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A 40-day journey exploring how the eternal wisdom of Jesus can comfort, challenge, and center us in a rapidly changing world.

In a time marked by anxiety and polarization, Everlasting Jesus offers a daily invitation to slow down and reconnect with what is lasting and true. Drawing from the Gospels and writing with his signature warmth, Rick Hamlin shows how the words and actions of Jesus still speak powerfully into the complexity of modern life. Whether it's Jesus crossing cultural lines to speak with a Samaritan woman—offering her, a social outcast, dignity and “living water”—or his call to invest in what matters rather than be ruled by fear and scarcity, each reflection ties Scripture to the concerns of now: social division, information overload, spiritual exhaustion, and the search for authentic connection.

Through stories of compassion, resilience, and radical grace, Hamlin explores how Jesus can help us confront prejudice, live generously, and hold on to hope when the world feels unsteady. From the challenge to love those we disagree with to the promise that “you are the light of the world,” this book provides a deep well of encouragement for anyone seeking clarity and purpose. With Scripture-based reflections and thoughtful prompts for personal or group use, Everlasting Jesus will help you renew your faith, reframe your priorities, and simply hear Jesus’s voice above the noise.

Praise for Rick Hamlin's previous works:

"An utterly relatable book full of honesty and hope." ―Sue Monk Kidd, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Life of Bees

"From the darkness of life, when the questions Why me? and Why now? go unanswered, Rick Hamlin leads us to hearing the gentle whispers of God in his deeply personal story of healing." ―Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Funny, engaging and faith-filled." —Roma Downey, co-producer of The Bible and Ben Hur 

"A great gift to us all." —Thomas Cahill, author of How the Irish Saved Civilization and Heretics and Heroes in the Hinges of History series

A provocative exploration of the life of Anne Boleyn through a feminist lens, examining her influence on the reformation and relevance for a new generation.

In a story that has intrigued readers for generations this Queen of England has been portrayed as a power-hungry manipulator and as a patsy in the schemes of fathers and kings. A closer examination of her ascent to power and her reign reveals instead a woman who was desired by the King and found a way to insist on an outcome other than becoming his mistress. She claimed power in a profoundly disempowering situation and was able to exert enormous influence and vision on the English Reformation, and therefore on the political and religious landscape of Europe, as a result. In this exploration of her life through the lens of a female priest in the Anglican Communion, readers will see a woman whose choices and personality continues to contribute to the conversation around women in history and how she remains the subject of fascination.

From a beloved faith leader, a collection of powerful conversations on faith and meaning with twelve public figures who explore the impact of faith in their lives and their success.

“An openhearted testament to the power of religious belief in a chaotic world.” –Publishers Weekly

Through interviews with twelve remarkable and renowned people of various Christian faiths, author Russell J. Levenson, Jr. explores different ways people come to faith and sustain it in their daily lives. The result is a collection of fascinating, moving, and unique stories, rarely shared with the public. For instance, Secretary Rice notes that she knelt down to pray every night when she worked in Washington, but often was so tired she fell asleep during prayer time; Denzel Washington asked to begin and end the interview for this book in prayer with Levenson; and Amy Grant shared that because of a brain injury she now has trouble reciting scripture, so she sings it instead. 

Each interview delves into the private, spiritual side of public figures and reveals that behind success and fame there is often a vibrant, personal faith in God that nourishes them. Jim Nantz and Brit Hume reflect on the role of their faith as they pursued careers in broadcasting; Sam Waterston and Gary Sinise share thoughts on faith as they navigated fame in the entertainment industry; James A. Baker III, Admiral William McRaven, and Ambassador Nikki Haley consider how faith helped them make tough political decisions, and Dr. Francis Collins and Jane Goodall ponder the bridge between faith and science. You will come away contemplating the role of faith in your own life and consider what truly matters at the end of the day.

 

Praise for Lurking Under the Surface: Horror, Religion, and the Questions that Haunt Us

“Grafius's surprising, and often insightful, eclectic intellectual enterprise in Lurking Under the Surface brings into stark focus Ligotti's understanding of unreal horror as being sublimated ruminations about real horror." —Los Angeles Review of Books

"Grafius teaches us how to welcome horror as a constant companion in a world plagued by real evil." —Sojourners

"Grafius' easy writing and gentle touch will lull the reader into an educational trance that makes diving into the slim book more like watching a movie than reading an informational text. Grab the popcorn." —Booklist

"Brandon Grafius combines biblical scholarship with a fanboy's love of horror to create a fun, fascinating book you won't be able to put down. I've never read a book quite like this." —Reza Aslan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

"No matter how many times you've seen Night of the Living Dead, The Thing, or Sinister, this book will come to you as a revelation. Brandon Grafius not only knows horror—he understands the deeper questions dark fictions ask." —W. Scott Poole, author of Dark Carnivals: Modern Horror and the Origins of American Empire and Monsters in America

"What a tasty book! It dives deep into what terrifies us, entertains us, and awakens the awe inside us. With a scholar's knowledge of both theology and every kind of horror movie, Grafius takes us on a tour of our soul with thought-provoking analysis, personal reflection from his own journey, and a healthy helping of humor." —Owen Egerton, writer/director of Mercy Black and author of Hollow

"Lurking under the Surface rightly argues the hope of horror and the horror of hope within the overlapping and at times problematic circles of Western religion and the horror film. A thoroughly engaging read." —Paul Tremblay, bestselling author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World

With over 20 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and organizations worldwide, Laura Thompson reveals how deeply held values drive meaningful leadership, creating a culture of trust, integrity, and growth. She explains why developing qualities like empathy, humility, self-awareness, and honesty is essential for making ethical decisions, strengthening relationships, and leading with authenticity and teaches how leaders can cultivate them. Through compelling insights and real-world applications, Thompson demonstrates how leaders can reconnect with their true selves, creating alignment and purpose within their teams. More than just theory, A Culture of Values provides practical exercises and strategies, offering a clear, actionable roadmap for leaders committed to fostering a values-driven culture and inspiring meaningful change within themselves, their teams, and their organizations.

"...a lively story of the Episcopal tradition"
—E. Brooks Holifield

A thorough, carefully researched history that sets church events against the background of social changes. Completely revised and updated, this third revised edition covers the history of the Episcopal Church up to the summer of 2014 and includes a closing section on the important work of the Task Force for Reimagining the Episcopal Church (TREC), which will be reporting to the 2015 General Convention.

For church historians, seminarians, and those who have interest in the past, present, and future developments within the Episcopal and broader religious landscape.

Brings theological insights together with cutting-edge thinking on organizational innovation to help churches flourish in a time of profound uncertainty and spiritual opportunity.

In today’s dynamic cultural environment, churches have to be more than faithful—they have to be agile. That means embracing processes of trial, failure, and adaptation as they form Christian community with new neighbors. And that means a whole new way of being church.

Taking one page from the Bible and another from Silicon Valley, priest and scholar Dwight Zscheile brings theological insights together with cutting-edge thinking on organizational innovation to help churches flourish in a time of profound uncertainty and spiritual opportunity. Picking up where his bestseller, People of the Way left off, Zscheile answers urgent and practical questions around how churches become agile and adaptive to meet cultural change.

An uplifting guide for Christian teen girls to live life knowing they are love by God.

Taking Romans 12:2 as its foundation—“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, you may prove the will of God, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect”— the book dares readers to explore critical issues such as self-esteem, courage, honesty, and identity through the lens of scripture and experience, offering the positive message that they are valued and loved by God.

A meditation on the meaning of Good Friday and the value of silence.

Good Friday is not like any other time of the year, and Christians everywhere wonder about the best way to mark the day. Again and again, sermons and meditations have centered our attention on the words Jesus spoke from the cross, but those few, brief words would have needed only a few minutes on the first Good Friday. Seven chapters in this unique book consider the event, and the meaning, of the Crucifixion to our lives today, including the various ways in which silence plays a role in our daily lives.

