{"title":"Church resources","description":"Practical resources and ideas for church life.","products":[{"product_id":"resourcing-rural-ministry-practical-insights-for-mission","title":"Resourcing Rural Ministry: Practical insights for mission","description":"\u003cp\u003eResourcing Rural Ministry offers an in-depth exploration of the key aspects, challenges and opportunities of mission in a rural church. Relevant for ordained and lay leaders alike, the book covers subjects ranging from encouraging evangelism in a multi-church group to making best use of church buildings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContaining a wealth of real-life case studies and suggestions for follow-up, this ecumenical publication draws on the expertise and resources of the Arthur Rank Centre (ARC), which has served the spiritual and practical needs of the rural Christian community for over 40 years. This book contributes to ARC's Germinate programme of training, development and support for rural multi-church groups of all denominations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResourcing Rural Ministry was first developed by Simon Martin as Training and Resources Officer at the ARC. Additional chapters have been contributed by the Revd Caroline Hewlett, Rona Orme and Becky Payne and the final text has been prepared and edited by Jill Hopkinson\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis guide is rooted in the reality of rural life with all its opportunities and challenges. Experienced rural practitioners share stories and resources which will inspire and equip those Christians, lay and ordained, who are working together in the very varied rural communities in Britain. Simon Martin and the other contributors have provided an invaluable resource for all who are engaged in rural mission and ministry, which I hope will be widely read and used.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Revd Ruth Gee, BA, M Litt, President of the Methodist Conference 2013 - 2014, Chair of the Darlington Methodist District \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want an inspiring read, this book is for you. This is a can-do book for whatever your context may be. I found it faith-building and full of fantastic stories, innovative ideas and best practice throughout its pages. This book is a must for anyone passionate about seeing the gospel transform their community, whether an individual, lay preacher or church leader, and will inspire creativity, energy and enthusiasm to make a real difference in your setting.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Roy Crowne, Executive Director, HOPE \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFundamentals of Christian faith and being church are story, relationships and being disciples. This book is packed with helpful resources and background theology that speak into all of these areas and will aid the rural church to be a vibrant and relevant presence in today's society. This is a 'must read' book for clergy, educators, lay leaders and anyone who has a heart for rural mission.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Revd Peter Ball, Mission and Training Officer, Eastern Synod of the United Reformed Church \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA really useful, affirming, grounded, inspirational and practical resource book. Great for anyone in rural ministry, but with wisdom for those in lay and ordained ministry anywhere.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Lucy Moore, BRF Messy Church Team Leader \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA key message of this very useful and usable collection is that we can learn so much from the stories of what God is doing among us and through us. Read these contributions and you'll be excited by a wealth of experience, insight and resource. How to develop a learning culture is a hugely important question, and it is a vital issue for the rural church in regard to worship, discipleship and evangelism. This book is a significant contribution to that development, not least because of its consistent theme of learning from each other and learning together. I warmly commend it to all who long for the flourishing of the rural church.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Rt Revd James Bell, Bishop of Ripon, Chair of the Rural Affairs Group of the Church of England General Synod \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResourcing Rural Ministry was first developed by Simon Martin as Training and Resources Officer at the Arthur Rank Centre. Additional chapters have been contributed by Revd Caroline Hewlett, Rona Orme and Becky Payne and the final text prepared and edited by Jill Hopkinson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePobl Dewi (Diocese of St David's) - June 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Arthur Rank Centre has been the churches' focus on rural ministry and mission for 40+ years. The accumulated knowledge on all matters affecting every denomination is unrivalled. The connections into every diocese and district has distilled much experience into this small book. The title and subtitle show how the commitment of ministry is to mission. The key questions are asked and answered. What support is available for rural congregations that have limited resources and few members? How do you resource small, dispersed rural congregations and their leaders, lay and ordained?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reliance on lay people is the norm in rural communities and churches. Clergy have to find their role, which can be very different from how it is in an urban church. The nature of church, its theology, worship, practical outreach and expectations are likely to be very different if there are less than a dozen regularly at worship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose few laypeople are likely to be involved in many other community activities and their witness does not go unseen. The community in which the church is set has its own rhythms and customs. It is wise to understand these so that the life of the church respects those that are honourable and desirable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is no surprise that this book refers readers to larger resources on the website (www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk). The chapter on worship recognises how it is part of the breath of the community, even for those who do not join in. There are many who may use the church building for their own good purposes, such as meditation and prayer, at other times of the week. The chapter on evangelism refers to the Journey to Faith section. There is a useful critique of Fresh Expressions and Messy Church. The chapter on children and young people brings together several good examples of rural churches that have tried new ways of building relationships with this generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRelationship is the key to rural ministry and mission. Many people have existing relationships and friendships and the church has to recognise these links so that its invitation to a new relationship with Christ is offered appropriately.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChurch buildings have their own contribution to make in re-connecting church to community. Good examples abound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Canon Jeremy Martineau\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 29 April 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMULTI-AUTHOR books have their difficulties, but this is a book that will be widely appreciated and much read in rural parishes. The book was conceived and largely written by Simon Martin of the Arthur Rank Centre (the Church's presence at the centre of the farming and countryside world). Unfortunately, Simon became seriously ill before the completion of this book, and it was prepared for publication by Jill Hopkinson and other authors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the wake of \u003cem\u003eFaith in the City\u003c\/em\u003e (1985), the attention of the churches turned to rural matters, not least because of the animal-health problems of the 1980s. \u003cem\u003eFaith in the Countryside\u003c\/em\u003e (1990) seemed for a time to be the high watermark of the Church's concern with the countryside and its rural parishes. But in recent years there has been a steady flow of books on rural matters, among which this book now takes its place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBooks on the rural Church tend to fall into two categories: first, those that are essentially local histories, but which generalise about the state of affairs in the countryside; second, those about how to minister in rural areas which are full of accounts of how to confront the steady decline in rural church life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains little historical analysis of the development of rural parishes, but is full of accounts of pioneering work and how this has been achieved. Those in need of help as they seek to deal with the complexities of church life in rural communities should turn to this book, which is full of examples of 'what to do' and 'how to do it', many of them drawn from the Arthur Rank Centre's publication \u003cem\u003e Country Parish\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are chapters on discipleship and nurture; mission in the rural context; rural fresh expressions; worship in small churches; and the use and adaptation of historic church buildings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor generations, the central issue in rural parishes has been who 'owns' the church, 'not in the sense of legal tenure but in the sense of who makes the rules, determines the programme and the general direction and feel of that church'. There have been historic struggles between patrons, clergy, and churchwardens. But today many parishes have witnessed ownership struggles between the old resident community and recent arrivals who bring a different understanding of the nature of the church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuch differences have to be reconciled, because, according to Martin, a successful rural church must be run by its congregation. While it used to be considered that the role of the laity was to help the clergy do what was essentially their job, Martin and his co-authors make it clear that the rural church will only thrive if it is run by the laity, and the role of the very few rural clergy is to encourage and equip the laity to do this job\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.In one church, a member of the congregation wrote on the wall 'This is my church.' This book makes clear that unless the laity, in every sense, own and take responsibility for the local church, it will die. Many will recognise the truth of this statement in the contemporary countryside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Rt Revd Dr Anthony Russell is a former Bishop of Ely and President of the Royal Agricultural Society of England.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurches Together in England - April 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is long overdue as it brings many of the resources for mission from the Arthur Rank Centre - which has resourced rural ministry and mission for 40 years - into one place. This is very welcome for clergy and lay people alike and from across the churches in England, especially as it is said that 1 in 6 of the population live in rural areas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten by national advisors and local practitioners alike, \u003cem\u003eResourcing Rural Ministry\u003c\/em\u003e does exactly what it says, by providing a wide variety of ideas, resources, case studies and comment for anyone concerned with the rural context of mission.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eApart from all the helpful information, what I like best about this book is the layout. Under straight forward titles and in short sections it is easy to find what you might be looking for. Whether it be Messy Church, Multi-Church Ministry, or rural aspects of Ministerial Training, it also includes examples of more unusual ministry e.g. Forest Church and various aspects of theological reflection e.g. Robert Warren's diagram of Doing, Being and Living.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eResourcing Rural Ministry\u003c\/em\u003e draws on various traditions including monastic and Fresh Expressions, as well as quoting examples from different denominations. It is a compendium or 'one stop shop' for those who want to address the challenges of the rural church - especially practically.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a practical guide, some may say \u003cem\u003eResourcing Rural Ministry\u003c\/em\u003e is light in terms of political and social critique, and that it could have drawn more on major works on ministry and mission before it. I would say its strength lies in covering the contemporary ground brilliantly and with just the right amount of information and reflection to encourage every reader in the task of developing understanding, discipleship and rural ministry to get on with the task better informed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll insights are positive, and difficult topics are not ignored. This is well illustrated in a quote from page 42: 'Multi-church ministry brings with it a great many joys and opportunities, in working with different communities and congregations. It also has its own tensions and complications and can be stressful for lay and ordained alike. We know that it is possible for some churches in rural multi-church groups to grow and to do so consistently over several years. We also know that many rural congregations have reduced in size and others maintain regular numbers attending'. What follows this quote is a chapter exploring the issues, with a pragmatic approach, based on research.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn short, this is a book for everyone in rural ministry. Full of ideas and encouragement, notes and anecdotes, resources and analysis that has been 'rural-proofed' to be relevant and helpful. Drawing on resources from the Arthur Rank Centre e.g. Country Way (p39) and Journey to Faith (p110), it draws on 40 years' experience and provides the reader with a wonderful overview, guide and mission resource all in one place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJim Currin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCTE Evangelisation, Mission and Media\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStaff member on the Churches Rural Group\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Door (The Diocese of Oxford) March 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is currently a group, established by the Diocesan Board of Mission, whose function is to consider a range of strategic initiatives to enhance the rural church, and this book is a welcome introductory resource for all those who have an interest in rural ministry and its expression in the 21st century. \u003cbr\u003eThe authors recognise the specific characteristics of rural ministry relating to context, culture and community and the need to be aware of the specific ways these impact on church life. In keeping with \u003cem\u003eLiving Faith\u003c\/em\u003e there are resources related to mission and ministry including chapters on worship, evangelism, discipleship, children and young people, and developing Messy Church. The book offers a range of ideas, initiatives and approaches in these and other areas, drawing on a range of denominations.\u003cbr\u003eOne of the most helpful sections is by Simon Martin who maintains that rural churches are particularly effective in showing Christ's compassion to those in need and also in what might be termed low level nurture and teaching. He is realistic about the appropriateness of using some resources in the rural context and offers helpful ideas and resources such as the sharing of stories and the use of the Arthur Rank Centre's Equipping for Rural Mission via \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.germinate.net\/go\/profiling\"\u003ewww.germinate.net\/go\/profiling\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003cbr\u003eAs he rightly states small rural churches are not failed larger ones. Rather they have a range of expressions, networks and routes into their communities that enables them to function as a little yeast, that, in the words of Saint Paul to the Galatians, 'leavens the whole batch of dough'.\u003cbr\u003eRegarding discipleship and nurture, as in other chapters, a number of resources are offered alongside comments and observations from those who have used them. Again there is a helpful degree of realism here to enable one to assess whether what one might offer is appropriate not only for the local context and communities, but also for the resources one has available. This book could well be used by members of rural multi-parish benefices, and within rural deaneries, as a vehicle for gaining fresh insights for rural ministry. By focusing on each chapter in turn, resources for discussing mission and ministry could be creatively and imaginatively explored. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Revd Charles Chadwick is the Parish Development Adviser in the Dorchester Archdeaconry and Leader of the Rural Strategies Steering Group.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethodist Recorder 29 January 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is a small, but useful, contribution to counteract the old dictum, 'If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.' Encouraging all churches to believe in possibilities and experimentation, it is a book of 'realtime' stories from across the country, of folk just like you and I, not giving up. Men and women questioning and engaging their localities with bespoke attempts to reach out and reveal the something of the divine and the importance of spiritual reflection in all of our lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiven that, for the past 20 years or more, the polls and pundits are shouting that, in all our mainstream Churches, the active attendance in local churches of our neighbours is rapidly declining.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCounteract\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe stories relayed within \u003cem\u003eResourcing Rural Ministry - Practical Insights for Mission \u003c\/em\u003eby Simon Martin with Caroline Hewett, Rona Orme and Becky Payne simply try and counteract the data so often solemnly presented at synods and conferences, but it cannot contradict the overall important trends being revealed. The 'number crunchers-crunching' suggest that our neighbours simply see no need of 'belonging' or 'embracing' the stories of faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimon Martin and editor Jill Hopkinson from the Arthur Rank Centre, with friends and colleagues, offer throughout this book (203 pages) cameos of hope and experimentation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe, in the Church, have become familiar with terms like 'fresh expressions' and 'messy churches', but perhaps not with 'Eastertingle' or 'Who let the Dads out' groups, ie the men who care for their little ones gathering together. Even a 'Forest Church' that explores worship in a landscape\/outside of a church building.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the end of the book five pages point to other resources tried and tested - probably\u003cbr\u003esome useful and successful, others not so, but all venturesome and calling us to\u003cbr\u003etake courage!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEnvisioned\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout this book it points to envisioned lay folk and clergy. One short paragraph struck me on p160 (Bar Nash-Williams united benefice of Stamfordham and Matfen): 'All the good plans and keen participation come to nothing if you don't start with the heart, it's your heart that says, 'It's worth it just for one child'. Its the heart that says, 'We do what we can and trust to God for the rest.' When you start with that attitude a tiny church can do good things with tiny resources.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmen to that. For we Methodists those words speak to our DNA of 'warmed hearts' and 'faithful service' to our God-given communities wherever you are. I commend this book to those who are seeking some ideas with a warm heart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Rev Canon Alan Robson is Lincolnshire agricultural chaplain.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 15px; text-align: left;\"\u003eFrom \u003cem\u003eMETconnexion\u003c\/em\u003e. December 2015\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 15px; text-align: left;\"\u003eIf you are looking for a practical understanding of the main issues, challenges and responses in rural ministry in Britain, this is the text for you. It's very accessible, straightforward and written by Simon Martin and others who are all associated with the Arthur Rank Centre (ARC) which seeks to equip the rural church for effective ministry and mission.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat I particularly like about this book is that it covers the main areas, at least as I understand them. Too many books on rural Christianity spend a lot of their time offering an analysis of the changing nature of rural communities, dealing with indices of rural deprivation, mobility and so on. This is important and helps us to understand the rural context in which we live out our faith and minister. But, too often they don't offer enough direct suggestion as to what we might actually do.\u003c\/p\u003e\nThe chapters consider mission, worship, evangelism, messy church, fresh expressions, worship, discipleship, young people and multi-church ministry. I particularly appreciate the separate chapters on mission and evangelism. Too often these areas are conflated and the result is that being involved with people outside of the believing community is considered to be evangelism. In reality that is mission which creates the opportunity for a more direct sharing of faith and a challenge to discipleship. This book very helpfully, in my view, gets this right.My one small criticism of this book is that it's a bit Anglican. That is fully understandable. The ARC (http:\/\/www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk\/) is a largely Anglican organisation with a Methodist\/United Reformed Rural Officer. The book refers to a lot of ARC resources and programmes which can be used for anyone, although at times there is more of an Anglican flavour. The chapter on 'multi-church ministry' is a good example where the Methodist norm is discussed but rather than strengths and weaknesses of a rural circuit being considered there is more of an introduction to how Methodists do things for others. I think more could be learnt by Methodists and others by a sharper critique of the current Methodist circuit.This is a very good book that enables us to better understand the challenges and possibilities in rural mission and ministry. It does point to the need to produce more material that helps Methodists and other non-Anglicans understand their nuanced context. This is a fine resource that will benefit many.\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 15px; text-align: left;\"\u003eRev'd Dr Stephen Skuce\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCountry Way magazine - January 2016\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe all know that society is changing rapidly and that there is a real need for Christians to find new and innovative ways of ensuring that the story of Jesus and the love of God, for this world, and us as individuals can still be heard and responded to.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat is not always so easy is finding the right models and ways for doing so. Resourcing Rural Ministry is therefore a 'must have' on the bookshelf of all those who wish to think about what God is saying to the rural church in this generation. In many ways rural church life comes with some unique opportunities as well as often being at the heart of the many challenges facing rural communities in the 21st century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhilst no book can offer all of the answers, and each context is unique, Resourcing Rural Ministry will help people to think about their rural context, the story the rural church has to tell and then to look at the mission opportunities this provides through practical ideas. The fundamentals of the Christian faith and being church are story, relationships and growing as disciples. This book is packed with helpful resources and background theology that speak into all of these areas and will aid the rural church to be a vibrant and relevant presence in today's society. God provides us with many opportunities to be more missional in our approach and outlook toward church and community life, and this book is a useful tool to help us grasp those opportunities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeter Ball\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e","brand":"Simon Martin","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769050685540,"sku":"9780857462626","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857462626-l.jpg?v=1549043173"},{"product_id":"help-its-the-all-age-slot-52-instant-talk-outlines-for-church-services","title":"Help! It's the All-Age Slot: 52 instant talk outlines for church services","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e52 easy-to-use all-age talks for church services: minimum preparation, maximum effect!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis resource offers material that is thoroughly enjoyable for adults and children alike. The talks are easy to use, all-age in presentation, and ensure that the theme will be communicated effectively.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCovers key occasions in the church year plus more general themes\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eProvides fresh material for a whole year\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eEasy to adapt, with suggestions given\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\nRebecca Parkinson is a trained teacher, experienced youth and children's worker and published author. She taught full time for four years at primary level before becoming a teacher adviser for Lancashire and working alongside Lancashire Business and Enterprise Team to develop curriculum-based Road Show packages for Early Years and KS1 and 2. Rebecca lives in Lancashire and is an active member of her local Methodist Church where she runs the youth and children's work with her husband.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinistry Today - Summer 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eI was deeply put off by the title because, for me, All Age is not about a slot! Once I'd got over that hump, I found this to be an outstanding book. It comprises 52 instant talk outlines, most of which use objects or visual activities of one kind or another.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eOut of 52 outlines, there will always be some which are weaker than others. I went through and marked all the ones I thought would work, would be easy, were just 'ok', etc. Some of them I have road-tested in primary school assemblies. Each chapter follows the same format: Aim, Bible Links, 'You will need' list, Talk Outline, and Challenge. The Challenge is great, and is something we have included in each of our All Age services for over a year now. Here, it is the other bookend to the Aim. It concludes the talk and offers a challenge you can leave your congregation to follow up.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is more or less structured around the church's year and there is an appendix with lectionary links for each of the chapter-weeks. Some of the chapters need sharpening up or adapting. For example, Chapter 48 ('Waiting is Good') on Advent, might be better presented as 'Preparation is Good.' This is a reminder to me that 'off the peg' quick help guides require a little bit of thinking and adapting to your own local language or culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an excellent book of its type and worth the money as a source of ideas. A Bible references index would have been helpful. 4\/5.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRichard Dormandy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e","brand":"Rebecca Parkinson","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769124413540,"sku":"9780857460233","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857460233-l.jpg?v=1549043169"},{"product_id":"living-liturgies-transition-time-resources-for-services-prayer-and-conversation-with-older-people","title":"Living Liturgies: Transition time resources for services, prayer and conversation with older people","description":"\u003cp\u003eA creative and original book of liturgies and reflections for use in worship and also pastoral ministry with older people, who are moving from the 'third age' to the more dependent 'fourth age' of life. Developed by the author after many years of working in church and community settings with older people, the book provides an invaluable resource for those embarking on this ministry as well as those wanting inspiration for their ongoing work. The book also includes wider reflections on ageing and spirituality.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCaroline George writes:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWorship resources to use with people in what we now know as the fourth stage of life, the period where independence begins to move to dependence, require a different approach to regular worship resources.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCaroline George introduces her new resource to help leaders meet this need.