning one’s own particular "call" and giving expression to some form of life-giving service in the world. Their website describes their current offerings. Its core curriculum includes the Servant leadership; Communion: Prayer and the Journey Inward; Community: Relationships Transformed and Transforming; Compassion: Awakening the Heart to Humanity; Call: Discerning Our Piece of God's Dream; Money: From Cultural Addiction to Spiritual Freedom; and Power Redefined: The Practice of Servant Leadership. There are also initiatives in Charlotte (contact Paul Hanneman at 704-347-0278) and in Raleigh (contact Scott Bass or Tom Robinson at 919-835-4889 or 919-856-0030). 
    • Living the Questions: From the United Methodist tradition but designed for ecumenical use, these resources define the need for a safe environment where people have permission to ask the questions they’ve always wanted to ask but have been afraid to do so. Consisting of a twelve-week DVD and web-based small group study, Living the Questions serves Christian invitation, initiation and spiritual formation well. Weekly sessions include participant and leaders guides; conversations with leading theologians; digital stories illustrating aspects of an evolving faith; concrete spiritual practices; spiritual disciplines; and suggestions for engagement in acts of social justice. 
    • The Thoughtful Christian: The Thoughtful Christian is a center providing adult studies on a wide range of topics, from Bible and theology to contemporary issues and popular culture. Annual subscriptions are several hundred dollars, but you can sample their work with a “study pack” for $35. There are two “freebies” that we particularly like for facilitators, one called “The Art of Asking Good Questions,” the other “Ways to Get Adults to Talk.” 
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Go
The School of Ministry

at the Northwest Regional office
of the Episcopal Diocese of NC
1901 West Market Street 
Greensboro, NC  27455  
336-273-5770

Ayliffe Mumford, Ed.D. Interim Coordinator; 
The Rt. Rev. Chip Marble, Assisting Bishop;      
Shelley Kappauf, Executive Admin. Asst.
and EfM Coordinator