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Lent Devotions – 2
I asked the lovely folks at the Association of Christian Writers for their recommendations for Lent devotions. Here is the second instalment of their ideas, all available from your favourite Christian bookshop, Waterstones, Eden etc.
My personal choice is Eugene Peterson’s A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. It’s not specifically a Lent book, but the matching study guide (suitable for groups or individuals) has six sessions, perfect for a weekly study group or to work through yourself“Since Eugene Peterson (of The Message fame) wrote this spiritual formation classic more than forty years ago, hundreds of thousands of Christians have been inspired by its call to deeper discipleship. Our society is obsessed with quick fixes. But Peterson’s time-tested prescription for discipleship remains the same – a long obedience in the same direction.”
And, of course, I’m going to promote my own Lent books:
Trace the whole story of the Bible from Creation to Easter in bite-sized chunks, and see how it all hangs together in one grand story that leads to Jesus.
Linking Old Testament and New Testament texts that follow the grand themes of scripture, this will give you a wonderful overview of God’s eternal plan that culminates at Easter
Each day, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day, tells part of the story with a short reflection and prayer. You can use the sessions daily or in weekly groups.
Meet some of the Bible’s most dismal failures, in nine intergenerational studies including special features for Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Each session has a reflection, question to think about, space for your own thoughts, craft, cooking, an outside activity and a labyrinth. It’s perfect for weekly adult or youth groups, or to use at home with a different activity each day.
The Resilient Disciple by Justine Allain ChapmanAlone on an 8-day retreat in the Egyptian desert, Justine Allain Chapman experienced first-hand the physical, spiritual and mental struggle many have endured before her. Our own desert experience may involve attending to challenges that come upon us suddenly – such as an illness or bereavement – or to difficult relationships or patterns of thinking that have long been draining us of life and joy. A Lenten pilgrimage is testing. We have to search within ourselves for answers which lie hidden, to draw on each other’s strengths, to reflect deeply and to trust that we will be enabled to integrate our many experiences. But there is a ‘bright flame before us, a guiding star above’. And the God, who always calls us to love beyond ourselves, offers tender healing for our brokenness, longing that we may be consoled and renewed.
Great Lent, Journey to Pascha by Alexander SchmemannLent through the perspective of Orthodox spirituality. This revised edition of Fr Alexander Schmemann’s Lenten classic examines the meaning of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the Prayer of St Ephraim the Syrian, the Canon of St Andrew of Crete, and other neglected or misunderstood treasures of Lenten worship. Schmemann draws on the Church’s sacramental and liturgical tradition to suggest the meaning of “Lent in our life.”
The Lenten season is meant to kindle a “bright sadness” within our hearts. Its aim is precisely the remembrance of Christ, a longing for a relationship with God that has been lost. Lent offers the time and place for recovery of this relationship. The darkness of Lent allows the flame of the Holy Spirit to burn within our hearts until we are led to the brilliance of the Resurrection.
Consider the Cross by Kirsten OliphantThese devotions for the Lenten period before Easter will cut through denominational lines and theological stances, challenging you to simply consider. Consider the person of Jesus. Consider the moment in history where he was nailed to a cross. Consider what significance the resurrection has in your life. Enjoy a Bible study for Easter that will let you really think about a man named Jesus.
Focusing on the last week of Jesus’ life, these devotionals and questions will help prepare your heart to celebrate Easter by reflecting on the person and work of Jesus.
Leaning Towards Easter by Chris LeonardThis book features daily readings exploring the major themes surrounding this time of year This is a book of daily devotional readings for the Lent and Easter period, exploring themes such as death to new life, suffering to joy, oppression/betrayal to freedom, blindness or unbelief to faith, abandonment to foundness, despair to hope, darkness to light. For each day, a reflection on a Bible passage (not necessarily from the Passion/Easter narratives) is followed by a true story from an ‘ordinary’ person to illustrate and earth the day’s message, then a short prayer or meditation.
Affiliate links take you to Amazon UK, where anything you purchase makes a very small (and I mean minuscule) donation to support this ministry. No personal data is passed in either direction and the price you pay is the same. Many thanks for your support.
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Lent Devotions – 1
I asked the lovely folks at the Association of Christian Writers for their recommendations for Lent devotions. Here are some of their ideas, all available from your favourite Christian bookshop, Waterstones, Eden etc.
