Uncategorized Archives - John Calvin Presbyterian Church

Women’s History Month Recommended Reading list

Posted on Mar 14, 2024 in Uncategorized |

Women’s History Month Reading List

1. In Our Own Voices: Four Centuries of American Women’s Religious Writing By Rosemary Skinner Keller and Rosemary Radford Ruether (PCUSA STORE)

Drawing from primary source documents such as diaries, letters, speeches, sermons, essays, and books from seventeenth-century colonial settlements in North America to today, this volume recovers the contributions of women to American religion. With its breadth and richness of sources it will be of interest and use to feminists, church historians, and students.

2. “You Have Stept out of Your Place”: A History of Women and Religion in America By Susan Hill Lindley (PCUSA STORE)

Women throughout American history have repeatedly been accused of “stepping out of their places” as many have fought for more rewarding roles in the church and society. In this book, Susan Hill Lindley demonstrates that just as religion in the traditional sense has influenced the lives of American women through its institutions, values, and sanctions, so women themselves have had a significant effect on the shape of American religion through the years.

3. The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth by Beth Allison Barr

Biblical womanhood–the belief that God designed women to be submissive wives, virtuous mothers, and joyful homemakers–pervades North American Christianity. From choices about careers to roles in local churches to relationship dynamics, this belief shapes the everyday lives of evangelical women. Yet biblical womanhood isn’t biblical, says Baylor University historian Beth Allison Barr. It arose from a series of clearly definable historical moments.

This book moves the conversation about biblical womanhood beyond Greek grammar and into the realm of church history–ancient, medieval, and modern–to show that this belief is not divinely ordained but a product of human civilization that continues to creep into the church. Barr’s historical insights provide context for contemporary teachings about women’s roles in the church and help move the conversation forward.

Interweaving her story as a Baptist pastor’s wife, Barr sheds light on the #ChurchToo movement and abuse scandals in Southern Baptist circles and the broader evangelical world, helping readers understand why biblical womanhood is more about human power structures than the message of Christ.

4. Clothed with the Sun: Biblical Women, Social Justice and Us by Joyce Hollyday (PCUSA STORE)

The Bible holds a great treasure of amazing women. They are judges and prophets, caregivers and teachers, prominent matriarchs of large clans or quiet disciples, women who suffered alone or sang joyous praises to God amid the crowds. Their stories come alive in these pages as they are interwoven with the lives of modern women, bound together by common threads of strength and courage in the face of vulnerability and violation. From Eve to Revelation’s woman clothed with the sun–from the first creative impulse to the close of time–female energy has been and will continue to be a river of life and wisdom, of dignity and hope.

5. A Year of Biblical Womanhood: How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting on Her Roof, Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband ‘Master’ by Racheal Held Evans

Have you ever wondered what God truly expects of women? Is there really a prescription for biblical womanhood? Does the Bible’s idea of womanhood have a place in modern Christianity? New York Times bestselling author Rachel Held Evans embarks on a year-long study of what it means to live by the standards of biblical womanhood.

Strong-willed and independent, Evans couldn’t sew a button on a blouse before she embarked on a radical life experiment–a year of biblical womanhood. Intrigued by the traditionalist resurgence that led many of her friends to abandon their careers to assume traditional gender roles in the home, Evans decided to try it for herself, vowing to take all of the Bible’s instructions for women as literally as possible for a full year.

Along the way, Evans explores the rich heritage of scriptural heroines, models of grace, and all-around women of valor that we come to know in the Bible. She consults with women who practice these ancient biblical mandates in their own lives–from an Orthodox Jewish woman who changed the way Evans reads the Bible to an Amish community that taught her the true meaning of modesty.

In A Year of Biblical Womanhood, Evans shares her courageous and often humorous journey of:

exploring what a “woman’s place” is according to the Scriptures
applying the Bible’s teachings to day-to-day life, sometimes to literal extremes
focusing on virtues like domesticity, obedience, beauty, submission, and grace
developing a “Biblical Woman’s Ten Commandments” to serve as a guide for daily living

Join Evans as she dives deep into the lives of the women we meet in Scripture and redefines what it means to live biblically.

Other Books not on the Main list

1. Resist and Persist: Faith and the Fight for Equality by Erin Wathen

We are in the age of double standards and impossible expectations; a never-die patriarchy that is sanctioned by every institution: capitalism, government, and even—maybe especially—the church itself. We need to change the conversation.

