abbotsford.org.uk

Books, books, books

The post arrived today (while I was away and no one was in) and delivered half the books for the Sunday School library. Unfortunately the delivery person left the amazon box at the back door which isn't dry, or sheltered from the wind so by the time I got back the box was sodden. However, thankfully the books, on the whole, were okay. Three I've had to return but the others will be fine.

They look great. A good mixture of older chidlrena nd adult with 5-8 early reader book and big picture books and then a good number of toddler books with big pictures and few words. I think we'll all learn a lot from these books and my daughter has already made her way through two of them, reading by herself a few of the pages. Perfect.

So watch out over the next few weeks as more books are added and by Easter they should all have arrived. It's fabulous.

Bookends

Thee new book for the book club is The Interpretation of Murder and you can go to the Bookends list on the Left Hand Side to find oout more about the book or buy it from Amazon. Happy reading. At least I hope it will be a happy book. Hopefully this time the bookclub will give it a star rating so help everyone esle decide whether or not it will make good Easter reading though judging from the title it seems very eastery to me.

Bookends

The next book is hitting the pews soon. The Secret River by Kate Grenville. It's down the sidebar if you want to have a look at it.

I tried to get them to give a rating to the last book but I think they were all too busy talking about the weather, the state of world peace and the last thing bought at the shops. So I'll give you a wee thought about it. Chasing Francis is a fine read, easily done, even a little laughter. Some good characterisation and lots to find out about Fracis of Assisi. You'll be surprised at how much he is responsible for in the church.

And that's the interesting bit because the main character has left a church and needs to work out whether or not to go back. Francis' legacy allows him and, more pointedly, us, to reshape the chruch with a little more spirituality, focus, relevance and irreverance - if we would ever dare.

Dare we?

Bookends

The bookclub met last night and have chosen their new book for the month. It's in the sidebar down the righthand side somewhere. I've just finished it. It's all about a megachurch leader who has a crisis of faith in the middle of a sermon (Hmmmm... I think most of my sermons are crisis of faith) and the unfolding story is what happens to him thereafter.

Megachurches are a bit of a phenomenon. The statistical description is that they have more than 2000 woirshippers each week. But there are a whole lot of other thngs they do. Saddleback is the largest in the US but there are churches of 250 000 in Nigeria (they're building a stadium to accommodate them all) and Korea. In fact 9 of the 10 largest churches are in Seol.

Hey, I don't expect Clydebank is ready let alone Abbotsford. But I think I have hankerings for finding the formula that gets churches growing. Is there one? The Bookends Book this month... well, I've read it and I'm not telling you what happens but it is a story (yep, a real story) but with lots of wee things in it that may be interesting to read along with what Abbotsford tries to do. This would be a good blog discussion soon.

Bookends

The bookclub have a couple of books to read over the summer. I don't know when it will meet again but their two books are: No Wonder I Take a Drink by Laura Marney and The secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Both as in the sidebar of this blog so you can refer to them quickly.

But as for summer reading for those who would like to pick up a book for a good read whenever you are on holiday, the book club suggests, from what they have read this year: My Sisters Keeper. It's not a light read and emotionally pulls you apart but was by far the best read.

The worst seemed to be The Olive Readers (even though I quite liked it) so chances are you should avoid that one.

Of course, it is up to you whether you trust the discerning taste of Bookends... Please don't blame them if either books does not turn out they way it did for them! (Don't want to be sued)

The bookend buzz

I've pasted here a question Sandra aksed further upstream and a few times a while back about getting the lowdown on some of the books Bookends have read and if possible you write a few lines about whetehr it is worth reading in the bath. But why should I say it... here's Sandra's post.

to all those in "Bookends":-

is there any way we can get a wee run down of what you thought of the books you read? I simply don't have time to read one book a month (I'm too busy running after a husband and two children as they relax and each read at least half a library each month!);)
however, if there is a particularly good book that Bookends would recommend, then maybe I could take a nice glass of Fair Trade vino and relax in the bath now and again ........ ?

It would be easy to do. Just hit the Bookends category and give us your thoughts. Maybe a prize of the next months book free for the first to post a comment. Sandra will pay!

Bookends

Started the book club this week - fabulous. What a brilliant and easy way to crossroad culture, religion and people and get some discussion going. Good safe meeting place for folk not too used to church.

We set out the space like one of those late night discussion programmes you used to see on Channel 4 if anyone stayed up late enough, with low lighting, seating in a square and plants and candles and coffee all round, the centre had light, the rest was dark.

Andrea Levy's Small Island was the first book. Next month: My Sister's Keeper: a novel by Jodi Picoult.

Happy reading