This study uses cooking and bible concepts and appears in the main booklet.
Download the Kennings and Cookies pdf
See also the Extra Kennings generated by other groups
To round off the menu there are desserts, which mix in discussion and creative activities in imaginative ways.
Deserts will appear throughout the year
Select from the menu on the right or view the Bible Year Menu Card
menu
This is where you can select various courses - the choice is yours!
You can also download the pdf version of the Vision4Life booklet
Nibbles
These are all age activities that are a bit alternative to the main courses. Fun for everyone! But please be patient - some of them are still cooking.
This all age session makes use of multi-sensory techniques to discover new things about creation and is an alternative way into the main course "In the Beginning". Download the Getting creative with creation pdf
This is an all age version of one of the main courses which you can download, see Who do you think you are - all age pdf
This all age study explores the theme of friendship and inlcudes work-sheets for colouring in.
Download The Four Friends pdf
Select from the menu on the right or view the Bible Year Menu Card
Bible Smells
Vision4Life is a process which the United Reformed Church is following for 3 years from Advent 2008 through to Advent 2011. It is three years of focus on re-engaging with the Bible, Prayer and Evangelism with the purpose of bringing transformation to the URC and its partner churches. Take a look through the contents of the site using the menu above or select items from the Bible Year menu to the right. You can sign up to the process as a local church or join in the forums as an individual below. There’s lots to discover and the site grows week by week with resources, comment and news. Enjoy!
Click here for a guide to using the site.
This is an ‘advent special’ Bible conversations that probably should have been available at the start of Bible Year but didn’t seem to have made it onto the website, so here it is now at the start of Prayer year, to help groups that are still engaging with the Bible even whilst they are extending their explorations in prayer.
Find the Advent specials here along with all the other Bible Year Advent materials
‘Encounters in Mark’s Gospel’ brings you suggestions for a series of up to fifteen small-group conversations based on particular stories in Mark’s Gospel. These conversations all share the same basic shape. They aim to help you, and everyone else in your group, to:
all from watching and talking freely with each other about encounters between Jesus and those he meets – as we find them recorded in Mark’s Gospel.
Vision4Life is a process which the United Reformed Church followed for 3 years from Advent 2008 through to Advent 2011. It is three years of focus on re-engaging with the Bible, Prayer and Evangelism with the purpose of bringing transformation to the URC and its partner churches. The resources for the process are now archived here for churches and individuals to freely use. A fourth introductory year was also followed by many churches and that year's materials are also here with introductions to each year's theme along with a booklet to challenge churches to take a further step forward into the whole process.
We have produced a brand new set of materials for churches wanting to follow up on Vision4Life. Based on the book of Acts, "Acting out Acts" uses study notes and Bibliodrama to look at themes which include some review of the V4L process. There are 5 studies and an introduction to the themes and Bibliodrama.
Take a look here to download the documents.
Take a look through the contents of the site using the menu at the top or select items from the menu to the right. You can also access each year through the panels below. This site is now static and there will be no further additional materials. We have also closed the signup process. Enjoy the site!
Listening God,
sometimes we pray confidently,
trusting in your love.
Sometimes we approach you fearfully,
conscious of our own failure.
Sometimes we are reluctant to pray,
evading your call to us.
Sometimes our prayer is a snatched moment
in the hassle of activity.
But always
You hear us.
Amen.
When prayer is as easy as talking,
Sharing news and secrets with a friend
A quiet trust threading through the everyday:
O Lord hear my prayer…
When prayer feels blocked and impossible,
Words hitting the ceiling and bouncing back,
Or an empty silence devoid of meaning
O Lord hear my prayer…
When prayer is a cry of pain
For a hurting, vulnerable world,
All we can offer in our helplessness
O Lord hear my prayer…
When prayer is an adventure
Delighting in creativity and colour,
Exploring faith with sounds and senses,
O Lord hear my prayer…
God, who has created us in delight,
Help us to share your joy with others.
God, who travels with us,
Help us to share our journeys of faith.
God, who calls us by name,
Help us to acknowledge your presence in our lives.