Pastor and author Erin Wathen provides a new language of resistance that can free women and men from the pernicious power of patriarchy. This is a book for a new generation of feminists who have more opportunity than our mothers and grandmothers ever dreamed of. It is also for all the women who have never felt they had a place in this fight. The work of equality must include women of every age and ethnicity, as well as men who will be allies, advocates, and partners for the journey.

But even more than that, if women are ever going to be fully free and equal in modern culture, it is going to take the voice of the church calling loudly for that equality. The language and stories of our faith point to an ethic of justice, inclusion, and empowerment. Without women’s voices fully heard, we cannot be faithful to that gospel calling. Resist and Persist is a conversation in the direction of change.

Perfect for group study, there are questions for reflection and discussion at the end of each of the ten chapters.

2. Just Wives? Stories of Power and Survival in the Old Testament and Today by Katharine Doob Sakenfeld (PCUSA STORE)

Giving astute attention to social worlds of women of both ancient and modern times, Katharine Sakenfeld explores the stories of eleven women in the Old Testament. In clear and engaging fashion, she reveals the complexity of these women’s lives, drawing out the issues they faced and relating their struggles to those women around the world face today. By encouraging women from across the world, in various cultures, to bring their own experiences to the biblical texts, and sharing the interpretation of some who already have, Sakenfeld allows her readers to see new possibilities for meaning in the Scriptures.

3. Paul and Gender: Reclaiming the Apostle’s Vision for Men and Women in Christ by Cynthia Long Westfall

Respected New Testament scholar Cynthia Long Westfall offers a coherent Pauline theology of gender, which includes fresh perspectives on the most controverted texts. Westfall interprets passages on women and men together and places those passages in the context of the Pauline corpus as a whole. She offers viable alternatives for some notorious interpretive problems in certain Pauline passages, reframing gender issues in a way that stimulates thinking, promotes discussion, and moves the conversation forward. As Westfall explores the significance of Paul’s teaching on both genders, she seeks to support and equip males and females to serve in their area of gifting.

4. What Jesus Learned from Women by James McGrath

Dehumanization has led to serious misinterpretation of the Gospels. On the one hand, Christians have often made Jesus so much more than human that it seemed inappropriate to ask about the influence other human beings had on him, male or female. On the other hand, women have been treated as less than fully human, their names omitted from stories and their voices and influence on Jesus neglected. When we ask the question this book does, what Jesus learned from women, puzzling questions that have frustrated readers of the Gospels throughout history suddenly find solutions. Weaving cutting edge biblical scholarship together with an element of historical fiction and a knack for writing for a general audience, James McGrath makes the stories of women in the New Testament come alive, and sheds fresh light on the figure of Jesus as well. This book is a must read for scholars, students, and anyone else interested in Jesus and/or in the role of ancient women in the context of their times.

Devotional Recommendations 2024

Posted on Feb 1, 2024 in Uncategorized |

The Upper Room Disciplines 2024: A Book of Daily Devotions

Based on the Revised Common Lectionary, a three-year cycle of Sunday scripture readings, Disciplines features a focal scripture passage for each day, short daily meditations from 53 thought leaders from diverse Christian traditions, a reflection or prayer to carry with you each day, weekly scripture overviews, an index of scripture readings, and a guide to daily prayer.

Gift and Task: A Year of Daily Readings and Reflections by Walter Brueggemann

The God whom we meet in Scripture is one who gives generous gifts in the wonder of creation, in the miracle of emancipation and reconciliation, and in the surprise of transformation. We are invited to receive those abundant gifts on a daily basis, with a posture of anticipation, awe, and gratitude. In response, we accept the worthy task of daily discipleship.

Gift and Task is an original collection of 365 devotions by best-selling author Walter Brueggemann, providing the opportunity to consider in critical ways the cost and joy of discipleship. Perfect for daily use, this book begins with the First Sunday of Advent and provides insightful reflection and thought-provoking commentary on the Scriptures for each day of the year. Brueggemann guides disciples with wisdom and encouragement for our never-ending walk along God’s challenging, grace-filled path throughout the Christian year.