So many of us are overwhelmed with words coming at us from all our electronic devices that the thought of more language has less appeal than it once did. On one of the holiest days of the year, these brief meditations are designed to call us into the silence that still speaks more loudly than words.

The flourishing website EpiscopalCafe.org produced by the Diocese of Washington attracts several thousand visitors a day. Its popular column “Speaking to the Soul,” which contains a concise, well-developed spiritual reflection for every day of the year, draws from many different sources, including scripture, church history, saints’ biographies, books of prayers, liturgies, and ancient and contemporary theologians and spiritual writers.

This daily reader grew out of that column. It follows the Episcopal Church’s liturgical seasons and includes observation of major feast days as well as saints’ days.

The reading for a particular saint’s day might be taken from the saint’s writings, prayers, or biography, or might develop a theme such as martyrdom or growth in the spirit. Other readings focus on particular emphases of the seasons (the Incarnation during Advent and Christmas; spiritual disciplines during Lent); or speak more generally to the Christian life (prayer, discipleship, ministry, the sacraments, conflict and reconciliation, and so on).

Readings are taken from every century of the church’s life, with particular attention to how the writings and experiences of earlier Christians can shed light on the difficulties, joys, and concerns of the church today. Excerpts are long enough to give a satisfying and complete context of the writer’s intended meaning.

Advent is a time of preparation, of patience, of remembering what grounds and sustains us. Advent reminds us who God is and who we are meant to be. This book offers a new look at Advent by seeing the four weeks through the lens of morning, mid-day, late afternoon and evening, and night. Photographs, stories, and perspectives enrich our travel and invite us to other dimensions of experiencing Advent, as a season and as a resource in our daily living. The book can serve as a devotional for individuals and small-group study for the Advent season, with a particular focus on the Year C Gospel readings from Luke.

• Advent devotion for individuals or small groups, with an Advent poster-calendar sold separately
• Photographs and stories from daily life, for daily Christian living
• Study guide included

An examination of Jesus’s relationships with each of his first disciples other reveals ways to deepen our relationship with Him.

One of the first things Jesus did in his ministry was to reach out to twelve individuals and draw them into his circle of close companionship with him. This series is about those twelve apostles, their relationships with Jesus and with each other, and what dynamics of that community can teach us.

Jesus did not wait for people to be perfect in order to call them into the circle of God’s love. As we look at those who Jesus called, and consider ourselves as part of that ever enlarging circle, we gain not only a deeper sense of our reality, but also a deeper sense of how Christ wants to work with us.

Based on talks given at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Birmingham, and more recently The Chautauqua Institute, these lectures have been edited by Ann W. Claypool in her husband’s memory.

An exploration of the difficult, but necessary lesson of life—letting go—as a means of healing, maturing, and getting closer to God and who and what is important

Letting go isn’t just saying good-bye to people, places, and things, as important as they may be. It's also about letting go of attitudes and ideas, such as perfectionism, resentment, worry, and judgmentalism—that keep us from growing in our relationships with God and others. Letting go is crucial to our spiritual and emotional health.

In How Can I Let Go If I Don't Know I’m Holding On?, Linda Douty examines a variety of letting-go struggles and offers ways to move on to a deeper spirituality. Weaving together her own experiences and the stories of others, she offers strategies for letting go of the things that keep us from a deeper relationship with the Divine. With practical suggestions and updated versions of spiritual classics such as lectio divina, plus questions for study and reflection, this book is a rich resource for personal spiritual growth as well as for group study.

“Every major spiritual tradition endorses a key piece of wisdom: It is by giving up, letting go, and renouncing attachments that we achieve fulfillment and job in life. Linda Douty’s book is a wide guide to accomplish this vital lesson.”—Larry Dossey, MD, author of The Extraordinary Power of Ordinary Things, Reinventing Medicine, and Healing Words

With autism diagnoses rising, more and more parents find the challenges of caring for an autistic child added to the everyday strains and stresses—and joys—of family life. In a deeply personal, honest, humorous set of essays, Martha Johnson Bourlakas grapples with life—life as a person of faith, life as a wife and mother, life as a clergy spouse (her husband is bishop of Southwestern Virginia), life as the parent of a developmentally disabled young adult, life as one unable to maintain pretense. Reading these essays is like sitting down over coffee with a good friend to commiserate and laugh with someone who understands.

Anger, judgment, forgiveness, wisdom. All of these and more are biblical words we've used so often that they have very little meaning for us anymore. For others--seekers and those who are coming to church for the first time--these words sound like jargon. They are words that divide new church members from those who have been there a lifetime. In From Anger to Zion, Porter Taylor reflects on an alphabet of biblical words in ways that will help newcomers understand and speak the language, and that will encourage those familiar with these words to rethink them.

A wonderful storyteller and writer, Taylor's essays, each based on a biblical text, take ancient words and ideas and bring them into contemporary life. Egypt of old is today's broken place in our lives—the place where, like Moses, God is most likely to call us to go. Forgiveness is explored as a way of unfreezing time; without forgiveness we cannot grow. What does Isaiah's and the Israelites’ homesickness have to do with today's homeless and lost people?

These beautifully written essays are wonderful devotional material, but they also can serve as material for preparing to preach or for small-group discussion within parish reading groups.

What distinguishes Christian ministry from other helping professions? While many books tell clergy how to run a capital campaign, handle conflict, and lead a vestry, this book helps pastors, chaplains, and lay professionals appreciate the spiritual depth of their calling and reminds them that Christian ministry is Christs ministry working through them.

The collective groan that greets stewardship campaigns in most churches can be quelled. This book offers theoretical and practical propositions by which lay and clergy leaders can ensure the sustainability of stewardship ministries to help their congregations flourish. Bob Sitze invites stewardship leaders into a broader conversation of how shifted biblical and secular stewardship concepts, practice, and identity can be incorporated into a congregation's life and help bring about lasting change.

The book has two sections: Part 1, Scriptural Stewardshifts, reinterprets familiar biblical passages on stewardship, introduces new ones, and helps congregations expand their use of the Bible in their life and stewardship work. Part 2, Secular Stewardshifts, examines the resources that are available to congregations from the "continuing revelation" that is occurring in the secular world, including brain science, financial planning, philanthropy, community organizing, and other areas. The book is written in a friendly style, with reflection questions, so-what moments, and engaging sidebars.

A practical, down-to-earth guide on the Rule of St. Benedict and its use in daily life.

In the sixth century when the Roman Empire was breaking apart and politics, cultural life and even the Church were in disarray―tumultuous times not unlike our own―Benedict of Nursia designed what he termed “a little rule” that showed his monks the way to peace as they learned to prefer Christ above all things.

Jane Tomaine translates St. Benedict’s ancient rule for a modern audience and offers readers a primer on how to use these tools in their own tumultuous lives. Each chapter examines one aspect of the Rule, from ways of praying to ways of being in relationships and community, and offers tools for reflection, prayer, journaling, and action. This updated edition includes historical background to the Rule, a new chapter on relationships and community, and a guide for group use.

“[A] wonderful book, one of the best introductions we have in print today to the spirit of St. Benedict. It speaks clearly to Episcopalians of our day about the great spiritual treasure of the Benedictine tradition.”―The Rt. Rev. R. William Franklin, Assisting Bishop of Long Island.

With national and international concern around issues of abuse, burnout, meaninglessness, and spiritual bankruptcy in every profession, supervision is becoming increasingly necessary for people who desire life-giving care and understanding in their work and ministry. This book provides a framework of theory and experience to develop the strengths and address the challenges of professional supervision with particular focus on developing spiritual sensitivity and competency.