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\r\n\u003chave you ever had that sinking feeling after enthusiastically saying to something later feel not sure of\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was just so when I agreed to lead worship for a group of older people who met at the St Peter's Women's Fellowship in Hall Green, Birmingham. I wrongly assumed resources would abound in local Christian bookshops and in desperation began rummaging around the corners of my mind and ruminating on words from secular and biblical contexts, familiar prayers, creative prayers and visual aids, and then weaving them together for worship. It was a process that began in desperation and ended with delight as thoughts developed in the quiet nooks and crannies of busy days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLiving Liturgies evolved from my relationship with the Hall Green Fellowship where I had the privilege of leading their monthly devotional service for over ten years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it became apparent that the group would close, there was a need to create services that were not just for their closing meetings but had the potential to be a prompt for prayer in the weeks and months ahead as the group members worshipped alone or in other places. Familiar features and furniture found in homes, hospital and hospice offered the foundation for themes that might easily be recalled and could cross boundaries from independent to dependent living. The services captured the imagination of the group, conversation rolled, laughter and tears were shared and worship was relevant and reverent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\nLike the best worship, these ideas help open our eyes, both to what is 'beyond' and what is right in our midst. Debbie Thrower, Team Leader of The Gift of Years and Anna Chaplain to Older People\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\nCaroline George is a Non-Stipendiary Minister, working as Assistant Priest in Moseley, Birmingham. She previously spent four years as a chaplain to a city 'community hub', the base for organisations from the private, public and voluntary sector. During ten years as a Reader in a suburban parish, she worked extensively with older adults, women's fellowship, residential and nursing homes, and ran a home group for senior citizens.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCountry Way - May 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn her helpful introduction, Caroline George makes the point that since the majority of older people do not have dementia there is a real need for 'carefully prepared worship for those whose bodies are frail but who wish to engage and participate in worshipping God'(p10). This book then goes on to provide examples of such worship.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe are reminded how the physical space can shape the worship and we are shown ways of using familiar traditional worship resources, as well as introducing new ideas. Each liturgy begins with something familiar and this is used to begin conversations, which then lead into and are part of worship.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThere is nothing simplistic or patronising about these liturgies; Caroline is not afraid to confront the difficult issues. People who are moving from the activity of the third age to the dependence of the fourth are grappling with difficult issues and need support as they do so. Older people have just as diverse and complex spiritual needs as any other group and if we want to minister to this group and we need to take that seriously.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe liturgies are well described with helpful additional notes for those leading worship. Anyone who regularly leads worship for groups of older people either in church or in a residential setting will find this book invaluable.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElizabeth Clark\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\u003c\/have\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eCaroline George has spent many years creating times of worship which provide the opportunity for people to befriend the elderly stranger within themselves, while making sense of the changes happening to them as they begin to move from independence to dependence. Living Liturgies (BRF) is a collection of resources for services, prayer and conversation, honed for use especially for older people who are no longer able to attend Sunday worship. Her services contain familiar elements, in terms of prayers, language and hymns, but also more tactile or visual elements to enable groups in residential homes and church contexts to use a multisensory or reminiscence-based approach, in order to give voice to past, present and future and help provide people with the tools to find grace in the complexity of lives which may be growing ever more isolated or fragmented.\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRichard Greatrex in Manna - Diocese of Bath and Wells Autumn 2015\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAnyone in the Church who works with elderly people and leads their worship should have a copy of Caroline George's book on their shelves. Or rather, they should have it in their hands, to read, re-read and use. The Introduction contains much wisdom, and the liturgies that take up almost the whole of the rest of the book are excellent. They arose from Caroline's work with a particular women's fellowship over many years. She tells us she found the members an inspiring bunch, and that is clear from the book. There is nothing condescending or patronising about it. It is magnificently down-to-earth and full of God.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eShe speaks of 'bringing to God the ashes of our discomfort and pain, and the flames of our anxieties about ageing and dying,' and near the end of the book she poses an important question: 'I wonder how well we understand the dragons of fear for elderly people, and whether we create opportunities for them to name those fears.' Her little book suggests she herself understands those dragons pretty well, and her liturgies themselves offer plenty of examples where they are named. I was especially encouraged to see 'A service of lament; 'Anger and tears''. For years I have been quoting to anyone who will listen the devastating remark of the great Old Testament scholar, Walter Brueggemann, made in a paper published in 1986 called 'The Costly Loss of Lament', about how the church 'goes on singing 'happy songs' in the face of raw reality.' Despite what Caroline says about the church 'once again recognising the need to lament', I do not see many signs of it, but Living Liturgies is one of them. Alleluia!\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eOne small complaint . . . about complaint . . . or rather, the lack of it. 'The psalmists,' writes George, 'give a wonderful insight into the process of anger and lament worked out in submission to God.' I find the psalmists more often hurling their anger and lament into God's face (such is their profound trust in his mercy) - and just think for a moment of Job! George's 'conversation starters' in her service of lament include some highly pertinent questions about people's anger. But what about their anger with God? That too needs to be named, and opportunities given for its guilt-free expression. But that is only a small complaint. \u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eCaroline George has written a fine book, and given the church a great gift.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Trevor Dennis\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Caroline George","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769144336484,"sku":"9780857463234","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857463234-l.jpg?v=1549043168"},{"product_id":"outdoor-church-20-sessions-to-take-church-outside-the-building-for-children-and-families","title":"Outdoor Church: 20 sessions to take church outside the building for children and families","description":"\u003cp\u003eHelping churches to reconnect and value their environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eA creative worship and activity resource for churches to use outside the church building, Outdoor Church functions in any green space and is suitable for churches in urban, suburban and rural contexts.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFour sessions for each season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFour stand-alone service outlines, one for each season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterial based on Bible stories and parables\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll-age activities and seasonal prayers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIndoor alternatives for rainy days\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\nSally Welch is a parish priest in the Diocese of Oxford who has spent many years working with families and young children. Her interest in church outdoors springs from a concern for the declining quality of relationship between people and their natural environment.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eCountry Way\u003c\/em\u003e magazine - September 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eOutdoor Church,\u003c\/em\u003e Sally Welch has given us a creative and user-friendly book which is an excellent new addition to her collection of worship resources.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis book offers a thoughtful approach and contains lots of practical help to enable churches to make use of the outdoor environment for Christian activities and worship. It is aimed at work with families and children, but the service outlines and activities could easily be adapted for other ages and groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a helpful introductory section, with a persuasive theological and environmental rationale for taking church outdoors. The section on 'Getting Started' includes advice on choosing and arranging a suitable site for a particular group or activity. There are also chapters on the important themes of safety and equipment.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe heart of the book is a year's programme of themes and activities arranged around four key markers in the Christian year - Rogation (spring), Pentecost (summer), Michaelmas (autumn) and Candlemas (winter). Each season contains outlines for four sessions and a celebration event based on stories from the Gospels, many of them parables.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e Each event has the same basic outline, which will help to make them accessible both for regular or occasional visitors to the sessions: a time of sharing the Bible passage is followed by a reflection and then a related activity. After this, there is collecting (often natural objects); creating (with the items that have been collected); feasting (making something edible to share and enjoy) and celebrating (a game, craft or group activity).\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe book includes short liturgies for the beginning and end of each session, which can be photocopied for use with a group. There is a further section at the back of the book with suggestions for an extended range of prayer activities.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e This is a welcome and practical book. I bought copies for our Forest Church team as soon as it was published, and I have no doubt that Sally Welch's wisdom and suggestions will inspire us when we plan for next year.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Caroline Hewlett\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethodist Recorder - 1 April 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOutdoor Church\u003c\/em\u003e by Sally Welch (Barnabas for Children, GBP8.99), subtitled '20 sessions to take church outside the building for children and families', is appropriate for use in urban, suburban and rural contexts. The book is organised in two parts, the first containing information and advice on the preparation and delivery of outdoor projects, and the second offering seasonal activities and crafts based on the parables of Jesus. And if the heavens should open, there are even indoor alternatives for rainy days.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eEvery church that is serious about developing its work with children and families should include this book in its resources.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJohn Singleton\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e","brand":"Sally Welch","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769165209700,"sku":"9780857464163","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857464163-l.jpg?v=1549043167"},{"product_id":"reproducing-churches","title":"Reproducing Churches","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis book investigates the theological basis for church planting and creating fresh expressions of church. Based on extensive research, senior church planting authority George Lings argues that the church has a divine calling and capacity to reproduce, albeit in ways that are intentionally non-identical. Using the doctrine of the Trinity, as well as key passages throughout scripture, he shows how such reproduction fulfills the mission of God. The book also includes many practical examples drawn from church history, to help apply the message to congregations today.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch2\u003eContents\u003c\/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction: why this book?\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e1 Different lenses, different views of the Church\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e2 Creation and covenant's mandate to reproduce\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e3 The reproductive strand in the kingdom and the Gospels\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e4 The Trinity and the Church seen as community-in-mission\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e5 Looking to Jesus the pioneer\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e6 Following Jesus in dying to live\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e7 The Holy Spirit and the surprises in reproduction\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e8 Christendom's eclipse of a reproducing Church\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e9 Reproduction and the classic 'four marks' of the Church\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e10 The useful outworking of the reproductive strand\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e11 Rehabilitating the Church\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\nGeorge Lings heads up Church Army's Research Unit, which for 20 years has been at work discerning the evolving mission of the church and the resultant fresh expressions of church. He has written over 50 booklets on the evolving theory and practice of bringing to birth fresh expressions of church, through the Encounters On The Edge series, which had an international subscription base of 500. Moreover the content of his book proposal has been peer-tested for academic rigour for it rests upon the findings of a recent PhD.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 21.7.17\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview by Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford of \u003cem\u003eGod's Belongers: How people engage with God today and how the Church can help\u003c\/em\u003e by David Walker and \u003cem\u003eReproducing Churches \u003c\/em\u003eby George Lings\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eOnce in a while, a book comes along that changes the way you look at things. Here are two.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Walker's delightfully titled \u003cem\u003eGod's Belongers\u003c\/em\u003e analyses the different ways in which people express their belonging to church and their engagement with God, and suggests new strategies that will help the local church understand and provide for this belonging.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eBased on extensive research of church attendance at rural harvest festivals and Christmas carol services, the central thesis of this book is that regular churchgoing is not the only way in which Christian belonging is expressed.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eOn one level, this is completely obvious. Most churches, however, persist with a gold standard of 'every-Sunday-morning' belonging, and all evangelistic endeavour is geared towards achieving this. But, as Walker's well-researched and well-argued book unfolds, we find that belonging can be measured in other ways, and this is more to do with personality and circumstance than commitment.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eSo, the one who comes less often is not necessarily less committed. Someone whose primary belonging comes through relationships, and who wishes to express this in service, may never come every week. But his or her 'lived-out' discipleship, day by day, demonstrates a commitment equal to any weekly communicant. If weekly attendance is the only goal, this person's faith development may be stymied, and the church's ability and flexibility to grow in different ways diminished.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePut this alongside the vastly changed pattern of work, leisure, and family life in Britain today, and the impact on church life is plain to see. Strategies for evangelism and discipleship need to work with the grain of these different types of belonging, not against them.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe development of Fresh Expressions in the Church of England is one such example of helping people to belong differently.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eFresh Expressions of Church is not a stepping-stone towards the so-called 'real church' of Sunday morning. Worshipping in a variety of cultural styles, meeting in different places and different formats and at different times, Fresh Expressions have enabled the Church to broaden its reach.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis has been a remarkable story of missional and ecclesiological enterprise, and, although many people have played a significant part in this story, none has done more than George Lings. His ministry as theologian, researcher and church-planter has provided the impetus and inspiration for the Church to try new things. He has also led the way in enabling the Church to reflect on and learn from these experiments.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAll this is brought together in \u003cem\u003eReproducing Churches\u003c\/em\u003e. Lings explains and develops the basic thesis that reproduction is inherent in what it means to be the Church, not merely an optional function that some may choose. In other words, for the Church to be the Church it must reproduce. Based, again, on extensive research and vast experience, this book is probably the best available handbook for understanding church-planting and Fresh Expressions, and seeing how the Church can become what it is meant to be be. Put these two books together, and every church will be rethinking its evangelistic strategy.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell,  Bishop of Chelmsford\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"George Lings","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769363980388,"sku":"9780857464644","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857464644-l.jpg?v=1549043158"},{"product_id":"gods-belongers-how-people-engage-with-god-today-and-how-the-church-can-help","title":"God's Belongers: How people engage with God today and how the church can help","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis book transforms thinking about church membership by replacing the division between 'members' and 'non-members' with a four-fold model of belonging. Based in extensive practical research, David Walker shows how 'belonging' can encompass a far wider group of people than those who attend weekly services. He examines belonging through relationship, through place and through events, as well as the traditional belonging through activities. He goes on to explore the opportunities for mission that emerge as a result - while also acknowledging the challenges posed for issues such as church financing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eContents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction: an aid for mission\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 1: How we belong\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1 Belonging: a theological concept\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2 Reliably regular: belonging through church activities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3 People power: belonging through relationships\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e4 Only the once: belonging through events\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e5 Location, location: belonging through place\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e6 The mystery of the missing vicar: an example of belonging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 2: Belonging for mission\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e7 What's the difference? Understanding occasional churchgoers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e8 Together in mission: the Five Marks of Mission\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e9 Paying the piper: what has become of Anglican governance and finance?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 3: Who else is missing?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e10 Types and temperaments: what is Psychological Type?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e11 Models for motivation: exploring the world of Religious Orientation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e12 Never on Sunday: the opportunities and challenges of Sunday worship\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eForeword\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhenever the church gets to talking about numbers, sooner or later someone will protest that it is not all about bums on seats, is it? Well, yes and no. As this readable and insightful book from David Walker makes clear, belonging cannot simply be measured by your attendance record. There are multiple ways of belonging to any organisation or community, and especially the church. But if instead of 'bums on seats' the church talked about 'hearts being changed' or 'lives being transformed', and once we realise that there can be no impact in our local communities and wider society unless there are at least some people who not only belong, but whose belonging shapes and directs the whole of their lives, i.e. their hearts are being changed and their lives are being transformed, then we begin to see that understanding how people belong and ministering to people in their different ways of belonging is something worth thinking about. This book will help you.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThe Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/BishopDavidWalker_480x480.jpg?v=1676497548\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" width=\"219\" height=\"269\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/BishopDavidWalker_480x480.jpg?v=1676497548\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\nAfter a Maths degree at Cambridge, David Walker trained in theology in Birmingham. He served in churches in the dioceses of Sheffield before becoming Bishop of Dudley in 2000 and then in 2013 Bishop of Manchester. He is involved in writing a continuing series of papers for peer review journals and the International Society of Empirical Research in Theology, using quantitative methods to analyse aspects of rural Anglicanism. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the Rural Theology Association, the Church of England Ministry Council and one of the Church Commissioners for England. He has contributed chapters to a number of books including Changing Rural Life: A Christian response to key rural issues (Canterbury Press, 2004), Rural Life and Rural Church: theological and empirical perspectives (Equinox, 2012), Exploring Ordinary Theology: everyday Christian believing and the Church (Ashgate, 2013). He has written papers for (amongst other journals) Rural Theology, the Journal of Beliefs \u0026amp; Values and the Journal of Anglican Studies. In 2014 he was awarded a PhD from the University of Warwick for the studies on which this book will be based.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 21.7.17\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview by Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford of \u003cem\u003eGod's Belongers: How people engage with God today and how the Church can help\u003c\/em\u003e by David Walker and \u003cem\u003eReproducing Churches \u003c\/em\u003eby George Lings\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce in a while, a book comes along that changes the way you look at things. Here are two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Walker's delightfully titled \u003cem\u003eGod's Belongers\u003c\/em\u003e analyses the different ways in which people express their belonging to church and their engagement with God, and suggests new strategies that will help the local church understand and provide for this belonging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on extensive research of church attendance at rural harvest festivals and Christmas carol services, the central thesis of this book is that regular churchgoing is not the only way in which Christian belonging is expressed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn one level, this is completely obvious. Most churches, however, persist with a gold standard of 'every-Sunday-morning' belonging, and all evangelistic endeavour is geared towards achieving this. But, as Walker's well-researched and well-argued book unfolds, we find that belonging can be measured in other ways, and this is more to do with personality and circumstance than commitment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, the one who comes less often is not necessarily less committed. Someone whose primary belonging comes through relationships, and who wishes to express this in service, may never come every week. But his or her 'lived-out' discipleship, day by day, demonstrates a commitment equal to any weekly communicant. If weekly attendance is the only goal, this person's faith development may be stymied, and the church's ability and flexibility to grow in different ways diminished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePut this alongside the vastly changed pattern of work, leisure, and family life in Britain today, and the impact on church life is plain to see. Strategies for evangelism and discipleship need to work with the grain of these different types of belonging, not against them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe development of Fresh Expressions in the Church of England is one such example of helping people to belong differently.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFresh Expressions of Church is not a stepping-stone towards the so-called 'real church' of Sunday morning. Worshipping in a variety of cultural styles, meeting in different places and different formats and at different times, Fresh Expressions have enabled the Church to broaden its reach.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis has been a remarkable story of missional and ecclesiological enterprise, and, although many people have played a significant part in this story, none has done more than George Lings. His ministry as theologian, researcher and church-planter has provided the impetus and inspiration for the Church to try new things. He has also led the way in enabling the Church to reflect on and learn from these experiments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll this is brought together in \u003cem\u003eReproducing Churches\u003c\/em\u003e. Lings explains and develops the basic thesis that reproduction is inherent in what it means to be the Church, not merely an optional function that some may choose. In other words, for the Church to be the Church it must reproduce. Based, again, on extensive research and vast experience, this book is probably the best available handbook for understanding church-planting and Fresh Expressions, and seeing how the Church can become what it is meant to be be. Put these two books together, and every church will be rethinking its evangelistic strategy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArthur Rank Centre Resources. Review by Revd Elizabeth Clark, National Rural Officer for the Methodist and United Reformed Churches\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this challenging book David Walker, Bishop of Manchester, argues that people belong to their community and to church in different ways. Some belong through activities and are often regular churchgoers and office holders in the church, the sort of person everyone knows and likes. This person helps others to relate to God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 'God's Belongers' these ways of belonging are offered as a framework within which we might consider how to shape and focus the mission of the church beyond 'people like us.' So often mission is based around the things that those already in the church are comfortable with. Walker challenges us to look at how we can do things differently so that other ways of belonging can be welcomed and accommodated, and people can grow in faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn short, this book encourages us to look seriously at those not like us so that we can welcome them. It also challenges us to learn from others because 'the evidence we've found of a rich and complex pattern of belonging challenges the often implicit assumption that occasional church goers are 'nominal' Christians'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile 'God's Belongers' inevitably reflects Bishop David's Anglican perspective, his insights are more widely applicable are easy to translate for other denominational contexts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Elizabeth Clark, National Rural Officer for the Methodist and United Reformed Churches\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader (Spring 2018). Review by Janice Price\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an important research based examination of how people belong to church. Based on two surveys taken in 2007 and 2009 in the Dioceses of Worcester and Lichfield, Walker outlines four ways - through people, places, one-off events and regular activities - that people belong to the Church. The samples were taken at rural harvest services and Christmas carol services and show information about the attitudes or regular churchgoers to those who attend occasionally. Walker argues that people, places or one-off events are co-workers with regular attendees and not objects of mission. He also asks whether it is possible to be a good Christian and not go to church very often. 