Book of the Month

Roots and Wings: The Human Journey from a Speck of Stardust to a Spark of God. Margaret Silf. 160pp. Eerdmans, US. $29.99

This is a book full of questions to inspire deeper thinking. It invites you to participate in an age-old conversation about our origins and our destiny. It encourages you to think about what it might mean to become fully and truly human — and to discover your own response to that perpetual question. Silf deftly brings science and spirituality together, allowing a bold new synthesis to emerge between them. Also by Silf:

Other featured titles

The Unwanted Gift of Grief: A Ministry Approach. Tim P. VanDuivendyk. 192pp. Haworth, US. $31.99.

A passionate, practical guide through the grieving process for those who have suffered loss and those who suffer with them. Rather than talking people out of their grief and pain as a way to make them feel better, this book invites them into the grief and pain as a way to healing, transformation and hope. Using real and in-depth ministry and counselling conversations, it identifies the journey through the wilderness of grief. This powerful book is equally valuable as a gift to a grieving person, a professional guide for ministers and counsellors, and a training tool for lay ministers and congregations.

Dying: A New Zealand Guide for the Journey. Sue Wood, Peter Fox, Karen McMillan. 195pp. Calico, NZ. $29.99.

Drawing on years of experience in hospice care and counselling,  Wood and Fox discuss what happens in the final stages of illness — what the dying person can expect, what others have found important to do — and generally how to respond positively and practically to the challenges of this difficult journey.

"This is an amazing resource for anyone who is dying and for those caring for them, and is also essential reading for all health professionals. The approach is holistic, the writing sensitive, and the advice practical and easy to follow. It is a book to come back to again and again." Mary Schumacher, CEO, Hospice NZ

Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith. Barbara Brown Taylor. 251pp. HarperCollins, US. $31.99.

Episcopal priest Taylor, a respected and beloved preacher, ended a 20-year career when, after much reflection, she left the church. She now teaches full time at a tertiary college in Georgia.

“The story of one woman’s search for faith… In this chronicle of her life in and out of a clerical collar, Taylor notes that after she gave up her post she remembered what she ‘had known all along, which is that the church is not a stopping place but a starting place for discerning God’s  presence in the world.’” New York Times.

Also by Brown Taylor:  Seeds of Heaven: Sermons on the Gospel of Matthew. Westminster John Knox, US (2004). $29.99

Quiet Spaces: Rock (Prayer and Spirituality Journal). Naomi Starkey ed. 64pp BRF, UK. $14.99

The rock is a powerful image throughout the Bible and in Christian spirituality. From trusting in the unchanging, unmoveable rock of our salvation to having faith that can move mountains.

This issue draws together insights from the Bible, personal experience, music and poetry. Alongside the articles and regular columns, it also features the work of Lee Abbey Through the valley of rocks and reflections on the life of St Clare of Assisi by Helen Julian CSF.

The Bible: King James Version. With Apocrypha. David Norton ed. 1928pp Penguin, UK. $29.99

This is the full text of the recent New Cambridge Paragraph Bible edited by NZ academic David Norton. With modern spelling and clear punctuation, it retains the original translation's character and style but brings the book to life for today's readers.

New Proclamation Commentary on the Gospels. Andrew Gregory ed. 211pp. Fortress, US. $69.99

This one-volume comment­ary provides coherent, critical, and continuous commentary on the four Gospels as they appear in the Revised Common Lectionary, Book of Common Prayer and Roman Catholic Lectionary for Mass, highlighting themes important for preachers.

Great Themes of the Bible: Vol. 1. W. Eugene March. 143pp Westminster John Knox, US. $29.99

This first book of a new series for laity provides an accessible study of some of the Bible's key themes and demonstrates their import­ance for Christian life today. Discussion questions are included in each chapter making the book useful for church study groups. Themes include: God, covenant, humanity, sin, law, Messiah, Spirit, grace, salvation, people of God, worship, service, and reign of God.

Art of Facilitation: Essentials for Leading Great Meetings and Creating Group Syngery. Dale Hunter. 349pp. Random House, NZ. $36.99.

This fully revised 2007 edition includes the latest findings and research on facilitation and will be eagerly sought out by those involved in human resources, management, mediation, team leadership, performance management and individual and team coaching. It also includes a training programme that can be used by aspiring facilitators. If you're responsible for effective group and interpersonal dynamics, this is your guidebook.

The Little Book of Cool Tools for Hot Topics: Group Tools to Facilitate Meetings When Things Are Hot. Ron Kraybill and Evelyn Wright. 80pp. Good Books, US, $15.99

The authors show how to help people hear each other when they feel like shouting; how to focus on the issues at stake rather than having a war of personalities; how to employ techniques for better understanding; and how to move a group toward making a decision that all can honestly support.

Icebreakers. Phil Green. 56pp. Kevin Mayhew, UK. $16.00.

A selection of 300 fun activities and questions that will help your group to hit the ground running whenever they meet; whether it's for the first time or the 101st time. Ideal for youth group and adult home group leaders. Also has suggestions for short talks with Bible references included.