The Wonder of Creation: 100 More Devotions About God and Science by Louie Giglio (Author), Tama Fortner Nicola Anderson (Illustrator)

Well-known for his powerful and highly visual messages about science and the Bible, Louie Giglio has a passion for inspiring kids to notice, enjoy, and marvel at God’s creation. In The Wonder of Creation, children will find new delight in God’s creativity with 100 devotions that explore:

animals—from honeyguide birds to flying snakes to white rhinos
space—from black holes to volcanic moons to gamma-ray bursts
people—from optical illusions to brain freezes to our immune systems
Earth—from rainbow rivers to blue lava to flowing glaciers
and much, much more!

With engaging illustrations and striking photography, this fun and informative book is ideal for children ages 6–10. Each of the 100 devotions features a scientific fact or an easy activity for exploring faith, a short Bible verse, and a closing prayer. As kids explore this awe-inspiring devotional, they’ll be amazed at the many wonders God has made!

On Earth as in Heaven: Daily Wisdom for Twenty-First Century Christians By: N. T. Wright

Modern pastors and their flocks have long considered N. T. Wright a role model for being a thoughtful Christian in today’s world. His bestselling books, including Simply Christian, Surprised by Hope, Simply Jesus, and After You Believe, have guided Christians in their belief and practice of the faith. Now, Christians can rely on his wisdom to guide them through each day of their lives with this thoughtful book of daily meditations, featuring short selections from his classic works.

With reflections on themes such as faith, mission, character, and God’s work in the world, these daily meditations will invigorate and uplift Christians in their search to live their faith authentically and biblically in today’s world.

Seeking Aliveness: Daily Reflections on a New Way to Experience and Practice the Christian Faith By Brian McLaren

“The quest for aliveness is the heartbeat that pulses through the Bible . . . It’s why we gather, celebrate, eat, abstain, attend, practice, sing, and contemplate.”

Based on his book We Make The Road By Walking, Brian D. McLaren presents a 52-week devotional to inspire and activate you in your spiritual journey. If you’re a seeker exploring Christianity, if you’re a long-term believer feeling downtrodden, if your faith seems to be a lot of talk without much practice, here you’ll find a reorientation from a fresh and healthy perspective.

Brian D. McLaren shows everything you need to explore what a difference an honest, living, growing faith can make in your life and in our world today. Through 52 weeks of thoughtful readings, SEEKING ALIVENESS gives an overview of the message of the whole Bible and guides you through a rich study of interactive learning and personal growth.

Reading Recommendations Lent and Easter Jan.

Posted on Feb 1, 2024 in Uncategorized |

1. Were You There?: Lenten Reflections on the Spirituals Luke Powery

Valuable not only for their sublime musical expression, the African American spirituals provide profound insights into the human condition and Christian life. Many spirituals focus on the climax of the Christian drama, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the ways in which those events bring about the liberation of God’s people.

In these devotions for the season of Lent, Luke A. Powery leads the reader through the spirituals as they confront the mystery of Christ’s atoning death and victory over the grave. Each selection includes the lyrics of the spiritual, a reflection by the author on the spiritual’s meaning, a Scripture verse related to that meaning, and a brief prayer.

2. Lent of Liberation Confronting the Legacy of American Slavery Cheri L. Mills

This Lenten devotional invites readers to learn more about the brutal institution of slavery and its impact on Black people in America and recognize how its evolution and legacy continue to harm their descendants in the United States today. Each of the forty devotions includes the testimony of a person who escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad, a Scripture passage, and a reflection connecting biblical and historical themes to challenge modern readers to work for liberation. Reflecting on Lenten themes of exodus, redemption, discipline, and repentance, readers, both Black and white, will be empowered for the work of racial justice.

3. Pause Spending Lent with the Psalms Elizabeth F. Caldwell

Pause: Spending Lent with the Psalms invites us to take up the spiritual practice of encountering, sinking into, and deeply engaging with one psalm each week during Lent and Holy Week.

The season of Lent encourages Christians to consider a different pace—one of slowing down, noticing, pausing—than what our dominant culture values. The invitation to pause with the Psalms begins on Ash Wednesday, starting with a mark of ashes on our foreheads that reminds us that in spite of our failures—things we have done or failed to do—we belong to God. Readers are then guided into an exploration of Psalm 51 and the theme of a clean heart. Each chapter helps readers to connect an image drawn from that psalm, such as paths, faces, blessing, tables, waiting, thanksgiving, listening, being alone or abandoned, and hands, with their own lives. At the close of each chapter, readers are invited to try a different prayer practice to help them continue to reflect on the theme and psalm each day. This intentional engagement—without feeling burdensome—opens just enough space and time for a creative spiritual practice to flourish, sustaining the life of faith during the Lenten season in ways that can make a difference in God’s world.