"“If you have little tolerance for ecclesiastical blowhards; if you’ve ever fantasized about implementing a clergy rating system (CRS); if you’ve ever sought tips on surviving diocesan convention; if you’ve ever tried to weasel your way out of pledging; then this book is for you,” says author Tim Schenck.

“My take on church life isn’t for everyone—clergy who take themselves too seriously will hate it. But know that it all comes out of a place of deep love for God and the Church. There are inevitably things that drive us nuts about such an imperfect (i.e., human) institution. Yet if we can’t observe and comment on our own foibles we’re left without much hope. And anyway if God doesn’t have a sense of humor, I’m hosed.”"

How churches can work to stem gun violence

Over 300 Episcopalians came together in Oklahoma City in April 2014 to renew their commitment to the Gospel call to make peace in a world of violence. Through deep conversation, prayer, and skill building the event empowered the Episcopal Church to address violence and reclaim its role in society as workers for nonviolence and peace.

This book is one of the outcomes of that event - resources to help dioceses, congregations, and individuals reclaim the Gospel message of peace for our society. Divided into four sections - Proclaim: The Gospel, Sustain: The Witness, Reclaim: The Response and Our Prayers - topics are offered in the areas of advocacy, education, liturgy, and pastoral care that our Church can use to address the culture of violence within and outside of the Church, the reader will hear the Gospel proclaimed through personal stories of witness from key leaders in the Church today, including Justin Welby, Katharine Jefferts Schori, Bishop Ed Konieczny, Eugene Sutton, Mark Beckwith, Kay Collier McLaughlin, James Michael Dowd, Matthew Ellis, and others.

Topics include: systemic/root cause of violence, suicide/mental health, hate crimes, gang violence, race and violence, advocacy, gun violence, bullying, gender-based violence, and non-violence. Reflection questions follow each chapter with a comprehensive study guide for group use included.

Clouds and Glory is the final volume in a three-volume collection of prayers and other resources based on the New Common Worship Lectionary used widely around the world. Written in the Celtic style for which David Adam is well-known, and linked to the Sunday readings, these prayers and intercessions may be used by congregations for the Prayers of the People, as well as by individuals seeking to supplement their personal devotions.

Sometimes pain passes quickly and small losses are easily absorbed. But when suffering goes on and on, for people of faith, the resulting crisis can be deeper and more destructive than the loss itself. We look for ways to comfort those who are hurting. But sometimes, in spite of our good intentions, the cliches and simplistic theology we offer only add to the pain and misery. In When Suffering Persists, Frederick W. Schmidt presents a pastoral exploration of ways to understand suffering theologically, offering an approach that ministers to both mind and spirit. He questions the value of our usual comforting words and examines the pat explanations we give one another. He provides instead a theology that takes seriously the devastating character of suffering, allowing for real help to those who continue in pain.

Glimpses of Glory is the second in a three-volume collection of prayers and other resources based on the New Common Worship Lectionary used widely around the world. Written in the Celtic style for which the author is well-known, and linked to the Sunday readings, these prayers and intercessions may be used by congregations for the Prayers of the People, as well as by individuals seeking to supplement their personal devotions.

An eminent group of Episcopal scholars and bishops addresses the core issues raised in Bishop Spong's books and teachings on the Virgin birth, resurrection, sexuality, scripture, sin, Jesus, culture, and God. These essays are incisive responses to an articulate and charismatic public figure whose provocative writings have stirred traditional and non-traditional thinkers alike.

While acknowledging that Spong's writing strikes a chord with lay people in the churches and the general public, the book's authors believe a balanced response is needed. They accomplish this by commending the bishop for having the courage of his convictions while challenging his teachings on the cornerstone beliefs of Christian tradition.

Baptism and Confirmation – the Christian rites of initiation – have to do with identity, community, and eternal life. They’re not just ceremonies marking church membership – the meaning of these sacraments is far more radical than that. They’re ways of saying that we know who we are: We’re made in God’s image and called to belong to God forever.

This guide will help readers – newcomers, seekers, parents preparing to present their children for Baptism, confirmands, and even long-time parishioners – to understand and appreciate the Baptism and Confirmation, and the central role they play in the lives of Christians. Provided here is an introduction to the Baptismal Covenant, as well as a step-by-step guide through the rites of both sacraments. Readers will find running commentary on the rite, with facing pages containing the text from the Book of Common Prayer. Other useful features are glossaries and lists of resources for further reading.

Offers an intimate view of spiritual direction through written re-enactments of actual spiritual direction sessions.
The experiential practice is accompanied by theoretical and theological foundations guiding it. The book includes the stories of nine men and women whose stories illustrate how the journey of Christian discipleship is helped by spiritual direction.

The Spiritual Directors International Series – This book is part of a special series produced by Morehouse Publishing in cooperation with Spiritual Directors International (SDI), a global network of some 6,000 spiritual directors and members.

Artist, crafter, diarist, recovering alcoholic, Episcopal, Catholic, spiritual gypsy. These are some of the ways that Carol Bonomo has described herself. Like many of her generation, she had trouble finding a spiritual home. "I'm one of those 'seekers' who doesn't known what she's looking for, and wouldn't recognize an answer to the meaning of life if she tripped on it in the dark."

Her spiritual adventures included the Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church, Alcoholics Anonymous, and her attempt to become a lay associate of the Franciscans. But the Franciscans sent her away. "Run, don't walk, to the abbey up the hill, " they advised her. And so she did, heading to the Benedictine abbey she was pointed to. Much to her surprise, there she found the home she'd been seeking for so long.

The Abbey Up the Hill is Bonomo's reflection on her first year as a Benedictine oblate -- a lay person vowing to live according to the 6th century Rule of St. Benedict, a monastic guide to living a balanced life with God at the center. Month-by-month, she records her spiritual growth with honesty, humor, and insight. This is the unforgettable story of a pilgrim's struggles to leave off wandering and finally come home.

Preaching as Pastoral Caring is the thirteenth in a series of books devoted to presenting examples of preaching excellence from parishes throughout the Episcopal Church.

This volume addresses the difficult and essential area of pastoral preaching as a kind of spiritual leadership in which compassionate healing and courageous confrontation are experienced not as polar opposites, but as inseparable.

In the past several decades, the issues of women’s ordination and of homosexuality have unleashed intense debates on the nature and mission of the Church, authority and the future of the Anglican Communion. Amid such momentous debates, theological voices of women in the Anglican Communion have not been clearly heard, until now. This book invites the reader to reconsider the theological basis of the Church and its call to mission in the 21st century, paying special attention to the colonial legacy of the Anglican Church and the shift of Christian demographics to the Global South. In addition to essays by the volume editors, this 12-essay collection includes contributions by Jane Shaw, Ellen Wondra and Beverley Haddad, among others.

The Christian spiritual journey is a pilgrimage to wholeness, a search for home that is in God. In this classic work on contemporary spiritual living, Alan Jones explores the various parts of the pilgrimage home. Using literature, art, and biblical texts as illustrations, he explores our search for light and love, repentance, and forgiveness in the context of the Passion and Easter stories.

An excellent book for group study during Lent and Easter, this edition includes study questions at the end of each chapter. Passion for Pilgrimage is also provocative reading for individuals at any time of the year who want to understand the Christian journey more deeply.

This is a spiritual detective story. Who was Julian? Why has she become so famous? Why did her writings disappear for centuries? Why is everyone reading them today?

This fascinating illustrated exploration of Julian's world, her city, her century, and her remarkable book--the first written by a woman in English--provides clues to the exciting mystery that is Julian.

This book captures the author’s efforts to find his way out of a spiral of depression – a tortuous path through mental anguish and suicide attempt(s) into the grace that brought him spiritual rebirth, sanity and a life of service to others.

