Resources for Children: Books on Listening

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The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld is a book about listening that all ages will resonate with. In this picture book typical response to a loss are personified through animals. (The chicken talks, the ostrich sticks his head in the sand, the bear yells, etc.) This short picture book invites the reader to instead adopt a posture of accompaniment. This book is excellent to read in Sunday School, in a preschool or daycare setting or as a children’s sermon. It is particularly helpful to share when a family or community is processing grief or disappointment. This book is also avalible in Spanish. --Pastor Sarah Schaaf

Staff Pick: Explore Empathy with Brené Brown

Explore Brené's Work

“This is one reason we need to dispel the myth that empathy is “walking in someone else’s shoes.” Rather than walking in your shoes, I need to learn how to listen to the story you tell about what it’s like in your shoes and believe you even when it doesn’t match my experiences.”

― Brené Brown, Atlas of the Heart

Our staff has enjoyed learning from researcher and storyteller Brené Brown who has spent her career studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. Meaningful listening skills require all four of these qualities, and deeply impacts our relationships and wellbeing. The short clip below provides a great example of her work through a TED talk.

Music and Scripture: Stan Schmidt

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A member of St. Martin-Archbold, Stanley Peter Schmidt is a talented musician who uses his gifts as a pianist to share his faith.


Stan has created a playlist of 365 videos to support folks in their daily bible reading. Each video includes his original music and photography, readings from the Old Testament, New Testament and a Psalm or Proverb and a thought connected to the readings. Each video lasts 1 minute and the daily readings take approximately 15 minutes to complete.  Stan offers this resource to you as a gift during the Year of Listening. Explore the video playlist below.

Do you have resources on the topic of listening that you would like to share with our community? We are looking media and opportunities for all ages to explore Listening to God, Listening to Self, Listening to Neighbor and Listening to Community. Send your resources to Calla at calla.gilson@nwos-elca.org and continue to check our monthly Year of Listening email for more resources.

Year of Listening Resources from NWOS

An eight-session bible study resource created by the Northwestern Ohio Synod staff that invites you to listen. Open (or turn on) your Bible, gather with a group of friends, get outside the four walls of the congregation, and together, learn to listen to God, listen to ourselves, listen to others, and listen to the community.

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A 12-session collection of monthly devotions written by leaders from all across Northwestern Ohio and the world. These 15-20 minute devotions are ideal for when Church Council gathers, when committees or staff meet, or any time when folks gather together.

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An easy to use resource guides you to read a chapter of the New Testament in 5 minutes a day. This reading plan will take you through all 260 chapters of the New Testament, one chapter per day, for 5 days a week. We have paired this reading plan with an app in which you can listen to the passage for five minutes a day, five days a week. To access the listening recordings online, or to download the Bible.is app, or scan the QR codes in the document below.

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We have selected this book to guide you and your community in exploring the practice of listening throughout the year. It is a great resource for individual study and also excellent for groups to engage together. Check out the discussion guide below as well.

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For this Year of Listening, we have invited local musicians to select a song for collective reflection each month. We encourage you to explore the connected monthly scripture and weekly listening practices.

  • Enjoy the song selection video.
  • Read and reflect on the scripture that inspired the song.
  • Explore weekly practices connected to the lyrics throughout your week.
  • Share your experiences on social media using #YearOfListening.

All resources can be inserted into parish newsletters, bulletins or posted in your home. We invite you to join us in these unique listening practices each month! Check January's song, Shine Jesus Shine ELW 671, below.

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