Series Trailer:

https://vimeo.com/393921794

This series of videos comes from The Work From The People, we have a subscription to their catalogue and have made a number available with discussion/reflection material for people to explore at home, alone, with a partner, spouse, friend or with a larger group of people.  Please do not distribute the films beyond the GUC community, or upload to youtube or facebook.

The following films contain conversations inspired by Diana Butler-Bass’ book Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks. In her book, Diana not only offers us an opportunity for a personal and systemic transformation, but welcomes us into her own personal journey with gratitude. These films are not necessarily arranged in the same order of the book, but are a reflection of how I naturally progressed through my own growth with the series. My hope and prayer is that these films lead you to to a deeper truth in your spiritual growth and inspire you to move outward into the world with the kind of generosity and gratitude that defies systems of scarcity and brings healing to the world.

Themes: Gratitude, Faith Practices, Prayer, Hospitality, Food, Communion, God, Community, abundance, scarcity, God’s Table, Grace, Gifts, Transformation, Hope

Book:

The series follows the release of Diana’s book titled “Grateful.” Darren Wright has a copy of the book if anyone would like to borrow it.

Diana has also included a number of resources for people who are reading “Grateful” including podcasts, sermons, videos reader guides and a small group guide.

Discussion guide:

Series discussion guide includes: discernment questions, a few prayer practices for nurturing “a grateful life,” along with video transcripts. Captions included with streaming version of the films.

For a copy of the discussion guide please contact Darren Wright

Session Titles (click link to access):

The videos are password protected, as per the distributor’s request, for access to the password please ask Darren Wright.

01 – Where Is God?

02 – A Table of Gifts

03 – Table Ethics

04 – Grace, Gratitude & Gifts

05 – Gratitude & Abundance

06 – Table Memory

Jesus the Ingrate:
The Subversive Power of Gratitude

Here’s another video of Diana Butler Bass speaking on the practice of Gratitude, perhaps this video may wet your appetite.

A few years ago I sat with Rev Dr Sean Winter from the Centre for Ministry, Melbourne and asked him how the Gospels shared the story of Jesus.

Sean is currently the Academic Dean, Co-ordinator of Studies in New Testament, and Associate Professor within the University of Divinity. He teaches across a range of New Testament subjects, is involved in the formation of candidates for ordained ministries within the UCA and speaks regularly at conferences, churches, and other events within and beyond the Uniting Church.

These videos are for Group or Individual Reflection and have questions attached for discussion, devotion or study:

Themes: Bible, Gospel, Jesus, Scripture

Sessions:

Session 1 – Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew with Rev Dr Sean Winter

For Group or Individual Reflection:

Read through the first four chapters of Matthew’s Gospel three times, and as you do:
a) Focus on the images that come to mind as you read, write, draw or paint these images as you reflect on them.
b) Focus on the words that shine out for you, make notes of the words as you read. Why do these words stick out for you?
c) Focus on the way that the author writes about Jesus. What do you think they’re saying about Jesus?

Questions:

When the lectionary cycle focuses on the Gospel of Matthew how could your community of faith exercise or experience it’s story of Jesus;
a) In worship?
b) In your daily life?
c) In mission?

Session 02 – Jesus in the Gospel of Mark with Rev Dr Sean Winter

For Group or Individual Reflection:

Read through the first four chapters of Mark’s Gospel three times, and as you do:
a) Focus on the images that come to mind as you read, write, draw or paint these images as you reflect on them.
b) Focus on the words that shine out for you, make notes of the words as you read. Why do these words stick out for you?
c) Focus on the way that the author writes about Jesus. What do you think they’re saying about Jesus?

Questions:

When the lectionary cycle focuses on the Gospel of Mark how could your community of faith exercise or experience it’s story of Jesus;
a) In worship?
b) In your daily life?
c) In mission?

Session 03 – Jesus in the Gospel of Luke with Rev Dr Sean Winter

For Group or Individual Reflection:

Read through the first four chapters of Luke’s Gospel three times, and as you do:
a) Focus on the images that come to mind as you read, write, draw or paint these images as you reflect on them.
b) Focus on the words that shine out for you, make notes of the words as you read. Why do these words stick out for you?
c) Focus on the way that the author writes about Jesus. What do you think they’re saying about Jesus?

Questions:

When the lectionary cycle focuses on the Gospel of Luke how could your community of faith exercise or experience it’s story of Jesus;
a) In worship?
b) In your daily life?
c) In mission?

Session 04 – Jesus in the Gospel of John with Rev Dr Sean Winter

For Group or Individual Reflection:

Read through the first four chapters of John’s Gospel three times, and as you do:
a) Focus on the images that come to mind as you read, write, draw or paint these images as you reflect on them.
b) Focus on the words that shine out for you, make notes of the words as you read. Why do these words stick out for you?
c) Focus on the way that the author writes about Jesus. What do you think they’re saying about Jesus?

Questions:

When the lectionary cycle focuses on the Gospel of John how could your community of faith exercise or experience it’s story of Jesus;
a) In worship?
b) In your daily life?
c) In mission?

Session 05 – Jesus In The Letters of Paul with Rev Dr Sean Winter

For Group or Individual Reflection:

Paul speaks of his faith/theology from the point where the risen Christ encounters him
a) What images/words/stories come to mind when you reflect on how the risen Christ has encountered you? Perhaps you can draw, paint, write about how you encounter Jesus.
b) How does the story of Jesus convert, challenge and change you? your church community?
c) What is the Good News for you?

