Leadership
Development
Diocese of Eastern Michigan
Ministries
Resource Center Directory (A
Lending Library)
Subject:
Congregational/Leadership Development
Topic: Clergy Development/Parish
Discernment
Discernment
The
following items are located at the Diocesan Center, Saginaw:
|
Ministries Resource Center Home Congregational/ Leadership Development Stewardship/Mission and Outreach |
Gifts
discernment (Video) Network - Bruce
Bugbee, Don Cousins, Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Resources (Zondervan) A program with 8
sessions, includes video, leader guide, student resource Discovering
Our Place in God’s World - William
A Easum, Easum-Bandy Associates; 1993 [Located in “oversize
material”] Exploring the
world of spiritual gifts Discerning Your Spiritual Gifts – Lloyd Edwards, Cowley; 1988 This book looks
at how you might discover and use your spiritual gifts rather than at what
the specific gifts might be. While he lists several different types of gifts
he sets them in the context of their use and leaves out some gifts mentioned
in other studies. He is very clear that gifts should be used for ministry. 19 Gifts of
the Spirit – Leslie B.
Flynn, Cook Publishing, Colorado Springs CO The author looks at the various gifts listed in the Bible and discusses if they may be used to day; he discusses the individual gifts within groupings, and concludes with discovering gifts. See also: Leadership Development – Ministry of the Baptized Sharing the Ministry – Jean Morris Trumbauer, Augsburg
Fortress, Minneapolis MN; 1995 This is a program
to help members of the parish find and participate in their ministries; it
looks at some of the old assumptions about ministry, and then shows how to
help discern gifts, be matched with ministries, and be trained for these
ministries; it is designed for current leaders to help them call others into
ministry Parish Discernment Process:
The parish discernment process is a part
of the work of discerning a call to ordination; these books are available to
help parish discernment committees listen for the applicant’s call. The Diaconate:
A Full and Equal Order (Revised) – James M. Barnett, Trinity Press;
1995, (2 copies) Listening
Hearts: Discerning Call in Community – Suzanne G. Farnham, et al, Morehouse; 1991 Understanding the
“call” of a Christian and discerning its response. 2 copies Bishop,
Priest, or Deacon – Edwin
M. Leidel Do I Belong in
Seminary? – Ronald E.
Parker, Alban Institute, Washington DC Looks at the
“whys” of going to seminary and then at the “hows”; discusses a variety of
reasons for entering seminary, as well as possible positions following
seminary, helpful guidelines for deciding Many Servants,
An Introduction to Deacons
– by Ormonde Plater, Cowley Publications; 1991 Many Servants, Revised Edition - 2004 An introduction
to the history of deacons and their place in today’s church. bibliography
& index; 2 copies Crossing the Jordan – Sam Portaro, Cowley Publishing,
Cambridge MA, 1999 Servanthood:
Leadership for the Third Millennium – Bennett J. Sims; Cowley Publications; 1997 A look at a new
kind of leadership which helps facilitate the gifts of others; this
leadership style is looked at in the church, business, and in the world. Calling: A
Song for the Baptized – Caroline
A. Westerhoff, Cowley Publications, Cambridge, MA, 1994 A look at
baptism, in the context of story, and understanding how each baptized person
has a call of some kind from God. 2 copies Group Discernment: Discernment may be used in a variety of
group experiences of a congregation. Below are listed some materials we have
available to help groups in various situations. Turning Vision
into Action – George Barna, Regal Books, Ventura CA; 1996 Listening
Hearts: Discerning Call in Community – Suzanne G. Farnham, et al, Morehouse; 1991 Understanding the
“call” of a Christian and discerning its response. Weeds Among the Wheat -
Thomas H Green, S.J., Ave Maria
Press, Notre Dame IN; 1984 This is a classic study of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises from a
Jesuit who has used this discernment in his own life as well as directing
countless others in the process. It is designed as a book to to use and work
at following the Spiritual Exercises. It is not simple but very useful for
working at discernment. New: The Way of Discernment – Elizabeth Liebert,
Westminster/John Knox, Louisville KY; 2008 Liebert introduces discernment – the practice of making faithful
decisions. In the first section she explains what discernment is and way an
individual or group should practice discernment; the second section deals
with a series of helpful practices to assist discernment either alone or in a
group. New: Remembering Your Story – Richard L.
Morgan, Upper Room Books, Nashville TN; 2002 Sub-titled “Creating Your Own Spiritual Autobiography”, this book
offers a variety of reasons and ways to create a spiritual autobiography. The
author begins with the reasons for creating a spiritual autobiography and
then a variety of ways to do it; the processes may be used individually or
several together to create the story. Appendices include additional helps to
create these stories. This book may be used by individuals or in a group with
each person creating their own story. Discerning God’s Will Together, Danny
E. Morris & Charles M. Olsen, Alban Institute; 1997 Morris and Olsen offer discernment as an interactive means of making decisions,
a spiritual way for decision making in the church. They present examples of
discernment by a small group, by a congregation, and by a large group to show
how this might work. Parker J. Palmer, Jossey-Bass A Hidden
Wholeness, The Journey toward an Undivided Life – 2004 Palmer talks about how easy it is for us to become “divided”; we feel
one way inside but show a mask to the world. He shows how this come about and
then talks about finding our true self in the presence of our peers, in a
small community that is safe and faithful. He discusses how powerful this
wholeness can be in reaching out into the world. Let Your Life
Speak – 2000 Palmer helps us
look at those things which lead us towards authentic living and understanding
our calling. Brief, clear, and very helpful in reexamining how we are living
our lives. See also: Development:
Ministry of the Baptized The Thin Book
of Appreciative Inquiry – Sue
Annis Hammond, Thin Book Publishing, Plano TX Appreciative
Inquiry is a process to help a group build goals and objectives based
on what works. The book gives an introduction to the process and tells where
you can find follow up information. Training in this process can be acquired
from the Episcopal Church Center/Children’s Ministries Group. (3 copies) Youth: Leaders Practicing Discernment with Youth – David F. White, Pilgrim Press, Cleveland OH; 2005 A discussion of one way to go “deeper” with youth than just fund-raising, social times, etc; the book takes quite a while to get to the print and may be hard to read for some; however, the ideas are worthwhile. |
|
|
|
For more information or to borrow a
particular item, contact
Coordinator,