Reflection and discussion questions are included with each chapter and the book includes a leader’s guide at the end for study groups.

4. A Way other than Our Own Devotions for Lent Walter Brueggemann

Lent recalls times of wilderness and wandering, from newly freed Hebrew slaves in exile to Jesus’ temptation in the desert. God has always called people out of their safe, walled cities into uncomfortable places, revealing paths they would never have chosen. Despite our culture of self-indulgence, we too are called to walk an alternative path-one of humility, justice, and peace. Walter Brueggemann’s thought-provoking reflections for the season of Lent invite us to consider the challenging, beautiful life that comes with walking the way of grace.

Reading Recommendations February

Posted on Feb 1, 2024 in Uncategorized |

1. No Innocent Bystanders: Becoming an Ally in the Struggle for Justice by Shannon Craigo-Snell and Christopher J. Doucot

The struggle for justice is ongoing. In answering the biblical call to act justly and love mercifully, can Christians cross lines of privilege to walk humbly not only with God but with their marginalized neighbors as well? No Innocent Bystanders looks at the role of allies in social justice movements and asks what works, what doesn’t, and why. It explains what allies legitimately can accomplish, what they can’t, and what kind of humility and clarity is required to tell the difference.

This book is a start-up guide for spiritual or religious people who are interested in working for social justice but don’t know how or where to begin. Drawing on the lessons of history, the framework of Christian ideas, and the insights of contemporary activists, it offers practical guidance on how to meaningfully and mindfully advocate alongside all who struggle for a more just society.

Discussion questions at the end of each chapter make it a highly practical book for study and leadership groups.

2. Getting to the Promised Land: Black America and the Unfinished Work of the Civil Rights Movement by Kevin W. Cosby

Too often, all oppressed people in America are lumped together under the moniker “people of color,” as if each group’s experience under the yoke of systemic racism has the same economic and social repercussions. But the American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) hold a unique claim to economic and reparative justice: for ADOS, after all, is the only group whose ancestors were forcibly brought to America, enslaved, built much of the wealth of the country, yet continue to be specifically excluded from the same social, political, and economic rights of other Americans. To that end, Rev. Dr. Kevin W. Cosby lays out the first theology of the ADOS movement, turning the traditional lens of Black liberation theology from Moses leading escaped Hebrew slaves in Exodus to other biblical leaders like Solomon, Daniel, and Nehemiah.

In the stories of Nehemiah and other biblical leaders, Cosby finds inspiration on how to rebuild Black America including the necessity of government reparations for ADOS. Cosby calls all Americans to move from a place of relative nonengagement and detachment to a place of active support of ADOS’s efforts for justice and healing.

3. Anchored in the Current: Discovering Howard Thurman as Educator, Activist, Guide, and Prophet by Gregory C. Ellison II

Howard Thurman was famously known as one of the towering giants of American religion in the twentieth century. His writings have influenced some of the most important religious and political figures of the last century, from Martin Luther King to Barack Obama. Theologians such as James Cone and Cornel West regularly signal their indebtedness to him. He was a mystic, a preacher, an educator, a theologian, and much more. It is impossible to understand the African American church today without an appreciation for his contributions.

And yet, while Thurman’s name is often recognized, his seminal ideas have not received the attention they deserve. In this volume, internationally known leaders like Marian Wright Edelman, Parker Palmer, and Barbara Brown Taylor invite the reader into creative engagement with Thurman’s writings. Anchored in the Current illuminates how Thurman’s life and wisdom lead these influential names on the ancient quest to connect with the Ultimate, all while discovering the contemporary need to seek racial justice and sharpening the minds and faith of those who come after us. Readers will find important and enduring answers in the works of this indispensable prophet and teacher.

4. Creating a Culture of Repair: Taking Action on the Road to Reparations BY Robert Turner

The inequality remains even after laws and policies have been corrected. Calculating and implementing financial reparations will require large-scale government action, which can feel out of reach or overwhelming for the average person. Robert Turner provides an accessible guide for individuals and groups wanting to influence significant institutional action while also acting on their own to repair the effects of racial injustice in our communities, churches, and spheres of influence. Dividing into categories of individual, social, institutional, and spiritual repair, Turner offers the longest list of reparations currently published, with more than one hundred actions readers can begin practicing and advocating for to help balance economic injustice, undo hurtful decisions from decades past, and rally public support for bold and principled legislation.

