Commission on Evangelization

I am e3 by PNCEA, from Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association. Paulist Press, 2004. $12.95 for each deck of faith sharing cards (two for adults; one for teens; one in Spanish) Order online (www.pncea.com), by phone (202-832-5022) or fax (202-269-0209).

I am e3 is a simple tool to encourage Catholic adults and teens to talk about their experiences of God, faith and Church. "e3" stands for evangelizing, everyday, everywhere.

The idea is very simple. Each deck of cards is geared to a specific audience. There are two decks for English-speaking adults and one deck for teens. There is another deck for Spanish-speakers. The cards are very attractive with photos of many different people in real life situations. On the reverse side are a few brief sentences about some situation in that person's faith journey. A question follows which asks the participant to relate a similar feeling or incident from their life. A card with instructions for the leader accompanies each deck.

At www.iame3.com are links to relevant articles, ideas for parish gatherings, ways to use the cards in parish life and an instructional manual for teachers/leaders. There are also on-line discussion boards for participants.

I was impressed with the simplicity of the concept. These cards could be an effective tool for assisting parishioners in sharing their faith more easily. To set up the faith-sharing requires little preparation time for the parish leaders. And the cost of the decks of cards is reasonable. I could envision Confirmation and religious education classes, catechist groups, parish council members and adult classes using these cards as a regular part of their gatherings.

Reviewed by Lorraine Vancamp, Glenmary's evangelization consultant.

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