God, who welcomes us,
Help us to invite others into your love. Amen.
Living God,
We praise you
because you have made such a difference to our lives.
We praise you for the joy of knowing we are your people.
We thank you for the love which supports and guides us.
We trust your promise for strength in the challenges which confront us.
Living God,
May we who have known you in our lives
share our stories with others,
so that they may know
your joy, love and hope in their own journeys.
Amen.
(Tune: R&S 474)
God, who shares my journey with me,
Draws me pictures in the sand,
Tells me stories, sets me dancing,
Take my spirit in your hand.
Shake me out of dull religion,
Leaving forms and fears behind.
Give me trust to travel freely,
Spirit-searching, unconfined.
God, we have talked and prayed together,
Questioned and reflected together,
Hoped and dreamed together.
Give us vision and confidence now
To find our way forward
As your people
Following your vision and walking in your way.
Amen
We are your people:
Living by your word,
Struggling to understand,
Listening to your voice,
And delighting in your way.
Transforming God,
Fill us with life and hope.
We are your people:
Meeting you in prayer,
Reaching out in praise to grasp your mystery,
Bringing our pain for a vulnerable world,
Confessing and knowing ourselves forgiven.
Transforming God,
Fill us with life and hope.
We are your people:
Travelling with you,
Sharing our journeys,
Telling our stories of love and longing,
Reaching out in loving welcome.
Transforming God,
Fill us with life and hope.
This is an ‘advent special’ Bible conversations that probably should have been available at the start of Bible Year but didn’t seem to have made it onto the website, so here it is now at the start of Prayer year, to help groups that are still engaging with the Bible even whilst they are extending their explorations in prayer.
Download v4l-advent-special-one.pdf
This Bible study is about Mary, as she is presented to us in the opening chapters of Luke’s Gospel, but also her other appearances in that Gospel and the Book of Acts. Mary’s story lays before us just how costly saying “Yes!” to God can be. We are invited to place our own story alongside hers and see what we can learn about the effects of an intervening God let loose in our lives.
Download Mary's Yes, PDF version
Woodwork NativityThis is a project for those of you who are handy with wood and can be shared with those who are not! It is a little late for 2008 but maybe you could plan it for next year?Download Woodwork Nativity | |
Extra Advent MaterialsHere you will find access to additional materials that have been supplied to the V4L steering group and are commended by the group for your use but not produced by them. There are also some suggested titles from other sources - scroll down to see | |
Advent Booklet produced by Eastern SynodThe booklet is meant to be able to be used by individuals and study groups for meditation and reflection or for worship starters.Download the Advent Booklet designed to be printed as separate pages Download the Advent Booklet designed to be printed double-sided and stapled together | |
Advent Booklet produced by Churches in ManchesterChorlton Centre Church (Baptist and URC), Chorlton Methodist Churches, Manley Park Methodist Church, Wilbraham St Ninians URCDaily reflections for Advent from various contributors. The preface says: 'At the beginning of Advent, we invite you to join us in reading, reflecting, and praying: with prophets, poets, evangelists and apostles – through Biblical texts and through the eyes of people of Chorlton and beyond. Many of the people who contributed discovered a fresh engagement with the Bible that was exciting and challenging. For some, it was the first time they had worked with the Bible in this way; others returned to the Bible, seeking fresh understanding on familiar stories. For all, it became a journey of new insights and a deeper awareness of something greater than themselves.' The document is intended to print as a 32 page booklet on A4 paper with two A5 pages per side but is not laid out in booklet form. Download the Advent Booklet produced by churches in Manchester | |
From Other Sources: | |
Grove Biblical Series - B9 The Christmas Stories in Faith and PreachingJohn ProctorA brief review by Rev Brian Harley, Shanklin John taught me New Testament when I was at Cambridge and I always enjoyed his clear, detailed and well thought through presentation of material. Here is a brilliant resource for helping consider how one handles the Biblical material concerning Jesus’ origins and the appropriate emphasis for preaching from each gospel. This is a concise booklet packed with really useful insights and I commend it to you as well worth the investment of a couple of hours of reading. As well as considering the different gospels, John looks at the “closely connected” doctrines of incarnation and the virgin birth. Click image to order Grove Booklets, Ridley Hall Cambridge 01223 464748 sales@grovebooks.co.uk ISBN 9781851743827 £3.50 | |
