Book of the Month

Always in Rehearsal: the practice of worship and the presence of children. James H Ritchie, Jr. 144pp Discipleship Resources, US. $24.95.

“Warning: This book will create marvellous messes and changes in your worship!” says a reviewer.

In it Ritchie explains:

•  a new approach for incorporating children into the worshipping community

•  ways to welcome, accommodate, and celebrate all persons in worship

•  ideas to help your congregation (including children) find themselves drawn into a deeper awareness of God’s loving presence.

Includes music, drama and hundreds of ideas that any congregation can do.

Other featured titles

Soul Purpose: making a difference in life and work. Alistair MacKenzie, Wayne Kirkland, Annette Dunham. 235pp Navpress, NZ. $29.95.

“There are two great days in everyone’s life. The first is the day you are born. The second is the day you discover why…” says John Cooney, Grapevine magazine founder. Working from a Christian understanding, this book is packed full of practical resources and is an invaluable companion on the journey towards fullness of life/work.

Finding the Still Point: a spirituality of balance. Tom Harpur. 256pp Northstone, Can. $29.95

This is a book for those seeking a still point — a place where the mind body and spirit can find wholeness. Harpur focuses on a spiritual approach to coping with the stresses of everyday life. Using sacred texts, along with scientific findings, he proves that faith is an irreplaceable resource for creating wholeness.  Also by Harpur, Pagan Christ:  is blind faith killing Christianity? $35.00

Where the Road Runs Out: research essays on the ecumenical journey. Allan Davidson, Peter Lineham. 95pp CCANZ. $22.50

The Council of Churches of Aoteroa New Zealand ceased operating in Sept. 2005. These fine essays look at the history of the ecuminism in NZ, why CCANZ failed, and possible new directions for churches working together in the future.

Indeterminate Sentence. Allan Handyside. 118pp. Philip Garside, NZ. $25.00.

Handyside spent four years in prison for refusing to join the armed forces in World War II. Many Christian Pacifists were, like Handyside, Methodists. Around 800 NZ COs were detained, for “the duration of the war”and their usual human rights were suspended. What motivated this tenacious group of pacifists and are their beliefs as relevant today? Compelling reading.

Also on this topic: A Question of Faith: a history of the NZ Christian Pacifist Society, David Grant, $10.00 • Bread and Water Will Foote (very limited stocks) $10.00.

A Short History Of Myth. Karen Armstrong. 159pp, Canongate, Aust. $24.95.

"Human beings have always been mythmakers." So begins Karen Armstrong's concise yet compelling investigation into myth. She takes us from the Palaeolithic period and the myths of the hunters right up to the Great Western Transformation of the last 500 years and the discrediting of myth by science.

Also available in this series: The Penelopiad: the myth of Penelope and Odysseus, Margaret Atwood, $24.95 • Weight: the myth of Atlas and Heracles, Jeanette Winterson, $24.95.

Order these popular Karen Armstrong titles:

•  History of Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths 2nd edition. (2005). $29.95

•  Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out Of Darkness. (2004). $24.95

•  History of God: From Abraham to the Present: the 4000 year quest for God. (1999). $34.95

•  The Battle for God: Fundamentalism in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. (2004). $21.95 

Faith Evolving: a patchwork journey. Trish McBride. 160pp. McBride, NZ. $34.95.

Kiwi Trish McBride shares patches of writing from the last 30 years that reveal the struggle, courage, commit­ment and beauty of a woman’s intense relationship with God, family, church and community, and the changing character and understanding of those relationships. Strong poems and thoughtful, passionate writing.

Living on the Boundaries: evangelical women, feminism and the theological academy. Nicola Hoggard Creegan (NZ), Christine D Pohl. 203pp. IVP, US. $29.95.

What happens when evangelicalism meets feminism?

Creegan and Pohl have lived at the intersection of these two movements, and now teach in higher education (Creegan at Bible College of NZ) where others follow along a similar pathway. They have a story to tell about their experience along with those of 90 other women they surveyed who have lived on the boundary between evangelicalism and feminism.

Clergy Burnout: recovering from the 70-hour work week and other self-defeating practices. Fred Lehr. 147pp. Fortress, US. $36.95

In this highly accessible book, Lehr clarifies the nature and practice of clergy co-dependence. Examples are: Chief Enabler • Scapegoat • Hero • Lost Child • Rescuer • Mascot. Includes personal assessment exercise and study guides for pastors and their local churches.

Lehr offers real strategies for pastors to regain balance, set boundaries and live with new purpose and self-respect.

Celtic Isles: Prayers and meditations from Holy Islands. Joyce Denham. 96pp hbk colour, Lion, UK. $27.95

The Holy Islands of Iona, Arran and Lindisfarne are steeped in spiritual history. Celtic expert Denham explores how we can maintain an island refuge within us. This collection of Celtic prayers (both traditional and new), meditations, reflections and stories evokes the spiritual wonder and mystery of the islands and their associated saints. Beautiful photos bring the words and ancient sites to life.

70 days with Mark: daily readings from the Gospel of Mark. Sue Hudson. 72pp. Authentic, UK. $14.95.

Illustrated, full colour booklet with 70 consecutive readings that will enable children to read through the whole of Mark’s gospel in 10 weeks! For each day there is a Bible reading reference, short comments on the reading and 1 or 2 questions to ponder. Ideal for children aged 7-12. Also useful for Sunday school or worship ideas.

Join our Book of the Month Club

Sit back and let us take the hard work out of book selection. A year of stimulating reading is guaranteed.

We will send you our Book of the Month from February to November. Purchase 10 books from us during the year and we will send you the December book of the month free.

Please contact us for more information about joining the Club.

2006 - Year B Annuals

Click here for our 2006 - Year B annuals order form

Featured daily devotional titles include:

• Light for our Path 2006, IBRA, $24.95

• Words for Today 2006, IBRA, $24.95

• Upper Room Disciplines 2006, Upper Room, $21.95

There are gospel commentaries:

• Exploring Mark's Gospel: personality type and scripture for Year B RCL$74.95

• Mark for Everyone – Tom Wright, Westminster John Knox, $31.95

• Mark of a non-Realist - Ian Cairns, NZ, Fraser Books, $39.95

• Provoking the Gospel of Mark: A storyteller's Commentary, Year B (incl. US format DVD), Pilgrim, $64.95

And preaching resources:

• Abingdon Preaching Annual 2006 incl.CD Rom with full text & extra sermon helps, Abingdon, $ 36.95

• Abingdon Worship Annual 2006: Contemporary and Traditional Resources for Worship Leaders, Abingdon, $ 44.95

• Abingdon Worship Annual 2006: Electronic ed. Full text of the book on CD Rom, Abingdon, $64.95

• Minister's Manual: 2006 Edition, Wiley-Jossey-Bass, $44.95

• Resources for Preaching and Worship:Year B: Quotations, Meditations, Poetry, and Prayers by Ward & Wild, Westminster John Knox, $59.95

• Texts for preaching: Year B: a lectionary commentary based on the NRSV, Westminster John Knox, $74.95