'God's Belongers' is full of important questions and issues for PCCs, ministry teams and others to consider. It challenges stereotypes of the 'not-often-there' church attendees and deserves wide and careful consideration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Janice Price\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"David Walker","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769369256036,"sku":"9780857464675","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857464675-l.jpg?v=1549043157"},{"product_id":"thinking-of-you-a-resource-for-the-spiritual-care-of-people-with-dementia","title":"Thinking of You: a resource for the spiritual care of people with dementia","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis book approaches dementia from a number of angles: biological, psychological, sociological, and theological. After an introduction explaining the multifaceted nature of this set of conditions, some possible theological responses are offered to such questions as: what is the nature of human identity? How can someone with severely impaired cognition have a full spiritual life? The book's final two sections are predominantly practical, addressing the spiritual care of the affected individual and how to help churches support affected individuals and their carers. This final section includes resources for ministry in residential care homes.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch2\u003eContents\u003c\/h2\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 1: Thinking about dementia\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 1 A medical approach to dementia: 'Old-timer's disease'?\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 2 A biological approach to dementia: the fading brain\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 3 A social approach to dementia: not gone but forgotten\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 2: Thinking about the person with dementia\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 4 I think therefore I am?\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 5 Beyond 'I think therefore I am'\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 6 God thinks therefore I am\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 3: Thinking of you: the spiritual care of people with dementia\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 7 Being present to the person with dementia\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 8 Meaning-making in dementia\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 9 Re-membering the person with dementia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 4: Thinking about us: dementia-friendly churches\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 10 Full inclusion\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 11 Real belonging\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 12 Celebration\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 13 Connection\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eChapter 14 Safe enough to play\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\nThe Revd Dr Joanna Collicutt is Lecturer in Psychology and Spirituality at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford Diocesan Advisor for the Spiritual Care of Older People, and also ministers in a parish. Her other books include Jesus and the Gospel Women, The Dawkins Delusion? (with Alister McGrath) and Meeting Jesus (with Jeremy Duff).\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Julian Meetings Magazine (April 2018). Review by Gail Ballinger\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eJoanna Collicutt is an experienced clinical neuropsychologist who for many years has worked with people living with conditions affecting the brain, including dementia. An Anglican priest and Advisor for Spiritual Care for Older People in Oxford (Anglican) Diocese.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe book first describes the medical, biological and social aspects of dementia. The biological aspects have excellent line drawings which help to explain various forms of dementia. I found it very accessible - e.g. likening changes in retrieval of memories to organising \/ finding things in an airing cupboard. Joanna conveys the reality of experiencing dementia and how it might feel: she tells of a person being afraid to enter some-one's front door because the doormat looked like a hole in the ground and they feared they might fall into it.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePart two is about the person - what might dementia feel like for them; what is the nature of human identity; how is it possible to have a full spiritual life with dementia. \u003cem\u003eI think therefore I am \u003c\/em\u003eleads to \u003cem\u003eGod thinks, therefore I am\u003c\/em\u003e. Part three is about spiritual care and being with the person with dementia. The final chapters give practical suggestions about dementia friendly churches, full inclusion, being connected, celebration and play. She also refers to support in residential homes. Might some of this information help Julian Meetings?\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Gail Ballinger\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'The Door', June 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDementia is a topic which is regularly highlighted by the media, not only as a subject associated with the increasing number of elderly people in our society but also with reference to well-known individuals found to be suffering from the condition. Joanna Collicutt's inspiring book is a timely, carefully referenced and annotated publication providing helpful advice and dispelling misconceptions.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eDivided into four distinct parts, this resource begins with a medical approach to understanding dementia, first making two important points; that in medical terms dementia is a symptom rather than a disease and that occasional confusion and failing memory, not uncommon in older people, need not be a sign of something more sinister. Using helpful diagrams, the writer describes clearly and succinctly the various types of dementia and their physical causes.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePart two moves on from analysing the condition to considering the sufferer. Using the analogy of the airing cupboard, the writer discusses memory, implicit and explicit. She examines the phrase 'trapped in the present', comparing it to 'life in God's now' and asking, 'How are we to make sense of the experience of dementia theologically?'\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn Part Three, dealing with the spiritual care of people with dementia, the word 're-membering' takes on a new significance, with references to 'person-centred' psychotherapy, the principle of authenticity, listening to body language and the importance of touch. Various aids to re-membering are suggested, including a this-is-my-life book and a memory box. Incidentally, it is recognised that 'being there' for a dementia sufferer has its cost, with a helpful section on dealing with one's own feelings.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn Part Four dementia-friendly churches are examined, the emphasis being on a community that is friendly to all. Practical suggestions, which will benefit both the physically and mentally impaired, are made to enable full inclusion. Also in this section is a suggested form of worship and a simple weekday service of celebration. Finally, in a chapter entitled 'Safe enough to play' the writer discusses types of abuse and the required response should there be evidence of this.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWritten from a Christian perspective, this book is both informative and challenging. It evidences great skill in dealing with complex concepts clearly and comprehensibly, and is a resource which should be on the bookshelves of all clergy and those involved with pastoral care.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Revd Thelma Shacklady\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethodist Recorder, June 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 'Thinking of You: A resource for the spiritual care of people with dementia, Joanna Collicutt writes as a priest in the Church of England and as a clinical neuropsychologist. This book is an excellent introduction to the subject of dementia and a very practical spiritual resource for churches. An easy to understand, medical approach to dementia is outlined at the beginning.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eI found Joanna's analogy of an airing cupboard to describe the experience of dementia very useful. Newly-weds are given household linen and these items are neatly and carefully stored on the bottom shelf of the airing cupboard. As the years go by, easy-care sheets are placed on top of these -- then underpants and socks are thrown on top. As long as the door opens easily, all is well and items can be retrieved. But what if the door slowly closes? You now reach in through a narrowing gap to find what you need; it will be much easier to access the orderly folded linen at the bottom and it will be pure luck if you find a sock.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn the same way, a person living with dementia will find that memories which are deeply embedded and laid down in an orderly fashion are easiest to access. Joanna makes a distinction between explicit memories and implicit ones: an example of an implicit memory would be a hymn you do not recognise until the music starts and you find you know it. A person with dementia might not remember a visit from a relative or friend (explicit memory), but may be aware of kindness and touch (implicit memory). God holds us in mind, as the father of the prodigal son holds his absent son in mind. Although his son is in a distant land he is never forgotten.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eI found the most moving part of the book in the author's reminder about Easter in relation to dementia. On Good Friday Jesus is stripped of his capacities and on Holy Saturday he descends into the underworld to be with those forgotten by the world -- a profound solidarity. Joanna sees the calling of the churches to 'pick up the stitches which have been dropped'. There is practical advice on how to be with a person with dementia: we may allow a person their feelings of joy and despair, which can be incredibly intense.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAbove all, we need to cultivate 'an attitude of mindfulness to what we most fear'. Simple training is on offer to become a 'dementia friend'. Practical suggestions are offered, such as printing out Bible readings in large script, using traditional words to hymns and offering lifts.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eI found this book easy to read and digest. It would make excellent material for house groups and I think it would be good for every Methodist church to have a copy!\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Revd Bob Whorton, Chaplain, Sobell House Hospice, Oxford\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Joanna Collicutt","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769413722212,"sku":"9780857464910","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857464910-l.jpg?v=1549043155"},{"product_id":"pilgrim-journeys-pilgrimage-for-walkers-and-armchair-travellers","title":"Pilgrim Journeys: Pilgrimage for walkers and armchair travellers","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhy do pilgrims walk so much?\u003cbr\u003eWhat do they learn?\u003cbr\u003eWhat lasting good does it do?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003cem\u003ePilgrim Journeys\u003c\/em\u003e, experienced pilgrim and writer Sally Welch explores the less-travelled pilgrim routes of the UK and beyond, through the eyes of the pilgrims who walk them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach chapter explores a different aspect of pilgrimage, offering reflections and indicating some of the spiritual lessons to be learned that may be practised at home. This absorbing book shows how insights gained on the journey can be incorporated into the spiritual life of every day, bringing new ways of relationship with God and with our fellow Christians, offering support and encouragement as we face the joys and challenges of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eContents\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA brief history of pilgrimage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Routes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1 \u003cstrong\u003eBe true to your journey:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e St Columba's Way - Iona to St Andrews\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2 \u003cstrong\u003eCarry only what is necessary:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Via Ingles - Ferrol to Santiago de Compostela\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3 \u003cstrong\u003eBe open to Go:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Via Limovigensis - V lay to Limoges\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e4 \u003cstrong\u003eRejoice in your companions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Pilgrim's Way - Winchester to Canterbury\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e5 \u003cstrong\u003eInhabit the moment:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e St David's Way - Holywell to Bardsey Island\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e6 \u003cstrong\u003eTread lightly upon the earth:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Sentiero Francescano della Pace - Assisi to Gubbio\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e7 \u003cstrong\u003eRelease your burdens:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The Jesus Trail - Tabgha to Capernaum\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e8 \u003cstrong\u003eTrust yourself:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e St James Way - Worcester to Bristol\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e9 \u003cstrong\u003eRespect the community:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Thames Pilgrim Way - Oxford to Binsey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e10 \u003cstrong\u003eRejoice in the journey:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e St Olav's Way - Stiklestad to Trondheim\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA practical guide\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInformation for pilgrims\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\nSally Welch is the Vicar of Charlbury and Area Dean of Chipping Norton. An active pilgrim for over 20 years, she has lectured and led workshops on the nature and spirituality of pilgrimage and labyrinth throughout the UK. She is the editor of New Daylight and author of several books on pilgrimage. She worked with Bishop John Pritchard on the establishment of the Thames Pilgrim Way and is currently working on a Cotswold Pilgrimage Network.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Summer 2018\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReview by Jeremy Harvey\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWelch takes the reader on an unexpected journey with this slim but thought-provoking companion to ten pilgrim routes in Europe and the Holy Land. Avoiding such practical details as can be found on the internet, she instead offers a themed meditation on the spiritual steps that lead on a walk towards holiness. The opening description of St Columba's Way, from Iona to St Andrew's, becomes an extended discussion of what it means to be called, including a heartfelt appraisal of her own sense of mission. Driven by a self-confessed feeling of restlessness, her attachment to pilgrimage has an authentic ring to it: the word pilgrim was first used to describe a type of perpetual wanderer, a self-imposed exile whose journey was far removed from the later understanding of a return trip to a holy site and back. She concludes by describing a talk about an expedition planned with almost military precision along a Norwegian pilgrimage route to Trondheim, which left the audience impressed but unmoved by its spiritual content. Instead her book offers a more reflective and profitable meander along pilgrim ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Julian Meetings Magazine (April 2018) Review by Anne Stamper\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSally Welch, Vicar of Charlbury and Area Dean of Chipping Norton, defines pilgrimage as 'a spiritual journey to a sacred place. For hundreds of years men and women have made these journeys, hoping for healing, revelation or spiritual insight. They go to places where it is felt the gap between heaven and earth is smaller, where the action of saints may break into the lives of ordinary people, transforming them.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn active pilgrim for over 20 years, in this book she draws on those experiences of pilgrimages at home and abroad, for distances long and short, and travelling with others or by herself. This is not a travel book but at the end she gives readers practical hints and sources of information should they wish to undertake a pilgrimage themselves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn each section Sally takes one pilgrim route and describes an episode from her experience of it; this then leads into a reflection. In some reflections she gives the reader, as an armchair traveller, a practical task (possibly using pencil and paper) that encourages thought about their own path in life and God's call 'to be a pilgrim'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome of her pilgrim routes are well known, such as the Via Ingles, to Santiago de Compostela, or the Pilgrims Way from Winchester to Canterbury. Others were new to me: St James Way, from Worcester to Bristol and The Thames Pilgrim Way, from Oxford to Binsey - one Sally helped to set out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn excellent synopsis of the book is given by the chapter headings: Be true to your journey; Carry only what is necessary; Be open to God; Rejoice in your companions; Inhabit the moment; Tread lightly upon the earth; Release your burdens; Trust yourself; Respect the community; Rejoice in the journey. They are also not a bad pattern for life!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Anne Stamper\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sally Welch","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769499246692,"sku":"9780857465139","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857465139-l.jpg?v=1549043150"},{"product_id":"all-age-worship","title":"All-Age Worship","description":"\u003cp\u003eNoooooo! The prospect of all-age worship can produce a cry of anguish from many people. It's time to admit that worship with all ages present is easy to do appallingly and difficult to do well. But it's also time to admit that a church which unthinkingly packs off any group, old or young, to worship and learn in another space every week could well be completely daft...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is for those who sense that worshipping God together is probably a good thing, but are nervous of trying to lead their church towards that vision. It acknowledges that we don't live in a perfect world - or church - and that no one has all the answers. It also argues that you are the expert for the ways in which your church can best worship God, and helps you start to find those ways and adapt them for your local setting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/LucyMoore_480x480.jpg?v=1676494651\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 15px; float: left;\" width=\"174\" height=\"174\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"margin-right: 15px; float: left;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/LucyMoore_480x480.jpg?v=1676494651\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\nLucy Moore is the founder of Messy Church. Prior to working full-time with Messy Church, Lucy was a member of BRF's children's ministry team, offering training for those wanting to bring the Bible to life for children in churches and schools across the UK, and using drama and storytelling to explore the Bible with children herself.\n\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinistry Today - Summer 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the number one book for giving you a vision and philosophy for All Age Worship. Written with depth, passion, respect, practicality, and simplicity, I have given one of these to each member of our All Age Teams so that we all know what we're aiming for. This is not an 'ideas' book, although there are plenty of examples which you can pick up and use. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThe first three chapters prepare the ground: 'Should Church Be All Age?'; 'How Does Worship Happen?'; 'What Matters Most?' You may think you know the answers to these questions, but these 66 pages provide an excellent refresher. The last three chapters are more practical: 'Rules of Thumb for All Age Services'; 'Coping With Change'; 'Planning An All Age Service.' Having worked out your All Age Philosophy, you need to monitor what you are doing so that you remain constant to the vision, so these chapters provide checklists and sample planning grids (How many of our five senses are we engaging throughout this service? What different modes of learning are we employing? Do we want many little items (magazine style) or do we want to focus on one, core, shared experience? Are we connecting with vehicles for worship which have evolved through the centuries? How do we make sure that 'wonder' isn't lost amid chaos?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach chapter is clearly laid out, easy to read and content rich. This is the go-to book if you want to introduce All Age Worship, but it also an outstanding refresher course. 5\/5.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRichard Dormandy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e","brand":"Lucy Moore","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769507602532,"sku":"9780857465221","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857465221-l.jpg?v=1549043150"},{"product_id":"welcome-to-the-lords-table-activity-book","title":"Welcome to the Lord's Table activity book","description":"\u003cp\u003eEvery page in this book has been designed to help you mark a very important journey. Step by step it will help you to learn all about belonging to God's family. So it's about you and God.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eYou can fill in the pages by yourself or with the help of a grown-up.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are using this activity book as part of your church's Welcome to the Lord's Table programme, you will have the opportunity to offer it at your first Holy Communion as a sign that you belong to God and are part of his family.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSections:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho am I?\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Jesus, our friend and brother\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eGod's family\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e God's storybook\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Jesus' friends\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e The glory of Good\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Sorry!\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Jesus is risen\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Let's have a party!\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eLet's share a meal\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e All that I am\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Welcome to the Lord\" s table course book new edition href=\"\/9780857464941\/\"\u003eClick here to view the accompanying course book.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\nMargaret Withers has worked as the Children's Adviser in the Diocese of Rochester and Chelmsford for over 12 years and, most recently, held the post of Archbishop's Officer for Evangelism among Children. Margaret continues to champion the spiritual journey of children in the local church, school and community. Among her many books she is author of Fired up... Not Burned Out, The Gifts of Baptism and Where are the Children?, all published by BRF under the Barnabas imprint.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n","brand":"Margaret Withers","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769523363940,"sku":"9780857464965","price":4.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857464965-l.jpg?v=1549043149"},{"product_id":"welcome-to-the-lords-table-a-practical-programme-for-children-on-holy-communion","title":"Welcome to the Lord's Table: A practical programme for children on Holy Communion","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWelcome to the Lord's Table\u003c\/em\u003e is a fully revised edition of a highly successful programme, used in many churches and denominations throughout the UK. Rewritten for a new generation, it has been brought up to date, fully reflecting changes in both church process and church culture over recent years. New illustrations and new content will enhance the book's appeal and usefulness. \u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAimed primarily at church ministers, children's workers, parents and teachers who want to enable children aged 7 - 9 to participate fully in eucharistic worship, the introductory chapters explore the background to the question of preparing young children for Holy Communion, give guidance on preparing the congregation, training leaders and involving the family, and include a guide to using the programme. The programme itself comprises eleven flexible teaching units and is designed to last approximately three months overall, with the children receiving Holy Communion towards the end of the programme.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eEach unit begins with leader's personal reflections to help prepare those who are leading for the task ahead. These are followed by sections on aims and objectives, resources and preparation, teaching, activity, Bible reading, focus on church, prayer and worship.\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWho am I?\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Jesus, our friend and brother\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eGod's family\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e God's storybook\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Jesus' friends\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e The glory of Good\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Sorry!\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Jesus is risen\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Let's have a party!\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eLet's share a meal\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e All that I am\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePunctuation points mark the journey:\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e Celebrating God's word\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Celebrating God's forgiveness\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Celebrating Holy Communion\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003e Postscript: Looking to the future\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Welcome to the Lord\" s table activity book new edition href=\"\/9780857464965\/\"\u003eClick here to view the accompanying activity book.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\nMargaret Withers has worked as the Children's Adviser in the Diocese of Rochester and Chelmsford for over 12 years and, most recently, held the post of Archbishop's Officer for Evangelism among Children. Margaret continues to champion the spiritual journey of children in the local church, school and community. Among her many books she is author of Fired up... Not Burned Out, The Gifts of Baptism and Where are the Children?, all published by BRF under the Barnabas imprint.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n","brand":"Margaret Withers","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769534865508,"sku":"9780857464941","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857464941-l.jpg?v=1549043148"},{"product_id":"it-takes-a-church-to-raise-a-parent-creating-a-culture-where-parenting-for-faith-can-flourish","title":"It Takes a Church to Raise a Parent: Creating a culture where parenting for faith can flourish","description":"\u003cp\u003eParents are the primary disciplers of their children, but we as a church are called to be their community who supports them as a family, equips them to succeed, and cheers them on the path of parenting for faith. This book will help children's, youth and senior leaders to learn how to position themselves for maximum impact, develop foundational values and practices to operate out of, and establish practical steps to shape a culture where parenting for faith can flourish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\nRachel Turner has been a full-time children's and families worker and the National Children's Work Coordinator for New Wine, and continues to consult, speak at conferences and run training days for parents, children and youth workers around the UK and Europe. She is the author of the Parenting Children for a Life of Faith series.