Cover to Cover 31 Day Advent Guides – A spiritual focus for personal or group use.During the last two Advent seasons I have used these respective guides for my personal devotions and found both to be very stimulating and helpful in keeping me focussed during this busy ministry season. They are each different in style and approach but have a practical edge that makes one think and then to apply the passage of Scripture to daily life. I found them a them refreshing change from other materials I have used and would thoroughly recommend them to others, even if you get started a bit late!Rev Brian Harley, Shanklin | |
A Journey Through Advent Rob Frost 2004ISBN 1-85345-312-9 £3.99 | |
Advent Hope Joel Edwards 2007ISBN 978-1-85345-426-4 £4.99CWR Cover2cover Available from most Christian Bookshops | |
| New this year in the same series (but untested!): | |
Joy to the World David Coffey 2008ISBN 978-85345-475-2 £6.99www.cwrstore.org.uk | |
Bridget Banks
Joyce Berry
John Campbell
Susan Durber
Sarah Hall
The Vision4Life Steering Group came out of a consultation on Evangelism and Spirituality in the URC, which first met in 2005. The group has enlarged a little since then and seeks to represent a broad cross section of the URC.
...is a process which the United Reformed Church followed for 3 years from Advent 2008 through to Advent 2011. It is three years of focus on re-engaging with the Bible, Prayer and Evangelism with the purpose of bringing transformation to the URC and its partner churches. The resources for the process are now archived here for churches and individuals to freely use. A fourth introductory year was also followed by many churches and that year’s materials are also here with introductions to each year’s theme along with a booklet to challenge churches to take a further step forward into the whole process.
If you are new to Vision4Life and want to find out how the first year was introduced, visit our list of articles on Vision4Life
FAQs Who is Vision4Life for?
Vision4Life is for everyone who wants to renew their relationship with three core elements of our life - the Bible, prayer and evangelism. It's for any Christian community where people want to gain fresh confidence and energy for the future.
Who needs it?
It could be your church is weary or would like a confidence boost in some of the basics of being a Christian community. Perhaps you don't spend much time together with the Bible, reading its stories and relating them to your everyday lives. Maybe the time you spend praying together is almost always in worship on Sundays. Possibly very few of you have confidence about sharing your faith story with other people, or those of you who once did this have got out of the habit.
Do we have to pay?
Want to help your church get to grips with the whole Bible?Want to tackle some of the Bible’s hot potato issues?To get a grip on the Bible’s slipperiest stories and trickiest texts, Biblefresh is holding a series of events with inspiring teaching, expert input, panel Q&A and workshops.
Each event takes a head, hands and heart approach, helping you intellectually, practically and spiritually with the Bible.
Venues are Glasgow, Durham, Cardiff and London. Check out the details at http://www.biblefresh.com/2011/09/22/get-a-grip-tour/#more-6783 or click here
Advent 2011 and onDownload the logo by right clicking either logo at the top of this page and selecting Save Target As...
Logo usage information - this logo is copyright © 2007 The United Reformed Church and should be used in the exact proportions delivered on this page - i.e. Small logo 320x116 pixels, Large logo 968x352 pixels - or proportions thereof. It should be reproduced in colour wherever possible. For further help or other formats please email the logo designer here
As Vision4Life has ended as a URC process, you can no longer sign up.
This bible study is suitable for Advent. Download Mary's YesSelect from the menu on the right or view the Bible Year Menu Card
Click on the links below to download .wmv files of the videos of characters in the Welcome to Corinth study. You can play these in Windows Media Player. They vary from 5Mb to 22Mb in size so you will need a broadband connection to download them.
Gaius_low resolutionGaius high resolution | |
Junia low resolutionJunia high resolution | |
Paul low resolutionPaul high resolution |
