Summer Observance

How is your observance of the Dominican rule (and vows) going this summer?

Any particular challenges or benefits that summer provides related to our committments?

Chapter Matters

What questions or topics do you hope are addressed at chapter?

Back to the Slump?

Let’s follow up on our conversation about the summer slump in church attendance during the summer.

How is your parish doing with the slump?

How do you feel about it?

Breathe........

no posts this week

So What is the Trinity?

What did you hear or not hear about the Trinity on this annual Sunday observance?

As Dominicans we are to proclaim the faith, and at least classically, the Trinity was always very important.

What did you hear - what will you pass on to others?

Great Conversation: Now What?

Brethen,
We had a wonderful conversation as an Order regarding the shape of the gathered church, leadership, priesthood, lay ministry, and the like. Some great perspectives were shared, as well as great ideas given.

What can we do as an Order? What are some first steps?

How do you Observe Pentecost?

Pentecost is one of the most important feasts of the Christian year - particularly, important I would argue for an Order dedicated to the work of evangelism and discipleship through preaching.

What do you do? and what does your parish do (if anything!) to celebrate Pentecost in a special way?

Fighting the Summer Slump

Many congregations around this time of year start to enter a slump, that often does not subside until early September.

Is this healthy? What do you think can be done to help fight this? Or should we embrace it?

Looking forward to your posts and responses to others posts.

Feedback on Evangelism

Fellow Dominicans,
I've been asked to lead a discussion/presentation at Chapter regarding evangelism. What questions do you have, what kind of tools are you looking for, what issues do you think we need to deal with?

Please post your thoughts.

How Do You Explain That Your a Dominican?

How do you explain to someone that you are a Dominican? I have found over the years that there is a range of opportunity - that is sometimes you can explain very briefly, and sometimes in detail.

What are some of the ways you explain who you are and WHAT you are to folks? Shorter or longer.. as the case may be.

So How Do We Do It?

Throughout the posts from last week there was some mutual consensus that we should be putting out a newsletter, and addressing false beliefs and misunderstandings about Christianity in th wider culture. There was also an idea of the Order producing materials to help with these important evangelical and discipleship concerns.

Great ideas, but how do we implement them?

What Should an Order of Preachers Being Doing?

Considering the state of the Anglican Communion, and the decline/struggle of Christianity in the western world in general, what should be the top priorties for Order of Preachers to be doing?

Be as imaginative or practical as you like.

God ask us to consider such questions.

Prayer Requests

Please post any prayer requests that you may have here.

Pulpit or No Pulpit?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in preaching circles there is some debate about whether modern day preachers should use the pulpit? What do you think? It’s a more complex issue than might seem at first glance – as an Order of Preachers it’s something we should have thought about.

Looking forward to your posts.

Fasting and Prayer Requests

Brothers and Sisters,
Happy New Year! From Scott's comments I'd like for people to discuss their experience of the practice of fasting. Our rule does not require fasting, though the Prayer Book assumes fasting on some days of the Church year though this is not widely practiced.

Also, feel free to list prayer requests that you have related to the new year.

God Bless,
Brother Kevin OP