Crossing Myself will speak to those who have come through depression and those who still struggle with it. It can be appreciated by men and women, adults or teens for its literary style and personal insights of redemptive faith.

"Churchwide discussions on structure and growth tend to focus on the importance of increasing “butts in the pews and bucks in the plates.” Suggestions have been made on merging smaller dioceses to create larger ones and closing the doors of congregations which do not have Sunday attendance of at least 200. This is a model of scarcity without consideration of the value and abundance to be found in small churches.

Discover the roles, possibilities, promise, and potential of being a small church! Travel with Kay Collier McLauglin as she takes the back roads and byways of the United States, visiting small churches that are making a difference in their community. Each chapter tells a story about an example of faithfulness in the life of a small congregation and relates that story to the essentials of faithful living and being church. The book challenges the decision-makers in the Episcopal Church to think beyond traditional measures and shortterm economic fixes to discover the life-giving opportunities and models presented by the smallest congregations.

Learn to use art as a way to open up a deep conversation with God.

This book is not about "art" in the sense of making pretty pictures, or even about expressing an experience of God. Rather it opens readers to new possibilities. The art they create here is the visual result of an experience with God through visual imaging. Those who use this technique invite God to be the director, writer, and artist of their hearts as they are introduced to the concept of "heart spirituality."

Prayer of the HeART is a wonderful exploration- for both the experienced artist and the novice- of the role of creativity in the life of prayer. Readers will find a variety of drawing techniques and media, and ways of dialoguing with the images they create. Each chapter, developed around a theme, features a visual exercise and a way to journey deeper into the heart of God.

A down-to-earth guide that syncs theology with technology.
Today Sunday morning worship competes with youth soccer, Starbucks, Facebook, and the allure of being “spiritual but not religious.” To share the gospel in a world like this, Christians need to reach beyond the boundaries of concrete and virtual communities to become evangelists. That takes faith. It also requires skill with public relations, social media, traditional print materials and other techniques to increase church visibility. The authors, both recognized experts and consultants, walk readers through the theology of church communications and introduce steps to help us deliver clutter-busting messages to reach our technologically sophisticated and faith-challenged world.

Popular homiletics professor Linda Clader has been helping her students become attentive to how the Holy Spirit is speaking to them, and eventually through them to the congregation. In Voicing the Vision she shares her ideas about what preachers can do to be open and receptive to the Spirit once the exegesis is done.

Clader's approach to inspired and prophetic preaching is a holistic one, filled with suggestions about how the preacher's spiritual life and practice affect openness to the Spirit, as well as how various creative exercises can create spaces in which the Spirit can flourish. Her careful analysis of the biblical texts that illuminate how the Spirit works in those texts is supplemented by practical suggestions for noticing how the Spirit also works in the everyday life of preacher and congregation.

This book will be a welcome companion for the seminarian who is just learning to preach, as well as the seasoned preacher who is looking for new inspiration.

What are the questions that are really on the minds of Christians as they try to live out their faith?

Author Tom Ehrich challenged readers of his weekly newspaper column and his daily e-mail meditations to pose the questions that they would like to ask Jesus "from the roadside," as blind Bartimaeus did in the gospel. He received hundreds of responses-- not one of them about matters of liturgy, church politics, or canon law. Instead, the questions these ordinary Christians longed to ask Jesus were deeper and more basic: Will I see my late husband in heaven? How can I make my marriage more joyful? Will we ever find peace? What do you want of me?

In Just Wondering, Jesus, Ehrich takes 100 of these questions and answers each in the form of a brief meditation/essay, and provides a fascinating glimpse of what is truly on people's minds and in their hearts. The meditations, based on gospel readings, are valuable for personal devotion and small-group study.

Created to meet the needs of pastors and church staff seeking gifts of appreciation for church members such as LEMs, lay members, choir and vestry members, and others. Each volume offers support, guidance, and education geared specifically to one particular group or ministry within the church. Individual meditations are based on quotations from the Bible, The Book of Common Prayer, or hymns from the 1982 Hymnal, and prayers specific to the needs of each audience. Designed with the church budget in mind, these affordable books acknowledge important passages and ministries in the life of the people of God.

Meditations for Choir Members, by Nancy L. Roth and Christopher L. Webber. Explores how music can become part of one’s spiritual journey.

Accessible spiritual narratives of the meal as Communion, plus recipes, by a well-known blogger, widely-traveled musician, and retreat leader "This is a book about what nourishes us: food, faith, family, and friends, and how all of those elements are essential ingredients of Communion-in fact how every meal of our lives holds an invitation to the Sacred Meal. As I say in the opening chapter, 'What the Gospel writers don't seem to scrimp on are stories of Jesus eating, or at least stories about Jesus and food. He eats, feeds, talks about food, and even calls himself the Bread of Life, right down to that last night in the Upper Room...where they sat around the table and he wrapped it all up with a meal—The Meal—as his ultimate metaphor.'"
—from the Introduction

This book is about transformation spiritual, life-changing transformation available to you right now. It is divided into four sections Inner Work, Holy Ground, Sabbath, and Community and Vocation and uses stories of simple life experiences to explore the ways in which we experience the transformative process. Readers of this book also will learn to appreciate how, when we are transformed, the world is transformed. Isn't that the Gospel, after all?

Spiritual direction is increasingly popular among Christians of all mainstream traditions, with demand for directors outstripping supply in many places. And although the Bible is central to the practice of spiritual direction, very little has been published on how best to use it in this form of ministry.

Experienced spiritual director Liz Hoare explores the central role the Bible has played in Christian experience, in order to discourage poor, shallow, or rigid use of the Bible, which can lead to damage and inhibit spiritual growth.

According to Hoare, the goal of spiritual direction is not a personal improvement plan but a people who are being shaped into the likeness of Christ, for the flourishing of the church as a whole. Using different methods of praying with the Bible and drawing on historical traditions of Christian spirituality, as well as current literature and practice, this book offers a rich, stimulating, and thoroughly biblical resource for all those who give and receive spiritual direction.

What Is Your Practice? presents a variety of foundational Christian ascetical practices, translated into contemporary idiom. Instead of relying on imperatives and fixed answers, readers are encouraged to experiment with and commit to sustained practices that can help them to live faithfully with important questions during unsettled times.

Focuses on the journey from darkness to light inherent in Lent.

By using an easily accessible liturgical format, the book provides a pathway for those who walk from Ash Wednesday to the empty tomb of Easter. Chapters begin with a prayer or poetic excerpt, followed by scripture for the day or week. A narrative then expands on the themes introduced by the prayer and scripture. Exercises following the narratives are simple—mostly collage exercises using differing techniques—and are accessible to a wide audience. Soul Questions guide the spiritual exercise following the narrative, and Thoughts for the Journey, complete each chapter with suggestions for further reflection.

Religious talk quickly degenerates into insider talk, but what if we turned it back out?

Episcopal Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves takes six words related to Christian faith and translates them so they speak more broadly to those who proclaim themselves “spiritual but not religious.” Tying together Jesus’ parables and life today, this engaging title promises to help non-Christians explore faith and spiritual practice and train Christians to speak clearly about the things that matter most.

Practical ideas for connecting and building communities of service.

Bishop Andy Doyle understands that the church must change. Every day, he presides over parishes that are no longer vital, that have not adapted to the “VUCA” (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world of today — the world in which the church exists. The church still looks to hierarchies when it needs to build networks, and stays mired in arguments when it needs to find unity. With the experience of a bishop and the insight of a deep learner, Doyle points the way to the future with a vision for how we can learn, serve, and communicate with each other.

