New Resources

To schedule a date for use or information about joining the Conference Media Center on an annual basis,  please call Violet Durrette at 1-800-768-6040 or  804/521-1100, ext. 119; e-mail - violetdurrette@vaumc.org

All New Resources are made available to Media Center members first, then may be rented by non members when the activity slows down.      

Nooma - She ID# 5081  
Subject  God/Gender/Feminine Imagery   DVD   Sr High-Adult   13 min   2008  

We didn't have anything to do with our birth.  We are all here because some woman somewhere gave us life.  Her pain, her effort, for our life.  And when a mother gives like that to a child, she is showing us what God is like.  But sometimes this part of God's nature is overlooked.  A lot of us are comfortable with male imagery for God.  But what about female imagery for God?  Is God limited to a gender?  Or does God transcend and yet include what we know as male and female?  Maybe if we were more aware of the feminine imagery for God we would have a better understanding of who God is and what God is like. 

 

Christianity's Family Tree ID# 5080  

Subject  Christianity/Denominations/Beliefs   DVD   Sr High-Adult  2 hrs 15 min   2007 

Adam Hamilton presents a welcoming, inspiring vision of eight Christian denominations and faith traditions.  Comparing the Christian family to our own extended families, he contends that each denomination has a unique, valuable perspective to offer on the Christian faith.  For each group, he gives a brief history, outlines major beliefs, and describes some things we can learn from that tradition to strengthen our own Christian faith.

Session 1. – Orthodoxy

Session 2. - Catholicism

Session 3. -  Lutheranism

Session 4. – Presbyterianism

Session 5. – Anglicanism

Session 6. – Baptists

Session 7. – Pentecostalism

Session 8. – Methodism 

 

Character is Destiny ID# 3257  

Subject  Habits/Good Character/Behavior   Video   16 min   2000   Adult  

Every organization and every business expects their people to do the right thing. The difficulty lies in consistently doing it. So, how do we develop habits of good character? The answer lies in reflecting on our own behaviors and choosing to “do the right thing” at every turn. Life on a family farm is the backdrop for this practical approach to ethics in everyday life.

 

Yes, Lord, I Have Sinned But Have Several Excellent Excuses ID# 5078   
Adult  DVD  2hrs  Subject  Spiritual Growth/Christian Living    
Why is it, James Moore Asks, that we try to justify anything and everything we want to do to attempt to excuse bad choices we make with our own free will?  What does the Christian faith have to say about excuses: first, that God sees through them; second, that God is more interested in forgiving us than in hearing our excuses; third, that God wants penitence..not excuses..from us.  In his warm embracing style, Moore encourages us to seek forgiveness.  After all, we are justified not by our eloquent excuses but by the grace of a loving, caring, forgiving God.

PARABLES FROM THE BACK SIDE ID # 5077  
Adult   DVD  2 hrs 5 min  Subject  Parables/Bible Study/Inspirational 
J. Ellsworth Kalas presents new insight into twelve of Jesus' parables by entering them through the "back side"...through the eyes of a minor or unsympathetic character.  By approaching the stories in this way, Kalas releases new meaning and clarifies basic teachings.  Personal stories from the author's own experience and modern-day illustrations enrich the retellings even more.  These refreshing glimpses from the back side will provide new food for thought for everyone...even those most familiar with Jesus' parables.
1.  When the Good Samaritan Is Bad News
2.  God Called a Party, but Nobody Came
3.  The Timid Soul
4.  The Seasons of the Soil
5.  The Sad Story of the Embarrassed Farmers
6.  Love Always Wins...Sometimes
7.  Why Doesn't God Like Religious People?
8.  Pardon My Insistence
9.  The Prodigal Who Stayed at Home
10. A Case for the Un-hired Hand
11. Moses and the Fig Tree
12. I Wish I Could Sell You More