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.readers.cofe.anglican.org\/resources.php\"\u003ewebsite\u003c\/a\u003e. Review by Susanne Mitchell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe title is a twist on the old adage 'It takes a village to raise a child', but the twist is key to the book. Parents spend 2,000 to 3,000 hours a year with their children compared with the 100 hours a Church youth worker might have. So, it makes more sense to focus on serving the parents than the children if you want to disciple the children. The next key message is that there is no one right way to parent for faith. Turner does not offer a formula but writes from distilled experience. Dividing the book into three sections, Vision, Skills, Church Culture, her advice is well structured and easy to follow. Just when you think she is stating common sense you recognise a pitfall you might well have fallen in. Her points are grounded in topical, relevant and humorous comparisons - M\u0026amp;S adverts, IKEA, the station helpdesk, sports coaching. She constantly reminds us to offer rather than instruct; to suggest and draw on existing skills; to build rather than set up for a fall. Some of what she says might apply to other areas of ministry but in the section on Church Culture she makes a useful distinction between children's and youth ministry. This book is for church leaders and is a pretty comprehensive, though compact, volume to accompany prayer and planning around this particular ministry, before perhaps using BRF's \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.parentingforfaith.org.uk\"\u003ewww.parentingforfaith.org.uk\u003c\/a\u003e website and course. The book itself explains why parenting for faith is a 'whole church' task and suggests how to encourage those who do not think they have a part to play, as well as how to work with families where only the children have faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Susanne Mitchell\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e_______________________________________________________________________\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times, 1 June 2018. Review by Dana Delap\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis exciting book challenges the adage that it takes a village to raise a child. Rachel Turner, the Bible Reading Fellowship's Parenting for Faith Pioneer, suggests that parents have the most significant impact on the faith and discipleship of their children and young people, but that only one third of parents feel confident about passing on their faith within the family. The village or church should not try to replace the family, but provide encouragement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTurner longs for churches to have the skills to mentor and empower parents to raise God-conscious children. She argues that they need to lay the foundations of a church culture in which communities journey alongside parents, carers and grandparents, nurturing, equipping and encouraging them to be confident about their faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the past decade, resources aimed at enabling churches and their leaders to help children become disciples have proliferated. But 'experts' on evangelism, clergy, Readers and children's and youth workers have disempowered the family members who live with the children and young people whom the Church wants to influence. The people who make the most difference in the lives of the young are the adults who can feel least equipped to do so.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChildren and teenagers need to see what a real relationship with God looks like in the everyday highs and lows of life, and the church community needs to learn how to create a vision of what parenting that nurtures faith can be, raising expectations among parents while offering the affirmation that there is no 'right way' to do it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf churches can summon up enough humility to admit that parents, carers, and grandparents have more impact on the faith of the children than they have, then the multi-generational support that they offer will inspire parenting of that kind. But that is easier in a large church than a small one. In many contexts, a multi-generational church community is only an aspiration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book and its accompanying website give a vision of what families helping their children to learn faith can look like, and how the church can help. It might not be possible to offer a full programme in every church context, but it is a vision towards which all should be striving. Every congregation has a member who knows how to hold a baby, walk with a toddler, or hold a song-book for a child; if this book does no more than encourage a generous welcome to a family in church, it has begun to fulfil its promise to enable a church to raise a parent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCanon Delap is Team Missioner and Vicar of Blockley, in Gloucestershire.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e_______________________________________________________________________\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePresbyterian Herald, October 2018 \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a parenting book that is not for parents. Rather, it is a book for church leaders and other volunteers within children's ministry to think about how to support parents as they share their faith at home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt aims to encourage those who journey alongside parents as they are on the frontline of raising children. It is a book that gives us ideas and practical advice of how we can keep the promise that we make at a child's baptism to support those parents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is written in three parts: part one is about creating the vision for parents so that they know that sharing their faith is a vital part of being a Christian parent, but in a way that is accessible and allows for choice. Part two is about setting out skills that are necessary for the job to help parents see how they can share their faith in the everyday. Part three is about creating a culture within the church that supports parents but also shows how everyone has a role to play in the journey of faith of children and young people. This last part is also about reminding everyone that they have a part to play in supporting, encouraging and teaching faith as a community.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is yet another great book by Rachel Turner; it is easy to read and full of practical ideas, as well as big-picture thinking. A definite must-read for church leaders in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e_______________________________________________________________________\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rachel Turner","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769774661732,"sku":"9780857466259","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857466259-l.jpg?v=1549043135"},{"product_id":"home-by-another-route-reimagining-todays-church","title":"Home by Another Route: Reimagining today's church","description":"\u003cp\u003ePaul Bradbury believes that a movement of the Holy Spirit is beginning to renew and reform today's church - a church marginalised and 'in exile'. Following on from Stepping into Grace, Bradbury takes the prophet's powerful image of dry skeletal human remains coming to life through the miraculous work of the Spirit of God to encourage and inspire the contemporary church to seek renewal through the Spirit. This is a compelling and prophetic book - a must-read for today's church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul Bradbury is a pioneer minister in the Church of England. He leads a missional community, based in Poole, with a vision to connect with unchurched people and support and train others involved in new forms of church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo read Paul's lockdown blog click \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/blogs\/collections\/paul-bradbury-guest-blog\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is powerful stuff from Paul Bradbury holding out Ezekiel as an example for leadership and pioneer ministry in our times. He draws wonderful insights from this old Bible prophet for a church that has essentially been exiled. His writing is really well crafted with lovely turns of phrase and it's a book that is both a fairly easy read but also runs deep. I found it inspiring and challenging in equal measure.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJonny Baker, Director of Mission Education, CMS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHome by Another Route uses the metaphor of exile to describe the place of the 21st Century Church in a post Christendom world. It argues that a new ecclesial narrative can be found by understanding who we were, the acceptance of what we have lost and through this the discovery of who we might be. This book offers a valuable framework for those seeking to pioneer a future expression of church.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Ed Olsworth-Peter, National Adviser for Pioneer Development\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy creatively using metaphors of exile and home, along with insights from Ezekiel, Paul explores how exile can encourage our imaginations to rethink and retool what church might look like. I found this book to be challenging and hopeful for the place of the church in our world, encouraging a humble and decentered posture that might just make church more attractive to a generation that craves authenticity and integrity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCathy Ross, Lecturer in Contextual Theology, Ripon College, Cuddesdon, and MA Coordinator for Pioneer Leadership Training at CMS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times, 13 March 2020. Review by the Rt Rev Paul Bayes, the Bishop of Liverpool\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul Bradbury has a vision for the future of the Church. His account recognises and accepts the reality of the chaotic, fluid culture of the West. In such a context, he says, ‘Perhaps… the most fruitful way to explore our place as the Church in the maelstrom of the world is to play with story.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bible is a good resource for playing with story – this complicated library of books which, certainly in the case of the Hebrew scriptures, has nothing direct to say about the preferred shape of the Christian Church. In its stories it is possible to find many echoes and pre-echoes of the way we might want to do things today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, similar reflections have found their home in the Book of Nehemiah, which can be read as a series of helpful hints on building a Church as well as building a wall. Managerial and devotional lessons – vision, perseverance, prayer, teamwork – can be found in Nehemiah for the Churches and their leaders, if you can skate over some of the less politically correct stories in that interesting book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBradbury, on the other hand, draws on bleaker stories – in particular the image of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37. He seeks to discern the Spirit moving among the bones today. As he does so, he shapes an attractive vision of the Church – a light, innovative, relational community, counter-cultural in its radical sharing, critical of consumerism and of an instrumental obsession with growth and prosperity. He finds in Ezekiel both the motivation for his own preferred way of being the Church, and the reassurance that God’s inspired word prefigures the choices that he and his community have made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBradbury’s approach rhymes interestingly with that of more conservative defenders of the inherited parish system, those who ask us simply to hold our nerve in hope, faithful to that which we have received, not changing a thing, waiting for the bones to reconnect. Like them, Bradbury is critical of an anxious Church that simply wants to find a winning formula and clone it. Unlike them, he sees the need to explore a radical ‘re-imagination’ of the ways things are, and could be, when Christians gather.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis book will therefore rattle many bones among those of us who explore and debate the renewing and reforming of the Church. For this reason, I recommend it gladly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by the Rt Rev Paul Bayes, the Bishop of Liverpool\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader, Autumn 2019. Review by Rosemary Medhurst\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDoes contemporary British Christianity, and the loss of influence of the church as an institution, have much in common with the experience of exile? This comparison focuses on Ezekiel, and particularly the vision of dry bones. ‘Can these bones live?’ is the question, and Ezekiel watches them restored. But God is doing a new thing, then beyond the structures of monarchy and temple, now beyond the structures of inherited church. Bradbury encourages us to venture out to participate in God’s initiatives – ‘missio dei’ – rather than continuing to try to pull people in. He warns provocatively against denial, even against overvaluing large busy churches, and promotes nurturing the various fresh expressions along the spectrum away from traditional church. This is a short book, but well supported by references, many from Brueggemann, including the health warning that ‘the usefulness of a metaphor for rereading our own context is that it is not claimed to be a one-to-one match’. Indeed, but an encouragement to share Ezekiel’s step into the unknown with the response: ‘Sovereign Lord, you alone know’.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Rosemary Medhurst\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReform, May 2019. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Ruth Maxey\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul Bradbury is an Anglican pioneer minister who started a fascinating fresh expression in Poole – a missional community called ‘Reconnect’ that is living out a new way of being Church. He therefore brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to the topic of ‘reimagining today’s Church’.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a misleadingly thin book, as the content is anything but thin! It’s heart is an in-depth analysis of the exilic period, with a particular focus on Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones in Ezekiel 37. From this detailed biblical and historical analysis, Bradbury draws parallels with the context the Church finds itself in today. As Christian communities, we are also in exile, often looking back longingly and trying to recreate and maintain our old ways in a foreign land. We are often either in despair at the loss of the past, or looking to some kind of assimilation. Bradbury maintains that we need to see the creative opportunities that our present context offers us, as we allow the Spirit to work through us in new and exciting ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe phrase ‘home by another route’ comes from the story of the journey of the magi in Matthew’s Gospel. The magi do return home, but they are changed by their encounter and return by another route. The Church is also called to ‘return by another route’, we cannot simply try to do the old things better, we need to find another route. Bradbury rightly claims that ‘recreating Jerusalem in the landscape of Babylon is not an option’.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs someone who is part of a community that is seeking to reimagine the Church, I was very much drawn to the topic. But this is not a practical ‘how to’ book, it is one to take time with, to chew over, to re-read. It is not a book for someone looking for simple answers on how to reimagine the Church today. This is a book for those who are prepared to think deeply and theologically about the context in which we find ourselves, and to look to the wealth of biblical tradition for wisdom and inspiration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRuth Maxey is a pioneer minister at Church without Walls, Milton Keynes\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInspire, March 2019. Review by John Woods\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a readable reflection on Ezekiel’s Dry Bones passage in Ezekiel Chapter 37.  The author sees the prophet as a pioneer, who has a fresh God-given take on what can be done on the present and the future. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Paul Bradbury leads what he calls a missional community attached to the Church of England; he views the UK Church as a community in exile. By this the author means that the Church should operate within a society where Christianity does not provide the primary language or narrative for most people.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBradbury finds a breath-taking hope of a homecoming in Ezekiel’s message to the exiles. Yet this homecoming, if it is to occur, might involve coming back by another route.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe author provides a useful spectrum for assessing the nature of church leadership: Church Replicators, who repeat that which has always been done; Pioneer Adaptors, who use things like Messy Church and Café Church to create fresh zones for people to explore Christianity, and Pioneer Innovators who use more explorative, low-key ways to get alongside those who are seeking to make sense of life, God and the universe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found this book to be a stimulating read but wondered if at times it fell between the stools of being an academic or a popular treatment. I think I would also have liked a little bit more meat on the bones concerning how Pioneer innovators “venture into the edges of postmodern culture”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat said here is a timely invitation to reimagine the way we do church, that is open to the breath of the Spirit and seeks to be shaped to come alongside those beyond the “usual suspects”!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJohn Woods is pastor of Lancing Tabernacle in West Sussex\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIrish Methodist Newsletter. Review by Stephen Skuce, \u003cspan\u003eDistrict Superintendent, North Western District\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe world has changed significantly over the past 50 years. The church has not necessarily changed as much. Consequently, the two are a bit more disconnected than they previously were. This isn’t a breaking news story but it’s how we understand and respond to this that is crucial. Paul Bradbury reflects on this with an understanding that the church today finds itself in exile, albeit that society has moved on and the church is somewhat marooned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEzekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones is the thread that holds this book together. Each chapter takes a different aspect of the prophet’s vision, with the recurring questions as to whether the bones (or church) can live again. Based on his experience as a pioneer minister, Bradbury avoids platitudes or somewhat mechanical solutions. He views the problem as primarily a spiritual problem that needs a spiritual answer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book’s title recognises that the church is not able to return to what it was. The visit of the Wise Men to Jesus changed their lives and following God’s warning, they went home by a different route. Bradbury argues that church restoration and renewal of the past is no longer for today, and we as the church need to find another route to our home, or place of peace, safety and prosperity. ‘Recreating Jerusalem in the landscape of Babylon is not an option’ (p.85). Those in exile start to understand how God is with them, not in the ways of the past which are gone, but in the new strange world they find themselves a bit reluctantly in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday people are still interested in spirituality and understanding who God is. They no longer focus this search on the church but rather follow numerous alternative ways. Indeed, perhaps this is now the norm and the church is one of the alternatives. This is all part of the uncomfortable place that is exile. Bradbury reflects on his pioneer ministry with the Church of England in Poole in southern England. I don’t think this shows us a model as to how to respond. It does show us one response and challenges us to find our own ways to respond to living in exile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUltimately ‘all our efforts at refounding, renewal, reform will be nothing unless they are built on a renewal of our reliance on God’ (p105). That is both our challenge and direction\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Rev’d Dr Stephen Skuce, District Superintendent, North Western District\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Paul Bradbury","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21769940107364,"sku":"9780857466310","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857466310-l.jpg?v=1549043128"},{"product_id":"what-would-jesus-post-a-biblical-approach-to-online-interaction","title":"What Would Jesus Post?: A Biblical approach to online interaction","description":"\u003cp\u003eIf Jesus had access to the internet, what would he post? And, as importantly, what wouldn't he post? This book asks the intriguing questions of those who engage with the internet, which biblical principles inform its use, and how might Christians steward their online presence?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Robertson is vicar of South Ossett, West Yorkshire. He has ministered in rural, suburban and urban deprived parishes and, as a graduate in Biblical Studies, he is primarily a Bible teacher. He has written several books, as well as daily Bible readings for BRF.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnvil vol 36 issue 1. April 2020. Review by Mary Kells\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis short and accessible book applies biblical principles to online life, reminding the reader that being online is not ‘downtime’ from faith, but an arena, rather, in which faith can be enacted, and in which it can also be tested. It is only towards the end that we discover that the book was written as a result of a damaging online experience. The book is designed for individuals, parents, youth and church leaders and could be used in a group or by individuals. It identifies three generations of online users: the tech-immigrants, pre-dating the advent of the World Wide Web in 1990, and more comfortable offline; tech-assimilators, who have learned to make use of online resources; and the tech-indigenous, who have never known anything else. The book is intended for all\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ethree groups, spelling out basic concepts to facilitate the tech-immigrants, but challenging the tech-indigenous to re-think their online behaviour. A key question is: are we being conformed to online culture, or prepared to be a transformative presence, reflecting counter-cultural Christian values?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe individual chapters spell out the nature of the online environment and its temptations and consequences, including such perils as trolls and digital porn, and offer helpful tools and biblical resources. Each chapter follows the same simple structure, combining reflection and action. The chapters begin by outlining a particular issue or challenge, then suggest specific Bible passages which address it, and finish with a set of questions, for discussion, reflection or to prompt action.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a book one would wish were not necessary, as its premises at one level seem so obvious, and yet, it clearly is. It encourages everyone to recognise online life as a powerful reality, but one that must be integrated into the greater reality of a life lived in God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eRev Dr Mary Kells, St Faith’s, Lee-on-the-Solent\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times. 31 August 2018. Review by Bryony Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is a simple guide to thinking biblically about one's online interactions. I imagine that it would be helpful for church leaders who are realising that they need to engage with the internet and all the attendant issues that might affect people's discipleship, but who might not know where to start. If you already use social media and the internet a great deal, you may find it a little simplistic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book covers a wide range of themes, such as prayer, taking a sabbath, gossip, pornography and bullying, and then looks at what they might mean online. The aim is to help the reader think 'What would Jesus post?', updating the '90s slogan for the next generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRobertson makes an interesting point about hypocrisy that, as online lives blend with offline lives, it is becoming harder to live a double life -- and that is a good thing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore could have been said about the benefits of the internet and social media for pastoral care and discipleship: for example, the way in which the housebound and those with mental health problems and disabilities have access to church communities online; or the way in which apps, such as the YouVersion Bible app or PrayerMate, can support spiritual development. Neither of these apps is mentioned in the chapter on prayer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRobertson helpfully explains what the book is and is not. Unfortunately, he does this in the afterword rather than the introduction; so it is a good idea to read the afterword first. The book is structured in such a way that the reader can dip in and out of it easily.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few relevant chapters could be used as material fo ra small group Bible study, or even a short course. I would recommend it to a congregation who, perhaps, are feeling a generational divide around the use of technology and would like a way of approachig discipleship in this area together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Reverend Bryony Taylor is the author of 'Sharing Faith Using Social Media' (Grove, 2016) and a priest in the diocese of Derby.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlog review by The Revd Kate Wharton 01.09.18\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was a really interesting book to read and review. There are so many conflicting thoughts and opinions around about social media and the whole online world. Some people think it's the best thing since sliced bread, a fabulous gospel opportunity, a way to reach out and spread the good news and connect with people you wouldn't otherwise meet. Some people think it's the work of the devil, all about spreading lies and hate and evil, bringing out the worst in people and distracting us from the real work of the kingdom. The truth, inevitably, probably lies somewhere in between those two extremes. Like many things, social media and the internet can be used for good or for evil, and there are plenty of people and organisations doing both of those things.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt would be easy to assume that the Bible has nothing to say about the online world - after all computers and electricity couldn't even have been dreamed of during the time the Bible was written, let alone the internet. But it's vital as Christians that we consider what God thinks about all aspects of life, and that we weigh up what we do and say and think in the light of what we know to be true. This is what theology does - it enables us to look at an aspect of life in our world and to consider it within the gaze of God, asking ourselves what he wishes to say to us about it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is what David Robertson has sought to do in this new book: \u003cem\u003eWhat Would Jesus Post? - A Biblical Approach to Online Interaction\u003c\/em\u003e. Personally, I'm a big fan of social media, as you'll know if you follow me, and have been assailed by multiple posts on anything from chocolate to church to squirrels to fencing to gin to Jesus... and much more! So, I was fascinated to read what David Robertson had to say, and to see what he thought Jesus would have made of the world of social media.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy own view is that Jesus would have been all over social media - he was never one to shy away from a chance to interact with people, after all. He was always where the people were - even when that meant being in a place that the 'good', righteous, religious people felt that he shouldn't have been. Of course, Jesus would have used his social media accounts without sinning, as he did everything - unfortunately that's something I can't claim to have always managed, and I doubt whether any of us have. But in 2018 I simply don't think that we can declare the whole online world to be morally bankrupt and declare that we want nothing to do with it. The internet isn't going anywhere, and I believe that we need to understand it and engage with it - in a way that's shaped around and formed by what we know to be true of God's kingdom rule. So, what might that look like?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI really liked how practical the book was, and that it's structured in such a clear and readable way. It constantly refers back to the truths and wisdom of the Bible, and it is also totally up to date and relevant to 21st century life and culture. There are helpful tips about how we can all make better use of social media in our kingdom ministry, and there are also important challenges as to just how we come across, how we engage, how we interact. We're reminded to 'pray before posting' and to think about the responsibilities as well as the opportunities that come with having a 'personal digital pulpit.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe overall advice from this book is that it's important for Christians as individuals, and for churches as organisations, to engage on social media, and to make the most of all that is offered by it. But crucially we're also encouraged to be wise, discerning, humble, hospitable and generous as we do so. There's also a really important and interesting challenge about our overuse of\/reliance on all things online, and an encouragement to consider an occasional 'digital sabbath.' Ultimately, we're reminded that we are 'stewards of a digital footprint.