One of the first books of its kind addressing how young adults are living in an intentional community in the Episcopal Church.
Young adults (18-30) are searching for a church that demands their involvement, whether it is in mission, worship, theology, or daily life. They want a church that is relevant and offers a vision of the Divine. This book places the church in context with consumerism, freedom of choice, war and terror, and the impact of technology now dominating the worldview of young adults. Drawing upon the proven success at St. Hilda s House in New Haven, CT, this book provides stories and narratives from young adult interns, who are involved in its mission and ministry."

We set great store by activity and busy-ness. We want to be 'in control'. We value what we 'do' more than who we are. So when we become ill, or retire from work, or suffer an enforced period of inactivity, our self-esteem is threatened. We evade, repudiate, or resent experiences of passivity, of waiting.

This classic of spiritual writing transforms our understanding of the experiences of illness, or of being out of work, or feeling inactive and powerless. W. H. Vanstone shows us the unquestioned and impressive majesty of Jesus as he 'waits' before those who accuse him, waits before those who taunt him and, finally, waits before even those who crucify him. It is in his passivity and 'passion', when we have things done to us instead of doing things, the times when we simply wait, are as important as the times of action and taking charge.

New ways to heal the spirit during the most challenging times.

Traci Rhoades, author of Not All Who Wander (Spiritually) Are Lost, continues to find profound beauty and endless insights in her spiritual wanderings among church traditions. In this new book, Rhoades encourages readers to explore practices – some ancient and others unconventional – that offer solace for those times when ‘the bottom drops out.’

Sharing what she’s learned about God, Rhoades shakes off the limits of denominational boundaries, making this book particularly valuable for younger Christians or those who are longing to take a deeper dive into their faith.

Creatively express your faith with designing and crafting colorful banners for your church.

Betty Wolfe’s classic manual covers all the essential steps and information needed for quick and easy church banner construction, including 49 patterns, complete instructions, and tips for designing your own patterns.

Worship spaces can be enlivened using colorful banners that anyone can construct. This colorful and clear introduction to making banners provides advice on fabrics, design, colors, and construction for banners of all types and sizes. Determining banner size and shape, creating and placing letters and symbols, using color and contrast effectively, and picking fabrics and stitching options, and more are all included in this comprehensive volume.

Regardless of their skill level, readers can learn how and where to place words and use symbols, choose colors, and make basic arrangements. The book includes idea starters, helpful design solutions, and easy reference sections on appliqués, stitchery and gluing, fabrics, tassels, tabs, bells, finishings, and mountings. It also lists information on tools and materials, and how to enlarge or adapt patterns.

Patterns for seasonal, special event, and regular use can keep the church freshly decorated all year round.

The story of the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes it brought into our homes, schedules, and social lives, with journal pages to record your own memories.

Children and adults alike will be processing the shock, loss, and disappointment of the COVID-19 pandemic for years to come. This beautiful keepsake picture book captures the joys and sorrows of this time and the underlying message to readers is that they can make it through difficulty.

The illustrations celebrate love, family, and community as they were expressed all across the globe in a time that taught us the meaning of togetherness. It also includes journal pages to record your own memories about this unique and historic time and the effect it has had on your own life.

Provides both practical and theological perspectives on using media appropriately and pastorally.

Rapid cultural and technological changes through the last two decades have changed the context for ministry. The development of digital social media and advances in affordable, mobile technologies have dramatically changed the way most people interact with others, communicate, organize, and participate in communities.

The Digital Cathedral is a warm embrace of the rich traditions of Christianity, especially the recovery of the pre-modern sense of cathedral, which encompassed the depth and breadth of daily life within the physical and imaginative landscape of the church. It is for anyone who seeks to effectively minister in a digitally-integrated world, and who wishes to embody the networked, relational, and incarnational characteristics of that ministry.

How do we practice reconciliation in a world full of violence? How do we love someone at work who seems hell-bent on sabotaging a successful career? And how do religious people resolve differences when religious interpretations seem to lead to righteous indignation rather than reconciliation?

We practice reconciliation, according to Michael Battle, by affirming that God is present and acting on that belief, even in the midst of something that looks more like the devil's work. Battle, who worked with Desmond Tutu in South Africa in the past, draws on his knowledge of biblical texts, as well as contemporary scholarship, to examine the ways in which each of us can practice being reconciling people.

How can Paul rejoice when he’s got nothing to rejoice about? How can he talk about joy when he’s in prison?

This book listens to him as he writes to his friends in Philippi, to attempt to understand the experience of joy that more than mere emotion. Paul highlights four reasons why joy fills his heart: because of the Gospel partnership he shares with his friends in Philippi; because of the unity that they experience in Christ; because of their confidence in Jesus; and because God has given them peace beyond understanding. These themes correspond with the four chapters of the letter, and form the organizing principle of this book.

A clear-eyed exploration of Celtic spirituality that enriches the Christian experience.

Every Earthly Blessing delves into the rich, earthy Celtic heritage and traditions to bring lyricism and charm to Christian worship. It presents the reader with scholarly research and context, along with beautiful Celtic poetry and songs. The topics Esther de Waal explores include monasticism, pilgrimages, creation and healing, sin and sorrow, and salvation, in the previously mystical and romanticized backdrop of Celtic Christianity.

“Esther de Waal writes with perceptive insight about the beauty and richness of the Celtic Christian world, especially its poetic tradition, but without romanticizing it. Every Earthly Blessing remains one of the best books in its field.”—Cintra Pemberton, O.S.H., author of Soulfaring: Celtic Pilgrimages Then and Now

Talking about money in a personal way remains more of a taboo than sex or politics. This seems odd within a Christian context, since Jesus addressed topics of money, poverty, and wealth more than any other concerns. For many, money becomes an idol; we see it in our own culture as we pursue economic growth no matter the cost to the overall well-being of God’s creation. When that happens, “enough” is always more than we have right now, and scarcity becomes the lens through which we see the world.

On a personal level, this book opens up issues of scarcity and abundance, idolatry and freedom; on a societal level, it invites exploration of greater equity and sustainability. On both levels, it empowers individuals and groups to apply their faith’s values in practical ways while taking pastoral and prophetic stances. The author suggests we need to experience the nurturing companionship of a wise, compassionate pastor or spiritual guide in our relationship to money, while also needing to experience the power, strength, anger, and call to repentance of an Old Testament prophet.

People want to connect their values with everyday concerns, while discovering ways to make a positive difference. This book helps them do both.

Includes a comprehensive study guide within the book for groups and individuals.

Contributors include: Henri Nouwen, Dave Barry, Walter Brueggemann, David Boyle, Lynne Twist, Lewis Hyde, William Stringfellow,John Haughey, Ched Myers, Bill McKibben, Sallie McFague, William Greider, Leonardo Boff, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Maria Harris, Rich Lang, Wayne Muller, Sharon Parks, Rodney Clapp, Ted Nace, Lester Brown, Pete Barnes,Andy Loving, Edgar Cahn, Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist, Susan Wilkes, Jim Klobuchar

The title of the book, Abba, is the term used in more than one place in the New Testament for addressing God as Father and it is with the ‘Our Father’ prayer that these meditations are concerned. At first sight it might be thought impossible to say anything fresh on something so familiar to all Christians as the Lord’s Prayer. Yet the inexhaustible depths of meaning to be found in it may, by the very fact of familiarity, all too easily escape notice and understanding.

Bringing comfort and concern to the bedside of the sick or dying is a challenge for lay people and clergy alike. In this practical guide, Neville Kirkwood shares his wisdom–gleaned from some twenty years of experience as a hospital chaplain–on the art of hospital visitation.

This classic handbook is now updated, with an all-new section addressing best practices for hospital chaplains. Pastoral Care in Hospitals, with additional sections addressed to clergy and trained lay pastoral workers, as well as ordinary lay people who simply want to visit their fellow-parishioners, shows visitors ways to make the encounter meaningful and enriching to the patient. Kirkwood guides readers through the minefield of hospital visits–from false heartiness to too much talking–and offers a theology of visitation that can guide both professionals and laity in their ministry.