OLD TESTAMENT STORIES FROM THE BACK SIDE ID 5079 
Adult  DVD  2 hrs  Subject  Old Testament/Bible Study/Inspirational
J. Ellsworth Kalas creative approach both clarifies basic teachings and introduces new possibilities of meaning, even for those who are most familiar with the stories.  Enriched with contemporary illustrations and personal experiences, this volume will provide new perspectives on Old Testament stories.
1.  The Second Sin
2.  The Importance of Naming Joseph
3.  Because My Mother Told Me
4.  Moses’ Midlife Crisis
5.  Patron Saint of the Minority Report
6.  Tragic Son, Tragic Father
7.  Honey in the Lion
8.  Beauty and the Beast
9.  A Refugee at the King’s Table
10.  In Defense of Job’s Wife
11.  Jonah’s Christmas Story
12.  God Is Better Than His Plans

Christianity’s Family Tree ID # 5080 
Sr High – Adult  DVD  2 hrs 15 min Subject  Christianity/Denominations/Beliefs
Adam Hamilton presents a welcoming, inspiring vision of eight Christian denominations and faith traditions.  Comparing the Christian family to our own extended families, he contends that each denomination has a unique, valuable perspective to offer on the Christian faith.  For each group, he gives a brief history, outlines major beliefs, and describes some things we can learn from that tradition to strengthen our own Christian faith.
Session 1.  Orthodoxy
Session 2.  Catholicism
Session 3.  Lutheranism
Session 4.  Presbyterianism
Session 5.  Anglicanism
Session 6.  Baptists Session
7.  Pentecostalism Session
8.  Methodism

A revolutionary product that’s changing the way people experience spirituality, NOOMA is a series of short films on DVD, each with a 32-page discussion guide. Appropriate for personal and small-group settings, congregational meetings and more, each 10- to 14-minute DVD uses experiences of our lives to teach about the fullness of life through Jesus by tackling issues like forgiveness, discipleship and unconditional love. Each DVD includes subtitles in English, French, German, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Spanish. It's short films with communicators that really speak to us. Compact, portable, and concise. Each NOOMA touches on issues that we care about, that we want to talk about, and it comes in a way that fits our world. It's a format that's there for us when we need it, as we need it, how we need it.

Nooma - Today ID # 5073
Subject - Wishing/Past/Future/Life  
How much time and energy do we spend wishing things were how they used to be? We often think about times in our past when things were different and want our lives to be like that again. Some of us have even come to believe that our best days may actually be behind us. But if we’re in some way hung up on the past, what does that mean for our lives now? How are we and those around us affected if we’re not fully present? If we’re longing for the way things used to be, what does that really say about our understanding and appreciation of our lives today? Maybe we need to learn to embrace our past for what it is, in order to live our lives to the fullest, right here, right now.  

Nooma – You ID # 5071
Subject - Christian Faith/Christian Movement/Debates/Truth  
Some of the central claims of the Christian faith are the source of many discussions and heated debates. But are we always debating the right things? Maybe some of our discussions would change significantly if we had more insight into the actual circumstances that surrounded the first people of the Christian movement – if we had a better understanding of the things they did in the context of the world they lived in. Maybe some of the claims of the Christian faith that we typically perceive to be unique aren’t really that special at all. And at the same time maybe we don’t always put enough emphasis on the things that truly should matter in our lives.  

Nooma – Store ID # 5072
Subject - Anger/Control  
We all get angry about things from time to time – some of us more often than others. For some of us, it feels like we’re constantly on the brink of losing it, where it doesn’t take much to get angry about anything. And this kind of anger can be seen everywhere we go – at work, in traffic, at the store, at home. But what is really at its root? Anger is often looked at as a bad thing, but are there things actually worth getting angry about? Maybe if we had a better understanding of our anger and where it comes from, we could learn how to channel it towards something constructive – something that’s bigger than ourselves.  

Nooma – Rich ID# 5069
Subject - Possessions/World/Consumer/Blessings  
There’s a popular bumper sticker that reads “God Bless America,” but hasn’t America already been blessed? It’s easy for us to fall into a mindset of viewing “our” world as “the” world, because it’s all we generally see. We’re constantly bombarded with images of the latest styles and models of everything, and it can easily leave us feeling like what we have isn’t enough because we see people that have even more than us. But how does what we have compare to what most people in the world have? Maybe what we have is enough; maybe it’s more than enough. Maybe God has blessed us with everything we have so we can bless and give to others.  

