Title: Gather 'Round says 'summer fun is in the cards' March 16, 2007 Church of the Brethren News Service Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, News Director 800-323-8039 ext. 260 -- cobnews@brethren.org
GATHER 'ROUND SAYS 'SUMMER FUN IS IN THE CARDS'
(March 16, 2007) Elgin, IL -- Dutch Blitz move over! The Gather 'Round curriculum project has released a deck of 78 colorful "Parable Cards" to play at home in conjunction with the summer material on the parables of Jesus.
Gather 'Round is a new Christian education curriculum from Brethren Press and the Mennonite Publishing Network.
The cards offer a question, suggestion, or prayer corresponding to a particular parable. For example, a card for the parable of the rich fool who builds new barns to hold all his produce asks, "What does it mean to be rich toward God?" Another card asks that you tell about a time you decided you needed more storage space for something you were saving.
Twenty-six "Any day cards" suggest activities that apply to any parable, such as "Take the characters from your favorite television show and make up an episode that tells the same story as this parable."
Parable Cards are the Gather 'Round "Talkabout" for the summer quarter. Talkabouts are take-home items that offer families a way to bring up the weekly Gather 'Round scripture texts in conversation and simple activities at home. Each quarter offers a different item. The Talkabout for spring 2007 is a refrigerator magnet puzzle. Talkabouts for previous quarters have been a 14-sided pop-up and a daily tear-off calendar.
Congregations order the Talkabouts for each household in the congregation. Families can also order them on their own for $5.95. Order from Brethren Press at 800-441-3712 or go to www.gatherround.org.
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts about 130,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.
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For more information contact:
Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford Director of News Services Church of the Brethren General Board 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120 800-323-8039 ext. 260 cobnews@brethren.org
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