And, of course, I’m going to promote my own Lent books:
The Big StoryTrace the whole story of the Bible from Creation to Easter in bite-sized chunks, and see how it all hangs together in one grand story that leads to Jesus.
Each day, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day, tells part of the story with a short reflection and prayer.
Broken Bits and WeirdnessMeet some of the Bible’s most dismal failures, in nine intergenerational studies including special features for Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Each session has a reflection, craft, cooking, outside activity and labyrinth.
The Wilderness Within Youby Penelope Wilcock
Jesus said that his burden was light, but it doesn’t always feel that way.For example, what does it mean to ‘take up your cross’? How figurative is the language Jesus is using? Or, ‘Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.’ What does Jesus mean? Or, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.’ Does this mean unless I follow Jesus, I am cut adrift in this world, lost and without hope? But I cannot follow Jesus without being crucified.
Following Jesus does not seem as simple as preachers sometimes suggest. So Pen sets out into the wilderness to look for him. ‘I have one big question that almost hurts in my heart,’ she says, ‘because I care about the answer so much. I want to ask him, “Jesus, what do you think of me?”‘
Treasure in Dark Placesby Liz Carter (Author) and Caroline Gwilliam (Illustrator)
Life can hurt.
Sometimes we wonder where God is in the mess of it all, and can’t find any light amidst our shadows.
But shadows can’t exist without light. The Psalmists often wrote of their pain with raw honesty, yet discovered treasure in the very darkest places. This collection of poetry and short stories is filled with cries of deep sorrow and inexpressible joy, and re-imaginings of events from Scripture which point us to hope, even when we struggle to glimpse light on the horizon.
Forty Womenby Ros Clarke
The first witnesses to the resurrection were not men, but women – and without women, the Easter story would not have happened at all.
These hidden voices of the Bible’s story are found through the Old Testament and the New Testament. In this daily Lent devotional for 2022, join Ros Clarke as she uncovers the women of the Bible who are essential to the Easter weekend. From Eve to the Shummamite, and from Deborah to Ruth, Forty Women will open your eyes to the power of the gospel.
Exploring a different character each day to take you from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, Forty Women is an uplifting and inspirational look at what we can learn from the different women of the Bible. Looking at their lives, triumphs and failures, Ros Clarke shows us how these women are examples of faith and warning against sin, whose seemingly ordinary lives connect with an extraordinary God.
An Ocean of Graceby Tim Chester
Reflect on Jesus in the run-up to Easter with this collection of daily devotions and prayers by great Christian writers from church history.
A collection of daily devotions and prayers by great Christian writers from throughout church history, including Augustine, Charles Spurgeon, John Bunyan, Catherine Parr, and Martin Luther.
Affiliate links take you to Amazon, where anything you buy makes an extremely small donation to support my writing. No data about you is passed in either direction and the price you pay is the same.
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Delighted to Announce!
Delighted to announce that I’ve signed a contract with Darton, Longman and Todd for a book of devotions with labyrinths.
The book is aiming for publication this time next year and will feature 40 short devotions (so super-useful for Lent) each day having
- a short reading,
- a modern reflection
- a relatable prayer
- an original, hand-drawn labyrinth
Look out for more news in due course!
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Refresh: spa days for your soul
Refreshby Jo Acharya
Competition! See end of review
Fifty-two short devotions focussing on self care and wellbeing. Each study has an attractive picture with a Bible snippet, linked Bible passage and short reflection, plus three simple questions to prompt your thinking.
The book has a modern, ‘open’ feel with fill-in charts for your thoughts and self-reflection and a plenty of decorative pages and spaces for notes.
There are thirteen topics, called things like ‘Belong’, ‘Become’, and ‘Conquer’, with four short studies in each. Jo recommends one study per week, either all in one session or splitting a study over seven days. I’m not sure there’s enough material for this, so if you want daily devotions I’d suggest doing one topic – four studies – over a week rather than stretch one study to fit. (That also leaves space for missed days without having to feel guilty. We all do it!)At the end of each topic, there is another self-review sheet and a selection of additional resources including Bible passages linked with the four studies. It’s easy to miss these when you are doing the studies, so make sure you flick ahead to the end of the topic to find all the material.
This book is aimed at those new to the faith, or perhaps just seeking, and includes helpful instructions on how to use Bible references. With that audience in mind, it might have been useful to have the Bible passages in full, as I might tempted to just read the snippet and not dig out my Bible for the full passage.