Nooma – Open ID# 5075
Subject - Prayer/Expectations/God  
Many of us have experienced situations where we’ve prayed and it felt like God wasn’t listening. And yet other times we’ve prayed or known someone that prayed and the situation changed. Does God answer prayer? Sometimes, but not all the time? Or does God always answer prayer and it's just that sometimes God says no? Some of us are angry with God for not answering the prayers we’ve prayed for years. Why did he answer their prayer but not ours? What if there’s more to prayer than just God listening and answering? Maybe if we understood how Jesus prayed, our concepts and expectations of prayer would change.  

Nooma – Name ID# 5074
Subject - True Selves/Comparison  
We all compare ourselves to others. We spend our lives wondering what others think and say about us. Some of us even wish we were someone else. We question why we are the way we are and not the way we wish we could be. Some of us have let the expectations of others dictate who we’ve become. We act a certain way to be accepted but know that we’re being untrue. But why are we so concerned with what other people think, say, or look like? What does it say about us if we are unable to accept who we are? Maybe if we really knew our true selves, we wouldn’t give so much attention to other peoples’ lives and live more in tune with the life God wants for us.  

Nooma – Shells ID# 5076
Subject - Busy/Time/Overwhelmed  
Do you often find yourself saying, “I’m so busy” or “I just have so much to do”? It’s easy to get overwhelmed with appointments, gatherings, to-do lists. But what are we really doing with our time? Many of us are running from place to place and it seems like life is just passing us by. We’re doing so many things, a little bit of everything, and yet it doesn’t feel like much of a life. But most of us find it hard to say no. We feel obligated. There are so many good things to do. So many good causes to join. But while we’re busy doing all these good things, are we missing out on something great? Maybe saying no would be easier if we knew what it meant to say yes.

FOR THE LOVE OF IT – DEWITT JONES
ID# 5050  25 min  DVD    
How can you find a way to love what you do everyday? Join Dewitt Jones, National Geographic photographer and author of three best selling training programs, in “For the Love of It” as he shares with audiences the importance of beginning each day with a full cup.  In this program, Dewitt discusses how we all have the ability to love what we do through honoring our passion, making a contribution to those around us, and expressing gratitude.  Key Concepts: 1. Begin with a Full Cup
2. Find Guides
3. Act As If
4. Express Gratitude
5. Pass It On
6. Make a Contribution
7. Chase the Light    

LEADERSHIFT – Five Lessons for Leaders in the 21st Century – JOEL BARKER
ID# 3261  29 min  Video    
Using bridge-building as a metaphor, futurist, Joel Barker teaches us that, more than anything else, the 21st century leaders will build bridges… bridges of hope and ideas and opportunities.  Using inspiring locations and vivid stories, Leadershift motivates every leader, and aspiring leader, to develop the skills needed to lead his or her organization. 5 Lessons for the 21st Century Leader     
1. Focus the majority of your efforts on the future.
2. Understand the nature of fundamental change.
3.  Appreciate complex systems and how they work.
4.  Examine your leadership style to see how it affects productivity.
5.  Create shared vision to build bridges to the future.    

CHARACTER IS DESTINY – Making a Habit of Doing the Right Thing – Russell W. Gough 
ID# 3257  16 min     Video & Power Point  Presentation    
Every organization and every business expects their people to do the right thing.  The difficulty lies in consistently doing it. So, how do we develop habits of good character? The answer lies in reflecting on our own behaviors and choosing to “do the right thing” at every turn.  Life on a family farm is the backdrop for this practical approach to ethics in everyday life.    

