Cultivating Sent Communities

"Cultivating sent communities reimagines spiritual formation through the lens of mission, covering such topics as the role of Scripture, congregational discernment, and short-term missions and drawing on case studies from diverse contexts including Ethiopia, England, Leipzig, and San Francisco."--Back cover.

Today's marketplace is fueled by knowledge. Yet organizing systematically to leverage knowledge remains a challenge. Leading companies have discovered that technology is not enough, and that cultivating communities of practice is the keystone of an effective knowledge strategy. Communities of practice come together around common interests and expertise- whether they consist of first-line managers or customer service representatives, neurosurgeons or software programmers, city managers or home-improvement amateurs. They create, share, and apply knowledge within and across the boundaries of teams, business units, and even entire companies-providing a concrete path toward creating a true knowledge organization. In Cultivating Communities of Practice, Etienne Wenger, Richard McDermott, and William M. Snyder argue that while communities form naturally, organizations need to become more proactive and systematic about developing and integrating them into their strategy. This book provides practical models and methods for stewarding these communities to reach their full potential-without squelching the inner drive that makes them so valuable. Through in-depth cases from firms such as DaimlerChrysler, McKinsey & Company, Shell, and the World Bank, the authors demonstrate how communities of practice can be leveraged to drive overall company strategy, generate new business opportunities, tie personal development to corporate goals, transfer best practices, and recruit and retain top talent. They define the unique features of these communities and outline principles for nurturing their essential elements. They provide guidelines to support communities of practice through their major stages of development, address the potential downsides of communities, and discuss the specific challenges of distributed communities. And they show how to recognize the value created by communities of practice and how to build a corporate knowledge strategy around them. Essential reading for any leader in today's knowledge economy, this is the definitive guide to developing communities of practice for the benefit-and long-term success-of organizations and the individuals who work in them. Etienne Wenger is a renowned expert and consultant on knowledge management and communities of practice in San Juan, California. Richard McDermott is a leading expert of organization and community development in Boulder, Colorado. William M. Snyder is a founding partner of Social Capital Group, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Every church, every organization, has experienced them: betrayal, deception, grumbling, envy, exclusion. They make life together difficult and prevent congregations from developing the skills, virtues, and practices they need to nurture sturdy, life-giving communities. In Living into Community Christine Pohl explores four specific Christian practices -- gratitude, promise-keeping, truth-telling, and hospitality -- that can counteract those destructive forces and help churches and individuals build and sustain vibrant communities. Drawing on a wealth of personal and professional experience and interacting with the biblical, historical, and moral traditions, Pohl thoughtfully discusses each practice, including its possible complications and deformations, and points to how these essential practices can be better cultivated within communities and families.

For close to two hundred years, families and individuals across Ontario have travelled down country roads and gathered to enjoy seasonal agricultural fairs. Though some features of township and county fairs have endured for generations, these community events have also undergone significant transformations since 1850, especially in terms of women’s participation. Cultivating Community tells the story of how women’s involvement became critical to agricultural fairs’ growth and prosperity. By examining women’s diverse roles as agricultural society members, fair exhibitors, performers, volunteers, and fairgoers, Jodey Nurse shows that women used fairs’ manifold nature to present different versions of rural womanhood. Although traditional domestic skills and handicrafts, such as baking, needlework, and flower arrangement, remained the domain of women throughout this period, women steadily enlarged their sphere of influence on the fairgrounds. By the mid-twentieth century they had staked out a place in venues previously closed to them, including the livestock show ring, the athletic field, and the boardroom. Through a wealth of fascinating stories and colourful detail, Cultivating Communities adds a new dimension to the social and cultural history of rural women, placing their activities at the centre of the agricultural fair.

Commissioned by the Blanton-Peale Institute, Cultivating Wholeness is a practical, comprehensive, contemporary guide to community care and counseling. Margaret Zipse Kornfeld, a pastoral psychotherapist for almost thirty years, focuses on wholeness, the dynamics change, an inclusive understanding of spirituality, the caregiver/ counselor, and on community as not merely the context for healing but also the means by which healing happens.

In today's fast-food world, Christianity can seem outdated or archaic. The temptation becomes to pick up the pace and play the game. But Chris Smith and John Pattison invites us to leave franchise faith behind and enter the kingdom of God, where people know each other well and love one another as Christ loves the church.

Discover the transformative power of green spaces in "Cultivating Community," a riveting and insightful new eBook that will take you through the journey of creating, nurturing, and sustaining a blooming haven that brings people together. Unveil the secrets of the first sprout of companionship in the "Essence of Community Gardens," where the roots of community gardens stretch deep into the fertile soil of history and emerge as a vital source of local unity and well-being. Embark on a strategic odyssey with "Strategic Planning for a Community Garden," unfolding a blueprint that assembles a hardy team, crystalizes a shared vision, and nurtures the goals that will reach high like towering sunflowers. Scour the urban landscape in "Locating and Acquiring Garden Space," a thrilling treasure hunt for that perfect plot where community dreams will germinate and thrive. Immerse yourself in "Designing Your Community Garden," where imagination meets the earth, creating inclusive and sustainable spaces that welcome a mosaic of hands eager to tend. Dig into "Funding and Resources," your treasure chest of knowledge, brimming with golden strategies to fuel your green paradise without withering funds. Enter the alchemy of "Soil and Composting Systems," turning humble waste into rich, life-giving soil to sow the seeds of tomorrow’s harvest. "Cultivating Community" continues to dazzle as you weave through chapters filled with wisdom on plant selection, water management, and community building, all culminating in a wellspring of ideas to keep your garden lush through the seasons. This eBook is not just a guide; it’s a manifesto for all those yearning to hatch an oasis where concrete once ruled, to craft an epicenter of education, to secure a cradle of biodiversity, and to cultivate the fabric of a tightly-knit community tapestry. In "Cultivating Community," your digital companion, you will navigate the highs and lows of communal gardening, from bountiful harvests to common challenges, securing legal ground and planting the seeds for a resilient future. No matter if you are greening your thumbs for the first time or are already a seasoned garden guardian, this eBook plots a course towards achieving a thriving, impactful, and sustainable gathering place for all. So, raise your shovels and let the odyssey of creation begin!

This study resource focuses upon Christian practices: those behaviors by which congregations shape, teach, train, equip -- cultivate -- their identity, vision, and mission as Christian communities. Thus baptism, Eucharist, forgiveness, ministry, discernment, and worship are practices through which a people are formed in a distinctive way of life. Questions for reflection and discussion are included to stimulate use within groups for study, learning, and formation.