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While the word 'Godparent' is nowhere in the Bible, it is all over Christian history. From very early on Christians began baptizing their children as a way to form healthy believers - in keeping with the admonition in the book of Proverbs which says, 'Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they shall not depart from it.' In this episode, writer and teacher Nancy McLaughlin tells us: Why Godparents? Godparents and the Bible The Role of Godparents Being a Godparent This episode is perfect for Godparents and Godparents-to-be.

Community Change  Gloria Rose Consulting If you’re interested in learning more about community organizing, check out organizations, such as Direct Action Research and Training (D.A.R.T.) Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)   Books: The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance (2016) by Bethany Hoang and Kristen D. Johnson. Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (and How to Reverse It) (2011) by Robert D. Lupton. Beyond Charity: The Call to Christian Community Development (1993) by John M. Perkins. Just Generosity: A New Vision for Overcoming Poverty in America, 2nd edition (2007) By Ron Sider.  Online: Direct Action Research and Training (D.A.R.T.) Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)   You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on daily spirituality and social justice. Consider the following courses: Dynamics of Helping the Poor with Lee Anne Reat Creating Common Good 1: Economic Inequality with Julio Murray Creating Common Good 2: Christian Responsibility with Rachel Held Evans Creating Common Good 3: Educational Inequality with Nicole Baker Fulgham Creating Common Good 4: A Christian Response with Justin Welby Economic Inequality and the Church For Groups Understanding Systemic Racism: Becoming Beloved Community with Ivy Forsythe-Brown and Tom Ferguson (Free curriculum. Sessions 5 and 6 in particular discuss ways to engage local communities). For information on establishing partnerships with particular types of community organization, try: How to Establish a Church/School Partnership with All Our Children Responding to Refugees with Allison Duvall.  

Books: Holy Grounds: The Surprising Connection Between Coffee and Faith -- From Dancing Goats to Satan's Drink (2019) by Tim Schenck Brewing Justice: Fair Trade Coffee, Sustainability, and Survival (2014) by Daniel Jaffee Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How it Transformed Our World (2012) by Mark Pendergrast Fair Trade: A Beginner's Guide (2007) by Jaqueline DeCarlo   Online: Episcopal Relief and Development's Fair Trade Project Outlines the Fair Trade Project and gives participants access to fairly traded coffee, tea, and chocolate. Fairtrade and Coffee (2012) by the Fair Trade Foundation. Overview of coffee farming and the need for fair trade practices with coffee farmers. Bitter Brew: The Stirring Reality of Coffee on the Food Empowerment Project's webpage. A shorter article summarizing the negative impacts of traditional approaches to coffee farming. 15 Fair Trade Coffee Brands Worth Waking Up For on The Good Trade's webpage. This article recommends 15 brands of coffee that use strong fair trade practices. The Good Trade website as a whole is well worth investigating.  Other ChurchNext courses of interest: Introducing Benedictine Spirituality with Laurel Dahill Everyday Spiritual Practices with Keith Andrews Water and Justice with Fletcher Harper Spirituality and Racial Justice with Michael Curry Creating Common Good 1: Economic Inequality with Bp. Julio Murra

If you’re interested in learning more about keeping the Sabbath, check out books, such as MaryAnn’s Sabbath in the Suburbs: A Family’s Experiment with Holy Time,  Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller, and The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time by Judith Shulevitz. You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Try: Handling the Work/Life Balance with David Gray; Living a Spiritual Life with Mary Gray-Reeves; How to Discern God's Will with Ruth Haley Barton; How to Forgive with Virginia Holeman, and How to Simplify Your Life with Mark Scandrette. We close with a reading from Night Prayer from the New Zealand Prayer Book. Lord,it is night.The night is for stillness.Let us be still in the presence of God.It is night after a long day.What has been done has been done;what has not been done has not been done;let it be.The night is dark.Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own livesrest in you.The night is quiet.Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,all dear to us,and all who have no peace.The night heralds the dawn.Let us look expectantly to a new day,new joys,new possibilities.in your name we pray. Amen. Lord it is night: Lord It Is Night is a beautiful 'close of the day' chant. The text is drawn from the New Zealand Book of Common Prayer and the musical setting was written by Ginny Wilder. Fran McKendree (vocal and guitar) joined here by Joanna Hyde (violin and vocal). https://www.christiancentury.org/article/2011-12/remember-sabbath Letting God Run Things without my help by Barbara Brown Taylor - Christian Century 

