States and Canada. The volume provides membership and financial statistics, descriptions of denominations, contact information for denominational offices, historical data, a directory of theological schools and ecumenical agencies, a calendar of religious holidays and festivals, and a listing of religious periodicals. The Yearbook is published with the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. The editorial focus for this volume is Megachurches: How Do They Count? As in earlier volumes, the major portion of the book consists of statistical information, names and addresses, and brief descriptive paragraphs on various organizations. The 18th edition of the Yearbook again includes both a print and an online component. The database features full-text search capability with additional search queries and will be updated periodically throughout the year.  (less)

education for several generations. Strong was born in Rochester, NY. He graduated from Yale College in 1857, during which time he was brought to Christ. He began his theological studies at Rochester Theological Seminary and completed his D. D. in Germany. In August 1861 he was ordained pastor of First Baptist Church of Haverhill, MA. After his short pastorate in Haverhill, he went on in 1865 to become the pastor of First Church, Cleveland, OH, and from there to become president of Rochester Theological Seminary, during which time he wrote his Systematic Theology. His eldest son was the American psychologist and philosopher, Charles A. Strong.  (less)

one Eucharistic fellowship, expressed in worship and in common life in Christ, in order that the world may believe.b The movement encompasses classical church traditions -- Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant -- and, increasingly, traditions which have not always been present in discussions concerning unity -- Pentecostal, Evangelical, and Third World Independent Churches.pA Conference on Faith and Order in North America is projected within the near future. This conference -- to which all church bodies in Canada and the United States are being invited -- will center on the theme, bThe Church: Its Faith and Its Unity.b Traditions with differing visions of unity and with different views of Scripture, sacraments, ministry, authority, and experience will encounter each other in deep theological reflection, in prayer and worship, in serious quest for that unity which will lead the church to faithful witness in the present time.pPublished in anticipation of this groundbreaking event, Toward a North American Conference -- Study Guide includes statements regarding the rationale and importance of the projected conference, descriptions of the aims and accomplishments of Faith and Order, and initial reflections concerning the conference theme. Meant to foster awareness of the issues surrounding the Faith and Order movement, this book is designed for use by laity, clergy, and study groups in congregations, seminaries, and a variety of ecumenical contexts.pContributors: DonnaGeernaertbrJeffrey GrosbrNorman A. HjelmbrDale IrvinbrKevin MannoiabrWilliam G. RuschbrGeorge VanderveldeThe aim of Faith and Order, the global movement now nearly a century old, is to proclaim the oneness of the church of Jesus Christ and to call the churches to the goal of visible unity?è  (less)

-- both familiar and not so well-known -- will give you a new perspective on the scriptural witness. After all, while the experience of these people is rooted in the distant past, we still relate to the same fears, joys, and motivations as they did. By listening in on these characters as they converse with themselves, these creative pieces provide an intimate look at their humanity and experience of the Good News, which in turn enables us to better understand our lives and our faith.This volume provides material for a variety of seasons and settings -- they're perfect for church drama groups, homiletical source material, and for inspiring devotional reading. And an introductory chapter addresses performance issues (including whether or not to use costumes) as well as how to use this format to develop your own material.Some of the intriguing presentations include: * Herod -- The First Christmas Grinch (Matthew 2:1-12) * Leaving Egypt For Home (Matthew 2:19-23) * My Name Is Levi (Mark 2:13-17) * Kneeling Before Him (Luke 10:38-42) * Just A Jar Of Water (Luke 22:7-13) * Rock The Boat! (John 21)Pamela J. Tinnin is the pastor of Partridge Community Church (United Church of Christ), the only church in Partridge, Kansas (population 250). Prior to her 1996 graduation from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, Tinnin was an editor for ten years with the University of California-Berkeley. In her past lives she has been the editor of a small-town newspaper, a freelance writer, a sheep rancher, a paralegal working with prison inmates, a small-town city clerk, and a migrant worker in the fields of Oregon. Peter K. Perry has been the senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Phoenix, Arizona, since July 2001, and has previously served churches in Prescott, Sedona, and Mesa, Arizona. He is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton (B.A. in history) and Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. Bass M. Mitchell serves as a United Methodist minister in the beautiful mountain area of Hot Springs, Virginia. He is a prolific writer who has contributed several hundred articles to various publications, including Homiletics and Circuit Rider. Mitchell regularly writes devotions for The Upper Room and Upper Room Disciplines, as well as Bible studies and other curriculum for the United Methodist Publishing House. He is the author of God Sightings: Discovering God in Everyday Life and In Every Blade of Rustling Grass (Abingdon Press).  (less)