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall I think this is an important and timely book for Christians. I haven't come across anything quite like it before and it definitely gave me a lot of food for thought. I'm very much pro all things internet (well, most things...!) but this has given me some important new ideas, and questions to ask, for which I'm grateful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKate Wharton is Vicar of St. Bartholomew's Church in Roby, Liverpool, and Assistant National Leader of New Wine England\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"David Robertson","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21770133766244,"sku":"9780857466648","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857466648-l.jpg?v=1549043120"},{"product_id":"80-reflective-prayer-ideas-a-creative-resource-for-church-and-group-use","title":"80 Reflective Prayer Ideas: A creative resource for church and group use","description":"\u003cp\u003ePrayer remains a vital part of Christian discipleship. Following the success of the author's 80 Creative Prayer Ideas, this ready-to-use resource book contains 80 further ideas on setting up reflective and creative prayer stations or responses. Claire Daniel shows us how to pray with our whole being - our senses as well as our voice, our hearts as much as our minds. Tried and tested, these ideas will enhance the praying of small groups, churches and individuals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClaire Daniels' book not only offers us a wide variety of ways to engage with God, but opens up experiences that ignite our senses and help us step right into an enhanced understanding of God and of our journey with him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Rachel Turner, Parenting for Faith Pioneer \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a book that is so needed in our word filled world!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Jane Holloway, World Prayer Centre, Birmingham\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 15px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/ClaireDaniel2_480x480.jpg?v=1676493596\" width=\"103\" height=\"99\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClaire Daniel is author of 80 Creative Prayer Ideas and Prayer Journey into Parenthood. She is passionate about encouraging others to use creative prayer methods and speaks at conferences and leads workshops on the subject of prayer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGodVenture blog: review by Victoria Beech, February 2019\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreat for: people organising prayer in any group setting, including those wanting to inspire family prayers at home\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBest bit: Loads of simple, creative ideas for reflective prayer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorst bit: No pictures\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe instructions for the prayer activities are simple and easy to follow, and most activities need minimal resources, which is fab. If you're a church leader or childrens' worker or anyone who plans times of prayer for a group of people, the ideas in this book are simple and easy to do and, with a little preparation, you could create take-home versions to inspire family prayer at home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI didn't feel the activities were age-limited, which is great, as it means they could be used in a toddler group or an all-age service, giving everyone a way of connecting with God in a creative way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe prayer ideas are grouped together so you could use a different one each week or create a variety of prayer stations with a similar theme. I particularly like that many of them use nature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt first, I was disappointed the strapline didn't mention families, but the activities are all written for those organising prayer times for a group, and it's hard to make the text work for people doing things in a family and a group (I've tried!). If I was planning to make take-home packs, I'd be tempted to shorten the instruction text, maybe picking one or two of the suggestions for reflection to make it quicker to read and get on to actually praying. I find families tend to have less time to read instructions, and things which are 'good to go' are best.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs I said above, it's a shame there's no pictures, especially as the author says she's used lots of the activities herself. It would be fab to have a colour photo of each activity, but that would be a pricey book I guess.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Victoria Beech in her blog GodVenture\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e_____________________________________________\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Claire Daniel","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21770194681956,"sku":"9780857466730","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/80reflectiveprayerideas.jpg?v=1734097574"},{"product_id":"praying-the-way-with-matthew-mark-luke-and-john","title":"Praying the Way: with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John","description":"\u003cp\u003eThrough raw and authentic prayers, based on the gospel stories, Terry Hinks leads readers into the heart of the gospels the more clearly to see the needs and joys of today's world. This highly original book helps readers to pray out of, and with, the words of Jesus and to discover the joy of prayer as a two-way conversation - listening as much as speaking to God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks' book is a multi-layered gift. At once, it both offers prayers that can enrich personal devotions and public worship and enables insightfully novel theological reflection upon some very familiar material. I am grateful for it myself and warmly commend it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Nigel Uden, URC General Assembly Moderator 2018 - 2020\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks is a gifted wordsmith. His latest book, Praying the Way with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John consists of 160 amazingly fresh prayers - 40 for each gospel - in which Scripture becomes the springboard for the soul. I know of no other prayer resource quite like it. I found these prayers not just stimulating and broadening, but also deeply challenging. This is a book not to be read - but to be used. I warmly commend it to anyone looking for a more authentic relationship with God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaul Beasley-Murray, 'Church Matters'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks has thought and written over many years about ways that the gospels can inspire and inform our praying. Now this mature collection of prayers draws on important texts from across the four gospels and from all around the themes of the Christian year. The primary tone is reflective, coming near to God in measured, thoughtful praise, and with deep confidence and hope. The language is both reverent and accessible, moving yet not complicated. These prayers would work very well in a church service, and would be equally helpful in a small house group or in private devotion. This book deserves to circulate widely, and I suspect that many copies will become well-worn in the course of the years. This is a resource to return to, time and again, for one's own faith and in the service of others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Revd John Proctor, General Secretary, The United Reformed Church\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks' thoughtful and useful prayers help us better understand the Jesus presented in each of the gospels. The book is very helpful for personal devotional use, but also an invaluable resource for leaders of worship.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndy Braunston, Coordinator of URC Daily Devotion Project\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry writes with freshness and honesty to all those who, like him, are trying to walk Christ's way. Like a seasoned traveller, he crafts prayers - inspired by the four gospels - that act as a way marker for his fellow travellers. I warmly commend this resource to enable us all to pray the way before turning back to the challenges that await us on the road.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Richard Church, Deputy General Secretary (Discipleship) of The United Reformed Church\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Praying the Way, Terry Hinks has developed his work around the four gospels into a thoughtful and accessible resource for prayer. He takes Jesus' life and relationship with his heavenly Father as a starting point for exploring our own life of prayer. This book, while primarily designed as an aid to personal devotion, will, I am sure, be a source of material for many worship leaders.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Clare Downing, Moderator of the Wessex Synod\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks is a United Reformed Church minister, serving churches in Hereford, Reading and Romsey before moving to two churches in the High Wycombe area. He served as Secretary to the URC Doctrine Prayer and Worship Committee and contributed the Order of Daily Worship to the URC's Service Book Worship. He is the author of a number of books on prayer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader website, 6 March 2019. Review by Laura Hillman.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection of prayers and meditations is firmly anchored in the four gospels. An introduction to each section highlights the characteristics of prayer in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The reader is invited to follow 'the way', a life based on prayer leading to action and changed attitudes. The author has obviously thought hard and long about the lessons to be learned and the strength to be gained from meditating on the scriptures. Each prayer is introduced by a sentence from the relevant gospel with a reference to the longer passage from which it is drawn. The language is refreshingly simple and direct with sparing and effective use of imagery. Although rooted in the Bible, the text has multiple references to life in the 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ecentury. As well as being a springboard for personal prayer these readings will provide new insights for preachers and study group leaders looking for a fresh take on a well-known text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Laura Hillman\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.readers.cofe.anglican.org\/resources\"\u003ewww.readers.cofe.anglican.org\/resources\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e_______________________________________________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReform Magazine, Dec 2018-Jan2019, reviewed by John Proctor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerry Hinks has thought and written over many years about ways in which the gospels can inspire and shape our praying. His long ministry, across four United Reformed Church pastorates, has certainly deepened and developed this work, and now he has provided us with a rich collection of mature prayers, drawing on important texts from across the four gospels and around the themes of the Christian year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePraying the Way \u003c\/em\u003econtains 160 prayers in all - 40 based on passages in each of the gospels. Most of them are short - between about 100 and 150 words in length - and, while Hinks has a recognisable mood and approach, there is definitely no single pattern of length, rhythm or style. The primary tone is reflective, drawing near to God in measured, thoughtful praise, with deep confidence and hope, yet often with searching humility too. The language is both reverent and accessible, often moving, never complex.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe prayers in \u003cem\u003ePraying the Way\u003c\/em\u003e would work well in church worship and could be equally helpful in a house group or for private use. They would connect most deeply with Christians who were reasonably familiar with the bibilcal material, and who were glad to have their thoughts taken to new places in their praying. Worship leaders will welcome the book, not least because the prayers relate so directly and obviously to scripture passages, many of which appear in the Revised Common Lectionary used in Sunday services.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few sample snippets from the book with show the counterpoint of freshness and familiarity. The prayer based on Matthew 18:12-13 talks of 'sheep, ready to be counted, not to send us to sleep, but to waken us to your kingdom'. The one on Mark 2:1-12 says: 'Let us praise God for friends who carry us through the darkest of times'. The prayer for Luke 15:8-10 asks: 'Holy Spirit, sweep through the dust of my life'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book deserves to be widely known and well used, and many copies will surely become well-worn in the course of the years. This is a resource to return to, time and again, for one's own faith and in the service of others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJohn Proctor is General Secretary of the United Reformed Church\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e This is a real treasure trove. Here are 40 readings and prayers for each of the 4 Gospels; 160 pages of wisdom, illumination, inspiration and motivation with helpful introductions and an Appendix suggesting ways in which these jewels can be made to sparkle. What is found here is not just the product of academic study but of rich pastoral experience in grass-roots ministry serving churches in Hereford, Reading, Romsey and High Wycombe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe value of these crisp reflections is that they can be used systematically to travel through the Gospels or they can be dipped into. They are also a valuable starting point for sermon preparation because of their pithy headings and the prayers which give further insight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI warmly commend this creative devotional book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Tom Stuckey, a Former President of the Methodist Church in Britain\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Baptist Times, 16.01.19. Reviewed by Keith Parr\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found myself in a rather beautiful place in late October.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is this beautiful little Baptist church in beautiful Bunessan on the beautiful Isle of Mull in beautiful Scotland. Everything about it is, well beautiful! The people smile an outrageous amount, the weather is always clement (unless it's cold and raining which happens quite a lot) and the view from the pulpit... oh my, I could wax lyrical about the view from the pulpit for hours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI found myself in this beautiful place clutching this book I'd promised to review. I don't normally use much liturgy or many written prayers when I lead worship, but decided to take \u003cem\u003ePraying the Way\u003c\/em\u003e for a trial run this Sunday morning, knowing after the service I could ask all of the congregation if it helped or hindered their encounter with Jesus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is how it works: Terry Hinks has written prayers around various passages in the four Gospels. As I was preaching on John 4:1-42 (Jesus and the woman at the well) after the reading, I used the prayer based on that passage. Leading the prayer felt a little odd, but that could be put down to my lack of practice with this form of praying. The congregation, though, all seemed to appreciate the structure and pauses (which I put in), especially because it related to the reading and the sermon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI probably wouldn't have purchased this, but it is the kind of book that I will know I can dip into if needs be. If your church uses liturgical language you will like this a lot. If you don't, then it isn't a bad idea to have these resources around, and this is not a bad place to start.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Keith Parr, the minister at Maghull Baptist Church north of Liverpool\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Terry Hinks","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":21770206347364,"sku":"9780857467164","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857467164-l.jpg?v=1549043118"},{"product_id":"life-with-st-benedict-the-rule-re-imagined-for-everyday-living","title":"Life with St Benedict: The Rule reimagined for everyday living","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTo discover the \u003cem\u003eRule of St Benedict\u003c\/em\u003e is to encounter something that is at once inspiring, supporting, reassuring, challenging. Let this book be an introduction to the writing of a man who will change your life.\u003cbr\u003eEsther de Waal, author of \u003cem\u003eSeeking God: The way of St Benedict\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eRule of St Benedict\u003c\/em\u003e has much to say about faith, work and daily living. In a time when many are seeking space, silence and spiritual depth, the \u003cem\u003eRule\u003c\/em\u003e retains relevance in a world where change is often feared, stability can be elusive and busyness interferes with listening to God. \u003cem\u003eLife with St Benedict\u003c\/em\u003e provides daily reflections on the \u003cem\u003eRule\u003c\/em\u003e as an aid to enabling personal spiritual growth and prayer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBenedictine communities use a well-established pattern of daily readings to enable the entire \u003cem\u003eRule\u003c\/em\u003e to be considered over a four-month period. \u003cem\u003eLife with St Benedict\u003c\/em\u003e follows this pattern. Each four-month-long period begins on 1 January, 2 May and 1 September and each entry shows three dates on which it can be read. There are 122 readings and reflections in each period.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuthor information\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichard Frost is a Reader in the Church of England and an Oblate of the Anglican Benedictine Community at Alton Abbey in Hampshire. Formerly an Employment Specialist helping people with mental health conditions, he writes a blog at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.workrestpray.com\"\u003eworkrestpray.com\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo read Richard's lockdown blog click \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/blogs\/collections\/richard-frost-author-of-life-with-st-benedict-reflects-on-new-beginnings\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOremus (Westminster Cathedral Magazine) December 2020. Review by Donato Tallo\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a Benedictine Oblate, spiritual reading is extremely important to me and so I recently purchased a copy of Richard Frost’s recent book on St Benedict’s Rule. As an addition to my daily prayer, the book is extremely helpful and a real tool to aid silence, reflection and stillness in a challenging, busy and often stressful world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Rule has much to teach us all today and while it is not particularly long, reflection on the text is essential to gain real insight and appreciation of its spiritual content. That there are many wide and varied commentaries on the Rule exemplifies just how much it has to teach us, for throughout the centuries many Christian people, both monastic and non-monastic, people of varying faiths and indeed people of no faith, have all gained inspiration from St Benedict.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichard Frost has prepared this book for anyone, whether monastic, oblate or neither, who wants to immerse themselves in spiritual reflection on the Rule and link it to everyday living. Benedictine communities generally have a structured manner for reading – often by hearing – the Rule and this is quite often undertaken at mealtimes. When read over a four-month period, this means that in its entirety it is read communally three times each year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book, for each day of the year there is a section of the Rule and a short reflection afterwards It is a simple yet powerful way for the Rule to be read and then for the text to be pondered on. The beauty of these short reflections is that they are linked to everyday life and situations and can really help the reader to consider how the meaning and context of the Rule can be applied in our own day. The pointers given for prayer are helpful and are a real treasure in aiding our turning to the Lord. For those who would seek some new inspiration on the journey of life in a simple yet powerful manner, this book will do just that. Whether the reader is new to St Benedict or not, this book can help us become closer to Christ through the Rule in a practical and accessible manner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Donato Tallo\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry, April 2020. Review by Marie Paterson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a handbook for those who would like to incorporate the discipline of the Rule of St Benedict into their lives. These teachings are divided into ‘everyday reflections’ with each one beginning with Benedict’s instructions for those living in monastic communities, followed by a reflection for ‘ordinary, everyday Christians’. Emphasising the importance of the reading and recitation of the psalms for the Benedictines, each day ends with a psalm to read, followed by a suggestion for reflection and prayer. Readers may find some of Benedict’s instructions to those living in community rather harsh; for instance, those making mistakes in a psalm ‘must make satisfaction there before all’, and likewise if arriving late for meals or prayers. The author does not always address these issues but rather modifies them to suit modern life. Nevertheless there is much to learn here about how we should live a balanced and disciplined Christian life, which is exemplified with the helpful checklist of the five areas of life in which we can find that balance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e Reviewed by Marie Paterson \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreach, Spring 2020. Review by Alan Rashleigh\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe author is a Reader in the Church of England and an oblate (a lay or ordained person formally associated to a particular monastic community) connected to the Anglican Benedictine Community. Therefore he is well-placed to share the practical application of St Benedict’s Rule of Life with people who are not members of a monastic community.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife with St Benedict \u003c\/em\u003eintroduces us to the writings of a man who was inspirational 1500 years ago and who continues to invoke changes in lives today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Rule of Life is a personal rule that can be tailored to Christians, whatever their circumstances, who witness to the Gospel through their relationships with those with whom they live and work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rules may include praying daily, attending church, almsgiving, as well as making provision for study, recreation, and family. The vows of St Benedict of stability, conversatio morum (fidelity to the monastic life) and obedience to the heads of the community relate specifically to life in a Benedictine community.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book provides daily study in the form of 73 short chapters that look at aspects such as ‘The tools for good works’ (Ch 4) and ‘Restraint of speech’ (Ch 6). The study is repeated on a four-monthly cycle as ‘reinforcement of the Rules for the lives of the student’. It includes study and reflections and the Psalms and (very) short prayers. The pertinent questions in the reflections could provide a useful basis for Bible study, meditation or contemplation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLanguage and culture have certainly changed over 1500 years. The reader (and UK legislation) may not necessarily agree with corporal punishment or enforced fasting for the misdeeds of children (Ch 30)!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife with St Benedict \u003c\/em\u003euses a translation of more inclusive language and is written with ordinary Christians in mind to assist in our faith, work and daily living. It retains a relevance where change is often feared, stability is elusive, and the hectic  nature of our lives interferes with listening to God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are many similar books, but this one is well written and makes the Rule of St Benedict accessible to all, regardless of the stage of your journey of faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(As a bonus, this book explains some of the actions of Father Cadfael played by Derek Jacobi in the TV series).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Alan Rashleigh\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 25.10.19. R\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eeview by John-Francis Friendship\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBenedict’s Rule, written in the sixth century and called by Arnold Toynbee the ‘mustard seed from which the great tree of Western civilisation has sprung’, had an enormous impact on the development of the Church of England and continues to be a source of inspired wisdom for people in our own times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book, Richard Frost, a Reader, retreat-giver, and (Anglican) Benedictine Oblate of Alton Abbey, provides short, simple reflections on each of its 73 chapters, which, he says, provide a ‘whole-life balance’. The Rule is formulated so that a portion is read daily over a four-month period, repeated three times during the year, and the version that he uses is an inclusive-language translation by the Benedictine Sisters of Erie. Each reflection is followed by a suggested psalm and ejaculatory prayer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Rule is an extended commentary on how Benedict’s monks are to live in this ‘school for God’s service’ (Prologue) in which they are to ‘prefer nothing whatever to Christ’. Its observance ‘can show that we have some degree of virtue and the beginnings of monastic life . . . which will lead . . . to the very heights of perfection’. The author compares it to a ‘toolbox’ from which we chose the tool, taking up one and then another, practising our skills with them, and not worrying if we make mistakes, provided we confess our faults: ‘It is love that impels them to pursue everlasting life.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis thoughtful reflections on each chapter, concluding with a suggested framework to develop a personal Rule of Life, will help anyone who wants help on the journey of faith. Although there are a couple of spelling mistakes and a somewhat contentious reference to James as being the ‘son’ of Mary and Joseph, Frost’s style is direct and simple, inviting his readers to consider how Benedict’s words address their condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by the Revd John-Francis Friendship, a senior team member at the London Centre for Spiritual Direction. He is the author of Enfolded in Christ (Canterbury Press, 2018).\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUK Benedictine Oblates Team, October 2019. Review by Neil Zoladkiewicz \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichard Frost is a Reader in the Church of England and an oblate of the Benedictine community at Alton Abbey in Hampshire. His recent book provides reflections on the daily readings from the Holy Rule and is prefaced by an excellent short introduction to Benedictine Spirituality and a useful glossary.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe subtitle to this volume is ‘The Rule re-imagined for everyday living’ and that is exactly what the author has achieved in his reflections on each daily reading from the Holy Rule, which explore relationships, the workplace, our own church and our attitudes and actions towards others in a modern context. The reflections also include searching questions for the reader to think about and there is also a short prayer at the end of each section.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also provides an opportunity for the reader to work through the 150 psalms in order over the four months of reading the Holy Rule.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall this is an excellent introduction to the Holy Rule and the author bridges the gap between a 1,500 years old spiritual document and modern lives. It helps the reader to get into the habit of trying to apply St Benedict’s teaching to their own life, that process of daily reflection which is so essential to our progress on the Benedictine way.  It is therefore an ideal volume for the novice oblate and all who are beginning the Oblate life.  I certainly wish Richard Frost’s book was available when I took my own first steps towards becoming an oblate. It is also an ideal volume for the busy oblate of whatever experience! \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Neil Zoladkiewicz of Ealing Abbey \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.benedictine-oblates.net\/news-2\/\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.benedictine-oblates.net\/news-2\/\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Richard Frost","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":26427642052708,"sku":"9780857468130","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857468130-l.jpg?v=1554718871"},{"product_id":"holy-habits-church-pack","title":"Holy Habits Church Pack","description":"\u003cp\u003eLooking for enough resources to use with your Holy Habits team? Order this Church Pack and get five copies of each of the Holy Habits \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/collections\/holy-habits-church-handbooks\"\u003echurch handbooks\u003c\/a\u003e (save 20%).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat you get:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFive copies of each of the following:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBiblical Teaching, Fellowship, Breaking Bread, Prayer, Sharing Resources, Serving, Eating Together, Gladness and Generosity, Worship, and Making More Disciples.