Questions:

When the lectionary cycle focuses on the writings of Paul how could your community of faith exercise or experience it’s encounter with Jesus;
a) In worship?
b) In your daily life?
c) In mission?

People can use this series as an individual, adding it to your daily or weekly devotional space, as a couple, with a friend, partner, lover or spouse or in a group setting, allowing space for conversation and prayer together.

This series of videos comes from The Work From The People, we have a subscription to their catalogue and have made a number of the films available with discussion/reflection material for people to use in their faith formation. Please do not distribute the films beyond the GUC community, or upload to youtube or facebook.

A search for purpose and meaning in the events and choices of our lives. A costly journey with an unknown destination. A Middle Eastern homeless man from twenty centuries ago and why he still stirs the souls and imagination of so many.

This 6-session series on Jesus’ invitation to follow him includes films by Nadia Bolz-Weber, Greg Boyle, Brené Brown, Emmanuel Katongole, Rachel Held Evans, Richard Rohr, and Rowan Williams, visual liturgies from Kelly Stewart Hall, Thomas Merton, Travis Reed, and Ann Voscamp and reflections by Rich Nelson.

Discussion Guide:

A guide is available to help you process the videos with resources, questions and ideas for reflection, for a copy of the discussion guide please contact Darren Wright.

Sessions: (Click on Link To Access)

The videos are password protected, as per the distributor’s request, for access to the password please ask Darren Wright.

Session 01: – The Ridiculous Journey

The Jesus Strategy with Greg Boyle

The Merton Prayer with Thomas Merton

Session 02 – The Revolutionary:

Personal Relationships with Jesus with Nadia Bolz Weber

A Humble Call with Ann Voscamp

Session 03 – The Lover:

Love Made Flesh with Brene Brown

Everything Is New with Travis Reed

Session 04 – The Sage:

The Way The Truth The Life with Rowan Williams

To Rise Above with Kelly Stewart Hall

Session 05 – The Presence:

The Human One with Richard Rohr

I Am Present with Kelly Stewart Hall

Session 06 – Following Jesus:

Risking It On Jesus with Rachel Held Evans

I Am The Path by Kelly Stewart Hall

This series of videos comes from The Work From The People, we have a subscription to their catalogue and have made a number available with discussion/reflection material for people to explore at home, alone, with a partner, spouse, friend or with a larger group of people.  Please do not distribute the films beyond the GUC community, or upload to youtube or facebook.

If you would like access to this video series and the discussion/study guide please contact Darren Wright for the link and password for the videos.

Series Description:

In the midst of these radical shifts in our society and within Christianity itself, it is clearly time to revisit the question “What is the role of the Church?”

What is the Church’s role in the lives of individuals and families who no longer turn to it as the center of their social and family structure? What is the Church’s role in a world that increasingly sees it as irrelevant? What is the Church’s role in the lives of the people who continue to return to it as a source of strength, inspiration, solace and connection with God? What is the Church’s role in the lives of the people who have never walked through one of our doors and those who have sworn they never will again?

This series features conversations with several of our generation’s wisest souls reflecting on these issues and the larger question of “What is the role of the Church?” Our prayer is that it sparks rich, rewarding and fruitful discussion and reflection for your small group and enables you to move through this time of rapid transition with love and with grace

This is a fascinating time to be alive. Let us give God thanks for the Church that was, the Church that is, and the Church that is becoming.

Session Titles:

The videos are password protected, as per the distributor’s request, for access to the password please ask Darren Wright.

01 – What is the church? with Walter Brueggemann

02 – A call to justice with Hannah Terry

03 – A call to love with Richard Rohr

04 – A call to a kingdom worldview with NT Wright

05 – A call to be the body of Christ with Malcolm Guite

06 – What is the church becoming? with Brian Zahnd

06 – What is the church becoming? with Rachel Held Evans, and Brian Zahnd

This is a beautiful video series that explores what the church is here for, and to what kind of life we are called.  Rachel was a friendly, passionate, hopeful and relentless voice in the church up until the time where she tragically passed away in 2019.

This series collates and presents a series of conversations with Rachel that will inspire, provoke, enthuse, challenge, push, prod and embrace you in your faith and in your community.  

People can use this series as an individual, adding it to your daily or weekly devotional space, as a couple, with a friend, partner, lover or spouse or in a group setting, allowing space for conversation and prayer together.

This series of videos comes from The Work From The People, we have a subscription to their catalogue and have made a number of the films available with discussion/reflection material for people to use in their faith formation. Please do not distribute the films beyond the GUC community, or upload to youtube or facebook.

This particular series was originally released with a book which we have a copy of to borrow.

If you would like access to this video series please contact Darren Wright for the link and password for the videos.

Themes:

Family, Church, Community, Bible, Mission, Love, God, Acceptance, Hospitality, Liberation, Belief, Doubt, Jesus, Hope, Resurrection

5 Sessions (click to view video):

The videos are password protected, as per the distributor’s request, for access to the password please contact Darren Wright.

01 – Gatekeeping

02 – Love is Biblical

03 – Remembering Jesus

04 – The God Who Sees You

05 – With An Open Hand

Discussion Guide:

There is a guide to this video series, which I can be used if you’re accessing these videos as a personal devotion throughout Lent, or in a group.  If you would like a copy of the discussion guide please approach Darren Wright.

Series Trailer:

https://vimeo.com/389636644/0122cb0e1e