Advent Devotionals 2023

Posted on Oct 30, 2023 in Uncategorized |

Advent Devotionals and Books

Nov. 5th: Three Wise Women: 40 Devotions Celebrating Advent with Mary, Elizabeth and Anna By Dandi Daley Mackall

You are invited to spend the 40 days of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany in the company of Mary the mother of Jesus, Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist, and Anna the prophetess at the temple in Jerusalem.

Anticipate, celebrate, and marvel at Jesus’ birth with Three Wise Women, a richly researched and faith-building new devotional by Dandi Daley Mackall. We don’t hear many details directly from these three women at the heart of the first Christmas, but Scripture, studies in biblical culture, and an open heart that asks “what if” allows readers to experience new revelations for the holy season that will encourage and strengthen you in becoming a wise woman of God.

As bestselling author Dandi Mackall reflects on the events and lives of these Three Wise Women, she encourages you to:

Delve deeper into what these real-life women may have experienced

Ponder a new aspect of the journey toward Christ’s birth and beyond through the voices of Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna

Meditate on Old and New Testament Scriptures that speak to women’s hearts across generations and cultures

Grow closer to God through insightful devotional readings about Patience, Hope, Faith, Trust, Persistence, Sacrifice, Joy, Grace, Love, Confidence, and more

Reflect on your own life using the daily “Pondering Questions,” as you see the story of Jesus’ birth afresh through the eyes of faithful women

Join with other women in a small group or Bible study to take a faith journey together with Three Wise Women

Nov. 12th: Light from Afar An Advent Devotional from Around the World By Nadiyka Gerbish, Joel Bengbeng, Claudio Carvalhaes, Sidwell Mokgothu

Embark on a Global Journey through the Season of Advent

Advent is celebrated differently throughout the world. Some cultures barely observe the waiting and focus on the Christmas celebration. Others feel deeply the contrast between present circumstances and God’s promise of a better future, making for a season of fasting and prayer. All of them focus on Christ as the Light of the world.

Light from Afar is a daily Advent devotional that illuminates the season through the unforgettable stories and reflections of four writers from around the world. Authors Nadiyka Gerbish (Ukraine), Joel Bengbeng (Philippines), Cláudio Carvalhaes (Brazil), and Sidwell Mokgothu (South Africa) share cultural and religious traditions of the Advent season in their daily reflections. Each day’s meditation includes a scripture reading, a prayer, an opportunity for reflection, and a link to a song from the author’s home country.

The light of the star of Bethlehem has spread around the world. The people who have heard the good news have stories to tell and traditions to share. By joining with Christians from different cultures and countries in prayer, we can experience the hope, love, joy, and peace of Advent, leading ultimately to Immanuel-God with us-on Christmas day.

Nov. 19th Advent in Plain Sight A Devotion Through Ten Objects By Jill J. Duffield

At Christmas, God came into our ordinary world in the form of a child, and still today, God is at work through the ordinary stuff of life, if we train our eyes to see.

In this daily devotional for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, Jill J. Duffield draws readers’ attention to ten ordinary objects that appear in the biblical narratives of messianic prophesy and incarnation–objects we encounter in our own lives. Through objects such as gates, trees, cloth, light, and water, readers will find new meaning in the biblical account of Jesus’ coming. By connecting everyday objects with biblical texts, Advent in Plain Sight prompts readers to see the near kingdom of heaven on earth and ponder what that divine proximity enables and asks them to do and be. Each daily devotional features a Scripture reading, prayer, and reflection, reminding Christians that God still dwells among us, even in the most ordinary places.

Nov. 26th: Rise Up Shepherd! Advent Reflections on the Spirituals By Luke A. Powery

Valuable not only for their sublime musical expression, the African American spirituals give us profound insights into the human condition and the Christian life. Many focus on an essential scene of the Christian drama: the coming of God as the child in Bethlehem as the hope of the world and the liberator of God’s oppressed people.

In these devotions for the season of Advent, Luke Powery leads the reader through the spirituals as they confront the mystery of incarnation and redemption. In Rise Up, Shepherd, each devotion features the lyrics of the spiritual, a reflection on the spiritual’s meaning, a Scripture verse, and a brief prayer.

Bonus for Families:

Advent in Narnia Reflections for the Season By Heidi Haverkamp

Walking into Advent can be like walking through the wardrobe.