A variety of exercises and a section of prayers for specific circumstances make this a must-have resource for all who work with the sick and dying, and an excellent text for course work.

With the increased interest in the practice of spiritual direction, both from people feeling called to be spiritual directors, and from those seeking direction, this books addresses the need to train the supervisors of spiritual directors.

This collection of essays is one of the first books in the field that help with the training of supervisors. Written by spiritual directors who have years of experience in supervision between them, this book engages some of the leading voices in the field in an exploration of a wide variety of issues, including: gender and sexuality; ethical dilemmas; working with diverse racial ethnic constituents; working with the differently abled; the parameters of supervision; the supervision of beginning directors, and more.

An excellent textbook for those who feel called to the role of supervisor, as well as an important book for those who are already practicing in the field.

A fresh voice in the Episcopal Church addresses traditionally un-Episcopal questions that Episcopalians (and Christians in general) are asking today

New Clothes speaks to two very specific challenges we face at this unique time in the life of the church. It would seem we are equally ineffective at transforming the lives of the “un-churched” world as we are the established, declining “churched” world. Whereas one group is altogether unfamiliar with the Gospel, many sleepy pew sitters have become overly familiar with it! And both cases leave people stuck.

This book lays out the orthodox Christian message of hope in a way that speaks to each group. Using modern psychological and biblical knowledge to refresh historic Christian doctrines, including those of creation, sin, atonement, spiritual rebirth, and resurrection, it offers a springboard into practical measures we can take now to enter this story so that we might be transformed. It is the book the church needs as we re-imagine Christian life in the 21st century.

A classic on the Christian practice of spiritual direction.Leech's scholarly, yet accessible, exploration examines the climate in which spiritual direction takes place today-the influence of the drug culture of the 1960's, Eastern influences on prayer and spiritual practice, the Pentecostal movement, and others. He provides background on the history of spiritual direction, both Protestant and Catholic, from the earliest Church through the twentieth century. Leech also explores other questions of interest to directors and those seeking out direction: the relationship between counseling and direction; the practice of prayer in Christian spiritual tradition; and the prophetic role of the spiritual director, not just for the individual but for the larger society. An excellent course book, and a fascinating book for those contemplating direction, Soul Friend will continue to be a classic for years to come.

Much has been written about the practice of one-to-one spiritual directions, but much less about small group communities that offer in-depth mutual spiritual support and guidance to its members. But small groups are most likely the more usual setting for spiritual companionship and have strong biblical, theological and historical foundation in the Christian tradition.

This book offers a detailed presentation of ten small group models, plus guidance in group leadership dynamics. It also presents material related to group retreat work, spiritual guidance with organizations and peer supervision/consultation model for supporting leaders of spiritual companionship groups and retreats.

Church leaders, spiritual directors and educators are looking for the kinds of resources this book provides to assist them in understanding and leading groups and retreats.

An interfaith collection of prayers, blessings, and poems offering comfort and hope to the healthcare workers that give so much.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left few of us unaffected, but our healthcare workers have borne the brunt of its impact. Chaplains and clergy across all lines of faith have ministered to those caregivers through prayers and blessings.

This curated collection of interfaith prayers, blessings, and poems was written by those who minister to healthcare workers. It’s a beautiful resource that those who work on our medical front lines can carry with them or keep at their workstations for daily inspiration. It can also be used by chaplains and pastors who offer support to medical personnel.

Many of the prayers were written to meet specific needs during the pandemic, yet they speak to the shared grief and hope we all have carried as we continue to navigate this extraordinary time. Contributors include The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Rev. Barbara Crafton, Catherine Meeks, Jennifer Grant, Rev. Ineda Pearl Adesanya, and Rev. Gayle Fisher-Stewart.

Help children understand the sacrament of Baptism with this scrapbook record of the day they were welcomed into the Church. An introduction for elementary school children, along with pages for photographs, prayers, and memories, make this an excellent gift for your child and a helpful teaching tool.

A short guidebook on what it means to be a Christian investing time, talent, and treasure for the body of Christ.

The Rev. Dr. John H. Westerhoff challenges Christians to move beyond the quest for material possessions by embarking on a life of simplicity that begins with an inward journey. An exploration of how to fulfill the baptismal covenant by giving generously from the heart to achieve a deeper relationship with God.

“My aim is to provide a resource for you to grow personally and to use in in the development of a program of stewardship in your congregation.”—from the introduction.

As we meet Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospel narratives, we come face-to-face with our own deepest selves.

Finding Jesus, Discovering Self invites readers to see Jesus with new eyes and then explore, know, experience, and live questions about how 2000-year-old stories and events happen in the world and in our lives today. Each chapter focuses upon a passage from the Gospels. A narrative by one of the authors recalls a personal experience reflecting the ancient text. Questions to which there are no "right" answers offer multi-dimensional opportunities to explore the stories and wonder. Contemporary poetry and prose open new doors to meeting Jesus as a first century Jew and discovering creative, compelling, and challenging possibilities for one's own story, self, and relationship to God.

Written by a Jewish author and an Episcopal priest, Finding Jesus, Discovering Self is a perfect volume for personal reflection or group study, and a unique resource for the Lenten season.

Using the image of the traditional practice of “beating the bounds” of the parish, this book contrasts the desire to mark boundaries with God’s call to explore boundaries in order to open them. Building on visits to nine Episcopal and Church of England congregations, Spicer explores how they are opening the boundaries between inherited expressions of church and the unique contexts in which they find themselves. He argues that to beat the boundaries around their current expressions of church, congregations should (1) name a missional identity common to both their past expressions of congregational life and the church they hear God calling them to become; (2) identify whom they’re seeking to reach in the community and how they intend to do so; (3) identify what sort of new church expression God is calling them to create; (4) empower a missional leader and plan for governance issues their work may raise; and (5) collaboratively identify how to define success and how to understand what might be seen as failure in terms of common church metrics.

An exploration of what it means to be in the “image of God,” using the Bible and ancient texts.

What does it mean to be made in the “image and likeness” of God? That’s the first-and defining—characteristic of our humanity, celebrated in the opening pages of the Bible. Western Christian tradition, however, has often led us to think of the body and soul as a separate element, with the soul good and the body evil. This profound and challenging book clears away centuries of misunderstanding and shame that have damaged the way we see ourselves—and the way we see God.

Author J. Philip Newell, acclaimed for his work on Celtic spirituality, goes back to our spiritual roots in the bible, and in mystical Celtic and Jewish writings, to weave together a deeper, more complete understanding of our bodies as an outward expression our spiritual selves.

A valuable resource for enhancing liturgical understanding.

What is the point of the Lectionary? What are the problems and opportunities that it presents to those who use it? What are its strengths and weaknesses as an aid to worship? How can it be used and communicated most effectively today? These are among the key questions Thomas O'Loughlin addresses in this stimulating and much needed liturgical guide to the design, history, theology, and purposes of the Lectionary.

Finding God in the diversity of races, cultures, and creeds that make up our neighborhoods and cities, our country and our world, is one of the most important tasks for people of faith today. Seeing God in Diversity: Exodus and Acts, takes that task seriously. Here readers will find a parish study resource that promotes tolerance, diversity, and inclusiveness by looking at two biblical stories from multiple points of view: the story of the returning Jews in the Book of Exodus and the story of the new Christian community in the Book of Acts.

The lessons of these ancient communities - and the way they dealt with many of the issues we face today - lead readers to put themselves in the place of each group and re-examine their faith and work for greater inclusiveness in their own communities. Lessons are arranged as six two-hour sessions, and include background commentary for study leaders, readings, activities, and discussion questions.

Is belief in the Nicene and Apostles Creeds required to be a Christian? Does science support or diminish belief in the divine? How does one live Jesus' way in the world?

