BEAUT RESOURCES
BEAUT RESOURCES stands for "BEntleigh Anglican Useful Theology"
Songs for Saints and Sinners
Elizabeth Smith, St John's former Vicar, is a prolific writer of modern words for singing in church. Her latest book, Songs for Saints and Sinners, also includes some great new tunes from St John's musician, Alex Scutt, and music teacher and cathedral organist Ros Carolane. Contact the Parish Office on (03 9557 2226 or bentleighanglican@bigpond.com for orders ($22 plus P & H).
If your parish or organisation uses the CCLI or LicenSing copyright clearance system, you can also buy a CD-ROM with the new music and the words ready to paste into your service leaflet or PowerPoint document ($16.50).
One-minute Stewardship Sermons
Our first resource is a set of 60 one-minute stewardship sermons by the Rev'd Dr Elizabeth Smith.
They are designed to encourage good givers and train new givers as a matter of each person’s spiritual health.
Each mini-sermon is based on a bible text. The kit comes with a spiral-bound hard copy and a CD, and costs $80 plus GST.
To order contact the parish office on (03) 9557 2226, Tuesday to Friday 10.00am – 4.30pm, or bentleighanglican@bigpond.com
A sample mini-sermon
Luke 12.34
Our Stewardship text for today is “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Which comes first, the chicken or the egg, the faith or the giving?
Perhaps we tell ourselves that because we only have a simple little faith, we can only give a little to God, and that if God would give us a big faith, it would naturally follow that we would give God more of our resources.
But Jesus tells us differently. He tells us that if we put our treasure somewhere, our heart will follow suit.
“Belief follows behaviour” is a modern psychological way of putting the same idea. What we are doing with our money is a good reality check on what we actually believe in our hearts.
When we change what we are doing with our treasure, and put more money into the things God is excited about, our hearts will be changed, too, into hearts that are more excited about God.
©BEAUT resources 2005
Women Up Front
BEAUT resources has also published a collection of papers on women's ordination in Melbourne. "Women Up Front" was the seminar held at St John's in April 2006, to mark 20 years since Melbourne's first women were ordained as deacons.
Papers include the keynote address by Elizabeth Smith with response from Alan Nichols, and articles about the diaconate, lay women's ministries, clergy couples, new ministry territory, and glimpses into the future of women's ministries in Australia.
The papers are available for $15 in either print-out or CD-ROM version. Contact (03) 9557 2226 or bentleighanglican@bigpond.com