Gathering: Summer/Autumn 2007: 3 June to 25 November 2007. 88pp copied A4. United Church of Canada. Single issue $20.00 + $1.10 postage. Annual Subscription for 3 issues $55.00

For each Sunday this worship resource has a sermon starter, idea for time with children, an attention grabbing “spark” to set people thinking and a brief outline of the RCL readings. This issue also features advice on using technology in worship, prayers for worship and ideas for church musicians.

Matariki Titles

The rising of the star group Matariki in June each year signifies the beginning of the Maori New Year. Also known in other cultures as the Pleiades and the Seven Sisters, Matariki is being increasingly celebrated each year, with events held throughout New Zealand in all communities. Buy these Matariki titles.

Matariki Calendar June 2007 - May 2008/ Maramataka Calender Piripiri 2007 - Haratua 2008. 300 x 300 mm, 24pp, 36 full colour illustrations. Te Papa Press. $19.99   

Packed full of proverbs and körero on the traditional Mäori maramataka (yearly calendar) and generously illustrated with as many as four pictures per month. Images include Te Papa’s precious täonga, activities from contemporary Maori life and scenes of our beautiful country through the seasons.  Around New Zealand, Matariki is a time of great festivity, as well as reflection and planning for the year to come. This calendar teaches people of all ages about life for traditional Mäori and their relationship with the natural world – as well as how to connect with Matariki in modern times.

Matariki Wall chart. Libby Hakaraia. 760 x 520mm, full colour. Reed, NZ. $8.99.

An informative chart of Matariki — the Maori New Year, looking at the mythology, astronomy (star charts), navigation, string games, importance for planting and harvesting, fishing, how Matariki was/is celebrated, Matariki today.

Matariki: The Maori New Year. Libby Hakaraia. 52pp Reed, NZ. $19.99   

Producer, director and radio presenter Libby Hakaraia has written an interesting and accessible introduction to the star group Matariki and its significance in Maoritanga. The rising of the star group Matariki into the New Zealand sky signifies the beginning of the Maori New Year – a festival which is undergoing a renaissance. All around New Zealand a growing number of events are being held to coincide with Matariki’s appearance in the dawn sky in the middle of the year.

Today more and more people are celebrating the rising of Matariki. For those who wish to join this growing movement, Libby provides suggestions on how to celebrate the Maori New Year – and, most importantly, a guide to finding Matariki in the night sky.

Celebrating Matariki: (book and CD) Libby Hakaraia. 32 pp, colour throughout, includes 10 Matariki-related activities. Reed, NZ. $19.99

Following the enormous success of her first book about Matariki for the Reed adult list, Libby Hakaraia has written this book for children. Celebrating Matariki explains what Matariki is, how, where and when the constellation can be seen, and explains the importance of Matariki in Maori life and culture. Her information is illustrated with historical and contemporary imagery, and the book includes 10 Matariki-related activities for children to try. These include: Matariki quiz, Matariki wordfind, how to make a telescope, how to keep a starchart, making a Matariki mobile, how to make a compass, and recipes for a Matariki feast.

The story of Matariki is included on the CD, along with 5 songs about Matariki that children can learn. Words to the songs are also included in the book.

Matariki. Melanie Drewery. 32pp, colour. Children’s storybook. Reed, NZ (2003). $14.99    

‘Tonight we have to go to bed really early,’ said Mum. ‘Tomorrow morning we have a surprise.’ But what event would be so special to get you up in the middle of a cold winter? Matariki is rising and the new year is on the way. The rising of Matariki into the New Zealand sky signifies the beginning of the Maori new year – coinciding with the shortest day of the year. This delightful story follows one family as they celebrate the coming of Matariki and talk about what it means to different people.

Celebrating the Southern Seasons: Rituals for Aotearoa. Revised edition. Juliet Batten. 272pp. Random House, NZ. $34.99

In this 10^th anniversary expanded and updated edition, Batten provides fascinating information about the natural world, astronomy and ancient civilisations. She shows how our inherited Christian and other festivals can mean more when linked to the seasons, how we can learn from Maori observances such as Matariki, and how to adapt existing ceremonies and create our own distinctly New Zealand rituals.

Dr Robert Wicks

He serves as a professor and chairperson of the graduate programmes in pastoral counselling at Loyola College, Baltimore. Wicks, a Queens, New York native, received a master’s in clinical psychology in 1973 from St. John’s University and a doctorate in psychology from Philadelphia’s Hahnemann Medical College in 1977. In 1996, Pope John Paul II awarded Wicks a papal medal for his service to the Catholic Church.

Riding the Dragon: 10 Lessons for Inner Strength in Challenging Times. Ave Maria Press, US (2005). $28.50

Simple Changes: Overcoming Barriers to Personal and Professional Growth. Ave Maria Press, US (2006).  

$31.00

Crossing the Desert: Learning to Let Go, See Clearly, and Live Simply. Ave Maria Press, US (2007) $42.50 (hbk)

Touching the Holy: Ordinariness, Self-Esteem, and Friendship. Ave Maria Press, US (2007) $28.95

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