A careful study of Jesus shows that his intended legacy for us was not a set of propositional beliefs, but a way for being in the world, a way that opens us to the extraordinary opportunity of the present, a way that can convert our hurried, anxious lives into something luminous.

Our obsession with "what to believe" misses the primary message of the Bible, says McQuiston, who illustrates that the paramount message of Jesus, and even the Hebrew Scriptures, is not about what stories to believe, but how to live.

Truly a practical guide to hospital visitation and a useful resource for the experienced pastor or concerned lay visitor.––The Clergy Journal

Hospital visitation is a vital part of any church’s ministry. Written for the divinity student, the beginning or experienced pastor, and the lay person, this helpful handbook offers comprehensive guidance on many important aspects of pastoral care of the hospitalized.

Valuable advice and practical information on how to understand the hospital structure, gain access to its systems, and establish rapport with the staff.

• General explanation of hospital protocol and etiquette.
• Discussion on the emotional aspects of illness and the opportunity for spiritual inquiry.
• Resources for prayers, scripture readings, and sacraments.
• Detailed information on the needs of specific patient types, including children, adolescents, substance abuse, AIDS, psychiatric, and the terminally ill.
• Glossary of medical terms.

Bill Williams claims he was born with a “spine in the shape of a question mark.” The question “why?” has haunted him ever since his two siblings died of cystic fibrosis while he wrestled with the disease. Naked Before God: The Return of a Broken Disciple chronicles Williams’ quest to find the answer. His poetic prose, the sharpness of his wit, and the profound nature of his struggle will leave you alternating between tears of sorrow, periods of laughter, and moments of breathtaking insight.

Young people desperately seek to develop an inner core that will not only rescue them in times of distress, but also help them to define and shape moral convictions, passions, and interests in building a better world. To find this inner coherence, they turn to their parents and teachers — the adults who are supposed to know them better than they know themselves. But these same adults are often driven and desperate to stay young, and are unclear how to achieve the wisdom and maturity of an elder to put the needs of their children and students above their own.

Young people do not want us to become part of “their” world, according to author Dan Heischman, but they invite us — and need us — to be different… to be adults, for them.

This book will help adults understand what young people are searching for, describe how to have a lasting impact on your children’s or student’s development, teach credible models of adulthood, and guide adults towards achieving the passion and wisdom for spiritual mentorship.

Drawing on thirty years of experience with parents, teachers, and students, the author uses stories and sound principles not so much to help bridge the generation gap, but to use the natural difference in maturity as a basis and guideline for more effective communication and connection.

"We do not create prayer,” writes Kenneth Leech, “but merely prepare the ground and clear away obstacles. Prayer is always a gift, a grace, the flame which ignites wood; the Holy Spirit gives prayer.”

Downtown Monks tells the story of the challenges facing a community of Benedictine monks in their ministry of running a boys’ school amid the gritty realities of inner-city life in Newark, New Jersey. Father Holtz’s story remains an inspiration for readers and also serves as a model for
Christian living and discernment using Benedictine disciplines.

Contemporary, real-world prayer book for levelling up faith and getting closer to God.

For thousands of years men and women found meaning and a deep sense of belonging though faith in God. But today, traditional images of God (as an all-powerful father figure) and much standard prayer and worship language are no longer plausible for many believers. Yet the hunger to know - and communicate with - the Sacred in some form remains strong.

In this unique prayer book John McQuiston, bestselling author of Always We Begin Again, provides morning and evening devotions for two weeks, plus complete Morning and Evening Prayer services, along with a Service of Commemoration for Our Union. All use a language for and about God that reflects contemporary understandings of God and God's actions in the universe. This pocket-sized devotional is an excellent resource for individuals and congregations who are seeking to worship in a language that acknowledges today's realities and theology.

A modern interpretation the Rule of St. Benedict to infuse Christian spirituality to all aspects of our daily lives

These simple and inviting reflections on the Rule of St. Benedict take as their starting point our search for wholeness in a world that is fragmented and increasingly polarized. Many people today struggle to balance the demands of professional and personal lives, and find little satisfaction or peacefulness in either. Yet the ancient wisdom of St. Benedict offers a clear and helpful pathway that leads directly to healing, transformation and new life.

Written in de Waal's inimitable style, this book is for old friends of the Rule of St. Benedict and novices alike. Holding up segments of the Rule, de Waal's meditations on Benedict's words illuminate the wisdom of the Rule not only for those of Benedict's time, but for all of us today as well.

While there is truth in the idea that our past shapes our future, the gospel is all about the counter-intuitive promise that God is shaping us right now toward God's vision of who we will become. It is not our past that makes us into the image of God; God's redeeming love does that. In God, who we are not yet is shaping who we become.

Appealing to anyone drawn to a deeper understanding of their own story and a richer sense of God’s transforming presence, this book will have special resonance for people at turning points in their lives. Career changes, loss of a loved one, graduation, illness, divorce, birth of a child, entering middle or later years: Life is filled with turning points at which we feel compelled to tell our story in a new and different way. Each chapter focuses on a gospel passage, leading to a reflection on a significant point in the author's life which uncovers deeper and more personal meaning in the biblical text. Questions conclude each chapter, engaging readers to look at their own lives—good and bad—and find God, experiencing the joy, surprise, and healing of God's future rewriting the past.

A foundational volume for seekers in formation programs and a “refresher” study volume for individuals and congregational study groups.

We live in a world increasingly separated from the Christian tradition and the basic understanding of the faith that previous ages might have taken for granted. The voices of faith seem increasingly strident and off-putting to many. There is a need for a calmer, basic introduction to faith that recognizes the value of doubt and the questions raised in a secular society.

A systematic introduction to Christianity for newcomers needs to begin with a discussion of faith itself and then move on to a discussion of such Christian basics as God, Trinity, Church, sin, atonement, prayer, and Christian living.

I pray in poems explores the intersection of great works of poetry and Christian faith, offering meditations on what these works illustrate about Christian living. Readers will encounter authors as diverse as William Shakespeare, T.S. Eliot, Rumi, Mary Oliver, and Anna Kamienska. Each poem is followed by an analytical reflection that explores the work and places it within the context of one or more Biblical passages. These meditations will assist the reader in understanding and appreciating the poetry, and will also offer insightful, perhaps even inspiring, thoughts on what it means to live a life in faith.

Faithful Neighbors outlines an introduction to the rationale for interfaith work through both theological and practical viewpoints, using stories from real experiences of interfaith cooperation to offer encouragement, inspiration, and practical steps to do the same.

The book has eight chapters in three main sections. Section one provides a Christian and Muslim rationale for engaging with the Other. Section two outlines stories of those involved in interfaith work in a series of contexts: academic research, intercultural, pastoral care, youth work, and peace work. The concluding section details recommendations and resources for best practice. Faithful Neighbors exhorts both Muslims and Christians to be faithful neighbors drawing on their traditions and real life practice for the sake of life-giving community.

Social media has ushered in a dramatic global shift in the nature of faith, social consciousness, and relationships. How do churches navigate the Digital Reformation?

Tweet If You Heart Jesus brings the wisdom of ancient and medieval Christianity into conversation with contemporary theories of cultural change and the realities of social media, all to help churches navigate a landscape where faith, leadership, and community have taken on new meanings.

A modern approach to spiritual deepening using the ancient, but wise Rule of St. Benedict.

The Rule of St. Benedict continues to attract those who seek to live a deeper life, connected to Christ. But with such an ancient text, how can we authentically engage St. Benedict’s Rule in a manner that is true to its profound insights—and to our own spiritual journey? Norvene Vest suggests that the answer lies in the way we read the Rule. “It shouldn’t be studied like a book of regulations, or a school textbook. It should be read as lectio divina.”

