For more details visit:
OR
ORLook at an introductory 7 minutes DVD presented by Adrian Plass (Gill has copies).
Ring Gill Beardmore on 01327 311099, a member of this congregation who has used this material.
April 2009
Foundations 21 is a Christian website founded by The Bible Reading Fellowship fours years ago. It's purpose is to support all Christians in their everyday journey of discipleship wherever they may be on that path and it does this in a variety of ways.
There are 10 areas of our faith to explore at your own level and in your own time.It is very flexible and there are not any deadlines to be met or assignments to submit.This means it can be used by all ages of adults and often suits those with busy lifestyles who still want to grow in knowledge of their faith.As they begin to use the site new members are invited to do a Learning Style Quiz which directs them to a pathway through the material which best suits their style of learning .There are four pathways based on the Gospels. I have been using the materials for four years now and would be lost without it as it has given me more confidence to talk about my faith in a largely secular world .It has also helped me understand more clearly some of the areas of Christianity that I find most challenging.
In using the material which consists of links to fascinating websites,articles, maps, art work etc. I have found it a treasure chest of information that is now used by cell groups and bible study groups alike in all denominations of the church.It is used by both by those working a long way from home in Africa and Spain or isolated in village communities in this country.It is also used by young Christians who have recently left their home church to study at college or university.It puts members of the Foundations 21 community in touch with each other and promotes the sharing and discussion of faith.It can support a variety of teams within churches from youth workers to ministry teams because information is organised thematically. It is not necessarily everyone's cup of tea but if you feel you want to explore specific aspects of your faith or improve your knowledge of it in a non threatening way then you are in for a very exciting treat.
For more information or demonstration of the contents please visit the website or contact Gilly Beardmore
PRAYER
"May we to invite the Holy Spirit to energise and empower our lives for service in the name of Jesus by personal study of the kind that suits our personality and needs and enables us to fulfil your plans for us. We pray that the Holy Spirit will fill our hearts and empower us in your name Lord ."
Amen
March 2009 - The Worship Room
"I have been looking back at some of the first assignments I filed in March 2007. Who would have believed that, nearly two years on, I am still "doing" F21 (to a greater or lesser extent) almost every day?! This shows the breadth, depth and holding-power of this resource and of Jesus' ability to speak to us, if we are prepared to listen. It is also fascinating to remind myself how sceptical I was and how I was struggling with my faith. At our last "Advent" Study Group on Thursday, I found myself making contributions in a way which would have been quite alien to me in 2007........ I wonder where I will be in January 2011? Thanks, again, for your help Foundations21 and support along this road..... "
Peter a member of the Foundations 21 community
I too this month I have been looking back at journal entries made whilst in the Worship room of Foundations 21 and realise my ideas have been broadened considerably over the past four years in a refreshing and enlivening way.
The members of the early church seemed to have had great times of worship (Acts 2). They met in houses. They met whenever they wanted to. In the early days it was a heady mix of all these things, meeting every day,teaching, the breaking of bread (now called Communion, the Eucharist or the Lord's Supper) prayers, sharing possessions, new people joining every day and they also worshipped on their own.
In my journal I re-read my response to the question- how many of these things are part of your 'worshipping life'? I was reminded of a journey that had enabled me to explore a wonderful diversity of Christian forms of worship both past and present. As a result I had explored Celtic prayer, Taize, visited southern Ireland's catholic churches and went with 60 friends of all ages to Spring Harvest at Minehead. I had created a quiet worship space in our home for private worship. I now find that I love a range worship styles from the gentle and beautiful meditation of a Choral Evensong , which is my personal favourite,through to the high church Eucharist and on to the joyous ebullience of a Big Top Worship at Butlins Minehead. All have a place for me now and support my attempts to be a better disciple of Christ.
Reconsidering the nature of worship from solitary to collective ,from past to present and from Sunday to the everyday was a great opportunity as my journal entries have revealed..
Thanks to you both Paula (The Cotwolds) and Peter (near London) for walking alongside me on the Foundations21 path your fellowship has been great!
Gill Beardmore
For more information have a word with Gill or email her at
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Prayer
God our Father we thank you for diverse forms of worship which reflect your love of creation both in the past, now and into the future.
May we as followers of your son take time to consider each others gifts support each others contributions to worship and so encourage every expression of discipleship.
Amen
February 2009 - Room 3 God the Father in the Mark Pathway
The desperate need of our age is for authentic discipleship that covers the whole of life, every day of the week. We need to be following Jesus together, encouraging and sharing every day... Foundations21 is far more than a course. It is an experience of following Jesus every day in fellowship with all kinds of other people.The Rev Dr Paul Blackham
This month I have been working in the Mark Pathway in Room 3 God the Father. The material in the Mark Pathway is set out as a newspaper called "The Daily Mark Online" with headlines, editorials, jokes and articles all of which are very clear to follow.
Within this room about God the Father, as in all the other rooms there is plenty of opportunity to investigate a theme via a variety of means. Each room is introduced with a short video that starts one thinking about the subject. There are links to other websites related to the theme. For example we were invited to think about whether our next task in our daily lives mattered to God see www.licc.org.uk/files/march_workwise.pdf
We went on to think personally about the four adjectives that best describe God and which were also most useful to us at this moment in our daily lives. Biblical texts were also highlighted relating to this theme for example by using the Bible Gateway website one can search many versions of the bible and different language translations. On the website www.fathersloveletter.com/video1.htm one can watch a beautiful series of pictures about our father’s love for us and listen to associated texts from the Bible. Furthermore we are given opportunities to communicate with other Foundations 21 members about the theme in each room by using either the message board or visiting the chat room.
Prayer:
Father, we often forget you are merciful and hide from you when we feel ashamed.
Help us to remember that you are patient and always ready to forgive.
Give us a new understanding of your nature so that we come to you when faced with difficulties.
Forgive me for... (add your own words here). Thank you for your unconditional love.Amen
If you would like to know more or have a look at the site please contact Gill Beardmore on 01327311099 or e mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
