Sparkhouse is a division of Augsburg Fortress Publishers, the ministry of publishing with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Gain insightful tips, perspectives, and ideas in the Sparkhouse Blog, designed for ministry leaders to spark faith in their communities.
REMIND ME AGAIN: Facilitator Guide
Rev. Dr. Jia Starr Brown has designed 41 lessons based on Joe Davis’s poems in Remind Me Again. Each lesson helps you have meaningful discussions about Joe’s poetry as well as helping guide you to form more meaningful connections with your own community. Endlessly flexible, this resource can be used as a 10-minute addition to a lesson or as a full 41-week curriculum of hour-long sessions.
Buy "Remind Me Again Facilitator Guide: 41 Sessions Based on the Poetry of Joe Davis" from Augsburg Fortress
UNEARTHING US: Facilitator Guide
The 21 sessions in this Facilitator Guide correspond to the 21 poems in Unearthing Us: Poems and Practices for Discovering Our Fullest Selves by Joe Davis.
- Sessions move through stages of planting, growing, and flourishing that connect to the thematic progression of poems in Unearthing Us.
- Leaders are invited into pre-work activities to prepare their hearts and minds for facilitating each session.
- Sessions include creative responses to each poem along with biblical exploration, community connections, and journaling prompts.
- Many groups can use these sessions: senior high youth, intergenerational events, Bible study groups, retreat participants, and other gatherings of people who want to explore poetry and faith together.
All sessions are written by Rev. Dr. Jia Starr Brown, an educator, activist, and curriculum designer who provides access to education, tools, and community that we all need to live whole and liberated lives.
Buy "Unearthing Us Facilitator Guide: 21 Sessions Based on the Poetry of Joe Davis" here!
Church Anew Resources - DEI Lens
Church Anew is a Spirit-led movement that nourishes Christian leaders and ignites communities of faith by setting an inclusive table of belonging and developing resources for a fresh, bold, and faithful witness in the world.
https://resources.churchanew.org
Anti-Racism Text Study (ARTS)
Fall Season starts September 8! Join us on Tuesdays at Noon CST!
Join Rev. Dr.’s Jia Starr Brown and Aimée Appell on Tuesdays at Noon CST for this weekly online study engaging Scripture through the lens of race - dismantling racism and white supremacy culture.
To register (people over profit - give what you can ):
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSZBXMiP9sWnvk-K81QIhT5AJFD3WDzGOogEoWfMMG48PdfQ/viewform
"Cutting Through the Noise” - Exploring Mindfulness Through a Social Justice Lens
In a world rife with systemic injustice, "cutting through the noise" has never been more critical. Let us come together with a commitment to justice to embody peace and bear witness in shared public places.
People of all and no faiths are invited to participate! With a hope for deepening wellness, this series will introduce and practice "retreat" in real time and space…..right where we are!
When: Saturdays, August 8-29, 2026 11:00am-12:00pm
Where: George Floyd Square, 38th and Chicago
For more information, please contact Ben Connelly at benconnelly70@gmail.com
"Unmasking Racism in Anti-Racism Education" for the Yale Youth Ministry Institute
Despite ongoing anti-racism efforts in our nation racism continues to flourish. If most Americans align with a faith or tradition that upholds values of justice and equity why are we still “here” in this static space? Join us for three sessions as we answer this question by journeying back to our roots: digging up the racism that is embedded in our existing anti-racism frameworks. Together we will explore decolonizing methods and inventory the historical seeds that continue to sprout as intended: to stunt our growth.
https://yaleyouthministryinstitute.org/event/unmasking-racism-in-anti-racism/
