Loading...Dear Friends in Christ,
I hope you had a glorious Christmas and the New Year will be a blessing. As usual, I ate too much and received some wonderful presents from my family and church friends. I am blessed. I received much more than I deserve.
Over the years some of my best presents have been books. I have always loved to read. As a young child I used to stand in front of the bookcase my dad built and be at awe at all the books he had. I remember thinking one of these days I am going to read every one of them. I did read most of them. Reading can take you to the ends of the earth and beyond; it can introduce you to all kinds of people, good, bad, and weird. Reading can instruct you, delight you, inspire you, or bring a tear to your eyes. I have ridden with Genghis Khan, walk with Simon of Cyrene as he carried Jesus’ cross, played Quiddich with Harry Potter, been to every continent on Earth and to a lot of interstellar places. I have learn to do a lot of things I didn’t know how to do by reading.
Bishop Mark gave each of the clergy a book by former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Rowan Williams entitled Being Christian – Baptism, Bible, Eucharist, and Prayer. Here is what Michael Jinkins, President of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary says about this book, “With clarity and with startling eloquence, one of the greatest theologians and most respected church leaders of our time here guides readers into a deeper understanding of the essential elements of the Christian life. Rowan Williams has written that rarest of books, a work of profound theological insight that is also lively, beautiful, and relevant.”
This book of only eighty-four pages really speaks to my heart and my soul. It touches me so much that I want to use it in our next book/bible study. You may get this book at a local bookstore or online. We will start after Annual Council.
Our good friend Becky Beckett from Christ Church on the West Virginia side of the border loaned Debbie and me a set of books by The Rev. Dennis Maynard. You may remember The Rev. Maynard as the author of Those Episkopols that we studied several years ago, and I have since used in Confirmation classes. These books are part of The Magnolia Series about a young priest stepping on the toes and stretching the faith of an old aristocratic parish in an imaginary city in the south. The first book in the series is Behind the Magnolia Tree. I am into the 2nd book of the series When the Magnolia Blooms and I find it just as hard to put down. In fact, a reviewer had this to say, “What would keep me up until 2:00 a.m.? – Reading Behind the Magnolia Tree!” Another says, “Dennis Maynard unlocks the doors to the priesthood and politics. The story unfolds as a non-stop page turner gripping you with the desire to find out what happens next!” So far there are eight books in the series. Again you can find them at your local bookstore or online. I hope you will avail yourselves to these books and share with me some of your favorites.
Whenever I start a new book, I think of that bookshelf long ago, and I thank my dad for inspiring me to read even though he probably didn’t know he did. What a blessing?
Take care and God Bless.
In Christ’s Love,
Father Russ
