Book Marks - September 2008

Say Something by Peggy Moss is one of our newest titles in the children’s collection. This book explores the issue of teasing among young children as the main character observes and then experiences what it feels like to be teased. An award winning picture book, Say Something is a wonderful addition to our collection. It teaches our kids how to treat one another with respect, value differences, and act positively in response to bullying.

The library is always open for browsing and our self-checkout procedure makes it easy to borrow! Come by and see some of the other great new titles we’re adding to the collection.

Seeking the Spirit: How to Create a Community of Seekers by Harry Brunett and Jennifer Grow

It's past time for a new review! This item will soon be available for checkout. Please let us know if you are interested and we will help you locate it.

The following review was written by Myka Kennedy Stephens for Congregational Libraries Today, the bimonthly publication of the Church & Synagogue Library Association. Used with permission. Copyright 2008 by the Church and Synagogue Library Association (www.cslainfo.org).

How to reach the non-churched and church-averse population is a question many congregations struggle with. The Journeys Community in Maryland has sought to answer it by making themselves an open “seeker” community. Their story and philosophy is presented in Seeking the Spirit, a slim narrative of how they established and grew their ministry among those who are wary of more traditional approaches to Christianity. Co-authored by the founder and creative director of Journeys Community, this book is designed to raise awareness about the need to minister to those seeking spiritual experiences—a ministry that may or may not result in conversion to Christianity and joining a church membership.

Presented as a “how-to” guide, this book reads more as the history of one seeker community with the occasional tip and suggestion for those interested in trying to establish their own seeker community. The most valuable information for the intended reader is found in the book’s appendices, which contain sample outlines for worship and a list of worship themes.

Book Marks - August 2008

I have returned from the Church and Synagogue Library Association Annual Conference in Greenville, SC where I presented a workshop on blogging. I wish you all could have been there to hear the murmurs of admiration when I demonstrated what we are doing with our church library blog and our church website. We have a wonderful website for our congregation, and if you have not visited it lately please take a moment to click through it. The library pages are newly updated and new content will be added in the coming months.

In the month of August, we will be finishing some of our summer projects. Keep an eye out for the book sale cart. If you are too impatient to wait for it to appear in the Narthex, please come by the library and look at it there. Our cataloging is going strong, as we have now entered over 500 titles in the online catalog. Come by and see the great progress we’re making!

Codex Sinaiticus available online tomorrow

Many of you in our congregation will be interested to know that the Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest complete copy of the New Testament, is being digitized and will be available online beginning tomorrow, July 24. The website is http://www.codex-sinaiticus.net/.

For more information, please visit the website or see the blog posting from Resource Shelf.

Library Open during VBS

The church library will be open during Vacation Bible School:
9:00am-12:00pm, July 23, 24 & 25
Drop by and see us!

New Books from General Conference 2008

Darryl Stephens brought back some books that were on sale at General Conference 2008. They are still "in process," meaning that they are being cataloged and marked for our collection. Please let us know if you are interested in any of these titles, and we will make sure they are available for checkout.

Don't Stop the Music by Robert Perske
Children, Divorce and the Church by Douglas E. Adams
Night on the Flint River by Roberta C. Bondi
Suicide: Pastoral Responses by Loren L. Townsend
Sexual Abuse: Pastoral Responses by Len Hedges-Goettl
The Gospel According to America by David Dark
Sundays in the Tuskegee Chapel: Selected Sermons by James Earl Massey
The New Context for Ministry: Competing for the Charitable Dollar by Lyle E. Schaller
A Global Odyssy the autobiography of James K. Mathews
The Gospel According to Disney by Mark I. Pinsky
The Gospel According to Tolkien by Ralph C. Wood
Wade in the Water: 52 Reflections on The Faith We Sing by Martha Whitmore Hickman
A Sacred Primer: The Essential Guide to Quiet Time and Prayer by Elizabeth Harper Neeld
Hearing Beyond the Words by Emma J. Justes
Resurrecting the Person: Friendship and Care of People with Mental Health Problems by John Swinton
Marks of Methodism: Theology in Ecclesial Practice by Russell E. Richey et al.
Guidelines for Leading your Congregation 2005-2008 series

Book Marks - July 2008

I’ve found myself making lists this summer: things I want to do, things I need to do, and things that haven’t been done on previous lists. In that spirit, here’s a list for you.

5 Great Things About Your Church Library
1. Great place to visit before worship: we have comfortable chairs, calming atmosphere, and we’re conveniently located behind the sanctuary.
2. Great books for all ages: we’ve added lots of great new books to our children and youth collections in the last couple of months as well as to our adult collections.
3. Great help and friendly faces: your church librarian and library volunteers are often available to help you find something and to make suggestions for summer reading.
4. Great resources: we have information on a broad range of topics suitable for independent and group study.
5. Great mission: our library, with your help, has been able to bring books to other communities in need, such as Metro State Prison and hurricane Katrina and Rita victims.

Your church library has been and is doing some great things. Please help us continue this ministry by getting involved. Visit us, check out a book, and experience what a great church library can be.