1. This Powerpoint slideshow is designed to be used in church or at another gathering to introduce the Lent Course and encourage take-up.

2. Diocese of Carlisle LENT COURSE 2008 Part of Resourcing Revival
Growing in Generosity
Diocese of Carlisle LENT COURSE 2008
Part of Resourcing Revival

3. The Background
Our diocese and its parishes are well along the way of our ‘plan’ From Survival to Revival.
After extensive consultation about Resourcing Revival a new Parish Offering system is on the way too.
It replaces a ‘tax’ set by the diocese with an ‘offering’ set by the parishes.
This is widely applauded as a more Christian way of doing business.
If the books are to balance and parishes stay friends, it will require generosity in both our giving and our relationships.
The Lent Course ‘Growing in Generosity’ is intended to support that.
But it does not focus on the giving scheme, so much as God’s call to us to be generous as He is generous, in every aspect of our lives.
So it invites us to look at
Generosity in our hearts
Generosity in our churches, and
Generosity in our mission.

4. The hope
Because this is such an important part of our discipleship and our development as a diocese
The Bishop and his Council hope that every parish will use the course in some way
It is billed as a Lent course, but can just as easily be used at a different time of the year
It aims to be inter-church friendly, so that ecumenical groups can use it
It comes with suggestions for using its material in others ways, if small groups don’t work for you.

5. In the pack Contents list How to use this course Leader’s notes
Handout for each of the six sessions
CD with interviews to play during the sessions and other extras (like this Powerpoint!) In the Leader’s pack only
Leaders’ packs (at £3 with the CD) and Members’ packs (£2, no CD) are available from Church House Carlisle. Order enough for everyone!

6. The Six Sessions Generosity in our hearts
The Generosity of God
Growing more like Jesus
Generosity in our churches, and
Generosity in practice in the Church
Generosity between churches
Generosity in our mission.
Generosity within our Communities
Sharing our Faith

7. In Each Session Easy to use! Starter Main course Listen in Dessert
Closing Prayer
During the Week
Easy to use!

8. A Sample Session (1)

9. A Sample Session (2)

10. Our prayer
That through this course the Christian people and churches of Cumbria will grow more and more in the same generosity that we see in Jesus, and live it out in their hearts, in their churches, and in their mission to their communities.
Molly Dow
Stephen Pye
David Thomson