Click here to see this book on Amazon
With an emphasis on helping us to develop healthy habits that honour the body and mind that God has created, these studies are reflective rather than didactic, and better suited to private devotions, not weekly Bible study groups. You can do the studies in any order, choosing the ones that suit your situation at the time. Here are the topics (four studies in each):
Healthy Life- Belong – growing in healthy community
- Rest – living within our limits
- Nourish – looking after our bodies
- Celebrate – valuing all of life as worship
Healthy Heart
- Feel – responding to our emotions
- Dwell – managing our thoughts
- Receive – understanding grace
- Become – stepping into our true identity
Healthy Faith
- Know – enjoying friendship with God
- Follow – living a faithful Christian life
- Struggle – relating to God in suffering
- Conquer – fighting the spiritual battle
- Hope – looking forward to eternity
This would make an attractive gift book (or a treat for yourself) and gives you permission to curl up in God’s loving care. The studies are undemanding and comforting, and the reflections mirror contemporary wellbeing advice for body, mind and spirit.
Available in Kindle, and paperback from your local bookstore, Eden, Amazon etc.
ISBN: 978-1915046024, 304pp, 2022, Malcolm Down Publishing Ltd
From the Blurb
Refresh is a companion for people on their Christian journey.
It is a flexible way to fit time with God into a busy life, and designed to help find space to slow down and reflect. The devotionals are short and accessible, designed to meet people whatever stage of life they find themselves at. Refresh helps people discover that God has a lot to say about how to live a healthy life especially for people struggling with their physical or mental health. The teaching is sensitive to different life circumstances and challenges, and the flexible format provides an easy, low-energy way to engage with God.
Each topic encourages people to think about a different area of life. The questions and weekly reflections help work towards positive changes, where extra support might be needed.
About The AuthorJo Acharya is a writer and music therapist. Her first book, ‘Refresh: a wellness devotional for the whole Christian life’ is available from all good bookshops. You can read more of Jo’s writing and buy signed copies of ‘Refresh’ at valleyofsprings.com.
Competition Time
I have one free, signed (by Jo, not me) copy of Refresh to give away. To enter, simply send an email to me and tell me what kind of day Jo’s book is like (hint, it’s in the title).
Send your entry to fay ‘at’ fayrowland ‘dot’ co ‘dot’ uk
Disclaimers
Some books are sent to me as review copies; nevertheless, all opinions are my own.
Some links are affiliate links. If you buy any product after following such link, Amazon will make a small donation to support this ministry. This does not affect the price you pay, and no data is passed in either direction.
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The Promise and the Light
by Katy MorganReviewed by Victoria Hutchinson
At the age of 50, I don’t often find myself delighting so openly in a book aimed at children. But The Promise and the Light compels so gently and inspires so honestly, that I awaited each of the brief 25 advent chapters with the eagerness of a young girl. And as I turned the pages, I met with the humility and authenticity of the teenage Mary, living her oh-so-ordinary life in Nazareth’s backstreets as she gets on with family life with siblings and parents.
Katy Morgan draws us into the lives of all the known heroes of the Christmas story in a way that sheds all the 20th century hype. The glory and grandeur, the tinsel and the presents are all forgotten as we sit under the big old oak tree with Mary and her sister, and gaze down from the scaffolding planks with Joseph working alongside his father.
There is an authenticity and simplicity which quietens the heart and causes the reader to stop and pause for breath. The story unfolds exactly as expected – and yet the freshness of its telling feels brand new – as if you are hearing events for the very first time.
Alarm bells are always ringing loudly when Scripture is used to write a story. The Bible speaks the truth and is God-breathed and written by his holy inspiration. As such, I approached this book with some apprehension. But Katy Morgan does not change the truth of scripture. Rather she uses her imagination to try to get inside the head and heart of Mary and Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah amongst others, and lands us in Nazareth right beside them. Nothing alters or detracts or changes the truth that we read in our Bibles.
What she does do, is remove the cliché, remove the westernised versions of Christmas, remove any remoteness that has grown in our own hearts – and gives us the humility of Jesus’ birth and of his parents. In simple language and style we nod with Joseph as he says:
Jesus … It means ‘God will save’. I thought of all the pain and trouble of the previous months. The angel seemed to know what I was thinking. “He will save his people from their sins”, he said. Yes that was what we needed. I felt tears leaking out of my eyes.
Amen. Tears leak from my eyes too. That was and is what we need.
