New reviews

From The Good Bookstall - This is a fluent and convincing appeal for non MacDonald's churches, but rather ones which are genuinely local, relevant, caught by their own vision not a pre-packaged hand-me-down. Well worth a read to shake off the shackles of other people's stories and start living your own, and one to give to a minister you know who needs a breath of fresh air...

From Magnet - 'Just as the writer of Ecclesiastes faced up to all aspects of life, so here laughing, weeping, building, destroying, embracing are all included.'

From Johnny Douglas - 'My copy of this is folded, marked, annotated, and has had tears wiped away from it..... this is the highest compliment! This title far exceeds five-star quality in its robust, gracious and challenging pathway toward Christian growth. Simply put:- I've been raving about this book to everyone!'

Reviewed by Rev'd Dr Peter Mullen - 'Meet Jesus is a basic introduction to Christianity which works the minor miracle of combining intelligent, persuasive teaching with the complete avoidance of the patronising tone of voice.'

From The Church Times - This book is a joy to read to young children. It is written by the celebrated storytelling Renita Boyle, and the internal rhythm and rhyme within her stories make the biblical tales come to life. A perfect book to read at bedtime, and an absolute must for teachers.

From The Church Times - 'In Discovering the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius by Larry Warner, Ignatius's text is re-presented in a modern format and with the needs of people today in mind. Warner himself is an experienced Ignatian retreat-giver, and there is a solidity and assurance to his presentation which inspires confidence.'

From The Church Times - An easy and enjoyable read, Steve Tilley's Mustard Seed Shavings: Mountain-moving for beginners is a personal and quirky reflection on the Ten Commandments by a priest in Somerset.

From Jo Duckles - 'This book is a 'must' for Christian parents to have at their finger tips for life's special moments and for those times when their children ask those spiritual questions about everyday life which adults are too shy to ask.'

From Howard Webber - 'I commend this book. I am sure that it is going to help many people enjoy sharing their faith in a very natural, relaxed way, and remove the guilt some feel at not being able to do what God doesn't actually require of them.'

From The Church Times - Amid all this catalogue of pain and strife, it is a relief to pick up Story Assemblies of 24 Saints by Heather Butler. The famous names are all there, but Jerome, Cadoc, and Ninian will be unfamiliar to many.

From The Church Times - Messy Church - the DVD explains the ethos behind this hugely successful ecumenical community engagement, through which families experience church and learn about Jesus through stories, activities, and a shared meal. Messy Church should be genuinely all-age, and include those with special needs; the DVD helpfully explains how this can be achieved through hospitality and welcome.

From The Church Times - In The Big Story Martyn Payne develops the biggest themes of biblical narrative using storytelling, props, sound, and lighting. Each of the six themes, including life and death, and enemies and friends, includes a reflective over view to set the scene, and six related stories from the Old and New Testaments which develop the theme further. My favourite reflective story is the 'Story of the Story', which introduces a three-dimensional time line of the Bible, something that a whole congregation might enjoy.

From The Church Times - There is much food for thought here, both for seasoned pilgrims and for those who, perhaps, wonder what the point is of going on pilgrimage at all.

Reviewed by Carl McColman - In the end, Maggie Ross writes eloquently of the experience of tears - not as some sort of emotional manipulation, as so much religious spectacle seems to promote - but rather as an authentic embracing of sorrow, of loss, of repentance, of grief, of letting-go - that ushers us in to that place, where, in our letting go (kenosis) we encounter the kenotic God. This is the place of transfiguration, beyond any "technology" or "experience," whether religious or otherwise. May we all be carried by our tears to such a graced encounter.

From The Good Bookstall - Meditations and silence are offered a resourceful steer, in this new title from Ann Persson. Biblically rooted and warmly narrated comes helps that range from fleeting thought processes to more substantial life audits and retreat day activities. The seasonal chapters are particularly potent and some of my favourites in the breadth of this offering. The reflection boxes offer sizeable help in the application of each chapter. Undoubtedly valued reference use.

From The Good Bookstall - 'Creative Mission gives you everything you need to begin designing your own without it feeling like you're speaking someone else's words. Most importantly Creative Mission is neither light on theology nor extravagant in its ideas. The 50 suggestions in Creative Mission are entirely achievable.'