With its enchanting themes of snow and cold, light and darkness, meals and gifts, temptation and sin, forgiveness and hope “and even an appearance by Father Christmas “C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe fits naturally into the Advent season. As the reader seeks a storied king and anticipates the glorious coming of Christmas, these twenty-eight devotions alternate between Scripture and passages from the novel to prompt meditation on Advent themes. Each devotion also includes questions for reflection. The book also provides several resources for churches, including four sessions for small group discussion and ideas for creating a Narnia Night for families. Readers will ultimately come to know God better while journeying through Narnia.

Bonus Bonus from 2022

Unwrapping the Names of Jesus: An Advent Devotional. In Unwrapping the Names of Jesus, Asheritah Ciuciu leads readers through the four weeks of Advent (Hope, Preparation, Joy, and Love). Each week begins on Sunday with an interactive family devotional that equips readers to celebrate Advent together. Then offers five daily reflections each week that focus on that week’s name of Jesus. And includes suggestions for fun-filled family activities or service projects This devotional can be used by readers in their own personal worship times or as a tool to engage in family worship during the busy holiday season. Either way, participants will gain a greater sense of awe and wonder at who Jesus is. You can find this wonderful dictionary at Amazon or The Christianbook.com.

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas.This special volume-draws from the works and sermons of classic theologians such as Whitefield, Luther, Spurgeon, and Augustine, and from leading contemporary communicators such as John Piper, J. Ligon Duncan, Randy Alcorn, John MacArthur, Francis Schaeffer, R. C. Sproul, Skip Ryan, and Joni Eareckson Tada to beckon you and your family into the wonder of Jesus’ incarnation and birth.

With its high view of Scripture and its focus on the gift of Jesus, this lovely book is sure to ready your heart and mind for a fresh experience of “Immanuel, God with us” this and every Advent season. Open the cover and discover what Christmas was meant to be…

Advent Story Book. Benjamin Bear cannot wait for Christmas to come. To help the time pass more quickly, his mother tells him that every day when he opens a door on his Advent calendar she’ll tell him a story about another little bear and his long, arduous journey to Bethlehem.The little bear, led by a glittering star, meets many others on his travels. His adventures, filled with acts of heroism and kindness and many small miracles, show him the path to the Christ Child. A beautiful book that teaches the true spirit of Christmas. Each story ends with a few sentences on the lesson we are learning that day.

Music and Art Devotionals

Posted on Oct 24, 2023 in Uncategorized |

Nov. 6th – Amazing Grace: Hymn Texts for Devotional Use By Bert Polman. This collection of familiar hymn texts offers readers an opportunity to read and enjoy the language and poetry of their favorite hymns free of the encumbering musical notation. Reading the hymn texts is spiritually enriching and will also enable the reader to sing the hymns with greater understanding. You can order this book at the PCUSA web store or an amazon.

Feb 26th – Songs We Should Remember, Truth We Can’t Forget: 50 Devotions from Negro Spirituals and Gospel Songs. Your Granny had more than “old time religion”. She had a solid foundation of biblical truth. And much of it was passed down through the words of Black sacred music. The Spirituals and traditional Gospel songs that the old folks used to sing are filled with wonderful truth from the scripture and priceless heritage from the Black cultural tradition. Songs We Should Remember guides you through 50 days of devotional reading to explore and celebrate the rich biblical truth found in Black sacred music.

Nov. 26th: Rise Up Shepherd! Advent Reflections on the Spirituals By Luke A. Powery

Devotionals For Families and Kids

Posted on Oct 23, 2023 in Uncategorized |

One Year of Dinner Table Devotions & Discussion Starters: 365 Opportunities to Grow Closer to God as a Family A daily serving of spiritual nourishment for your whole family. Between sports practice, music lessons, and homework, we can feel like our days pass by without ever really talking with each other about the most important matters of life and faith. This family devotional serves up a year’s worth of daily truths from God’s Word to chew on and apply to real life. Going beyond Bible stories, your whole family will enjoy discussing biblical words and themes at a level kids from 5 to 95 will understand and relate to.

March 19th – The Very Best, Hands-On, Kinda Dangerous Family Devotions, Volume 1: 52 Activities Your Kids Will Never Forget. As parents hoping to raise godly children, we may understand the importance of regular family devotions. However, we may find it difficult to get our kids (or even ourselves) fully engaged. But what if devotions looked less like sitting in the living room listening to someone read and trying to pry answers out of reluctant kids and more like, say, electrocuting a pickle? Or converting a leaf blower into a toilet paper launcher? Or lighting toothpaste on fire? These hands-on, kinda dangerous, totally unforgettable object lessons (along with nearly fifty others) are not only more fun than other family devotions–they actually deliver the spiritual impact you desire for your kids.