Available in Kindle, Audiobook and Paperback from your favourite bricks-and-mortar store, or online via The Good Book Company, Amazon, Eden, Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, etc
ISBN: 978-1784986612, 128pp, 2021, The Good Book Company, ages 8-12
From the Blurb
Captivating retelling of the nativity story. Great Christmas gift for kids who love to read.
What if you were visited by an angel one night who told you that you were to give birth to the Son of God? How would you feel? What might you think?
Written as a series of vivid and dramatic first-person accounts, The Promise and The Light tells the stories of Mary, Joseph and Zechariah as they experience the events of the first Christmas. Written in a lively and engaging style, this imaginative yet biblically faithful book will captivate children aged 8-12.
Readers will be able to get inside the hearts and minds of some of the key players in the Christmas story and will appreciate the power and excitement of what happened and why it is so amazing for us today.
With 25 chapters, readers may choose to read a chapter a day during Advent.
About the Author
Katy Morgan is an Editor at The Good Book Company. She is a member of Chessington Evangelical Church in Surrey, UK, where she lives.She holds a master’s degree in classical Greek literature, and previously worked in a ministry role as part of a school chaplaincy.
Please note that posts on this site may contain affiliate links. No personal data is passed in either direction and the price you pay is the same, but I might, perhaps, get a very small amount of money from the link. Maybe.
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Try and Conversion
by Glyn WoodA treat for sports fans today. We have an interview with former rugby star, Olympic hopeful and all-round action man, Glyn Wood.Interview – Glyn Wood
FR: Hi Glyn, thanks for giving us your time. We’re here to talk about your book, ‘Try and Conversion’, but first, could you tell us a little about yourself?GW: No problem, thanks for having me. I’m from Sheffield originally, from a council estate, but I left at sixteen to join the Navy’s Fleet Air Arm and see what the world had to offer. Life then led me to playing rugby for Northampton Saints and Bedford Blues. I’ve played at Twickenham eight times and competed in the Field Gun Crew at the Royal Tournament.FR:` Wow! That sounds like a very full and exciting life. What do you do now?
GW: I’m retired and I live in Northamptonshire with my wife, Alison. My hobbies include gardening, walking and helping my wife from time to time with her bee-keeping. I also give talks about my Christian faith, and my book is an open and heartfelt insight into that journey.FR: It’s great to meet you, Glyn. What was it that prompted you to write the book?GW: I have 3 children, Natasha (30), Faith (28) and Rory (24). During their childhood we visited many places and met some of my old friends, as well as enjoying time with my extended family. I would often reminisce about memories associated with our encounters, until one day my children suggested that I should write my memoirs.I’d frequently been told to stop telling some stories as I sounded like a tape recording set on repeat, so I naturally thought that they were joking! They encouraged me to begin writing down my experiences and I eventually decided to try and write a book.FR: Ha, ha! Well, I’m glad they did. If you could sum up the message of your book in one sentence, what would it be?GW: Encouraging anyone, from any background, to consider looking into the Christian faith, particularly those who would not normally attend church.FR: I love it that you are so honest and open about your journey, Glyn.
And finally, if Hollywood were to come knocking on your door, who would play the main characters?GW: I would like to see Matt Damon as myself, after his role in the film Invictus.FR: Perfect! Thanks for talking to me.That was Glyn Wood, retired rugby player, author of Try and Conversion, and all-round good guy.
Available from your local bookstore, or online via Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, Amazon etc
ISBN: 978-1782227151, 234pp, 2019, Paragon Publishing
From the Blurb
Try and Conversion is the inspiring story of Glyn Wood, born in Sheffield in 1960 into a working class family, and who lived on a council estate until the age of five.With limited prospects having left school without any formal qualifications, he was encouraged to join the Fleet Air Arm in the Royal Navy and, as a naive young boy he left Sheffield, aged sixteen, to see what the world had to offer.His story will tell you how a keen Sheffield United football fan finished up playing rugby union for most of his early teenage years and for part of his adult life, going on to play for Northampton Saints and Bedford Blues. Other accolades include playing at Twickenham on eight occasions, representing the Combined Services against Canada and Australia and performing in the Field Gun Crew at the Royal Tournament.He talks about the highs and lows of starting up and running his own business, being overlooked for the Great Britain Bobsleigh team as a brakeman in the Sarajevo Winter Olympic Games, and how recurring injuries cut short his rugby career.However, Glyn openly admits that one of his biggest challenges was to swallow his pride and put aside his ego; his greatest accomplishments have been discovering real peace and a spiritual awakening after his conversion to the Christian faith at the age of thirty-seven.Glyn is now retired and serves at his local Anglican church in Kettering, Northamptonshire. He undertakes speaking engagements, talking about how his conversion affected his life, and he hopes that this book will encourage people from all backgrounds to seriously explore the Christian faith.