Ever have trouble settling down into prayer? Do you run into problems turning off the words or finding the words, focusing your mind or relaxing your body? Sybil MacBeth understands these problems. Like many of us, she had trouble focusing her attention on prayer -- until, through informal doodling one day, she felt herself drawn into prayer. She has developed Praying in Color as an approach to prayer that requires no artistic skill -- just paper and drawing tools. Sybil's four talks include: Introduction (to Praying in Color) Pray versus Play Intercessory Prayer Variations of Prayer. This episode is ideal for those seeking new approaches to prayer.

Try researching on your own. Check out the following resources: World-wide Labyrinth Locator Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice (2006) by Lauren Artress Walking the Labyrinth: A Place to Pray and Seek God (2014) by Travis Scholl Walking the Labyrinth: A Spiritual and Practical Guide (2010) by Sally Welch   You might also be interested in other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Consider taking: Holy Yoga with Allison LaBianca Praying in Color with Sybil MacBeth Contemplative Knitting with Julia Cicora Praying with Poetry with Dave Worster   We close with a prayer by Thomas Merton from his Thoughts on Solitude. “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself; and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.” Amen.

Spiritual wounds span in severity from annoyance to serious debilitation and they can keep us from being open and vulnerable to ourselves and others. Carol Howard Merritt knows a lot about this. She was raised in a strict, conservative Christian home where loving and well-meaning people nonetheless harmed her. In this class, based on Carol's book, Healing Spiritual Wounds, she defines what spiritual wounding is and how she has found help. Her lectures include: What Are Spiritual Wounds? When Institutions Hurt Finding Healing Walking in Health This course is ideal for those who are curious about spiritual healing.

If you’re interested in learning more about African American Spirituals, check out books, such as Songs my Grandma Sang, by Michael Bruce Curry, Radical Welcome: Embracing God, The Other, and the Spirit of Transformation (November, 2021) by Stephanie Spellers, and the Rastafari Book of Common Prayer by Mark Bozzuti-Jones. Also check out the Spirituals Database, and the Library of Congress’ collection of African American Spirituals. You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Try: Spirituality and Racial Justice with Michael Curry Racism and Racial Justice with Eduardo Bonilla-Silva Whiteness and Racial Justice with Kelly Brown Douglas Theology and Racial Justice with J. Kameron Carter Reparation and Racial Justice with Jennifer Harvey Radical Welcome with Stephanie Spellers A reading from There is a Balm in Gilead: There is a balm in GileadTo make the wounded whole;There is a balm in GileadTo heal the sin-sick soul. Sometimes I feel discouraged,And think my work’s in vain,But then the Holy SpiritRevives my soul again. If you cannot sing like angels,If you can’t preach like Paul,You can tell the love of Jesus,And say He died for all. There is a balm in GileadTo make the wounded whole;There is a balm in GileadTo heal the sin-sick soul. Amen.  

Like prayer, yoga has been used in the Hindu religion and in other religious traditions to inspire peace, awaken mindfulness, and draw people closer to the divine presence that surrounds. While many people associate yoga with Hinduism alone, Christian yoga instructor Allison LaBianca says yoga predates Hinduism and can be used by people of every faith to draw nearer to God. Through her work with Holy Yoga, Allison has learned how the practice of yoga can enhance prayer lives and awareness of Jesus in and around us. She discusses the history of yoga, its spiritual benefits, Christian themes in yoga, and how Christians specifically can use yoga. This episode is ideal for those who are looking to enhance their prayer lives through the ancient practice of yoga.

