Brethren Press has announced curriculum resources for the coming year. In the spring, the Christian education curriculum Gather ’Round is offered for children and youth classes, and A Guide for Biblical Studies for adult classes and small group Bible studies. In the summer, Gather ’Round offers a quarter for multi-age groups of children and for youth, and a Vacation Bible School package is available. In the fall, Brethren Press and MennoMedia will roll out Shine: Living in God’s Light, the successor curriculum to Gather ’Round.
Brethren Press
Shine on Storybook Bible Will Offer New Way to Teach Children the Faith
Coming in March from the creators of the Shine curriculum for Christian education: “Shine On: A Story Bible.” This new children’s storybook Bible will feature over 150 engaging Bible stories for use by families and congregations.
Lent Devotional ‘Real Rest’ to Focus on Themes of Grace, Light Living
The Brethren Press 2014 devotional booklet for Lent, offering devotions for Ash Wednesday through Easter, is written by Duane Grady. Each day will feature a scripture, meditation, and prayer in a pocket-sized booklet suitable for individual use or for congregations to offer to members. Pre-order now for $2.25 per copy, plus shipping and handling.
Covenant Bible Study Will Take a Look ‘Behind the Drama’
“Behind the Drama: The Old Testament You Missed” is an upcoming Covenant Bible Study by Eugene F. Roop, Old Testament scholar and former Bethany Seminary president, available from Brethren Press this spring for $7.95 plus shipping and handling. Call 800-441-3712 or order online at www.brethrenpress.com .
Gather ’Round Staff Complete Employment with Brethren Press and Mennomedia
Anna Speicher and Cyndi Fecher are completing their employment with Gather ’Round, the Christian education curriculum produced jointly by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Gather ’Round is in its final year of production and will be available through the summer of 2014. The successor curriculum, Shine, will be available beginning next fall.
Curriculum Helps Youth Develop Beliefs on Peace, Conscientious Objection
Call of Conscience, a Church of the Brethren web-based curriculum, is available to download from www.brethren.org/CO . Written by Julie Garber, this resource is designed to help youth develop their beliefs about peace and conscientious objection to war. The curriculum focuses on developing a personal peace position based on biblical teaching and the traditions of the church.
Advent Devotional, Outdoor Ministry Curriculum Are Among New Resources from Brethren Press
“Good News of Great Joy,” the Advent devotional from Brethren Press, and “Get Real: Finding Your True Self in Jesus,” the outdoor ministries camping curriculum for the summer of 2014, are now available. Purchase these and more resources from Brethren Press at 800-441-3712 or www.brethrenpress.com. A shipping and handling charge will be added to the listed price.
Covenant Study on Women in Luke and Acts, Guide for Biblical Studies on ‘First Things’ New from Brethren Press
A new Covenant Bible Study from Brethren Press titled “Women in Luke and Acts” is among the new resources from the Church of the Brethren publishing house. Order by calling 800-441-3712 or ordering online at www.brethrenpress.com .
Remembering Slim Whitman, the Church’s ‘Mr. Songman.’
Country singer Slim Whitman, 90, who was a longtime member and deacon emeritus at Jacksonville (Fla.) Church of the Brethren, passed away June 19 at Orange Park (Fla.) Medical Center. He was the subject of the book “Mr. Songman,” written by Kenneth L. Gibble and published by Brethren Press in 1982.
Creation Theme the Focus of Gather ’Round’s Summer Quarter
Creation is the theme of the summer 2013 quarter of the Gather ’Round curriculum. The biblical texts are drawn from passages in Genesis, Psalms, Ruth, and Matthew. Together they depict a God who is intensely involved with creation, finds goodness in it, and nurtures, blesses, and sustains it. The curriculum is a joint project of Brethren Press and MennoMedia.