Book 28 0f 2016 -- Practicing Presence: Theory and Practice of Pastoral Care

This is one that I had purchased before/for my sabbatical but did not get read in the summer.

It is the sort of piece I was looking for in terms of Pastoral Care, possibly more than any of the other books on the topic I read this summer.

I found the first part of the book the most helpful in this regard, as an introduction to the topic.

Other than the fact that there were signs that a stronger editing/proofreading process was needed it is a well written book. I did find that there was a focus more on the hospital setting rather than the parish setting but that likely speaks to the author's experience.

It seems to me that this would be a helpful book for an introductory course in Pastoral Care, as well as a refresher on the topic

From our House to Yours

Merry Christmas!

God Bless Us, Every

One

 

Book 27 of 2016 Tales of the Alhambra for children

This was a Christmas gift. So I thought I should probably read it before Christmas came around this year,

Apparently Washington Irving (of Legend of Sleepy Hollow fame) spent some time in Grenada. And out of that came a book full of stories.  This volume takes 7 of his tales, adapts them to be a bit more child-friendly and adds illustrations.

I had no idea what to expect. Were the tales linked to each other? Were they horror-ish like Sleepy Hollow?

No (sort of) and no.

Overall I would classify these stories as romanticism, though usually with a twist at the end. And while there are a couple that refer back to other stories overall they are each independent pieces, at least in this subset.  It is possible that the larger collection does have more linkages.

These are good stories. Now I am really tempted to buy the originals....

Book 26 of 2016 -- Searching for Sunday

This is the second book by Rachel Held Evans I have read this year.  Like Faith Unraveled it is in the genre of autobiography.

The book is structured around the 7 Sacraments of the faith (well in those traditions which recognize 7 sacraments -- many of us only name 2 as sacraments), which I found a really intriguing way of building it. Many of the stories touched on themes from more than one sacrament, because life is like that, but tying them to a specific part of faith life gives a lens through which to view the story.

My story is very different from the story shared by this author. And yet I find that some of the same questions she wrestles with are my questions (though I come from a faith tradition that always encouraged the questions). The honesty with which she engages and shares is wonderful.  This is a book I would recommend to a young adult trying to figure out if church is right for them.