Please note that posts on this site may contain affiliate links. No personal data is passed in either direction and the price you pay is the same, but I might, perhaps, get a very small amount of money from the link. Maybe. -
Big Mama Makes the World
Big Mama Makes the Worldby Phyllis Root, Illus. Helen Oxenbury
My children are all in double figures now, but when I was clearing out some of their baby books, this was one they would not part with.
The large-format illustrations by Helen Oxenbury (of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt fame) are beautiful on their own, and with text by Phyllis Root are at once funny and thoughtful.
Picturing God as a creative Big Mama, all of the days of creation are treated with a kindly wonder as Big Mama and her baby make a world, declaring it “very, very good”.
Then we see her with all the creatures she has made, sitting face in hands, and saying “I’m lonely” – then on the next page, a huge ball of mud filled with all sorts and shapes of people – bums and all!This delightful re-telling of an ancient Bible story is perfect for bed-time or for reading to a group. In fact, I think I might use it at the mum’s and tot’s next week.
If my teenagers will let me borrow it.
Click here to see this book on Amazon
(Note: in the US this is Big Momma, while the UK version is Big Mama)
Available from your local bookstore, or online from Waterstones, Amazon etc.
ISBN: 978-0744573824, 48pp, 2002, Walker Books
About Phyllis Root
Disclaimers
Some books are sent to me as review copies, nevertheless, all opinions are my own.
Some links are affiliate links. If you buy any product after following such link, Amazon will make a small donation to support this ministry. This does not affect the price you pay and no data is passed in either direction.
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Christmas Gone Worng
[Reposted from The Reflectionary, my blog of church resources]
I told myself I wasn’t going to write a Nativity this year – too much other stuff going on. And if this was going to be a book, it needed to be out about two months ago.
But the muses struck and the idea formed, so here it is, the Nativity I promised myself I wouldn’t write. I’ll jzoosh it up and make it into a book and e-book in the Nativity-to-Go series for next year, so you can expect a proper copy around Sept 2022.
But for the moment, here is a free sample.
Christmas Gone WorngThis is a light-hearted Nativity play telling the traditional story with the help of Christmas carols, which all go a bit worng. It incorporates readings from the gospels of Mathew, Luke and John.
The theme is that God came to us at Christmas, despite things not being perfect. Immanuel, God With Us, even in our mess and muddle.
It is suitable for a school Nativity play or Christmas assembly, or for Messy Church, All-Age worship, Crib Service or Carol Concert.
Cast
You can perform this play with just two people, or you can have a cast of thirty or more. You can have adults, children or even puppets playing the characters.
For a small cast, MC does the readings and another person plays all the other speaking characters (there is time between the scenes to change). The ‘choir’ can be a recording played over the PA.
For a large cast, use your church or school choir, separate actors for the speaking parts, separate readers for each Bible reading, and as many additional parts as you like. These non-speaking characters can include extra shepherds and two more wise men (splitting the dialogue among them if you wish), plus angels, animals and stars.
If you are using different actors for the characters, you can assemble a tableau on the stage, with each character joining it after their scene. Non-speaking characters can enter with their speaking-part character, or at the start of Scene 5 together with children from the congregation dressed as characters. Yes, even if that means three Marys and five wise men. You could also have spare shawls and head drapes to give to members of the congregation who don’t have costumes.
Speaking Parts
- MC Master of Ceremonies. Costume = modern dress.
- Soloist Preferably child, preferably in choir robes, preferably looking like a John Lewis advert. Costume = traditional robes or Christmas jumper.
- Mary Costume = long robe and blue shawl over head, plus hidden baby for tableau.
- Reader Costume = Modern dress.
- Joseph Costume = long robe and headdress in green or brown, plus hammer or saw.
- Amos Shepherd. Costume = long robe and headdress in green or brown, plus staff and / or sheep.
- Bal Balthazar, wise man. Costume = long robe and fancy headdress in rich colours, plus gift.
- Harold Angel. Preferably an old man. Costume = all white, with tinsel and halo. In a tutu if at all possible.
