Resources
Here are some of the resources that can work for you.
Where Would Jesus Be? A Youth leader's resource guide
"Where would Jesus be?" is a youth work resource pack designed by the Church of Ireland Youth Department (CIYD), addressing some of the issues facing young people concerning racism, sectarianism and the ever changing nature of a multi-ethnic Ireland.
You can also download the images as a PDF - click here. (Images courtesy of TimothyAlexander.co.uk)
Hard Gospel: What difference did it make?
Click here to download the final report PDF
All the Loves; Words of the Hard Gospel Hymn-Writing Competition Winning Entry
Youth Work, Spiritual Development and Building Community: Hard Gospel Youth Report
Youth work is one of the major activities of churches and other faith based communities in Northern Ireland. It is important in terms of the spiritual development of young people. It also makes a very significant contribution to how young people both find their place in our wider community and make a constructive contribution to it.
Click here to download your copy
Clogher Border Protestant Report
A report on the views and experiences of Border Protestants for the Church of Ireland Diocese of Clogher, written by David Gardiner. The Hard Gospel Project gratefully acknowledges funding from the International Fund for Ireland and the Department for Foreign Affairs.
Click here to download your copy
Faith & Difference
A brand new resource published jointly by the Hard Gospel Project and the Church of Ireland Youth Department. It is a tool to help reflect on what is really important to us. Jesus tells us that we are to love God above all else (Luke 10:28-29). These stories and photographs are a simple way of helping us think about what we really love. It can be used personally or in a group.
Click here to download your copy
Hard Gospel Welcome Poster
An excellent way of making visitors to your church feel at home. This poster has the word ‘Welcome’ in many of the languages that may now be used by members of your congregations. There is also space at the bottom of each poster for you to add others.
Ideal for a Church porch.
Click here to download Hard Gospel Welcome Poster
Hard Gospel Sunday, 2007
Click here to download Hard Gospel Sunday Resource
Click here to download Hard Gospel Schools Material
Click here to download The Bird as a Word Document
Click here to download The Bird as a PowerPoint Document
NB: For the PowerPoint Document please right click on the link and select 'Save Target As' which will save it to your computer ie Desktop or My Documents. Then open the document from where you saved it.
Reflect & Act – The Good Samaritan Course
This course follows the key themes of the Good Samaritan parable. It can be run over a four week period, such as Advent or Lent, or over a parish residential.
It blends the study of scripture and group discussion but it is especially focused on learning from real life experiences. It is therefore particularly suitable for parishioners looking to translate their Christian faith into action.
At its heart is the desire to build relationships, especially across boundaries. Reflect and Act courses have been run in a range of parishes both north and south. It has resulted in parishes taking all sorts of action to engage with their neighbours. Everything from special welcome events for immigrants to educational events for young people in a loyalist area
Interested in running a Reflect and Act course in your parish? Contact Stephen Dallas or Philip McKinley. Click here to download Reflect & Act
Hard Gospel - Loving our Neighbours
Six biblically-based sessions - to help your parish to discover the challenges and opportunities in your neighbourhood for putting into practice ‘The Hard Gospel.’
| Session One: | Dealing with Difference |
| Session Two: | Identity: Freedom or Fetter? |
| Session Three: | Welcoming the Stranger |
| Session Four: | Boundaries and Bonds |
| Session Five: | Building Peace |
| Session Six: | Doers of the Word |
Many parishes have already used this course during Lent. There are stories of new initiatives being taken locally as a result. If you have a story of how your parish used this material – we would love to hear it.
Please contact the Hard Gospel Staff for your copy of this course.
Discussions and Conflict Resolution
If a parish wants to address contentious issues in their local community
- We can support by bringing in guest speakers and faciliatators
- We can provide training in your parish to understand conflict and find ways to deal positively with it.
- Church Community Initiatives
- Much good work is taking place at parish level
- www.hardgospel.net will provide a forum to hear stories of what is already going on in different localities
- When a local parish wants to increase its strategic role in local commmunity life - we can signpost towards appropriate community development bodies.
If you're unsure if Hard Gospel resources are suitable for your parish, have a look at our downloadable PDF, which will help you to decide how the Hard Gospel Team could be a part of your parish!
Life Beyond Boundaries
This gives a brief background to the Hard Gospel Project. It sets out the values that motivate the Project, setting it in the context of Jesus’ most basic teaching – love God and love your neighbour.
Click here to download your copy
Article for your Parish Magazine
This will include each edition of the Hard Gospel Bulletin.