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Andrew Roberts","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":29414203228254,"sku":"HOLYHABITSCH18","price":199.6,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/HOLYHABITSCH18-l.jpg?v=1564484119"},{"product_id":"parenting-for-faith-the-course-dvd","title":"Parenting for Faith: The Course - DVD","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Parenting for Faith course is a video-based resource for parents, godparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, foster parents, children’s and youth leaders, church leaders and family friends – in fact, anyone who wants to support a child or teen (of any age) in their spiritual development. You don’t need any formal qualifications to run a Parenting for Faith course – just enthusiasm, a bit of preparation, and a passion to see those parenting and supporting children equipped and inspired.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParenting for Faith provides skills and ideas for raising God-connected kids. Pioneered by Rachel Turner, the Parenting for Faith course is a video-based resource that helps parents and carers discover that they are perfectly positioned to show their children – of whatever age – the reality of a life with God, and empower them to have their own, vibrant, two-way relationship with him. Usually run in a church or small group, the course can be used by individuals as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor Information\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRachel Turner is an author, a speaker and BRF’s Parenting for Faith Pioneer. She presents the Parenting for Faith course, a free eight-session video-based resource for church groups and individuals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRachel Ridler March 2020\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rachelridlermumonamission.co.uk\/2020\/03\/spring-book-reviews\/\"\u003ehttps:\/\/rachelridlermumonamission.co.uk\/2020\/03\/spring-book-reviews\/\u003c\/a\u003e  \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf you haven’t heard me talking about how great the Parenting for Faith Course is already, then let me say it again! I LOVE the parenting for faith course. So when I got sent the printed copies of the resources to review I was over the moon. I ran the course using all the free online versions of the videos and booklets, but I have to say that sometimes people didn’t bother to watch the videos at home or print off the booklets. So to have it on DVD would mean that you can easily watch this in churches where there is no WiFi (yes those places do still exist!!) and altogether as as group. I loved the quality of both the leaders' and participants' books, and there is plenty of space to write answers in. The booklets would be much better looked after than flimsy print outs and hopefully would mean people would keep looking back at the materials and resources from the course in the future.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rachel Turner","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31412328267915,"sku":"9780857469847","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857469847.jpg?v=1579022459"},{"product_id":"parenting-for-faith-the-course-leader-s-handbook","title":"Parenting for Faith: The Course - Leader’s Handbook","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis Leader's Handbook is an essential companion for those running a Parenting for Faith course, a video-based resource for parents, godparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, foster parents, children’s and youth leaders, church leaders and family friends – in fact, anyone who wants to support a child or teen (of any age) in their spiritual development.You don’t need any formal qualifications to run a Parenting for Faith course – just enthusiasm, a bit of preparation, and a passion to see those parenting and supporting children equipped and inspired.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParenting for Faith provides skills and ideas for raising God-connected kids. Pioneered by Rachel Turner, the Parenting for Faith course is a video-based resource that helps parents and carers discover that they are perfectly positioned to show their children – of whatever age – the reality of a life with God, and empower them to have their own, vibrant, two-way relationship with him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis handbook will give you all the information you need to know to successfully lead a Parenting for Faith course. It includes session timings and questions for individual reflection and group discussion, as well as lots of top tips on how to promote and run your course.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor Information\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRachel Turner is an author, a speaker and BRF’s Parenting for Faith Pioneer. She presents the Parenting for Faith course, a free eight-session video-based resource for church groups and individuals.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rachel Turner","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31412715061387,"sku":"9780857469854","price":4.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9780857469854.jpg?v=1579022488"},{"product_id":"parenting-for-faith-course-starter-pack","title":"Parenting for Faith Course Starter Pack","description":"\u003cp\u003eSave 15% when you buy this starter pack, which includes everything you need to explore or start a Parenting for Faith course.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePack includes:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/parenting-for-faith-the-course-dvd?_pos=1\u0026amp;_sid=188c9c93a\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003eDVD\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/parenting-for-faith-the-course-leader-s-handbook?_pos=2\u0026amp;_sid=188c9c93a\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003eLeader's Handbook\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"Parenting%20for%20Faith:%20The%20Course%20-%20Participant%E2%80%99s%20Handbook\"\u003eParticipant's Handbook\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/parenting-children-for-a-life-of-faith-omnibus-helping-children-meet-and-know-god?_pos=6\u0026amp;_sid=188c9c93a\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003eParenting Children for a Life of Faith omnibus\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"It%20Takes%20a%20Church%20to%20Raise%20a%20Parent:%20Creating%20a%20culture%20where%20parenting%20for%20faith%20can%20flourish\"\u003eIt Takes a Church to Raise a Parent\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rachel Turner","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31438284587147,"sku":"PFFSTARTER","price":43.31,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/PFFSTARTER.png?v=1579166903"},{"product_id":"parenting-for-faith-course-church-pack","title":"Parenting for Faith Course Church Pack","description":"\u003cp\u003eSave 20% when you buy this pack, which includes everything you need to start a Parenting for Faith group course.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePack includes:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/parenting-for-faith-the-course-dvd?_pos=1\u0026amp;_sid=188c9c93a\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003eDVD\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/parenting-for-faith-the-course-leader-s-handbook?_pos=2\u0026amp;_sid=188c9c93a\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003eLeader's Handbook\u003c\/a\u003e x2\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/parenting-for-faith-the-course-participant-s-handbook\"\u003eParticipant's Handbook\u003c\/a\u003e x10\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/parenting-children-for-a-life-of-faith-omnibus-helping-children-meet-and-know-god?_pos=6\u0026amp;_sid=188c9c93a\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003eParenting Children for a Life of Faith omnibus\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/it-takes-a-church-to-raise-a-parent-creating-a-culture-where-parenting-for-faith-can-flourish\"\u003eIt Takes a Church to Raise a Parent\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rachel Turner","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31438297825419,"sku":"PFFCHURCH","price":73.46,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/PFFCHURCH.png?v=1579166879"},{"product_id":"spiritual-care-series-single-pack","title":"Spiritual Care Series – single-use licence","description":"\u003cp\u003eTo purchase additional individual licences, you must either be a course facilitator yourself, or have the details for a current course facilitator who has already purchased a \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/spiritual-care-series-6-user-bundle\" title=\"Spiritual Care Series Pack\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSpiritual Care Series pack\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Spiritual Care Series is an eight-week comprehensive course for churches who want to provide good quality spiritual care to older people in their local community. The course equips participants to understand the ageing process, supporting people to reconnect with their past and cope with the losses that ageing brings. It also covers the importance of good listening skills, communication and boundaries in the provision of this care.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe course comprises of video material, course material and access to an online learning platform. The videos and guides are designed to provoke discussion and an interactive learning experience. It is ideal for churches or organisations who want to provide good quality care to older people. Participants will develop their understanding and knowledge of the ageing process and at the end of the course, they will have the confidence and skills to come alongside older people to offer spiritual care. It can be used by churches who work ecumenical together or in groups. At the end of the course, participants receive a certificate to confirm successful completion of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Course outline\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstanding the ageing process\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpirituality in ageing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGood communication\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe power of storytelling\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDementia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA new home and a new way of life\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrief, loss, death and dying\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRoles, boundaries and self-care\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe individual licence includes:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eParticipant’s workbook\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAccess to Bridge Learning Management System online \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eHealth TV Network\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHealth TV Network is an experienced provider of training resources for the healthcare sector. Contributors to the Spiritual Care Series include theologians, professionals working in the care system and trainers. Professor John Swinton is the chair in divinity and religious studies at Aberdeen University and is one of the UK presenters to the course video material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBRF is licensed to promote and distribute the Spiritual Care Series in the UK. Online access to the Bridge Learning Management System (LMS) is managed by Health TV Network (HTN) in Australia. We will be sharing the data you provide to us with HTN to give users access to the Bridge (LMS) component of this course. For general enquiries about the Spiritual Care Series, please contact BRF on 01865 319700 or enquiries@brf.org.uk.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Health TV Network and BRF","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41524410974399,"sku":"SCSSINGLE","price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/spiritualcareseriesparticipantsguide.jpg?v=1661948125"},{"product_id":"images-of-grace","title":"Images of Grace: A journey from darkness to light at Easter","description":"\u003cp\u003e‘At the heart of the Christian message is a collection of abstract nouns: love; sin; forgiveness; grace. It is quite difficult to explain what the gospel message is without using some or all of those words. But the problem with abstract nouns is that when we use them, we assume that the person we are talking to understands them, and not only that, we assume that they have the same understanding of the word that we do…’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLent is traditionally a time of repentance, fasting and prayer as we prepare to celebrate our salvation at Easter. Through daily readings and reflections from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day, Amy Scott Robinson explores different biblical images of repentance, sin, forgiveness and grace, bringing them together in Holy Week as a lens through which to view Christ’s work of reconciliation on the cross.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kqn_CTRCtzY\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yGNTnqU6LHs\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IQ0wKSf1ZEM\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is rich in accessible biblical scholarship and insight. It brings the reader's attention to a variety of passages and it is refreshing to read a Lent Book that encourages the reader to look at a variety of passages from across the whole of Christian scripture. The combination of a well-considered reflection, a question and, a suitable prayer for each day make this book the perfect companion for Lent.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Rev'd Canon Michael Robinson (no relation!)\u003cbr\u003eBishops’ Chaplain \u0026amp; Canon Theologian of St Edmundsbury Cathedral\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘Amy is an expert storyteller, a well of emotion and reflection, and a follower of Jesus with a deep, genuine hunger for the reality of God.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdrian Plass, author and speaker\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry online February 2023. Review by Margaret Tinsley\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe BRF Lent Book for 2023, sub-titled ‘A Journey from Darkness to Light at Easter’ takes the reader day by day on exactly that journey. Amy Scott Robinson was inspired to write this book because she felt that abstract nouns, such as sin and grace, although in frequent use, might be misunderstood – or given a different meaning - by many people. The book is based on the idea that the use of images helps this understanding. These images vary from a few words, to extended metaphors, to whole stories – but all help us to understand Christian concepts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is divided into weekly sections, covering sin and repentance, forgiveness, atonement, restoration, reconciliation and ends with Holy Week. Each day has a Bible reading, commentary, a question and a prayer and, at the end of each week, there is a set of questions, which makes the book suitable for group activity. The commentary which Amy Scott Robinson gives each day is invariably pertinent and engaging and involves personal and literary examples, as well as providing a thoughtful interpretation of the passage. The question demands the reader applies the material to his\/her own life. As a Lent book I recommend this for personal or for group use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Margaret Tinsley\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Richard Frost, author of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/life-with-st-benedict-the-rule-re-imagined-for-everyday-living\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife with St Benedict\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaving previously reviewed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/image-of-the-invisible-daily-bible-readings-from-advent-to-epiphany?_pos=1\u0026amp;_sid=d107cbc7e\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eImage of the Invisible\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, Amy Scott-Robinson’s book for Advent through to Epiphany, I was looking forward to this offering for Lent, Holy Week and Easter. And I was not disappointed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs with that previous book, she uses metaphors, stories and biblical examples to open up a wide range of themes. Initially, these images explore the traditional themes of Lent: sin, repentance and forgiveness. Dipping briefly and helpfully in the theological arguments about atonement, the author then continues with images of restoration and reconciliation. A final section for Holy Week finds us encountering a donkey, turning over tables and washing feet before standing by the tomb.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin the book, we meet characters as diverse as David and Jonah, Jesus Barabbas and Joseph of Arimathea. Each aspect, each chapter, is explored and explained, using helpful contemporary stories and images alongside the biblical ones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this reviewer, reading a book of daily reflections in a shorter timescale inevitably dilutes the full benefit of it (not least also that I read it during Advent!). Thus, for me, the focus on sin during the first half has a particular effect and it is from Week 4 onwards that readers are given a flood of hope as all the images combine to provide ones of grace. Grace which is sufficient for each day and for each one of us, in all times and seasons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichard Frost is the author of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/life-with-st-benedict-the-rule-re-imagined-for-everyday-living\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife with St Benedict\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e and writes a blog at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/workrestpray.com\/\"\u003eworkrestpray.com\u003c\/a\u003e. He is also the author of \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/richardfrostauthor.com\/\"\u003etwo other books\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmy Scott Robinson\u003c\/strong\u003e is an author and performance storyteller. After studying English at Christ's College, Cambridge, she trained as a teacher and began writing for charities and providers of liturgical resources, before publishing her own works on puppetry and story. She is married to the rector of four rural parishes in Suffolk, where she is also the benefice children’s worker. She lives in the Rectory and has two children, two guinea pigs, and at any given moment, a half-finished cup of cold tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e","brand":"Amy Scott Robinson","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":42199947903167,"sku":"9781800391178","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/ImagesofGrace.jpg?v=1664963723"},{"product_id":"bible-in-ten-any-book-of-the-bible-cracked-in-ten-minutes-or-less","title":"Bible in Ten: Any book of the Bible cracked in ten minutes or less","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFor anyone who wants to crack open the Bible, poet, broadcaster and teacher Dave Kitchen provides a lively introduction to every single book in ten minutes or less. Bible in Ten is for everyone who wants to be connected with all that is unexpected, beautiful and astonishing in the Bible. It tells the stories of success and failure, suffering and hope, home and exile, and a love that is stronger than death. \u003c\/span\u003eHere are 67 short, sharp snapshots covering every corner of a book that people sometimes don’t know quite as well as they think they do. It’s a way into a volume that is often on the shelves but far less frequently taken off them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gFxcR9kCb8k\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Bible is packed with advice, stories and promises that cry out to be heard. This book gives people a real chance to take the words off the page and into their own world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eBible in Ten\u003c\/em\u003e is available in print, digital and audio formats.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Bible in Ten Audio Book\" href=\"https:\/\/www.audible.co.uk\/pd\/Bible-in-Ten-Audiobook\/B0BYGD1MDX\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO BOOK OUT NOW\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uHS_l796Hiw\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo read David Kitchen’s moving blog about his friend Rob Lacey, whose\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Street Bible\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003einspired\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eBible in Ten,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eclick\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/blogs\/collections\/bible-in-ten-the-tale-behind-the-book\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-safelink=\"true\" data-linkindex=\"2\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e• New Christians and seekers who want to know more about the Bible, or those who have given up on Bible study, providing an accessible way back in\u003cbr\u003e• Daily Bible notes readers, helping to fill in background to their study focus\u003cbr\u003e• Church leaders, youth leaders, Messy Church leaders or small group leaders who want to introduce a whole book to their congregation or group\u003cbr\u003e• Parents looking to develop Bible knowledge in the home\u003cbr\u003e• RE teachers looking for ready-to-use lesson material\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor Info \u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 15px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/DaveKitchen_480x480.jpg?v=1676495494\" width=\"262\" height=\"302\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDavid Kitchen is an award-winning writer, broadcaster, teacher and storyteller who has been making the Bible come alive for longer than he cares to remember. In Bible in Ten he combines his down-to-earth writing skills with almost 50 years’ experience in church leadership and worship. His hobbies include music, poetry and playing crawling-up-stairs games with his grandson.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEndorsements for Bible in Ten \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'For a busy working parent on the run between home, school, work and church, Bible in Ten is an absolute essential. It helps me to grasp the main ideas behind any particular Bible book in just ten minutes – brilliantly helpful when we’re at the start of a new housegroup season, or church sermon series, or even for my own devotional times. I highly recommend it for anyone who feels frazzled!'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLucy Rycroft www.thehopefilledfamily.com\/ \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘I wish the brilliant \u003cem\u003eBible in Ten \u003c\/em\u003ehad been written sooner – it is fun, fresh and full of insight. Easy to read but with so much packed in. Whatever your biblical starting point, there’s something of value for you. Dave Kitchen has put in the hard miles of study to give us a shortcut to understanding the big picture. Thanks, Dave!’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbby Guinness, head of Spring Harvest\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘What a wonderful idea Dave Kitchen has come up with. I have known Dave for over 35 years and he has not lost any of his enthusiasm and quirky sharing of the good news of God’s love. This will be a valuable resource in my present multicultural context, giving people an instant insight into the scriptures and hopefully a desire to go deeper through Bible study and teaching. I warmly commend this book.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStephen Poxon, past president of the Methodist Conference and minister of St Mark’s Methodist\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eChurch in Tottenham\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Such an exciting initiative. I love \u003cem\u003eBible in Ten\u003c\/em\u003e.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRob Parsons, OBE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Here’s a version of the Bible which sets out to catch your attention – but goes on to engage your imagination and offer a fresh perspective on some familiar passages: thoroughly recommended.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStephen Wigley, chair of Wales Synod Cymru of the Methodist Church\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Very helpful, easy-to-read resource that I would encourage both young and old to invest in. It will certainly be a book that I will be keeping within reaching distance on my bookshelf.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIshmael, singer-songwriter, speaker and author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Tackling the Bible can feel like a mammoth task and I certainly have often wondered where to start. Well, look no further! I love that this book has a mini summary at the end of each section, adding context and a little life reflection about what each book of the Bible has shared with us. Also, purely on a selfish note… this is on point for a dyslexic. Small, accessible, bite-sized pieces of an extremely large, comprehensive and complex book, and this helps to make some sense of it in the here and now. I want to share this with everyone I know.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMegan Thomas, Methodist Youth President 2014–15\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Brilliant! So pithy and relevant. What a fantastic achievement – love those final paragraphs at the end of the chapter, communicating the very essence of the book. Sure it’s going to be a real success!’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRae Duke, broadcaster, teacher and podcast host\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBaptist Times online. Reviewed by Pieter Lalleman.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cover of this book states: ‘Quite how people made the Bible sound so dull is a mystery. This is the book that proves it’s anything but.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book does live up to this claim: Using only a few pages per book of the Bible, Kitchen presents the contents of each of the 66 books. His style is fresh and attractive. He nearly always brings out the essence of the biblical book, paying little attention to questions of authorship and date. He seldom refers to chapter and verse numbers, allowing the text to be read continuously, and he adds helpful contemporary applications. The tone of the summaries is light-hearted and pleasantly positive, even for the less ‘attractive’ parts of the Bible, but each sentence is full of information so one has to read attentively. Paragraphs have six lines or less, but the lines are long due to the square shape of the book (7 by 7 inch).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy minor quibbles include the chapter on Revelation: it’s too short and fails to mention Jesus as Lord of history. Hebrews also deserves better. The chapter on the Psalms merely offers samples, nothing on types of Psalms. Like all quotations in the book, these are probably in Kitchen’s own translation, although this is never stated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI could mention some more quibbles, but my overall verdict is that this is a very useful book for many readers of the Bible, regardless of age and background. Let me finish with a random sample from Amos: \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIt's at about this time that the leaders decide they want a more positive message. Amos is told to make money in his own country and leave them alone. ‘I don’t do this for cash,’ he replies. ‘I actually run a sheep business… plus I’ve got a few fig trees. I do this because I have to – for God. Getting rid of me doesn’t get rid of the bad news.’\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis short piece brings out the strengths of the book: sparkling language and a good grasp of the Bible.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Revd Dr Pieter J. Lalleman is the pastor of Knaphill Baptist Church, Surrey\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry September 2023. Review by Betty Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have many Biblical commentaries but nothing to compare with this! Kitchen has done a unique job in bringing the Bible to life in a fresh way, engaging our attention through his fun-filled approach. It is easy to read yet packed with good news in a nutshell, each book ending with a summary written in a challenging way. It will appeal to young and old, whether knowledgeable or engaging with the Bible for the first time. The author has made the whole Bible accessible, alive and full of insight as we weave through 66 snapshots – each book in turn, all given the importance they deserve. I recommend this wonderful book to congregations generally, but more specifically to young families who attend ‘Fresh Expressions’ of church. Many may have come recently into the Christian family and the Bible can be a daunting volume to take on board. Bible in Ten will change that by giving a beautiful glimpse into scripture and providing the desire to dig deeper. This book is an exciting innovation! Be sure to order your copy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Betty Taylor\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethodist Recorder March 2023. Review by Donald Kerr\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bible is still recognised as the best selling book of all time, with over 4 billion copies produced worldwide. Nevertheless, it can be more than a little daunting even for those who are motivated to delve into it. The variety of translations and paraphrases does help, of course, but it still feels like a big book. Furthermore, the different life situations and varied types of literature can easily confuse. If only there was a simple way in which we could appreciate the overall message of each book which would then whet our appetite to go back and dig deeper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the challenge which Dave Kitchen has taken up in \u003cem\u003eBible in Ten\u003c\/em\u003e, subtitled ‘Any book of the Bible cracked in ten minutes or less.’ The ‘ten’ refers to the 10 minutes maximum which the reader spends in reading the overview of each book. However, this is much more than an introductory textbook. Each chapter starts with a short paragraph designed to take us into the issues which the biblical book in question raises and finishes with some thoughts  or reflections to help us apply the book’s message to ourselves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDave Kitchen is by profession a teacher (now retired) but is also a broadcaster, poet and Methodist local preacher. He is thus an excellent communicator. His style is at once racy, clear and compassionate. He has lived within the biblical text so deeply that he is able to express its heart in a manner both simple and profound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWho might benefit from this book? Those starting out on the Christian pathway who want to find a way into scripture and those who have journeyed for many years but would still value an overview of those parts of the Bible which they have tended to skip over. Teachers and preachers will find fresh inspiration here and Bible study groups will find plenty of material to aid their learning and discussion. To quote Abby Guinness, the head of Spring Harvest: ‘Whatever your biblical starting point there is something of value to you. Dave Kitchen has put in the hard miles of study to give us a shortcut to understanding the big picture.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"David Kitchen","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41997407256767,"sku":"9781800391512","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/BibleinTen.jpg?v=1665407697"},{"product_id":"world-turned-upside-down","title":"World Turned Upside Down","description":"\u003cp\u003eThere are no simple answers to life’s challenges, so how do we integrate our most testing experiences into our faith in a way which strengthens rather than undermines it? When we are at our weakest, when we feel we most need God and yet have no idea how to talk to him, it is the Psalms which leap to our rescue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the psalmists as our guides, we learn to draw closer to God, to hear his voice in fresh ways, and to identify what it is that troubles us. Borrowing their words, we find that we are able to articulate our most painful feelings and walk through suffering with honesty, hope, and confidence in the God who travels beside us. Here is an opportunity to read the Psalms differently: an invitation to embark on a new journey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor Info\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg height=\"150\" width=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/Alison_Morgan_1_480x480.jpg?v=1678322105\" style=\"margin-right: 20px; float: left;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/Alison_Morgan_1_480x480.jpg?v=1678322105\" data-mce-style=\"margin-right: 20px; float: left;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRevd Dr Alison Morgan \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003ehas written widely on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eliterature, theology and the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChristian life. She \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eis \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003ean Associate of the Mathetes Trust, where she \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoversees the Rooted in Jesus discipleship programme for Africa, now in use in 19 countries\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Alison has a PhD from Cambridge \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003efor her work on the Italian poet Dante, and in her spare time enjoys birdwatching, walking and photography.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eForeword by \u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDr John Inge, Bishop of Worcester\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘The Psalms take us on a journey; and they take us on foot… in a sense walking is the dominant theme of the entire Psalter.’ So writes Alison Morgan in her highly perceptive, reflective and personal exploration of this great repository of timeless wisdom. Alison is the ideal walking companion and guide, walking not racing, never charging on ahead, always taking time to stop, to absorb the view and to ponder. She shares her personal experiences – of pregnancy, of rejection, of confusion, of bereavement, of times when her world has been turned upside down – in such a gentle manner as to invite the reader to call to mind the highs and lows they have similarly experienced, endured or enjoyed. As well as being intimately familiar with the landmarks, Alison is the kind of guide who inspires confidence: she has trodden this path before, she reads the map, she knows the direction, she is not daunted by difficult terrain, scree or scramble, not held back by headwind, storm or fog.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt each stage, Alison’s method is to draw attention to a particular fea- ture of the Psalmist’s landscape, then, as readers and author together rest their gaze on that aspect, readers come to see how the Psalmist’s hard-won insights into the human condition can be a source of under- standing, perseverance, faith, and hope in their own lives. In the process they come to know themselves more fully; they also come to know God more fully, the God who has ‘searched me out and known me’. The best guides, of course, do more than show people the way; they also enable them to find their own way. Anyone who follows Alison’s guidance will be better equipped to return to the Psalms again and again and discover fresh insights of their own – and become a guide to others.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom the very outset of this book, it becomes clear to the reader that this walk is not an amiable, aimless ramble. Rather, the journey on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewhich Alison is the guide is a pilgrimage; indeed, as she points out, several psalms were themselves composed to accompany the pilgrim. As a disciple of the one who called himself the Way, the Truth and the Life, Alison discerns the presence of Jesus every step of the way. What Alison offers the reader here is a \u003cem\u003ecamino \u003c\/em\u003ethrough the Psalms. It is telling that the heading of the final chapter is ‘Coming home’.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI hope you will enjoy your pilgrim walk with Alison, that you will marvel \u003cspan\u003eat the beauty along the way, and marvel even more at the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of it all; I wish you a rewarding journey and a safe homecoming.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eDr John Inge, Bishop of Worcester\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs ever, Alison Morgan manages to convey a wealth of academic study in a deeply personal and accessible way.  In this hope-filled book she applies the Psalms to the reality of every-day life and shows how they can help us express our own thoughts and feelings to God as well as listen to his response.  Along the way she tackles issues such as meaning, lament, identity – and especially pain which, like fire, can ‘burn or refine’.  In her own poetic language she illustrates the poetry of the psalms which ‘demands to be felt more than thought about’ and expresses what it feels like to be human. ‘World Turned Upside Down’ is practical as well as inspirational.  It points to the way in which the Psalms can help us to grow through our suffering rather than be crushed by it, and includes moving and profound meditations on creation and death.  This book is all about looking at life differently, and its message could hardly be more apt in today’s culture: namely that, however hard it may sometimes be to believe, ‘God is sovereign, and God is with us’.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBishop James Newcome\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Written with great insight and compassion, this deep dive into the Psalms is a much- needed book, at a time when suffering has come home to so many. Alison Morgan deftly explores the many ways in which the ancient poetry of the Psalms can speak into our own lives, so that we really understand what it means to say of these scrip- tures that “deep calls unto deep”.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMalcolm Guite, poet and life fellow of Girton College, Cambridge\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘This book is stunningly \u003cem\u003ebeautiful\u003c\/em\u003e: as filled with light and shadow, and with energy and life, as the Psalms that form its subject and have power – so Alison Morgan argues – to turn things on their heads. But this is a book that is also \u003cem\u003efelt\u003c\/em\u003e. Alison “sees and sings” these ancient biblical songs, by mapping them onto the here and now of her own and others’ lived experience – and she does so with a visceral intensity, that invigorates the senses and discovers meaning in the sights, sounds and textures of places. This is a remarkable book, that brings memory, experience and theology into play with literature, art, music and even neuroscience, and does so with the lightest of touch and the sharpest of wit. It will surely inspire even those who have known the Psalms all their lives, as well as those for whom they are new or less familiar.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProfessor\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eClare\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eA.P.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eWillsdon,\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHistory\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eof\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eArt,\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSchool\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eof\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eCulture\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eand\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eCreative\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eArts, \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUniversity of Glasgow\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘I found my journey through the Psalms with Alison Morgan eye-opening, encouraging and challenging. It was as though God was inviting me into a deeper level of com- munication and intimacy with him as Alison shared her reflections. She has given me tools and a desire to engage with the Psalms, and the God of the Psalms, more deeply and honestly.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBishop Martin Breytenbach, retired bishop of St Mark the Evangelist, Limpopo, \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSouth Africa\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘There is so much to enjoy throughout the book. Each chapter offers a stimulating breadth of literature, history, geography and natural sciences easily woven into the narrative. Many engaging stories illumine the text and demonstrate what may be involved in real, visceral engagement with God. There is a catholicity of scholarly perspectives deftly presented without being showy or obtrusive. Alison’s style is lucid and lyrical with occasional iridescence. There is evidence of substantial pastoral experience supporting people in different continents and cultures undergoing the common human condition of fiercely personal trials. This leads to realism in facing personal pain and the unreasonable reactions from others that can be so shocking in life’s adverse episodes.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRodney Green CBE, former chief executive, Leicester City Council, and author of \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e90,000 Hours: Managing the world of work\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘This book is an excellent companion as you walk through the ups and downs of everyday life. It is a gentle yet deep reflection on personal and sometimes challenging experiences that can only strengthen and deepen one’s faith in God. Alison’s inter- cultural writing style will draw you in, whatever your cultural heritage or ethnicity. Her insights during this personal adventure through the Psalms will keep you engaged and genuinely bless you. In this book, you will find something which is critically rigorous, helpfully informative and personally meaningful and that you can use as part of your pattern of prayer. I wholeheartedly commend it to you.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRt Revd Dr Timothy Wambunya, honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Oxford and former bishop of Butere in Kenya\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘This is a deeply personal book in which the author explores how the Psalms, in all their shades of light and dark, have illuminated and given shape to her own journey of faith. A most engaging read, vividly written.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCanon Patrick Woodhouse, former canon of Wells Cathedral and author of \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eLife in the Psalms\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Alison does not shrink either from the difficulties we face in life nor from the so-called difficult parts of the Psalms. Indeed she brings these two together, first by talking openly about the bad things that happen, some of them from her own life story, and then by using the words of the Psalms themselves to face, express and reassess our experience. A particular delight was reading Alison’s appreciation of the richness of the natural world, represented in the Psalms, illustrating their word pictures with her own examples full of awe and wonder.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Dr Liz Hoare, tutor in spiritual formation, Wycliffe Hall, Oxford\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Like the Psalms themselves, Alison’s book is refreshingly honest and abounds in insights from her extensive general knowledge and life experience. That makes it a very rich read. Alison draws the reader into their own journey of reflection on what it feels like to be human, with an understanding that we can only truly find ourselves as we discover God in all his multifaceted layers. I found this book immediately engaging, totally absorbing and ultimately healing and restorative.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCanon Andrew Evans, rector of Broughton Gifford, Great Chalfield and Holt, and rural dean of Bradford, Diocese of Salisbury\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘A book focused on pain could be a daunting prospect – and this one does make demands, inviting us to engage emotionally with our experience as well as in our thinking. But it does so with a lightness of touch, bringing numerous stories from personal experience, laced with wise reflection and playful humour. In all this the Psalms provide lenses through which to explore life’s hardest times and also words through which to express them. Inhabiting these ancient songs really can help turn our world the right way up.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRevd Dr Bill Goodman, assistant principal at St Peter’s College and director of ongoing ministerial development, Diocese of Sheffield\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry September 2023. Review by Cavan Wood\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a powerful book which enables us to see the Psalms in all their glory. Alison Morgan has written a guide to the hymns of Israel that helps us to see their eternal relevance. They include making sense of life, dealing with pain, personal identity and the honesty we need to face suffering. Using her own experience and some powerful connecting analogies, the author helps us to see that we need a spirituality that is totally honest so that we might have a right relationship with God. Drawing on the work of Walter Brueggemann and others, she helps us to see how the Psalms can be about dislocation, feeling away from God – yet the very naming of our sins, doubts and fears is the way to help them lose their power as we can bring them to God. There is a great deal for a reader or preacher to learn from here – it can help us to develop an approach to pain and suffering which is both biblical and human.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Cavan Wood \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alison Morgan","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41997426426047,"sku":"9781800391666","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/WorldTurnedUpsideDown.jpg?v=1665409904"},{"product_id":"at-home-and-out-and-about","title":"At Home and Out and About","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e Across a year’s worth of weekly reflections, Gordon Giles focuses on objects, scenes, activities and places, drawing out spiritual insights to help us reflect on what we have learned as we venture out again after months of restriction, absence and anxiety. From Easter, through the changing seasons to the following Easter, we are led to consider: What is it like spiritually to stop wearing masks? What does a beach say to us after coronavirus? How has Zoom affected us during lockdown and how do we now relate to technology as a medium of fellowship? Where is Christ amid our restrictions and our releases?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e• Readers of Lent and Advent books who have enjoyed the previous two in this series\u003cbr\u003e• Anyone who wants to reflect on the world in which they live in the light of recent events\u003cbr\u003e• Those who enjoy and are concerned for the natural world\u003cbr\u003e• Church groups reading together or privately\u003cbr\u003e• Churches looking for material related to the seasons of the year or the church calendar\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAuthor Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 15px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/GordonGiles1_480x480.jpg?v=1676494801\" width=\"131\" height=\"233\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGordon Giles is Canon Chancellor of Rochester Cathedral. He is the author of several books and the editor of BRF’s New Daylight Bible reading notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry September 2023. Review by Betty Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book provided two surprises. The first was to discover that the pandemic had affected 52 areas of our lives, from masks to Zoom, from furlough to haircuts; and secondly that these meditations were to last for a whole year, from Easter to Easter. I decided to choose a special moment in the week – maybe a Sunday afternoon – to delve into the next topic. You may think that the pandemic is best allowed to rest, but Giles steers us sensitively through, encouraging us ‘to reflect on what has changed and to engage with what has not’. We are to go out and about with a God who never changes and whose love is ever constant. Each meditation is biblically inspired and supported by scientific and statistical knowledge. All conclude with a prayer. Although I would recommend individual reading, there are questions for group discussion. We have so much to learn from our Covid experiences. This book motivates us to view those years in a fresh light as we journey onward in ‘faith, hope and love.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Betty Taylor\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e","brand":"Gordon Giles","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":41997437501631,"sku":"9781800391154","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/AtHomeandOutandAbout.jpg?v=1665410604"},{"product_id":"comfort-in-uncertain-times-ukrainian-edition","title":"Comfort in Uncertain Times: Ukrainian Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003eUncertainty and change can be hard, and even more so for a child. Feelings of confusion, powerlessness and insecurity may be overwhelming. Scripture is full of people just like our children who had to cope with uncertainty and transition and flourished as they saw God’s hand and presence within it all. Designed as a series of stories and discussions for families, this book lays a biblical foundation for who God is in uncertain times and how to stay connected to him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor Info \u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg height=\"216\" width=\"216\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/RachelTurner_480x480.jpg?v=1676495221\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePreviously a full-time children’s and families worker and the National Children’s Work Coordinator for New Wine, Rachel Turner continues to consult, speak at conferences and run training days for parents, church leaders and youth workers. She is the pioneer of Parenting for Faith, author of the Parenting Children for a Life of Faith series and presents the Parenting for Faith course, a video-based resource for church groups and individuals. Until March 2022, she led the Parenting for Faith team at BRF.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rachel Turner","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42077788176575,"sku":"9781800392328","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/ComfortinUncertainTimes_UKRAINIAN.jpg?v=1668185767"},{"product_id":"the-christmas-story-1","title":"The Christmas Story","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eExplore the story of the first Christmas together as a family!\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Christmas Story\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis written for parents, grandparents and carers to share with their children through an interactive family Bible and prayer time. Each section provides a brief comment on the passage, questions to discuss, a visual aid to encourage engagement with the story, an activity idea, a prayer idea, a key verse and an Old Testament story link.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMultipack offers are available, please do select the quantity you require below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBuy 10 copies save 10%   XMASSTORY10\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBuy 25 copies save 20%   XMASSTORY20\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBuy 50 copies save 30%   XMASSTORY30\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBuy 100 copies save 40%  XMASSTORY40\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePraise for\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Easter Story\u003c\/em\u003e: \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e‘A superb resource. If I were still a minister of a local church, I would ensure that every family in my church received a copy!’ Paul Beasley-Murray,\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eChurch Matters\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e'A little gem which brings the Bible to life, introduces creativity and encourages family prayer.'  Elizabeth Hogg,\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTransforming Ministry  \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFormerly part of BRF’s Messy Church team, Martyn Payne is a gifted storyteller whose previous books The Big Story (2011) and Creative Ways to Tell a Bible Story (2012) demonstrate the variety of approaches he uses to bring the Bible alive for children and adults alike. He is passionate about the blessing that comes when generations explore faith together.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry Advent 2021. Review by Sue Piper\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis little book covers the Christmas story from the announcement to Zechariah of the coming of the Christ child, to the escape to Egypt of the Holy family. Each section offers a reading from scripture, followed by a commentary, questions, ideas and activities for families to do together. The author was part of BRF’s Messy Church team and is passionate about the richness experienced when families talk about faith together; this book would make an excellent inexpensive pre-Christmas gift and would generate new ideas and conversations about the importance of celebrating the Nativity and what it means to us today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Sue Piper\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Martyn Payne","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42085442519231,"sku":"9781800391208","price":2.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/9781800391208_6b13ed73-6f98-4a4e-ad06-0a622c42b249.jpg?v=1668617937"},{"product_id":"working-from-a-place-of-rest","title":"Working from a Place of Rest: Jesus and the key to sustaining ministry","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExhaustion, burnout, tiredness, even breakdown... sadly, such conditions are all too common these days, not least among those involved in some kind of Christian ministry, whether full-time, part-time or voluntary. In striving to do our utmost for God, we can easily forget that there were many times when Jesus himself was willing to rest, to do nothing except wait for the Spirit's prompting, so that he demonstrated the vital principle of 'working from a place of rest'. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDrawing on extensive experience of training and mentoring across the world, Tony Horsfall reflects on the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman to draw out practical guidance for sustainable Christian life and work. As he writes: 'Come and sit by the well for a while. Take some time out to reflect on how you are living and working. Watch Jesus and see how he does it. Listen to what the Spirit may be saying to you deep within, at the centre of your being; and maybe, just maybe, God will give you some insights that will change your life and sustain your ministry over the long haul.'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuthor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg height=\"272\" width=\"181\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/TonyHorsfall_2014_480x480.png?v=1676494125\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 20px; float: left;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePeople around the world have been inspired and refreshed by Tony Horsfall’s teaching and mentoring. As well as working as an international freelance trainer and retreat leader, he has written a number of other books for BRF, including Deep Calls to Deep, Rhythms of Grace and Mentoring for Spiritual Growth. He also contributes to BRF’s New Daylight Bible reading notes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Horsfall’s Working from a Place of Rest is probably the book I have recommended more than any other to Christian friends and students, so I am delighted that this updated version is now available. Too many Christians involved in ministry and leadership, perhaps especially since the Covid pandemic, are overworked, stressed, and frankly exhausted. This book, based around Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4, invites us to stop and sit by the well with Jesus for a while, and to learn to incorporate into our lives a habit, even a discipline, of rest. Drawing on the living water we can then fulfil our callings through relying on God’s strength and resources, not our own. This book is a timely gift to Christian workers everywhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRosie Button, lecturer in Staff care and Wellbeing and New Testament at All Nations Christian College.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis book can help us discern what God wants us to say 'yes' to, and when to say 'no'; it can help us learn to build margin into our lives so that we work from a place of rest. How are you? Busy? If so, and especially if you do not have time to read books, then this is the book for you. \u003cstrong\u003eDr Debbie Hawker, InterHealth\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI am very happy to endorse the book. It came at a very timely moment for me as I was thinking about what it looks like to have a balanced life, and how we support others to avoid burnout. The new angle on the story of the Samaritan woman was of great encouragement and challenged me personally. It was good to be reminded about rhythms of life and it has provoked me to look again at how we create margin. \u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBecky Hembery, \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHead of Mission Personnel Operations, BMS World Mission\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreach online August 2023. Review by Ali Hull\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eTony Horsfall has been writing books to encourage Christians, particularly leaders, for many years, and this one is a revised and reissued version of a previous book. It is definitely worth a read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eHis main thesis is that Jesus models a different way of working, that is not only counter-cultural in the sense that it goes against the way the western world works, but it also goes against the way the church tends to act in the Western world as well. Because as far as idolising hard work and over-commitment is concerned, the church and the Western world tend to be in lockstep.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eIt doesn’t have to be like this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eTaking the John 4 story of Jesus meeting the woman at the well as his foundation, Horsfall explores what made Jesus different, his security in his identity and his ability to say ‘No’ – there is even a list in the back of occasions when he did so! He points out that we tend to believe the Protestant work ethic is God-ordained, piling pressure upon pressure, either upon ourselves or each other. Our measure of success is ‘numerical growth’ which leads, he believes, to greater pressure on those who work for the big successful churches – both to ‘keep producing results’ and through an ‘unacknowledged perfectionism’.