Here’s a sample.
Christmas Gone Worng
Scene 1
MC [In ‘Christmas advert’ voice] Christmas, the most perfect time of year.
A time of peace, joy and understanding throughout the world.A time when families never argue, when gravy is never lumpy, and when Monopoly ends harmoniously with everyone winning, even Uncle Albert.
May I welcome you to our Nativity. We start in the traditional manner, with a reading and a carol telling the timeless story of our saviour’s birth.
Reading from Luke 1:26-38 [reading omitted for brevity]
… Then the angel left her.
Soloist [formal and traditional]
Once in royal David’s city,
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby,
In a manger for His bed:[Mary enters from back, making a fuss while singer continues]
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ, her little child.Mary Hold on! Hold on, just one polycotton picking minute! What’s all this about?
MC What’s all what about?
Mary [Indicating singer] This!
[Indicating Christmas decorations] This!
[Indicating congregation] THIS!MC Ummn, we’re celebrating Christmas. You know, when you had the special baby?
Mary When I had the WHAT?
MC God’s son? Jesus? Ringing any bells?
Mary [Getting cross] Huh? What are you on about?
I ain’t having no baby. Joseph and me have only just got engaged. We haven’t even set the wedding day yet.
Don’t you go talking about some baby. You’ll get people gossiping, and my Mam will never let me hear the end of it.
[Muttering to self – what a load of old cobblers, having a baby, talking rubbish, I’d get it in the neck for sure, etc]
MC Can I check, you are Mary, aren’t you? From the carol.
You know, [Singing] ‘Mary was the mother mild …’Mary [Hands on hips] Do I LOOK mild?
Available in paperback and Kindle from Amazon or your favourite bookshop. Also in the compendium volume I Saw Three Skits Come Sailing In, along with Away in a Suitcase, and God Is With Us Everywhere!
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Preaching with All Ages – Ally Barrett
Twelve ways to grow your skills and your confidence
by Ally Barrett
This is a book by someone who knows the problems and pitfalls, as well as the rich rewards, of stepping out of the three-point-sermon comfort zone.
Whether you are new to this or an old-hand, confident or terrified, lay or ordained, this book can help you to be your best when working with all of God’s family.
Speaking from many years’ experience as both a parish priest and children’s minister, Ally encourages us to examine our (tacit) assumptions and to be wary of practice that implies that learning is for children and worship is for adults. Not so – all need to learn and all can worship. Preaching, she says, is where these two meet,
First, note the title: Preaching With All Ages – not at, not to, but with. There’s food for though before we even open the cover. Similarly, the section ‘Theology by children’ – not for, not to, but by children. I know from my research and late-night discussions with my own children that small people can conceive of big ideas, and state them bluntly in simple language. That’s a gift that many adults would like!
Ally quotes this brilliant illustration from a 6-year-old: “In the circuit of love God is the battery, Jesus is the fuse (because the love of God comes through Jesus) and the people are the light bulbs.”
From the blurb:
The all-age talk is a task guaranteed to give preachers sleepless nights! Very few people feel they have a gift for it, and most lack confidence.
This reflective and practical guide addresses these concerns, and aims to build a sure theological understanding, develop skills and grow confidence. Twelve chapters explore different kinds of engagement – with the senses, with one another, with oneself, with scripture, with liturgy, with the church, with God, with challenging situations, and more – to enable preachers make real connections with their listeners, whatever the age.
Each chapter is followed by a practical case study illustrating key principles and providing down-to-earth, tried and tested wisdom for all kinds of contexts and occasions.
From my Amazon review:
Very useful for everyone who gives all-age talks – and I really mean *all* age, not just kids.
If you want to properly engage with this important ministry but can’t abide stodgy theology books, this is the book for you.
Ally gives examples of her own experience with all-age talks – what worked well, what could have been different – and reflects upon the issues and themes raised.
You can pinch the ideas from the example talks and adapt them for your own situation, but this is not a book of off-the-peg talks. Interspersed between the reflections are insightful explorations of ways of engaging: through the senses, experience, church life and mission, and many more.
The useful questions for self-reflection help and challenge us all to do this well, because all-age talks are not less important than ‘proper’ sermons. (In fact, I’d argue that they are more important. Think back to a church service you remember – I bet it was a more than just a lecture from the front. Engaging deeper than the ears is vital to communication and I have no idea why we think it’s only children who need that – but back to the book)
The chapter on children as theologians is of particular interest given the growing realisation that children are vital for a healthy church (and I don’t means sitting at the back with colouring, or being made to be silent mini-adults) As Ally says in the introduction, “Without the witness of children, the Church’s encounter with God is impoverished”
Highly recommended.
