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Our Congregational Toolbox of Resources

Hub writing icon_a penHUB WRITINGS

Ezekiel and the Public Church Framework (2018) — Jeremy Myers, PhD explains the Public Church Framework and the biblical imagination that serves as its engine, specifically Ezekiel’s vision of God’s abundance. There are discussion questions at the end to help churches explore how to apply this framework to build a sustainable, deep connection with its neighbors.

Liberating Youth from Adolescence by Jeremy Myers (2018) — Jeremy Myers calls the church to challenge the dominant societal view of adolescents as “underdeveloped consumers” who can only contribute creatively when they mature into adulthood. Myers argues that young people are innately creative creatures called by God to love and serve right now.

“Reflections on Authenticity” by Rev. Mark S. Hanson (2018) —  Rev. Mark S. Hanson, with Augsburg’s Christensen Center for Vocation and former bishop of the ELCA, shared his reflections on the notion of “authenticity” with our learning community.

Discernment Questions for Faith Communities (2017) — Consider these questions an opportunity to engage your leadership, young adults and other key people in your community as you discern your faith community’s possible call into deeper ministry with young adults.

 

Articles icon_a page of newspaperARTICLES

Reaching out to young adults will screw up your church by Adam J. Copeland (2012) — The author shares personal stories about the relationships between young adults and churches/church leaders

 

 

Other Communities Icon_ human symbols standing in a circle embracing a lightbulbOTHER COMMUNITIES

The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) — data archive (national and international), mapping tool to create a religious and demographic profile of a particular community, etc.

Center for Religion and Civic Culture (Creativity and Innovation) — Collections of articles about creativity and innovation on congregations and religious practices

Disrupt Worship Project — This project offers full liturgical resources and diverse experiences and viewpoints, featuring “voices from different denominations, clergy, deacons, lay leaders, and (sometimes) people who don’t do church but do love Jesus.”

How We Gather — One of the most widely-read documents in seminaries and community startups;  a 2015 student-led exploration of how Millennials are finding and building communities of meaning and belonging has morphed into a ground-breaking study of organizations that are effectively unbundling and remixing the functions historically performed by traditional religious institutions.

Martin Marty Center for the Public Understanding of Religion — Events, research, sightings, and forum

Jim Wallis visit on September 20, 2016

This year’s Bernhard Christensen Symposium on September 20 features three opportunities to engage with Jim Wallis, a bestselling author, public theologian, and social activist.

Wallis-MugWallis is president and founder of Sojourners, a nonprofit, faith-based organization whose mission statement calls for “putting faith into action for social justice.” He has written for major newspapers and authors regular columns for Huffington Post and TIME.com. Wallis teaches at Georgetown University and has taught at Harvard University. He served on President Obama’s first White House Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.


Christensen Symposium Convocation Address: The Bridge to a New America with Jim Wallis (poster PDF)
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center
Listen to the 2016 Convocation Address

 


Community Panel- The Bridge Toward More Just Communities: What Needs to Happen
4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. in Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center.
The panel will be moderated by former ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson, and will include:
Pastor Kelly Chatman, Redeemer Lutheran Church, North Minneapolis
Nora Barr: Augsburg Alumna
Devin Wiggs: Augsburg Student
Fardosa Hassan: Muslim Student Advisor to Campus Ministry
Plus, a response from Jim Wallis.

 


Kick-off address for North Minneapolis Forum on Faith and Race
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1800 Glenwood Ave, Minneapolis, MN  55405
Note: The evening address is preceded by live entertainment from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

 

 

Advance Screening – Morgan Freeman’s Story of God

Please join us Wednesday, March 30 from 7pm-8:30pm.

In addition to viewing one episode of the upcoming National Geographic series, there will be a panel discussion featuring Augsburg leaders of different faith traditions: Dr. Phil Quanbeck II, Dr. Maheen Zaman, and Julian Kritz (Interfaith Scholar). The panel will be moderated by Rev. Mark Hanson, the new executive director of the Christensen Center for Vocation.

Event Schedule:
6:30 P.M. Doors Open
7:00 P.M. Screening Starts
8:00 P.M. Interfaith Panel Discussion with Dr. Phil Quanbeck II, Dr. Maheen Zaman, and Julian Kritz
8:30 P.M. Event Concludes with Light Refreshments in the Foss Atrium

The event is free and open to the public. As space is limited, please register online ahead of time to ensure a spot. Seating is first come, first-served.

Continue reading “Advance Screening – Morgan Freeman’s Story of God”

CCV Advisory Book and Movie Recommendations

Movie and Book Recommendations from the CCV Advisory Board

At our recent winter meeting we solicited names of movies and books that come highly recommended by the members of the Board.  Here is the list:

Melissa Pohlman:
Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces That Keep Us Apart by Christena Cleveland

John Snider:
Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi by Richard Rohr

Mark Hanson:
Never Wholly Other: A Muslima Theology of Religious Pluralism  by Jerusha Tanner-Lamptey
A Strange Glory: The Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Charles Marsh

Marty Stortz:
David Foster Wallace’s commencement address (2005) at Kenyon College
Christoph Schwoebel’s article “Talking Over the Fence.  From Toleration to Dialogue” (for John Clayton on his 60th Birthday), in: NZSTh 45 (2003), 115-130.

Sonja Hagander:
The Round House by Louise Erdrich

Diane Jacobson:
The film “Sweet Land”— suggested given disagreements about immigration.

Jack Fortin:
Christianity for the Rest of Us by Diana Butler Bass

 

Welcome to Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Distinguished Fellow

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson 

Distinguished Fellow in the Christensen Center for Vocation at Augsburg College

headshot of Mark HansonAppointed as a Distinguished Fellow in Augsburg’s Christensen Center for Vocation, The Rev. Mark S. Hanson leads national and international initiatives to advance interfaith dialogue, inspire peacemaking, and support the College’s commitment to vocational discernment. In addition, he serves as a major gifts advisor for “Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.”

Prior to his current appointments, Hanson served as presiding bishop of the ELCA. He was elected to this position by the Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA in August 2001 and was reelected in 2007. In 2003, he was elected to serve, concurrently, as president of the Lutheran World Federation, a position he held until 2010.

Before being elected as ELCA presiding bishop, he served as bishop of the Saint Paul Area Synod (3H). He had been elected to serve a second term in Saint Paul earlier that same year. Prior to being elected synod bishop, he served as pastor of three Minnesota congregations: Prince of Glory Lutheran Church, Minneapolis; Edina (Minnesota) Community Lutheran Church; and University Lutheran Church of Hope in Minneapolis.  Continue reading “Welcome to Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Distinguished Fellow”