Giving Together A Stewardship Guide for Families by Carol A. Wehrheim

In her follow-up to Getting It Together, Carol Wehrheim presents a concise, accessible resource to help families better understand the importance of stewardship: in the family, in the congregation, in the community, and in the world. Reminding us that stewardship is about much more than money, Wehrheim clearly illustrates a more holistic understanding of the concept to include careful consideration of the choices we make that show the role Christian discipleship plays in our lives. She skillfully analyzes biblical passages and identifies spiritual practices intrinsic to stewardship as a way of helping families respond to their call to be stewards in today’s world. Including both a participant’s section and a leader’s guide, Giving Together is ideal for group or family study.

Advent in Narnia Reflections for the Season By Heidi Haverkamp

Walking into Advent can be like walking through the wardrobe.

Books and Devotionals for Mothers and Graduates. May 2023

Posted on Oct 23, 2023 in Uncategorized |

May 7th -Spilt Milk: Devotions for Moms By: Linda Vujnov Laughter lightens the heart and helps you discover grace in the moment In a mother’s land of milk and honey, the milk is often spilt and the honey is usually smeared all over the face of the baby in his high chair. Linda Vujnov has been there and knows exactly what it feels like. Between packing lunches, drying the dishes in the sink, returning emails, and making sure mascara is applied without smudges, Spilt Milk offers a delightful alternative for busy moms that will lighten your day and remind you that God’s grace is found in the most unlikely places. You’ll discover the ways God uses the everyday adventures of an imperfect woman to emphasize his grace.

May 14th – Mother Daughter Speak: Lessons on Life Mother-daughter relationships can be wonderful and powerful. They can also be stressful, challenging, and painful; yet they are often delicate and tender. After losing her mother, Kim shares that strengthening her own mother-daughter relationship was more important than ever.

Kim’s and Lee’s personal reflections in this book from family, to real life challenges, to faith, are attempts to open the dialogue between family members and communities. They share some of their vulnerabilities and pains in hopes that this kind of sharing will encourage others to engage in similar intimate dialogue.

May 21st and 28th – College Survival Guide for Christian Women or Men: 5-Minute Devotions for Strength, Reflection, and Calm: College can be an exciting and overwhelming time, full of big changes and new experiences. This devotion for college students makes it easy to carve out moments of calm and stay connected to faith as you discover everything college has to offer.

What sets this college survival guide apart from other college books:

Short and sweet—Bolster your faith in just a few minutes with quick devotions designed to complement the busy life of college.
Relevant topics—Explore a wide range of Bible passages and discover how God can provide guidance on everything.
Thoughtful prompts—Reflect on the Lord’s wisdom and consider how to apply His lessons to your life with insight.

Book and Devotionals on Prayer – April 2023

Posted on Oct 23, 2023 in Uncategorized |

April 2nd – Awaken to Rest: Daily words of comfort and hope The Lord wants your freedom and for you to feel the joy in His heart for you. Listen to the words in this book to jumpstart a deeper relationship with Him. Sink into His vision of you. See that you are a canvas where He is creating a beautiful life. The finished work of the Cross secured your liberty into a radically new existence.

As you read these messages daily, let them awaken you to truths that are liberating. Awakening to His rest is the key to fulfillment and peace. Striving and anxiously trying to control your life is a dead-end that leads nowhere. Come into the open pasture and lean against the heart of your Creator. Allow Him to show you a new and better way.

April 9th – Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals Designed to help individuals, families, and congregations pray together across denominations, this book of common prayer will help you and your community join together each day with the same songs, scriptures, and prayers. Composed under an advisory team of liturgy experts, these three influential and inspiring authors have created Common Prayer–a tapestry of prayer that will help the church be one as God is one.