This profound yet very practical volume speaks to our urgent spiritual need. People yearn for an interior life deeply rooted in God, humanly balanced, and substantially founded in the Christian heritage. Vest offers a valuable resource by rendering much more accessible the spiritual wealth of the key text of the ancient Benedictine charism. Here is the solid, balanced wisdom that has nourished and guided innumerable Christians for nearly fifteen centuries.

"Ehrlich’s insightful self-help guide will resonate with Christians wishing to streamline an overstuffed life."—Publishers Weekly

Logically, we all know our purpose in life is not wrapped up in accumulating possessions, wealth, power, and prestige—Jesus is very clear about that—but society tells us otherwise. Christian Minimalism attempts to cut through our assumptions and society’s lies about what life should look like and invites readers into a life that Jesus calls us to live: one lived intentionally, free of physical, spiritual, and emotional clutter.

Written by a woman who simplified her own life and practices these principles daily, this book gives readers a fresh perspective on how to live out God’s grace for us in new and exciting ways and live out our faith in a way that is deeply satisfying.

Pilgrimage-going to ancient holy sites in search of God-has become increasingly popular for people seeking to deepen their relationship with the Holy.

Sister Cintra Pemberton seeks to enrich the experiences of today's pilgrims by helping them draw on the history of pilgrimage itself, as well as by suggesting particularly rich sites to visit. Part One of Soulfaring explores the history of pilgrimage, beginning in Celtic times, and moving through the early Christian period, the Middle Ages, and even the revival of pilgrimage today. Part Two explores fifteen sites in Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. Each of the descriptions of the various sites includes not only suggestions of what may be seen there, but the author's personal meditations on the experience of the Holy in each place.

Everybody figures it out sooner or later: Even in a Botox world that promises eternal youth, some things—from aches and pains to wrinkles, from menopause to the empty nest—you just have to live with. But despite the challenges, those who are reaching middle age—yesterday’s Baby Boomers—might not want to turn back the clock. Instead, as their bodies change and their priorities shift, they’re looking to cull wisdom from their experience and find spiritual meaning in their re-examined lives.

In Some Things You Just Have to Live With, author Barbara Cawthorne Crafton explores the “spilled milk” of our lives, the physical changes our bodies endure, and the new and energizing purpose we can discover by plunging into the middle of life in a deeper—and sometimes mystifying—relationship with God. A wonderful storyteller, Crafton writes with humor and pathos rather than a heavy hand, allowing readers to see themselves and their own lives in the unfolding pages.

Some Things You Just Have to Live With is a source of inspiration—and smiles—to those navigating the turbulent waters of the middle of life.

Meditations for each day of Advent and Christmas, based on the well-loved hymns of Charles Wesley, Anglican priest and co-founder of Methodism.

Each daily meditation, keyed to the scripture reading for the day and to portions of Wesley's texts, concludes with a brief prayer based on the day's theme. Reflective material on the hymns place Wesley in the rich soil of his Anglican heritage. Daily readings, including all of these materials, are between 500-600 words in length.

This classic book on sewing linens for the church explains the materials and equipment needed, a variety of hemming options, special instructions on the small linens such as purificators and palls, working with fair linens, white work embroidery, and caring for church linens. New to this edition are directions for rolled hems, chalice veils, more specific directions and an improved worksheet for planning shrinkage, special advice specifically for beginners, an updated “Sources and Resources” section, and new patterns.

This practical handbook for homes and church communities helps to enrich the Christian celebration of Advent through the creation and use of an Advent calendar. Written for people of all skill levels, Baumgarten provides instructions for a calendar made of paper or junk mail, a no-sew felt version, and a fabric version for more advanced sewers.

Teach Us To Number Our Days, however, is more than a simple crafts' book. Baumgarten provides readers with a brief history of the development of Advent in the Christian calendar, as well as detailed explanations of the various Christian symbols that can be used during the season. Paying attention to both the Old and New Testament symbols, as well as the Sundays of Advent and the Great 'O' Antiphons from December 17-23, this book is a complete guide to Advent for individuals, families, and churches.

Ecumenical examination of immigration issues drawn from engaging, first-person narratives.

A group of bishops (Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, and United Methodist), all based along the US-Mexico border, found common ground to jointly address some key immigration issues, especially those being played out in the state of Arizona. The bishops worked together on behalf of local immigrant populations to address theological and pastoral concerns—and prayed for those whose lives were being directly affected. This book grows out of their shared work and the relationships that developed among them.

In his thirteen years as Vicar, popular author David Adam welcomed over 1 million pilgrims to the Holy Island of Lindesfarne in Northumberland. Each pilgrim had a story to tell and each came for a different reason. Some radiated a sense of God's presence, and others were simply too hurried to do anything but look around quickly and move on to the next site.

Using the stories of pilgrims Adam encountered on Holy Island, he explores how we can approach our own lives as pilgrimage, without ever leaving the comfort of our homes. How can we move beyond what is safe in our world and encounter the Mystery? How can we learn to disconnect from all the technology that keeps us multi-tasking all day and all night? How can we rediscover awe in the world around us?

In the wonderful prose and poetry for which he is so well-loved, David Adam helps us get on the road of life, even when we don't have time to travel to distant lands.

A brief history of the simple, but powerful design of the cross, with more than 20 patterns for appliqué.

Throughout the ages many cultures have developed their own designs to depict the cross. A symbol of both suffering and victory, the cross can be used to create a powerful, meaningful image on functional and decorative pieces in the church, home and office. In Crosses of Many Cultures, Joyce Mori provides historical explanations along with easy-to-understand instructions and line drawings for over twenty international cross designs for appliqué. Writing for the beginner and intermediate levels, Mori explains several appliqué techniques, from hand and machine sewing methods to no-sewing techniques. The versatility of these designs is evident in the wide array of suggested projects which include wall quilts, banners, church linens and vestments, table runners, place mats, apron fronts, and door-toppers.

The Anglican Communion is said to be coming apart at the seams. But is that really true? Thisbook challenges that tired narrative of Anglican disunity.

Jesse Zink has traveled tens of thousands of miles around the world, visiting and worshiping with Anglicans in some of the Communion’s most diverse provinces—Nigeria, the largest province ministering in an unstable political environment; South Sudan, at one point the fastest-growing church in the world, now rebuilding after devastating civil wars; England, the mother church of Anglicans, struggling to adjust to a new, secular age; South Africa, a church dealing with the legacy of entrenched discrimination and rapid social change.

The story Zink learns at the grassroots level of the church is far different from the one that dominates its highest levels. He shows that when conversations about power, history, and sexuality are undertaken in a spirit of mutuality and trust, they can strengthen, not weaken, the Anglican Communion. The result is a book that presents vivid slices of Anglican life around the world, argues convincingly that unity is central to the Communion’s mission, and presents a credible path to achieving that unity in a global church. It is a book that will be sure to shape coming debates about the future of the Anglican Communion.

A scholarly review of early Christian history and its policies against heresy and lessons for today’s church leaders and reformers

Ancient heresies have modern expressions that influence our churches and culture, creating cruel dilemmas for today’s Christian in the form of error, sin, and various distortions on orthodox faith. In The Cruelty of Heresy, Bishop C. FitzSimons Allison captures the drama and relevance of the Councils of the fourth and fifth centuries and shows how the remarkable achievements of these early struggles provide valuable guidelines for believers today.

“Bishop Allison has combined a lifetime of scholarship and pastoral experience in this remarkable, readable work. . . . He vividly describes how the two human tendencies toward self-centeredness and escape from the difficulties of life—both very popular today—always distort the gospel. . . . Invaluable reading for any minister of the gospel, those who are preparing for Christian ministry, and all who seek a deeper understanding of authentic Christian orthodoxy.”—Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Chicago (1982–1996)