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Spring 2008: Reading Recommendations
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"What shall I read?"
Wondering what books would most inspire and inform you—and other leaders—as the days lengthen during the spring? Congregational Resource Guide staff ask you to consider these top pics. (Click on the book's title to access the publisher's Web site and ordering information. Or if you prefer, click on "Amazon" at the end of each annotation to order the book from Amazon.)
We at the Alban Institute and the Indianapolis Center for Congregations wish you and yours hope and blessings during this season of renewal.
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After the Baby Boomers: How Twenty- and Thirty-Somethings Are Shaping the Future of American Religion
Robert Wuthnow, Author. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007.
Skillfully drawing upon large data sets, sociologist Robert Wuthnow discusses the religious affiliation and participation of Americans between 21 and 45. While he examines when and why younger adults attend church or synagogue, he also explores their theological thinking, their spiritual aspirations, and their insights into how religion affects public and political life. Wuthnow holds that certain trends— such as the postponement of marriage and childbearing—contribute to the reality that an increasing number of younger adults are currently unaffiliated with faith communities. He also reviews the impact of the Internet and challenges the notion that younger adults prefer megachurches. Accessibly written, this book provides vital information for congregational leaders.
Amazon
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Bel Canto: A Novel
Ann Patchett, Author. New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2005.
An unnamed South American country is hosting a lavish party for a group of international dignitaries and business tycoons when a band of rebels suddenly storms the premises, taking all the male guests, as well as opera’s most renowned soprano, hostage. As the siege unfolds, we witness the transformation of the captives as they are stripped of their customary roles and busy schedules. We also see the complex and unexpectedly beautiful relationships that develop both among the captives and between them and their captors. This beautifully written novel is a brilliant study of human nature and a reminder of the power of love and beauty to transcend any situation.
Amazon
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The Beloved Community: How Faith Shapes Social Justice, from the Civil Rights Movement to Today
Charles Marsh, Author. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2005.
As we remember, forty years later, the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., many of us associate him with the civil rights movement and the confirmation of human dignity and equality. Yet Dr. King was also seeking the creation of what he called "the beloved community," founded upon reconciliation and redemption. Religion professor Charles Marsh documents not only how King's work was based on a deep biblical faith, but also how "the pursuit of beloved community gave the civil rights movement its sustaining spiritual vision." This book is a testimony to the impact of faith on the courage and commitment of leaders in the struggle for social justice.
Amazon
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Compassionate Caregiving: Practical Help and Spiritual Encouragement
Lois D. Knutson, Author. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2007.
If you are caring for a parent, spouse, or other loved one, Compassionate Caregiving offers both spiritual comfort and a toolbox of practical tips. Lutheran pastor Lois Knutson begins by explaining how caregiving is a sacred calling grounded in the commandments to love God with all of ourselves and to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we neglect any of those loves we can feel depleted and discouraged. Knutson also carefully answers questions that caregivers often face: how to respond to impossible demands, how to discuss the need for an assisted-living facility, how to conduct a family conference, and how to say final good-byes when a loved one is dying.
Amazon
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Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope
Brian D. McLaren, Author. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2007.
Brian McLaren explores two crucial questions: (1) What are world's biggest, most intractable problems?; (2) what do Jesus' life and teachings tell us about these problems? In response to the first question, McLaren outlines the crises in our systems of prosperity, equity, and security—crises that have led to environmental degradation, poverty, and war. He also cites our spiritual crisis, arising from the misguided "framing" stories we tell ourselves about these problems. In response to the second question, McLaren invites us to consider Jesus' radical message of hope—a hope that the world can be transformed through personal, community, public, and global actions in service to the kingdom of God.
Amazon
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Glimpses of God's Grace: More Stories of Faith, Hope, and Love
Cynthia Huling Hummel, Author. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2008.
Cynthia Huling Hummel, author of The Lice Lady, offers a second book of stories that reveal her gift for finding "glimpses of grace." Hummel, a Presbyterian pastor, narrates moments when she has found God in situations that are often funny, often tragic, often tender—situations such as reuniting a woman with her long-lost sister, praying as a hospital chaplain for a child who has died, dislodging a melted sippy cup from a church dishwasher, and officiating a festive wedding at a local "Rod and Gun Club." Beginning with a scriptural passage and ending with a prayer, each story provides rich material for sermons and small group bible studies.