April 16th – A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal It’s no secret that we are overworked, overpressured, and edging burnout. Unsurprisingly, this fact is as old as time—and that’s why we see so many prayer circles within a multitude of church traditions. These gatherings are a trusted space where people seek help, hope, and peace, energized by God and one another

April 23rd – Imaginative Prayer: A Yearlong Guide for Your Child’s Spiritual Formation by Jared Patrick Boyd

How do we help our kids connect with God? Most parents want their kids to learn to love God. But most of us struggle to facilitate real

spiritual experiences. It’s hard enough to have a meaningful conversation with our kids about spiritual things, let alone help them experience true transformation in the presence of God. Jared Patrick Boyd discovered that children’s spiritual formation is rooted in th

e imagination. When we lead our children through guided times of imaginative prayer, they can experience a connection with God that transcends mere Bible knowledge or doctrinal content. This unique resource provides six units of weekly guided imaginative prayer, themed around core topics: God’s love, loving others, forgiveness, God as king, the good news of God, and the mission of God. Each unit has six sessions, providing a yearlong experience of spiritual formation for children ages five to thirteen. Through imaginative prayer, you can help your child connect with God. As you do so, you may find yourself connecting more closely with your child, and your own formation as a parent will deepen into greater awareness of God’s work in your lives.

Lent, Easter, and Pentecost Devotionals March 2023

Posted on Oct 23, 2023 in Uncategorized |

March 5th – Preparing for Easter: Fifty Devotional Readings from C.S. Lewis Preparing for Easter is a collection of 50 beautiful gems discovered amidst C.S. Lewis’s essays, poems, letters, and other works that will lead you on a reflective journey from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. This wide-ranging gathering of his pieces trumpets the meaning of that “grand miracle,” Christ’s resurrection. Hardcover with dust jacket.

March 12th-Lent for Everyone: Matthew, A Daily Devotional provides readers with an inspirational guide through the Lenten season, from Ash Wednesday through the week after Easter. Popular biblical scholar and author N. T. Wright provides his own Scripture translation, brief reflection, and a prayer for each day of the season, helping readers ponder how the text is relevant to their own lives. By the end of the book, readers will have been through the entirety of Matthew, along with Psalm readings for each Sunday. Suitable for both individual and group study and reflection, Wright’s Lenten devotional will help make Matthew’s gospel your own, thoughtfully and prayerfully, and your journey through Lent a period of discovery and growth.

March 19th – Come, Holy Spirit : A Daily Discipleship Travel Log for Easter to Pentecost. Learning to Pray, “Come, Holy Spirit!” When was the last time you prayed for the Holy Spirit? The person and work of the Spirit sometimes seem mysterious, if not confusing. We pray to the Father and the Son while the Spirit often remains behind the scenes, a silent partner in God’s Work in the world. But the Scriptures envision so much more.

Over the course of 40 days, this Discipleship Travel Log explores the role of the Spirit as a sculptor who shapes us to look more like Jesus. The daily Scripture readings, devotions, and prayers help you lean into the work of the Spirit in your everyday life. Custom-made Faith Experiments will help you: try something new, find the next step, and get into the groove. The Spirit is already working in your life. The Father gladly gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Today is a good day to pray, “Come, Holy Spirit! Help me take a small next step.”

March 26th – Pentecost: This Story is Our Story: Robert Menzies lays out clear, compelling, and concise truths about the relevance of the Pentecostal experience for Christ’s followers today, tomorrow, and the day after that. He does not agonize over whether this experience is right or wrong…he explains simply and clearly that the story of Pentecost found in the book of Acts is the story of every believer. With a keen intellectual presentation that is both informative and intriguing, he explains that Pentecostalism is Christ-centered and Bible-based. It is the model for the mission of the church.

Bonus:

Tongues of Fire: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church from the Book of Acts The book of Acts was a thrilling time for the early church. Now you can capture the excitement and passion of the first-century Christians in this devotional Bible study designed to take you through the book of Acts. In Tongues of Fire: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church from the Book of Acts, you’ll connect the biblical narrative with today’s reality in 40 easy-to-read reflections about Christian life and church.

Discover how the Spirit moved through early believers’ lives, how the Gospel spread, and what we can learn as the body of Christ today. Through forty daily devotionals, you’ll gain insights that can help guide your faith and expand your spiritual practices as you uncover how this book influences Jesus’s followers two millennia later.

Tongues of Fire challenges us to seek answers on what today’s church can learn from Jesus’s first followers and how they moved under the Holy Spirit’s power. This easy-to-read Bible study will give you forty days of devotional insights that can help you grow in your faith and discover how to celebrate the role of the Holy Spirit then and now. It will encourage you toward deeper community and an effective personal ministry. Perfect for women, men, or small groups.