Available from your local Christian bookstore, or online from Eden, Amazon etc.
ISBN: 978-1786221711, 144pp, 2019, Canterbury Press Norwich
Ally BarrettAlly Barrett is Chaplain of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge. She was previously Director of Pastoral Studies at Westcott House (an Anglican theological college in Cambridge, UK), a parish priest, and a children’s minister.
Ally is a practical theologian with a particular interest in all age worship and preaching, baptism, weddings and ‘liturgy and life’ – how worship contributes to discipleship. She also writes hymns. Her blog is at http://www.reverendally.org
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Singing the Faith
Hands up who likes a rip-roaring Wesley hymn: thundering out ‘O for a thousand tongues to sing’ or ‘And can it be’? (Looking round) Yes, all of you? Good. You’ll enjoy this post.
Today I bring you not one, but two award-winning books on the wonderful hymns of Methodism. ‘A Faith That Sings‘, and ‘Singing the Faith‘, both by Paul W Chilcote of Wesley House, Cambridge. (Slightly biased, this is my college.)
A Faith That Sings
Biblical Themes in the Lyrical Theology of Charles Wesley
“clear and winsome”
In ‘A Faith That Sings’, Paul W Chilcote examines the biblical themes and lyrical theology found in the words of Charles Wesley, master hymn writer and co-founder of the Methodist movement.
Methodism was born in song, and it is doubtful whether without the hymns of Charles Wesley there could have been a Methodist revival. Charles’s hymns have exerted a monumental influence on Methodist doctrine and Methodist people through the years. They are essentially mosaics of biblical texts and, in singing these hymns, Methodists have sung the grand narrative of redemption and restoration in the biblical witness.
This book explores Wesleyan theology through the lens of “sung doctrine,” demonstrating the world-making and life-shaping effect of hymns, and the way in which they emanate from Charles Wesley’s life of prayer and service.
This volume won the Saddlebag Award for Methodist writing in 2016 and its sister volume (below), won the same award in 2020.
Paperback, Hardback and Kindle
- Amazon UK
- Amazon US
“Charles Wesley’s hymns are one of the richest resources that have sustained Methodists through the centuries. In his typical clear and winsome style, Paul Chilcote highlights the central emphases of Wesley’s rich hymnic theology. Highly recommended.”
Randy L. Maddox, Professor of Wesleyan and Methodist Studies emeritus, Duke Divinity School.
Singing the Faith
Soundings of Lyrical Theology in the Methodist Tradition
“A sparkling addition”
‘Singing the Faith’ further explores the role of sung theology, ranging from Wesley hymns to the sacred songs of contemporary global Methodists, looking at the deep connections between what we sing and what we believe.
Each chapter explores hymn writers from the Wesleys and Fanny Crosby, via the black gospel heritage, to contemporary expressions of sung theology which communicate the concern for biblical Christianity, the Social Gospel, and evangelical liberalism along with the current emphasis on justice, joy, and journey among Methodists today.
Singing the Faith: Soundings of Lyrical Theology in the Methodist Tradition – winner of the prestigious 2020 Saddlebag Award for the best book on Methodism.
Paperback
- Amazon UK
- Amazon US
“Chilcote makes a sparkling addition to the study of corporate song that lies at the heart of the Methodist tradition. His commitment to both rigorous scholarship and impassioned worship embodies the very nature of what it means for Methodists to sing their lyrical theology for the past four centuries and counting, giving him a unique voice to inspire ongoing participation in the song.”
Constance M. Cherry, Professor of Worship and Pastoral Ministry, Indiana Wesleyan University
Paul W Chilcote is the Director of the Centre for Global Wesleyan Theology at Wesley House, Cambridge.
He is an award-winning author, and retired United Methodist minister and theological educator. He has been involved in theological education on three continents, and was a founding faculty member of Africa University in Zimbabwe. Paul has particular interest in Wesleyan theology and spirituality, Christian discipleship and renewal, and women’s studies. He is past President of The Charles Wesley Society and the Academy for Evangelism. He also enjoys a special relationship with Mt. Angel Abbey in Oregon as a Benedictine Oblate.
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Fay Rowland - Author 