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eBut at the well, Jesus stopped. He rested.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eHe was tired and stopping was okay. Not only was it okay, it turned out to be fruitful. Stopping, says Horsfall, is a discipline – whether we want to do it or not, we need to intentionally build it into our lives, in order for our ministry to be sustainable. ‘As Christians,’ he writes, ‘we have a strong theology of work but virtually no theology of leisure’, and he sets out to reset the balance a little here, exploring what leisure does, the different types of leisure, and why it matters. But he goes beyond that, to point to a new way of working – allowing God to work in and through us, finding our security in him, leaving the results to him, and developing the spiritual disciplines necessary to integrate resting and working.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Ali Hull, book editor for Preach magazine.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Richard Frost, September 2023\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Horsfall is one of BRF’s most prolific writers and this book does not disappoint. First published  in 2010, this revised version provides a thought-provoking exploration of one of the great encounters recorded in the Bible: Jesus’ meeting with the woman from Samaria.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTaking as its starting point, Jesus’ need to have a rest after tiring walk, Tony Horsfall encourages all of us to ‘sit by the well’ for a while. He argues that Jesus used this rest not only for refreshment but to be the place from which his work would continue: on this occasion in the conversation he would have with the woman who came to collect water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt a time when burn out, exhaustion and other forms of  physical and mental ill health are being experienced by many in church ministry and secular work environments, Horsfall warns against the ‘driven’ nature of many occupations and the often misjudged approaches by those who undertake them. ‘We are not machines; we are human beings,’ he writes. ‘We cannot keep producing the goods without respite. We need a break. We need to sit by the well.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a book for its time. It is easy to read, and Horsfall’s writing draws out numerous points for us to reflect upon. Like threads in a tapestry, they serve to support the key theme of the book: working from a place of rest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Richard Frost. A former mental health and employment specialist, Richard is the author of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/products\/life-with-st-benedict-the-rule-re-imagined-for-everyday-living\"\u003eLife with St Benedict\u003c\/a\u003e and writes a blog at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/workrestpray.com\/\"\u003eworkrestpray.com\u003c\/a\u003e. He is also the author of \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/richardfrostauthor.com\/\"\u003ethree other books\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMedia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA letter from a reader:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDear Tony\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'm sure you get plenty of thank you emails. I simply wanted to add to them. Your books: Rhythms of Grace, Working from a Place of Rest, and Mentoring for Spiritual Growth are being used to redirect our ministry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn August last year, after six years of running our smallholding in Cornwall as a place of prayer and recovery from addiction, mental illness... we came very close to burnout. God stepped in, through a number of friends and supporting churches, and put us on a sabbatical break. Friends in Birmingham, who had been to one of your seminars, suggested we read your books. It's now my second time reading through them and my wife and I can feel God calling us back to his vision for this place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThank you for helping us get back on track.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Good Bookstall\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e- May 2010\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis slim book is a precious antidote to the overload excesses that corrode the heart and soul of all who serve Jesus. Tony Horsfall writes with great wisdom and warmth navigating core truths with great faithfulness and fresh insight!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe narrative of Jesus and the Samaritan woman are central to explorations offered.... I particularly treasured the clarity the author paints of how Jesus said, 'No' to people! Additionally the journey surrounding the cycle of grace offers real help. I would have loved more application, especially surrounding margins and boundaries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreat book offered up by a wise guide!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReviewed by Johnny Douglas\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tony Horsfall","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43664183722175,"sku":"9781800392205","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/products\/WorkingfromaPlaceofRest.jpg?v=1682105872"},{"product_id":"loving-my-neighbour","title":"Loving My Neighbour: A Lenten Journey","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLenten readings and reflections consider how to love in truth, love the vulnerable and the suffering, embrace difference, care for our world, love ourselves, and love to the very end. It’s never been more important to understand how much God loves us and how much he wants us to love each other. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLoving My Neighbour\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e takes us on a journey through the challenging terrain of how we can truly love one another, individually and in our communities. Daily Bible readings and reflections from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day explore how we can love in truth, love the vulnerable and the suffering, embrace difference, care for our world, and love ourselves as God loves us. Holy Week brings us back to reflect on Christ on the cross, who loved us to the very end.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/t936eS2Q41Y?si=sWnhGUC1VFJX8ZIo\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/K_2ceGtotHU?si=_4xIaEAN0X_OZ8H7\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry online 19.02.24. Review by Cavan Wood\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf all Christian books, one of the most difficult to write effectively is a Lent book, but this group project is a very helpful guide to the Lenten season and the personal reflection it should invoke. The book considers the topics of love: loving in truth, loving those who are vulnerable, loving those who are in suffering, loving oneself, loving those who are different, loving the world around us and finally loving to the end. It takes us on one of the most challenging of areas that we can truly love others who are not always lovable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a collection of daily Bible readings and reflections, it draws upon story and the experience of the writing team to develop its ideas. Despite having seven writers, it does cohere as a book, so credit goes to Olivia Warburton as the overall editor. It is important that we have little pen portraits of the writers so that we can understand a little of how they came to write and communicate in the way that they did. The use of Bible readings, reflections and prayers are useful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePersonally, I would have included some questions which could be used by individuals and for home groups which could have made the text more directly influential on us as readers. The picture of the Palm Sunday entrance is not really a good summary of the wide-ranging nature of the text: if the focus had been more on Holy Week, then this might be appropriate. This will be a good guide to help you through Lent and could be a good resource for a group during the season. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Cavan Wood\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times Lent book round up by Philip Welsh 19.01.24\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Loving My Neighbour, seven authors, from a range of Christian traditions, each take a week of daily Bible readings to immerse us in aspects of loving our neighbour, with Jonathan Swift’s sharp reminder that ‘We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSanjee Perera looks at loving in truth, in freewheeling theological meditations that are by turns challenging and overwrought. John Swinton writes outstandingly about loving the vulnerable. ‘When we reflect upon the upside-down kingdom, we come to realise that the broken . . . are more important than anything else. We also discover that ‘they’ are in fact ‘us’.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEsther Kuku strides into loving those who are suffering with the confidence of the saved. ‘We have been justified and we will be delivered out of every difficult circumstance we face.’ Sister Gemma Simmonds offers mature wisdom on the importance of loving oneself, and is sensitive to the ambivalence of love: ‘Knowing someone and being known by them at depth carries both grace and potential threat.’ She draws helpfully on Catholic tradition: for St Ignatius, ‘the heart of humility is not self-denigration but gratitude.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInderjit Bhogal writes powerfully about loving those who are different. The Old Testament tells us to love our neighbour as ourselves once, but to love the stranger 40 times. His exposition of Gospel stories is exemplary and thought-provoking, along with the way drawing on his own experience within white groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Gregory is a climate scientist and Baptist minister. He writes attractively about loving the world around us: ‘Next time you see a weather forecast, give thanks for the insights of scientists that enable us to understand some of how God has shaped creation.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring Holy Week — loving to the end — Joanna Collicutt takes a fresh approach to the last words from the Cross, as showing us how to die well, ‘to say our sad goodbyes to this precious and delicious earthly life, to the people we love, and to the grudges we bear and, like him, to entrust ourselves to our heavenly Father’. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA multi-author project is likely to be a mixed bag. Loving My Neighbour scores quite well.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by the Revd Philip Welsh a retired priest in the \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003ediocese of London.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTogether magazine Jan-Feb 2024. Review by Fiona Lloyd\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLoving My Neighbour – a Lenten Journey\u003c\/strong\u003e is BRF Ministries’ Lent book for 2024. Inspired by one of Jesus’ most famous parables, several well-known authors offer their perspectives on what loving our neighbour means in our modern world. Between them, they cover themes such as caring for our world, embracing difference and loving the vulnerable. I found it refreshing to have several different voices co-authoring this book, as it emphasised all the different ways we can find to love those around us. The book is set out in the form of a devotional, with a short Bible passage for each day along with a reflections and a prayer. These can easily be read in about five minutes, but still give plenty of food for thought, touching on other relevant scriptures and using personal anecdotes to paint images that linger in the mind. Warburton writes in the introduction that ‘it’s never been more important to understand how much God loves us and how much he wants us to love each other,’ and this is a book that will certainly help us in this endeavour.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Inderjit Bhogal, Joanna Collicutt, David Gregory, Esther Kuku, Sanjee Perera, Gemma Simmonds, John Swinton","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43664174776511,"sku":"9781800392151","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/LovingMyNeighbour.jpg?v=1694441274"},{"product_id":"death-and-life-a-churchs-guide-to-exploring-mortality","title":"Death and Life: A church's guide to exploring mortality","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAs a society we aren’t good at talking about death, and as individuals we may try and avoid thinking about it. But death is part of life, and we must all face it eventually. For Christians, dying and death are not the end but a transition point in a story that continues. Reflecting well on our own mortality can help us to make peace with the prospect of death and to live more fully in the here and now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis research-based book includes all you need to plan and deliver a course enabling people – old or young, healthy or frail – to prepare practically, emotionally and spiritually for their last months on this earth. The course covers six topics: Legal practicalities; Life stories; Funeral planning; Physical aspects of dying; Spiritual aspects of dying; and The life to come. It also offers a range of materials on the theme of living well in the light of mortality: a creative workshop, sermon starters, Bible studies, meditations, and a set of prayer stations which combine to form a prayer walk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Death and Life Reflection Cards\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/collections\/anna-chaplaincy-courses\/products\/death-and-life-reflection-cards\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/Death_and_Life_Reflection_Cards_2.png?v=1713518661\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor Info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eRevd Canon Dr Joanna Collicutt\u003c\/strong\u003e has a background in clinical psychology and academic psychology of religion. She was for many years the Oxford Diocesan Adviser for Older People, and it was in this role that she became interested in the spiritual and theological aspects of death and dying. She is an associate priest in an Oxfordshire parish and is currently studying for a PhD in the area of Christianity and the arts. Joanna has written or co-written ten books, including \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThinking of you: A resource for the spiritual care of people with dementia\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (BRF, 2017) and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSeriously Messy: Making space for families to talk together about death and life\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (BRF, 2019).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJo Ind\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVictoria Slater \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlison Webster\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransforming Ministry, winter 2024. Review by Cavan Wood\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003eSubtitled ‘A church’s guide to exploring mortality’, this is designed as a six-session course book to help those who are dealing with bereavement and thinking through death and its effects. Amongst the techniques used are creative arts approaches as well as Bible studies, meditations, prayer walks and questionnaires. The authors present the course with a concern for the individual, finding a way that relates to each person of need. It offers several sermon starters which could be adapted or developed for a series in church to supplement the course. The breadth of this resource is really heartening. By using art in places, it will enable those who are left wordless at times by bereavement to find a way to respond. It has a wide range of musical suggestions from Graham Kendrick to Stormzy, presumably designed to appeal to different generations. Churches of all theological traditions will find this book an invaluable aid to dealing with the last great journey and its consequences on those left behind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Cavan Wood \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 21.07.24. Review by Dominic Walker\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThis is a handbook to help and resource facilitators to plan and lead a six-session course on how to live and die well. The authors have provided a variety of material to prepare people practically, emotionally, and spiritually for the end of their lives on earth. We are told: 'The course covers six topics: Legal practicalities; Life stories; Funeral planning; Physical aspects of dying; and the Life to come. It also offers a range of materials on the theme of living well in the light of mortality; a creative workshop, sermon starters, Bible studies, meditations, and a set of prayer stations which combine to form a prayer walk.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThis is a good course and well researched, but its promotion may be a challenge, because most people, including Christians, avoid thinking about death. Nevertheless, the unwillingness to face the process of dying can have serious pastoral consequences and give rise to some unbiblical and strange ideas about life after death. Most clergy will have encountered bereaved people who imagine a parallel universe in which their departed relatives in bliss look down upon us poor souls below!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThis course is broad in its range of topics, offering good practical and legal advice, besides drawing people into the mystery of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It encourages people to think, to reflect, and to face their innermost feelings and fears. The material is pastoral and honest in its tone, and, while not claiming to have all the answers, it affirms the love and goodness of God and why Christians can face death in 'sure and certain hope'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe funeral preface reminds us that, for God’s faithful people, life is changed, not ended, and when our mortal flesh is laid aside, an everlasting dwelling place is made ready for us in heaven. For churches with elderly folk in their congregations, this course will provide help for them to prepare for, and hopefully to embrace, that change.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Rt Revd Dominic Walker OGS is a former Bishop of Monmouth\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Joanna Collicutt","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43664255549631,"sku":"9781800392830","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/DeathandLife.jpg?v=1696605021"},{"product_id":"easter-inside-out-the-story-as-if-you-were-there","title":"Easter Inside Out: The story as if you were there","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStep into the Easter story… Acclaimed storyteller David Kitchen reimagines the Easter narrative through a varied cast of characters, from Mary Magdalene to Caiaphas. If you want to understand who might have been where and doing what as the Easter story unfolds, this book gives you answers. It also lets you sense what it could have been like to be one of those involved in the twists and turns of one of the most extraordinary stories in the whole of history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5xNDQII1o_U?si=LjZYnbVmjFl-bM17\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5MQMabxaet8?si=XZSEKe3yflgTl6ht\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuthor Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"row avoid-break\" data-v-5a160260=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col\" data-v-5a160260=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"card\" id=\"productCardContributors\" data-v-5a160260=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"card-body\"\u003e\n\u003cdl class=\"row\"\u003e\n\u003cdd class=\"col-sm-10\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Kitchen is an award-winning writer, broadcaster, teacher and storyteller who has been making the Bible come alive for longer than he cares to remember. In Bible in Ten he combines his down-to-earth writing skills with almost 50 years’ experience in church leadership and worship. His hobbies include music, poetry and playing crawling-up-stairs games with his grandson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e‘Dave Kitchen is a genius! He has a knack for helping us see old stories with new eyes. Dave’s great insight is that he knows that there is a massive difference between being outside a story and inside one. His talent is to present to us the old and familiar stories of the Bible in a way that enables us to enter them in our imaginations. As we get inside the story, we notice things we never noticed before; the stories become richer, deeper and more meaningful. This book is a great resource for Christians and churches to use during Lent. It is also accessible for readers with no prior knowledge or experience in reading the Bible. The Easter story has been one of the foundational stories of western civilisation, here we have a resource that will help people to enter that story, to feel its significance and meaning, and, even more excitingly, to explore what their own response to that story might be!’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003eThe Revd Stephen March, pioneer priest in Leicester Diocese\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e‘The greatest story ever told with an invitation to not just read it – but step into it. Get ready for an incredible journey.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003eRob Parsons, founder of Care for the Family\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e‘In this very helpful book, David Kitchen brings us imaginatively into the events of Holy Week and Easter through a wide variety of witnesses. There is new insight on every page. Both individual readers and those who lead worship or study groups will find much to inspire.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003eThe Revd Donald P. Ker, former secretary and president of the Methodist Church in Ireland\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e‘Dave Kitchen has done it again. Having brought characters from scripture to life in Bible in Ten, Easter Inside Out does the same for the most significant week in history. If we ever forgot that Easter was about real people at a real time in a real country, Easter Inside Out reminds us in a lively, readable, creative and captivating way.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003eThe Revd Dr Jennifer A. Hurd, chair of Wales Synod Cymru\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e‘Dave Kitchen has been getting inside the hearts and minds of the first followers of Jesus and those he encountered for more than 50 years, enlightening and inspiring so many people through in the process. Now he has done it again with Easter Inside Out in which we are invited to journey with Jesus and those who knew him from Palm Sunday to Good Friday and then to Easter and beyond. Suitable for personal reflection and devotion, it will also make an excellent small group resource during Lent or even as a one-off book group read, with stimulating questions provided for both.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003eThe Revd David Mullins, retired Methodist minister\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e‘Holy Week is the most significant week in the Christian faith that has literally trans- formed the course of human history. Dave Kitchen approaches the gospel stories of this crucial week with creativity and imagination. In a series of vignettes, he brings the story to life and locates the overarching narrative on the hustling and bustling streets of Jerusalem. He does so in a way that is always accessible and engaging. It is my hope that Easter Inside Out would enable anyone to think afresh about this story and the impact it can have on our lives.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003eThe Revd Andrew Charlesworth, chair of Wales Synod Cymru\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e‘Easter Inside Out does exactly what the tag line says: it’s a fascinating retelling of the Easter story as if you were there. David weaves together biblical and imagined characters to take the reader through the events of Easter week in their own words, bringing them to life as they deal with all the ups and downs of their being part of the days that changed the world. A detailed timeline helps the reader keep pace with the fast moving moments. David has given us a truly original version of the greatest story.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003eRoger Aubrey, PhD, MTh, writer and international Bible teacher\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTransforming Ministry online April 2025. Review by Betty Taylor.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnother wonderful book by David Kitchen, written in his unique style, and published in the same appealing format as \u003ci\u003eBible in Ten\u003c\/i\u003e. This offering tells the Easter story from the perspective of the many characters involved, and his readers are drawn into each scenario as though taking part in the story itself. Senses are alerted and emotions heightened as a very familiar account takes on new meaning, and a wide variety of personalities take their turn on centre stage. Some are crucial and well-known, others on the margins and brought to life by careful research and considered assumption. Useful Bible references accompany each section. Complementing the narrative are the illustrations by Jonathan Williams. Black and white and probably of charcoal origin, they evoke a deep passion as the reader is drawn into each of the frames. David’s inspirational book will bring a blessing for all readers, including groups who are looking for a fresh approach to Lenten study. Maybe in the past you’ve been acquainted with these biblical characters on a surface level. Now you have the opportunity to dig deeper and come to know them in a more familiar way!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eReviewed by Betty Taylor\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePresbyterian Herald April 2025\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThis latest offering from David Kitchen looks at the Easter story in a different way – imagining how it must have felt from those caught up in the events. As he explains: ‘When so many centuries have passed by, it’s easy to feel a sense of distance and to treat the story simply as a place to find lessons about faith and life. But these events took place. People’s lives played out with all their hopes and doubts, their faith and fears. I wanted to give people today a chance to sense what it could have been like if only we had been able to be there.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eFrom a soldier watching Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, to accounts from the disciples and Caiaphas, the high priest who presided over Jesus’ trial, \u003ci\u003eEaster InsideOut \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis an opportunity to step into the story afresh, and consider how those involved must have felt without the perspective of knowing how it turns out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eI found the chapter ‘Dark skies: Johan takes Mary home’ particularly poignant. In it, the author imagines what it must have been like to have been present at the crucifixion and has John leading Jesus’ mother away from the frightful scene, saying, ‘As we walked slowly home, I couldn’t help thinking how grand and wonderful the hope had been, and how horrific and dismal this ending was.’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eKitchen recognises that with the gap of 2000 years, people have slightly different timelines, however, he has based his descriptions on the evidence or reasonable assumptions. He also helpfully includes appropriate Bibel references at the end of each chapter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBaptist Times online 14.04.25. Review by Jeannie Kendall\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRetelling the Bible stories as if we were there is a technique a few of us use in sermons or books. As David Kitchen points out however, it goes back at least as far as Ignatius of Loyola. Like any way of engaging with scripture, some personality types will find it easier or more appealing than others, but many people find it a refreshing way to engage with the bible, particularly the more well-known stories which are all too easy to gloss over in their familiarity. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat David has done here is slightly different. He has taken each day from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday (and a little beyond) and told the story not just through the eyes of the wider group of disciples (male and female), but also through others such as Caiaphas, and a soldier called Albus – as a named character he is of course imagined but there were many soldiers who formed part of the Easter story. Some days have more accounts than others, Good Friday and Easter Sunday understandably having the most.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInevitably in a book of this kind there will be some accounts we warm to more than others – I was slightly disappointed that ‘Honest Thomas’ (as I call him) was not named in a chapter heading but instead his meeting with Jesus and extraordinary outburst of faith come in one entitled ‘Doubt, Matthew anticipates a problem’.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat aside, this is a very good book which would be excellent to use for devotions in Holy Week, although with six group study sessions outlined plus questions for a book club it could also be used in group settings, and the texts behind each section are listed. 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