Churches. During an active writing career of over forty years, he published over a dozen books and hundreds of issues of journals, spreading his ideas throughout the United States and parts of Europe. Alexander Campbell, Man of the Book There is no doubt that Alexander Campbell was one of the outstanding religious/intellectual leaders of American society in the nineteenth century. Best known as the founder of the Disciples of Christ, his followers were often simply (and pejoratively) known as Campbellites. But Campbell was more then merely a religious figure. Francis Asbury and Lyman Beecher were religious leaders, but neither of them was elected to political office (Campbell was elected by several western counties of Virginia to represent them in the Constitutional Convention of 1829-1830.) Campbell arrived in the United States in 1809, twenty-one years old, with only the clothes on his back and a trunk of water-stained books (his first attempt to come to America ended in shipwreck off the Scottish coast). Yet at his death in 1866 he was considered the wealthiest man of West Virginia. The religious magazines he edited were two of the most significant religious organs of the nineteenth century. His agricultural pursuits ranged from simple farming to breeding Merino sheep (he became the president of the American Merino Sheep Breeders Association); buyers from across the country came to his farm to purchase stock. Circulating in the highest social circles, Campbell's overnight guests at his Bethany homestead included Henry Clay, Jefferson Davis, and James Garfield. An educator, he started Bethany College, a liberal arts school which continues today. So Campbell was obviously much more than merely a wel@f´ÌÌÌÌÍÿ¾Û€  (less)

and an Academy Award. Mr. Irving lives with his family in Toronto and Vermont.b1brThe Foul Ballbr/bbrI am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice — not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother’s death, but because he is the reason I believe in God; I am a Christian because of Owen Meany. I make no claims to have a life in Christ, or with Christ — and certainly not for Christ, which I’ve heard some zealots claim. I’m not very sophisticated in my knowledge of the Old Testament, and I’ve not read the New Testament since my Sunday school days, except for those passages that I hear read aloud to me when I go to church. I’m somewhat more familiar with the passages from the Bible that appear in The Book of Common Prayer; I read my prayer book often, and my Bible only on holy days — the prayer book is so much more orderly.brbrI’ve always been a pretty regular churchgoer. I used to be a Congregationalist — I was baptized in the Congregational Church, and after some years of fraternity with Episcopalians (I was confirmed in the Episcopal Church, too), I became rather vague in my religion: in my teens I attended a “nondenominational” church. Then I became an Anglican; the Anglican Church of Canada has been my church — ever since I left the United States, about twenty years ago. Being an Anglican is a lot like being an Episcopalian — so much so that being an Anglican occasionally impresses upon me the suspicion that I have simply become an Episcopalian again. Anyway, I left the Congregationalists and the Episcopalians — and my country once and for all.@Cù™™™™šÿ¾Û€  (less)

he is the reason I believe in God; I am a Christian because of Owen Meany. I make no claims to have a life in Christ, or with Christ—and certainly not for Christ, which I’ve heard some zealots claim. I’m not very sophisticated in my knowledge of the Old Testament, and I’ve not read the New Testament since my Sunday school days, except for those passages that I hear read aloud to me when I go to church. I’m somewhat more familiar with the passages from the Bible that appear in The Book of Common Prayer; I read my prayer book often, and my Bible only on holy days—the prayer book is so much more orderly.brbrI’ve always been a pretty regular churchgoer. I used to be a Congregationalist—I was baptized in the Congregational Church, and after some years of fraternity with Episcopalians (I was confirmed in the Episcopal Church, too), I became rather vague in my religion: in my teens I attended a “nondenominational” church. Then I became an Anglican; the Anglican Church of Canada has been my church—ever since I left the United States, about twenty years ago. Being an Anglican is a lot like being an Episcopalian—so much so that being an Anglican occasionally impresses upon me the suspicion that I have simply become an Episcopalian again. Anyway, I left the Congregationalists and the Episcopalians—and my country once and for all.brbrWhen I die, I shall attempt to be buried in New Hampshire—alongside my mother—but the Anglican Church will perform the necessary service before my body suffers the indignity of trying to be sneaked through U.S. Customs. My selections from the Order for the Burial of the Dead are entirely conventional and can be @  (less)

is recorded by the Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, one of the finest musical organizations in the world. The Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve prides itself on its American heritage and the opportunities to represent America in the international arena. Made up of over 60 active-duty musicians, the band is considered to have one of the largest and most versatile ensembles with a vast repertoire. Our Citizen Airmen also features the talents of Christ Church Choir and Bill Turner. The bold musical style of this album is filled with energy and excitement from beginning to end.  (less)