Discovery Place: Spiritual Growth Resources for the Summer Months

I enjoyed meeting many of you at the Discovery Place table at Annual Conference. Several folks ordered resources that were on display, and those have been sent. On Friday we had two tables FULL of items to give away, some of which were donated to Discovery Place. I was glad to go home with much less than I brought!

Summer is often the time when folks are away on vacation quite often. It is important, therefore, to offer lessons that are self-contained in one session and not part of a weeks-long series. There are many options that fit this description.

Nooma – This series is comprised of 24 different DVDs, each with one-word titles and lasting 15 minutes or less. Each includes a study guide with thought-provoking questions and Scripture verses. Visit our online catalog at www.discovery-place.org and search by title Nooma for individual titles and a brief description of each.

36 Parables – Labeled by color, each DVD contains three parables. 

Lime: “Charlie” - Parable of the Mustard Seed; “Wise/Foolish” – Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders; “Together” – Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds.

Cyan: “Spilt Milk” – Parable of the New Wine in Old Wineskins; “A Few Weeks Later” – Parable of the Rich Fool; “Beyond Beautiful” – Parable of the Two Sons.

Yellow: “Found” – Parable of the Lost Coin; “Buried Talent” – Parable of the Talents; “Buen Vecino” – Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Purple: “Out of Reach” – Parable of the Friend at Midnight; “The Car Lot” – Parable of the Shrewd Manager; “Sean” – Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.

Amber: “After Life” – Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus; “Tractor Safety Tips” – Parable of the Leafing Fig Tree; “The Good Shepherd” – Parable of the Good Shepherd.

Blue: “The Music Box” – Parable of the Hidden Treasure; “Like Father Like Son” – Parable of the Two Debtors; “Gnobody’s Gnome” – Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.

More complete descriptions with Scripture references are in our online catalog. 

Both Nooma and 36 Parables are relatively short DVDs and are suitable for both youth and adult groups. Nooma study guides are in a separate booklet; 36 Parables study guides have been downloaded from their website, and printed copies are in the box with each DVD. 

Deeper Connections Series – These visually stunning DVDs are written and taught by biblical experts – six professors with specialized areas of knowledge. Don’t let the word “deeper” scare you. These engaging and accessible studies are for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of God’s Word and apply it more faithfully and effectively. 

There are six books in this series, each containing six lessons: The Prayers of Jesus, The Parables of Jesus, The Miracles of Jesus, The Forgiveness of Jesus, The Life of Jesus, and The Last Days of Jesus. The video portion of each lesson is 25-30 minutes, with breaks for discussion. Included is a leader’s guide and a participant’s guide. For further details on each study, search our online catalog by title Deeper Connections.

You may place an order through our online catalog at www.discovery-place.org, email discovery@susumc.org, or call 717-766-7968. (Your voicemail will send an email.) 

After being involved with Discovery Place for over 20 years and being Director since the spring of 2016, I am retiring in June. Discovery Place will remain open, so please visit our website for hours and more information. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to serve you all! 

Joni Robison