VISION OF TEAMS
ID# 5066  DVD  22 min T
his is an inspirational story of how a shared vision can help develop a successful team. Vision of Teams is the story of Ann Bancroft and the first all-woman team to reach the South Pole on skis.  Through actual video and photos of the expedition, along with insights from Bancroft, you will learn what it takes to develop, lead, and participate in a team. 
Key Concepts:
Come Together as a Team
1. Share a common vision
2. Listen to each other
3. Find individual meaning
Learn as a Team
1. Learn from each other
2. Learn from our mistakes
3. Everyone contributes
4. Reach team solutions
Take Action
1. Merge thought and action

BEYOND 30 SECONDS - DEVELOPING A WELCOMING CONGREGATION ID# 3258  50 min
A seven-session video curriculum for small groups incorporating Igniting Ministry themes, to help us to see the United Methodist Church through newcomers’ eyes.  It invites us to look beyond the 30-second television commercials produced for The United Methodist Church to become people who truly understand and welcome newcomers.  Each session’s biblical study, discussion questions, video segments, “Life Lessons” and “Field Assignments” put lessons into practice and set the tone for the learner and the entire congregation.    

JOURNEY – EXPRESSION PACKAGE 01 ID# 3259   
This package includes materials to help churches implement local marketing plans using the United Methodist advertising for “The Journey.”  It explores how our individual spiritual paths bring us together as we encounter Christ through one another.
• A DVD-ROM (VHS tape) with the TV spot and other video resources
• A CD-ROM with radio commercials, other media options, and ideas for using the materials in your church and community
• A view book that shows the advertising resources and indicates where to find the files on the CD-ROM and DVD-ROM  

THE GIFT – EXPRESSION PACKAGE 02 ID# 3260  
“The Gift” encourages people to share their gifts through The United Methodist Church, touching others’ lives and getting blessings in return. . A DVD-ROM (VHS tape) with the TV spot and other video resources . A CD-ROM with radio commercials, other media options, and ideas for using the materials in your church and community . A view book that shows the advertising resources and indicates where to find the files on the CD-ROM and DVD-ROM  

PRAYER – EXPRESSIONS PACKAGE 03 ID# 3261
Prayer encourages people to “believe again” in the power of prayer as they explore that discipline of faith.
• A DVD-ROM (VHS tape) with the TV spot and other video resources
• A CD-ROM with radio commercials, other media options, and ideas for using the materials in your church and community
• A view book that shows the advertising resources and indicates where to find the files on the CD-ROM and DVD-ROM  

FAITH– EXPRESSIONS PACKAGE 04 ID# 3262  
“Faith” presents The United Methodist Church as a place for all generations to learn and grow in their relationship with GOD
• A DVD-ROM (VHS tape) with the TV spot and other video
• A CD-ROM with radio commercials, other media options, and ideas for using the materials in your church and community
• A view book that shows the advertising resources and indicates where to find the files on the CD-ROM and DVD-ROM    

LIVING OUR PROMISE – Trainer’s Toolbox ID# 5065 Living Our Promise of "open hearts, open minds, open doors" requires constant effort and attention. Help your congregation embrace the idea of welcoming as a lifestyle with these 12, ready-made training sessions. From an overview of Igniting Ministry, to a worship service that teaches welcoming, to a session that helps your congregation through transition and change, this toolbox offers step-by-step suggestions to enhance your church’s welcoming ministry.
EACH TOOLBOX CONTAINS
A Trainer's Guide offers step-by-step instructions for leading the training, including suggested audiences for each session. The session outlines indicate what equipment and supplies to prepare, what handouts to use, what video clips to show, and what questions to ask the participants, while allowing trainers to add a local flair or perspective to the presentations.
A CD-Rom and other helpful tools. Organized by session, the CD includes MS Word, PowerPoint, and PDF files for use on Mac and PC.
A DVD includes one or more video clips that illustrate the session’s key points.
Times of Video/DVD vary. Segments are 60 sec – 10 min.

 

New resources are made available to annual members of the Conference Media Center, and then may be rented by others after the activity lessens. The length of time will vary depending on the demand from our members.  To schedule a date for use or more information about becoming a member of the Conference Media Center, please e-mail violetdurrette@vaumc.org or call toll free 1-800/768-6040 Ext 119: locally 804/521-1100 Ext 119.