Designed to accompany Longacre's Living More With Less, this substantial study guide helps ecumenical groups or home study groups explore lifestyle changes.
Living More With Less is a book that asks for change. The goal of this study guide is to integrate study and life. Instead of creating guilt about our lifestyles, it offers hope by breaking down concern into manageable steps toward change. It provides an opportunity for persons to talk about their lifestyle and values in a supportive, open environment.
- Do Justice
- Learn from the World Community
- Nurture People
- Cherish the Natural Order
- Nonconform Freely
This Study/Action Guide builds on Doris Longacre's popular Living More With Less by providing additional projects and resources for each of the fifteen chapters in the earlier book. Designed for both personal reflection and group interaction the strength of this guide is in its emphasis on the possible.
Delores Friesen asks for change and gives specific helps on how to affect change. The guide deals with economic decisions about housing, jobs, and clothing. The author offers alternatives to America's unrestrained consumerism.
Read this on your own for mind expanding and possible life changing. But forming accountability groups committed to experimenting will bring you closer to realizing the vision of the book. The guide is designed to help persons move from the concern and knowledge to action and change.
Praise For Living More With Less Study/Action Guide
"The ideas presented throughout the book are practical, uncomplicated for the most part, with a lot of fun mixed in... many for intergenerational use. I like the comparisons made to other developed countries like the United Kingdom, Japan and others rather than only to the extremely poor and developing countries."
-- Mennonite Reporter
"Inspiring and useful... Although written to enhance the study of Living More With Less, this study guide offers so many new ideas for creative action that it could almost stand on its own. Delores has indeed given to the church vision and support for right acting in living simply.
-- Provident Book Finder
Comments From Alternatives Customers
"WONDERFUL! Good, quality information. I plan to use Living More With Less in a study group."
-- Edmundite Missions Group, Selma, AL
"I plan to use Living More With Less and its Study Guide in Sunday School."
-- Wendy Fisher, Bethel, PA
About The Author
Delores Histand Friesen is an Associate Professor of Pastoral Counseling at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary in Fresno, CA and a licensed Marriage and Family therapist.
She and her husband, J. Stanley Friesen, spent thirteen years working in West Africa in the early years of their marriage. Now they continue to be deeply involved in the local church, and in theological education and service among other ethnic groups through Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries, Mennonite Brethren Missions and Services International, Mennonite Board of Missions and Mennonite Central Committee. Japan, India, Botswana and Ghana are countries where they recently learned from the world community as they served in teaching and consulting ministries.
Delores began her career as an elementary school teacher and still enjoys working with children. She holds the A.A. degree from Hesston College, the B.S. and B.A. degrees in elementary education from Goshen College, the M.S. degree in comparative education from Indiana University and the Ph.D. degree in Counseling and Human Development from the University of Iowa.
Delores and Stan are the parents of three grown children, Rachel, Ingrid, and Jonathan.
Delores enjoys serving as a resource person for retreats and seminars, and likes to exercise her gifts of teaching in both the church and community. Her writing grows out of a life filled with a variety of people and experiences, and focuses primarily on helping others to grow and change. Most recently Delores edited and compiled All Are Witnesses, Kindred Productions, 1996. She is currently working on two writing projects, one on maintaining spiritual strength in the midst of difficulties and the other on Sexuality: God's Gift and Grace.
Revising this study/action guide has inspired Delores and Stan to work more deliberately and overtly in their community and church to encourage others to live more with less. The number of new resources and audiovisuals is phenomenal. It is a sign of the significance and imperative nature of this work.