If you’re interested in learning more about dementia and spirituality, check out the following books: Redeeming Dementia: Spirituality, Theology, and Science (2018) by Dorothy Linthicum and Janice Hicks. Walking Each Other Home: Spiritual Companionship for Dementia Caregivers (2021) by Jean DentonRedeeming Dementia: Spirituality, Theology, and Science (2018) by Dorothy Linthicum and Janice Hicks.On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's (2018 edition) by Greg O'Brien.Spirituality and Aging (2009) by Richard AtchleyLiving in the Memories of God (2012) by John SwintonBecoming Friends of Time: Disability, Timefullness, and Gentle Discipleship (Studies in Religion, Theology, and Disability) (2018) by John SwintonDancing with Elephants: Mindfulness Training For Those Living With Dementia, Chronic Illness or an Aging Brain (2017) by Jarem Sawatsky You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on spirituality for caregivers and those suffering from illness: Courage for Caregivers with Jamie HaithGrowing Old with Grace (Not Glamor) with Barbara CraftonEucharistic Visitation with Tim SpannausHow to Help a Sick Friend with Joyce Mercer We close with a prayer adapted from Father Timothy Menezes’ Prayer for Those Suffering from Dementia, written for the Pastoral Care Project© 2009: Father of all goodness, your Son brought healing of mind and body to show that your Kingdom is here. In our hour of need, we look to you, we seek to understand your purpose. We pray for those whose lives we share and who live with the knowledge of weakness, whose memory now fades, whose enjoyment of life’s story is changing. Make us aware of the needs of others, of the dignity of life at every stage, of the collective memory that we own. Bless those who care for the sick, who share the journey. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, in Your good time. We ask this through the same Christ our Lord.  Amen.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Epiphany, check out books, such as Faithful Celebrations: Making Time for God from Advent through Epiphany, edited by Sharon Ely Pearson, and Stations of the Nativity: Meditation on the Incarnation of Christ by Raymond Chapman. Scripture study on the passages detailing Epiphany are another great way to go deeper with the Word and the story and apply it to your life. That’s the end of our time today with Sharon. If you are interested in learning more about her work, visit her blog at rowsofsharon.com and check out the numerous books she has written and edited. You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on church seasons. We offer a track - a collection of courses - called Seasons of the Church Year and you can further your study by taking other courses in this series like Introduction to Lent with Maggi Dawn and Introduction to Advent with Tim Schenck. The collect for the Epiphany from the Book of Common Prayer: O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Sonto the Peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now byfaith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face toface; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reignswith you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.Amen.

If you are interested in learning more about Suzanne's work, visit Suzanne’s blog Week by Week Beads, at http://weekbyweekbeads.com/, which also offers access to her podcast.  If you’re interested in learning more about the Anglican rosary, check out books, such as Praying with Beads: Daily Prayers for the Christian Year (2007) by Nan Lewis Doerr and Virginia Stem Owens, which includes an introduction to the Anglican rosary and suggestions for prayer to use with it. Also try Another Bead, Another Prayer (2015) by Kristen and Max Vincent, which discusses the use of prayer beads in Protestant churches, offers ideas for prayers to use and for creating one's own prayers, and instructs readers on how to make prayer beads of their own. You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on prayer and spiritual practices. Try Praying with Icons with Randall Warren, Praying with Saints with Scott Gunn and Tim Schenck, How to Pray Online with Karekin Yarian, Introducing Benedictine Spirituality with Laurel Dahill, and Holy Yoga with Alison LaBianca. Julian of Norwich prayer adapted for the beads: The CrossIn the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.  The Invitatory O God make speed to save me (us), O Lord make haste to help me (us), Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.  The Cruciforms God of your goodness, give me yourself, For you are enough to me. And I can ask for nothing less that is to your glory. And if I ask for anything less, I shall still be in want, for only in you have I all.  The Weeks All shall be well, and all shall be well, And all manner of things shall be well.

