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THE WAY OF THE CROSS
A Companion to Lenten Devotion
This book introduces the season of Lent, the concept of fasting, and daily prayer in the context of the scriptural Stations of the Cross. Each station begins with prayer and continues with scriptural references and concludes with commentary by the author. Written by United Methodist pastor, Wade Powell, this guide to Lenten devotion is an excellent resource for both Protestants and Catholics that want to enhance the joy of Easter with a pilgrimage of the heart through the Way of the Cross.
recovering the eucharist
How the understanding of the Real Presence impacts perceived value of the Lord's Supper
In United Methodism, there seems to be a wide disconnect between contemporary understandings and practices regarding Holy Communion. While I have seen speculative articles and anecdotal accounts of why Methodists may not view Holy Communion as an essential element of worship, I have not uncovered any documented qualitative or quantitative research. If the church is serious about enhancing “appreciation of the sacrament of Holy Communion,” then it is important to understand how Methodists understand the Christ’s Presence, and to develop a better understanding of how that collective understanding has been shaped.
In order to determine what United Methodists believe about the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, how they came to their beliefs, and how that affects their perception of value in Holy Communion, I conducted an ethnographic study based on qualitative interviewing techniques, and a quantitative survey that served as a comparative backdrop to those interviewed. I found United Methodist have an understanding of Christ’s presence that illuminates their perceived value of Holy Communion, and that their understanding has been shaped primarily by experience.
Mexican immigrants & the church
A Photovoice Study
A PhotoVoice study is a sociological experiment in which participants take photographs in an effort to convey a collective message about a particular topic. In this case, I asked a group of Spanish speaking immigrants to take photos of something that represented "church" to them.
Once the participants caught on to what I was asking them to do, they were excited to be heard. The participants came from a group of English as a second language students that I helped tutor each week. Even with a significant language barrier, I have become friends with many of the students. There has been a certain level of trust that had to be established before a study like this one could have been effectively conducted. The participants range in age from teenagers to grandparents, both male and female. Some have been in this country for several years, while others have been in Texas only a few months.
This study is not complete, but it is a start. My hope is that this preliminary information will help the church be in ministry to all the world.
STUDY GUIDE
Bishop Will Willimon's LEADING WITH THE SERMON
Will Willimon wrote a wonderful book on leadership through preaching. After reading it for the second time, I put together a discussion guide for clergy to use in small group settings or lectionary groups. By clicking on the photo of Bishop Willimon, you will be directed to his website where the discussion guide is free to download. If you are interested in hearing more about this book, check out the video podcast I did with Bishop Willimon.
