Small Groups

Here you will find updated small group resources. Thank you for all the ways you continue to be Jesus’s heart, hands, and feet in the world! 

Connect

Form and deepen relationships through prayer, relational activities and worship.

Books for Spirituality, Faith, and Personal Development 

Grateful: the Transformative Power of Giving Thanks  by Diana Butler Bass, along with these study resources: https://dianabutlerbass.com/books/grateful-the-transformative-power-of-giving-thanks/resources-for-reading-and-studying-grateful/ 

The Wild Land Within: Cultivating Wholeness Through Spiritual Practice by Lisa Colon Delay (this book includes spiritual practices that the end of chapters that would be great for group study)

When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life’s Sacred Questions by Sue Monk Kidd, as well as this podcast interview between Sue Monk Kidd and Oprah: https://omny.fm/shows/oprah-s-supersoul-conversations/sue-monk-kidd-the-life-of-the-soul 

Everything is Spiritual: Who We Are and What We’re Doing Here by Rob Bell, as well as this accompanying tour film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT09JbaEh_I 

Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown, as well as this study guide: file:///C:/Users/steph/Downloads/Jan-2020_BTW1_Worksheet.pdf    

Faith After Doubt: Why Your Beliefs Stopped Working and What to Do About It by Brian McLaren, as well as this talk: https://faithmatters.org/faiths-dance-with-doubt-a-conversation-with-brian-mclaren/ 

Miracles and Other Reasonable Things by Sarah Bessey, as well as this interview with the author: https://shelovesmagazine.com/2020/how-miracles-evolve-a-conversation-with-sarah-bessey-and-leslie-verner/  

The Book of Awakening (daily devotionals) by Mark Nepo 

Books for Bible/Theological Study

The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr, as well as the companion book Everything is Sacred, which includes prayers and activities to go along with the book.

Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor, along with this study guide: https://dk4dsgfbgkmll.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/21175157/SG_LearningToWalk2.pdf 

Inspired by Rachel Held Evans, along with this reading guide: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/4f63ddf524ac9f2c23f422a4/t/5b2d7992575d1fa3bfec04b7/1529706902655/Inspired+Reading+Guide.pdf 

Freeing Jesus by Diana Butler Bass, along with this study guide: https://dk4dsgfbgkmll.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/26162206/FreeingJesus_SGG.pdf 

Jesus Feminist: An Invitation to Revisit the Bible’s Views of Women, as well as this interview with the author: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/takeandread/2014/03/jesus-feminist-a-conversation-with-sarah-bessey/ 

What is the Bible? by Rob Bell

Love Without Limits: Jesus’ Radical Vision for Love with No Exceptions by Jaqueline A. Bussie, as well as this study guide: https://ms.broadleafbooks.com/downloads/Love_Without_Limits_Discussion_Guide.pdf 

Books for Transforming Worldviews

Native: Identity, Belonging, and Rediscovering God by Kaitlin B. Curtice, along with this study guide: https://kaitlincurtice.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Curtice_Native_studyguide.pdf 

I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown, along with these resources: http://austinchanning.com/printables 

Dear Church by Lenny Duncan (study guide included in the back of the book)

Ladder to the Light: An Indigenous Elder’s Meditations on Hope and Courage by Stephen Charleston

ELCA Resources

Women of the ELCA Resource Library: https://www.womenoftheelca.org/resources

ELCA Bible Studies: https://www.elca.org/Resources/Bible-Studies

Faith Lens Weekly Bible Study: https://blogs.elca.org/faithlens/ 

 

Online Resources

Abiding Hope Ministry Resources page: http://abidinghopelutheran.org/ministry-resources/ 

Prayer Practices by Pastor Claire: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W6_0mqWIpeRBO1xeC3UdodQgHaSjvNm-/view 

Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations: https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/ 

Sparkhouse Resources: https://www.wearesparkhouse.org/ 

Portraits in Faith: https://portraitsinfaith.org/about/description/ 

Center for Courage and Renewal: http://www.couragerenewal.org/ 

A lot of great resources, including all of the work and writings of Parker J. Palmer

Sarah Bessey’s Field Notes newsletter: https://sarahbessey.substack.com/ 

Have a Little Faith Video Series with Nadia Bolz Weber (content warning: language): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQI6xLNUjs0&list=PLru7kHs-GAekz7ouRTsIBJBGLc36vtcUy 

Tara Brach talks and meditations: https://www.tarabrach.com/talks-audio-video/ 

 

Podcasts

Abiding Hope Podcast

Another Name for Every Thing (Richard Rohr’s podcast series): https://cac.org/podcast/another-name-for-every-thing/ 

The RobCast by Rob Bell: https://robbell.com/podcast/ 

Learning How to See with Brian McLaren: https://cac.org/podcast/learning-how-to-see/?fbclid=IwAR2F2SM7RopzGuelD8HOshRFUCxhf9yg0wT9wz6lKWRSy9S6IO0Jnz2DX80 

Sandbox Cooperative: https://www.sandboxcooperative.com/discussion-guides

(This link includes links to discussion guides to accompany the podcasts frog group study)

Now and Then by the Henri Nouwen Society: https://henrinouwen.org/resources/now-then-podcasts/ 

Evolving Faith with Sarah Bessey and Jeff Chu: https://evolvingfaith.com/podcast 

On Being with Krista Tippett: https://onbeing.org/series/podcast/ 

For the Love with Jen Hatmaker: https://jenhatmaker.com/podcast/ 

Everything Happens with Kate Bowler: https://katebowler.com/podcasts/ 

The Confessional with Nadia Bolz Weber: https://nadiabolzweber.com/podcast/

Contribute

Thank you for all the ways you are generous for the sake of the life of the world! Even though we are not meeting together for worship, Abiding Hope is alive and well. To support God’s mission through Abiding Hope as well as to serve our ministry partners, please go to www.abidinghope.org/give.

 And, here are a few in-person opportunities to serve:

Local Service Opportunities

  1. The Action Center: https://theactioncenter.org/
  2. Food Bank of the Rockies: https://www.foodbankrockies.org/ 
  3. Denver Rescue Mission: https://denverrescuemission.org/
  4. Brothers ReDevelopment: https://brothersredevelopment.org/ 
  5. Foothills CROP Hunger Walk: https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2021/event/foothillsco 
  6. Second Wind Fund: https://thesecondwindfund.org/get-involved/

Caring

Small groups are encouraged to continue to meet during this time of COVID-19. If you choose to meet in person, please follow all CDC safe distancing protocols to ensure the health and well-being of your group and our community.