If the wars of yesteryear were fought over oil, then the wars of the future will be fought over water.So says Fletcher Harper, the executive director of Greenfaith, an interfaith environmental group that has made the stewardship of water a core focus of its work. In this episode, Fletcher discusses the Christian call to conserve water and mitigate the effects of climate change. It will interest those looking to explore the interplay between climate change, the stewardship of water, and the practice of Christian faith.  

Our podcasts are curated from our online learning library at churchnext.tv. Learn more about us there. If you’d like to support us, please consider a monthly subscription. That will give you access to all of our individual online classes. Your generosity helps us produce digital experiences that help shape disciples. Books We Carry the Fire: Family and Citizenship as Spiritual Calling (2021) by Richard Hoehn The Church Cracked Open: Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community (2021) by Stephanie Spellers The Holy Vote: The Politics of Faith in America (2009) by Ray Suarez Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt (2019) by Arthur C. Brooks   You can find helpful resources on The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations Civic Engagement page.   You might also be interested in taking other ChurchNext classes on similar topics. Try: Make Me an Instrument of Peace: A Guide to Civil Discourse Bridging the Political Divide with Parker Palmer Civil Conversations in Uncivil Times with Ray Suarez

Here I Stand. These are the historic words attributed to Martin Luther as he took a stand for the radical convictions that should have gotten him killed. However, Luther's strength of conviction and timing in history combined to set the stage for big changes on the European continent and beyond. Church historian and theologian Alec Ryrie knows all about this. In this episode, he describes Luther's theological convictions during the pinnacle events of his life: his initial persecutions among the religious leaders of his day. This episode is ideal for those who are looking to learn more about Martin Luther and his seminal theology.

If you’re interested in reading more about Martin Luther, look into Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther by Roland H. Bainton and Martin Luther: Confessor of the Faith by Robert Kolb. Online, the Project Wittenberg website has many resources by and about Martin Luther and other Lutherans, including an extensive Martin Luther page. Dr. Ryan Reeves, an Assistant of Historical Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, has a YouTube channel called Historical Theology for Everyone, which offers short lectures on specific aspects of Luther's life and work. If you are interested in learning more about Alec's work, visit his blog at http://alecryrie.blogspot.com. In addition, check out his books, Unbelievers, an Emotional History of Doubt and -- Protestants: the Faith that Made the Modern World, among others. Dr. Alec Ryrie is a professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Durham, author, blogger and church historian. His most recent book is Unbelievers: An Emotional History of Doubt (2019). Alec’s current research is on the history of how Protestantism became a global religion in the seventeenth century, and how it reveals deeper currents in the history of Christianity and of the modern world. Check out our ChurchNext courses Martin Luther: Here I Stand with Alec, a follow-up to the work you are listening to today and, The Lutheran Tradition with Mark Tranvik.   Collect for the Feast of Martin Luther from A Great Cloud of Witnesses: O God, our refuge and our strength: You raised up your servant Martin Luther to reform and renew your Church in the light of your word. Defend and purify the Church in our own day and grant that, through faith, we may boldly proclaim the riches of your grace, which you have made known in Jesus Christ our Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Overcoming life's challenges is the larger lesson of the famous story of David and Goliath. John Ohmer knows this well. When he was called to be the pastor of a large church recovering from turmoil, he found great comfort, and learned more than a few lessons from David's confrontation with Goliath. In today's episode, he covers the following topics: The Nature of Giants Preparing for Battle Winning Attitudes Confidence and Humility You might like these episode if you are currently facing challenges as well as those looking to glean life lessons from enduring difficult times.