Amazon
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Here If You Need Me: A True Story
Kate Braestrup, Author. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company, 2007.
Kate Braestrup's life takes an unexpected turn when her husband, Drew, dies in a car accident. Drew, a Maine state trooper, had planned to become a Unitarian Universalist minister once he retired from the police force. But Kate becomes a minister herself after Drew's death, and finds herself employed as a chaplain for the Maine Warden Service. She participates in search-and-rescue missions in the Maine woodlands, offering comfort and support to those who lose loved ones. With tenderness, insight, and humor, Here If You Need Me chronicles Kate's experiences. Her stories bear witness to her conviction that "God is justice and kindness, mercy, and always—always—love."
Amazon
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Holy Places: Matching Sacred Space with Mission and Message
Nancy DeMott, Tim Shapiro, Brent Bill, Authors. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2007.
Holy Places helps congregational leaders implement a "sacred space model" from which building spaces can be created that communicate a faith community's identity, mission, and purpose. This model couples a "sacred space team" with a process that begins by discerning who a congregation is, who its neighbors are, and who God is calling it to be. The next phase entails deciding what a building should communicate, what project delivery approach is best, what service providers to use, and what funding sources are available. The final phase, doing, covers how to keep the congregation informed, how to maintain spiritual focus, and how to oversee the work so it is completed properly.
Amazon
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Leading from Within: Poetry That Sustains the Courage to Lead
Sam M. Intractor, Megan Scribner, Editors. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2007.
Leading from Within presents 93 poems from Rainer Maria Rilke, Robert Frost, Rumi, and many others. In addition, each poem is coupled with a reflection from a public, corporate, or community leader who selected the poem and explains how it inspired her or his leadership. For example, Smith College president Carol Christ reflects on her selection of Wordworth's "Tintern Abbey," while physician Paul Batalden reflects on his selection of Mary Oliver's "What I Have Learned So Far." Poems and reflections are grouped into such themes as "Pay Attention," "Dare to Endure," and "Leading Together." This collection will help all leaders to reflect on what keeps one's "heart and commitment alive."
Amazon
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Listening Is an Act of Love
Dave Islay, Editor. New York, NY: Penguin Press, 2007.
As part of the StoryCorps Project, itinerant recording booths move across the country, capturing people's stories—from recollections of personal remembrances to life-changing experiences of world events. This book and CD contain the first published stories selected from over 10,000 narratives that have been recorded since 2003 and stored in the National Archives. Stories are grouped into categories that include "Home and Family," "Work and Dedication," and "History and Struggle." For those wanting to record their own stories, a supplemental guidebook is available. According to project director Dave Isay, "by recording the stories of our lives with the people we care about, we experience our history, hopes, and humanity."
Amazon
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Places of Promise: Finding Strength in Your Congregation's Location (Book)
Cynthia Woolever, Deborah Bruce, Authors. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2008.
Drawing on the results of the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, Places of Promise examines the influence of location on the strength of congregations. Cynthia Woolever and Deborah Bruce discuss the impact of regions, states, and communities on congregational life. At the same time, they explain that location may influence—but it does not determine—congregational vitality, and "every congregation can achieve strength and effectiveness in its present location." The authors cite ten factors that together foster vital congregations—including helping congregants to grow spiritually, welcoming newcomers, caring for children and youth, helping congregants share their faith with others, and having a "positive outlook on the future."
Amazon
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Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation
Carol Howard Merritt, Author. Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2007.
Carol Howard Merritt, a thirty-something pastor, describes how churches can provide a safe, supportive place for young adults to nurture relationships and foster spiritual growth. There are few places left in society that allow for real intergenerational connections, yet these connections are important for any church that seeks to reflect the fullness of the body of Christ. Defining a "tribal church" as one that gathers to connect—with God through spiritual practices, with neighbors through community building, and with the world through social justice outreach— Merritt outlines six avenues of ministry with young adults. These avenues include the cultivation of affirming traditions, unambiguous inclusion, and shared leadership.
Amazon
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