Local ministers and congregations are encouraged to join with, and take advantage of, the community college as a means of reaching and helping the new breed of college student who attends a community college. The traditional approach of campus ministry is discussed, and the differences in the life situation of community college students are…

This four-part booklet provides guidance for clergy members interested in establishing or maintaining cooperative relations with local community colleges. Part I presents a metaphorical rationale for these relations; discourages an overemphasis on "presence ministries"; presents ways to initiate short-term exchanges between the college…

Surveyed 143 pastors from eight religious group categories to examine church alcohol and drug education programs and church attitudes and policies concerning alcohol and drug use. Effective programs of fundamentalist groups reflected negative attitudes toward alcohol and drugs, forbidding their use. Effective programs by liberal religions were…

Young pastors are beginning to use experiences as a way of teaching in their parishes. Interest in experiential education grew out of frustration with conventional theological education based on classroom lecture and textbooks, which failed to equip the minister-in-training to deal with day-to-day life of the parish, hospital, or campus. (JHZ)

Explores ways in which the congregation-as-educator metaphor of educational ministry has contributed to the role and identity of the local church educator. Focuses on three issues affecting the role and function of the church educator: (1) tension between homiletic and therapeutic paradigms; (2) the educator's authority; and (3) the educator as…

Seven articles address issues and concerns of parish libraries in Catholic churches. Topics discussed include the role of the pastor; budgets; video hardware and software for family faith development; strategies to be used in developing a library; promotional ideas; and resources for parish libraries, including videotapes and books. (LRW)

Depicts the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) as a model for Christian spirituality and the primary initiation structure of the Church. Describes catechesis, community, liturgy, and service as the foundations required to live in the Spirit's presence. (VWC)

Suggests that one place parents can find helpful resources to aid in the faith formation of their children is the parish community. Presents some models that can be used to prepare for faith events, which depend most often on the makeup and vision of each parish community. (VWC)

In an attempt to assess the relationship between churches and community colleges in northern Illinois, a questionnaire examining the nature and extent of church-college interaction as well as provisions for teaching religion in the community colleges was sent to 36 administrators at 14 colleges. Twenty-seven individuals responded (a 75 percent…

Drawing on insights from group dynamics and group therapy as well as the Christian faith, this book asserts the strategic importance of small groups for making the church more relevant to contemporary life. It gives specific guidelines, examples, and several case studies for the development and clearly structured activity of sharing groups. Such…

Reported are the results of a survey of 222 United Methodist campus ministers across the country in both private and public colleges and universities. The report covers the personal backgrounds and careers of the ministers, their views of campus ministry goals and programs, how the campus ministries are financed and administered, and the quality…

This resource packet includes information relating to the inclusion of people with disabilities in the Christian church. The first article, "Changing Attitudes, Creating Awareness," highlights several critical areas where churches can begin to understand the barriers of exclusion to people with disabilities. The following article, "Victim…

The Catholic Church has a responsibility to create an environment in which the practice of the faith makes sense to Hispanics, and enables their religious vitality to express itself within the Church of the United States. Over the next one hundred years the Catholic population of the United States will be predominantly Hispanic. The Church and its…

As part of an evaluation of the Community College Program of the United Ministries in Higher Education (UMHE), this study surveyed 323 pastors in local churches to determine: (1) local congregations' interest or involvement in working with community colleges; (2) a baseline against which to measure further involvement of the church with the…