Lucas Mix is an Episcopal priest, author, and martial artist. He is  also a researcher at the intersection of biology, philosophy, and theology, focusing on theories of life. In the second half of 2021, he is serving as the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology, Exploration, and Scientific Innovation researching the relationship between science and science fiction. If you’re interested in reading more about resurrection, look into The Resurrection of the Son of God (2012) and Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Ministry of the Church (2008), both by N.T. Wright. If you are interested in learning more about Lucas' work, visit his blog at https://dacalu.wordpress.com/. In addition, check out Lucas’ books, such as Life Concepts From Aristotle to Darwin: On Vegetable Souls (2018) and Thinking Fair: Rules for Reason in Science and Religion (2016). If you’re interested in learning more about resurrection, check out our ChurchNext courses Don't Fear Death! with Tom Krell; What's Heaven Like? with John Price; Making Sense of the Cross with David Lose, Parts One, Two, and Three; and Exploring Hell with Seth Carey.

We'd like the universe to be simple to navigate in terms of moral choices -- but in reality, many choices and events are morally confusing, complex, or ambiguous. Sometimes, people get hurt -- through accidents, morally difficult choices, and other complicated scenarios. When that happens, the people who cause the injury can experience lasting trauma related to the sense that they should somehow have made better choices. They feel that their situation has caused them to violate their own moral codes, and they often suffer symptoms similar (but not identical) to those of PTSD. This type of trauma is called moral injury, and nobody understands it better than David Peters. As a person who has both experienced moral injury and worked with others who have dealt with it, David has written several books and many articles on the subject of moral injury. He has made it part of his mission to tell the world what moral injury is and how to heal from it.  His four talks include: Introduction to Moral Injury Moral Injury and Its Implications Seeking Healing from Moral Injury Self Care and Helping Others This course is ideal for anyone who suspects they might be suffering from moral injury, for their caregivers, and for anyone who works routinely with veterans and others at risk for moral injury.

When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor. Corbett, Steve and Fikkert, Brian. Chicago: Moody, 2012.A discussion of the problems posed by traditional charity-based outreach by religious organizations from an evangelical point of view. Corbett & Fikkert have followed this book with others in a series called When Helping Works. Helping Without Hurting in Church Benevolence: A Practical Guide to Walking with Low-Income People Corbett, Steve and Fikkert, Brian. Grand Rapids: Moody, 2015.Provides a toolkit for what to do when people ask for help. The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance. Hoang, Bethany and Johnson, Kristen D. Grand Rapids: Bravos, 2016A deep dive into God’s call to justice through a description of six scriptural movements – creation, the fall, Israel, Jesus, the Church, and all things being made new. Biblical watchwords framing the discussion are holiness, hesed (loving-kindness). Justice, righteousness, and shalom (flourishing wholeness). Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (and How to Reverse It) Lupton, Robert D. New York: Harper One, 2011.A good resource for congregational discussions about outreach efforts, both domestic and global. Lupton’s Oath of Compassionate Service is particularly helpful, challenging our traditional approach to reaching out to those in need. Beyond Charity: The Call to Christian Community Development. Perkins, John M. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1993.An older resource for information on Christian Community Development that outlines the principles of moving into and becoming part of under-resourced neighborhoods. See web resources on CCD. Just Generosity: A New Vision for Overcoming Poverty in America, 2nd edition. Sider, Ron. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007. Statistics are dated, but a discussion of the roots of poverty and our biblical call to justice are excellent. Sider gives Twelve Principles for a Just Society. You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on church-community involvement and building economic justice. Consider taking: Radical Welcoming with Stephanie Spellers Metro Theology with Chip Graves Creating Common Good 1: Economic Inequality with Julio Murray Creating Common Good 2: Christian Responsibility with Rachel Held Evans Creating Common Good 3: Educational Inequality with Nicole Baker Fulgham Creating Common Good 4: A Christian Response with Justin Welby Economic Inequality and the Church For Groups For courses on establishing partnerships with particular types of community organization, try: How to Establish a Church/School Partnership with All Our Children Responding to Refugees with Allison Duvall.