Bookaid

I have been on placement this week, and having completed my Common Purpose course (more on that another time), I thought I would take a look at some local charities and see where the church, public, private and not for profit organisations work together.

You can never have too many books just look at my house:

On Monday I spent time with BOOKAID in Ranskill, I bought some books too:

• Vol 1 & 2 of Simon Shama's History of Britain
• Can't Swim, Ride, Run- Andy Holgate (Brilliant book, review coming soon)
• Trianing Techniques for Cyclists- Bicycling Magazine  
• Eden Project- Matt Wilson
• The Bible Jesus Read- Philip Yancey
• Hello I love you: Adventures in Adoptive Fatherhood- Ted Kluck
• James: Mercy Triumphs (DVD)- Beth Moore

Thought I would list them to let you know some of the range of books available (I almost bought Calvin's Institutes's but I have a better copy of Vol.1 and want a set).

BOOKAID is a very simple charity established in 1987, they want to provide Christian books to serve the church in the UK and abroad. People travel from miles around to buy books and drop books off, yet it is not very well known in the area, I find it a brilliant resource.

Book Aid- Ranskill

It is however a difficult charity for those who have no faith to get behind on first glance, but this is where management of a shop (even by Volunteer's) makes a difference. I spoke with Russell and Stuart and they have begun to transform the shop, it now has a children's area, Complimentary tea and coffee (it doesn't give you nice comments, but is nice), with comfy chairs to sit on. They have opened up one of the back rooms and have a packing area to show what they do with books which come in and go out.

They want to make the venue a haven for people to come in, where they might be able to have prayer and relax. It's great, maybe a book club, or reading group. The venue could have many uses and it's rare to have parking for a project like this. You could easily have a computer club or conversation group, but it will need to work with the church opposite and others in the community to achieve this, always work with your neighbours! I know St John's in Bramcote where I trained support it and many other churches and Christians. It now has a good fiction and non fiction section too, though not sure where the Lance Armstrong Biography should go...

If you think this is a good idea one simple change could make a difference. It is likely that many popular Christian titles are in stock here, and more than likely some which are rarer, before you go to Amazon or the like you could come here instead...if you were in the building trade could you give time, could you volunteer? All you need to do is like books and be friendly (the second of which is the harder skill in my experience).

I like to buy a book, sit down with a cup of tea, maybe a cookie (OK, yes always with a cookie), and enjoy 30 minutes of peace and quite, so maybe it is already a haven...

Your 100 day Prayer

As you may know from a couple of previous posts, I occassionally do book reviews. And I choose to do this one.

The idea of 100 days of prayer appealed to me. Like essential 100 or other 100 sets of things to do it is a significant commitment. So praying and combining this with journalling something else I have done since I was 17, seemed a great idea.


Praying for something important to you continually for 100 days will make a difference to you, not because it is a formula to follow and then cash in at the end but because prayer is powerful and will change us (read C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity on prayer). Reading scripture daily is a good practice, I pretty much do the daily office all through the working week (I am not ordained till July when that concept of a working week will go out the window). I think it is great to combine the journal space, scripture, a few thoughts and disciplining yourself to pray for something which you want to see change.

I am pleased to see John Synder doesn't explain suffering away, he engages with the psalms "the prayer book of the Bible (Bonhoeffer)" and the book is well written. Which you would expect  from someone who knows their way around academic writing alongside a journalists eye for the everyday connection of life and faith. It is almost blog like in its format. Here is a quick extract to wet your whistle:

"Thats the good news! Jesus outfits us for the journey. He finds us where we are (in our distrust, confusion, and wandering), equips us to get through this life (through our pain, losses, grief), then ushers us into Gods kingdom at the end, fully prepared to meet our Creator. That is the gospel. There is nothing in the world better than that" (Synder, 2012, day 37).

I think that it maybe a helpful resource for someone who wants to move beyond a word for the day, especially if you have never journalled before, use the scripture and the thoughts with them even if you disagree with them to reflect and grow in your journey with God.

On the downside the first is simply a recommendation don't buy the kindle version because it will frustrate you, adding notes is a faff and you cannot see them without clicking on your bookmark, it would work on a touch screen version better. Get the book version instead.

My only other concern is that occasionally he slips into hero language (it may be a cultural thing me being a Brit) but I think saint is so much fuller a term than hero. Hero continues to remind us of our effort and discipline bringing about the changes in our life and has less emphasis on the work of God though he does also emphasise this aspect too so it is not a major criticism.

So I would say worth a look at especially if you want to try journalling, or want to try a different approach to prayer.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Feel free to contact them and get reviewing too.

Viola blogs Bonhoeffer

I have just started following Frank Viola's blog on google+ and have found a little Gem on Bonhoeffer.

Blogging Through Bonhoeffer: Part I | Beyond Evangelical:

He has started blogging several of his books which is great to see. I love to see people getting into it. I will link to the other posts but off out to do a pastoral visit at the pub...

'via Blog this'

Jesus, my father, the CIA and me: Ian Morgan Cron

When I picked this book up and read the recommendations it did make me slightly apprehensive about reviewing it. Especially when the Archbishop said it was "like Augustine's Confessions". So it was a happy surprise to find this a really good read. I took the holiday period to finish reading it. This isn't a lite read and neither is it a hard read, it is a window on one man's life and at times you want to look away.

It isn't a rant or a preach telling you how you should live life or a guilt trip of the life of a saint which you cannot hope to live up to, instead it is an honest testimony of how someone who had to live with an alcoholic who became an alcoholic themselves saw his life turned around by the love of God.


Even though my life and Ian's are separated by the Atlantic and several decades in age, he paints pictures which touch my own experiences of growing up in a "cheesy" youth group. The same emphasis on people and relationships rather than cutting edge events and I like the way Ian painted pictures of his life. The last book which made me well up was "Contemplative-Youth-Ministry" I read that probably 6 years ago this one had the same reaction for a differnet reason. As I read Ian's story my heart broke to hear the suffering that he went through in growing up. I could feel myself asking the same questions and ranting at God for other children today with parents who are drug addicts or alcoholics.


My other reaction was one of thankfulness, that I had the privilege of growing up  with two parents who loved me and encouraged me in my walk with God, something I used to think meant my testimony was pretty poor not having done drugs or bad made good. But now I see this as the grace of God, testimony is more about God's work than our own.

I have taken this holiday period to read less demanding books (that will change this week) but this has been an unexpected gem. heartily recommend it, as neither some preachy piece of propaganda which smooths over the rough edges of life or a bt thitter rant at what life could have been.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Metro 2033

When I was at school I used to read a lot of sci-fi, Arthur C. Clarke, Issac Asimov etc. but I haven't really read much in the last 10 years. So when I read the review for the Xbox 360 game metro 2033 I decided that I would have a read of the book which inspired it (I didn't get round to playing the game, maybe something to do with children).



The premise of the book is nothing new, a nuclear apocalypse. Something pretty popular in games like Stalker and in plenty of recent films like the road or the book of Eli. What makes this so much more interesting though is how the suspense slowly builds as more is revealed of the horror which is lurking.

I was fascinated by the perspective that a Russian writer would have on a post apocalyptic world. It is a neat concept to take the Moscow underground and some of the overground as the setting for the story (he knows it well he lives in Moscow), Taking something familiar and then letting it morph as the story progresses.

There are two stand out parts to this book, the first is the commentary on the way people react to high stress and the disintegration of society, people huddle together and people who once were neighbors now form various factions, some are peaceful some aggressive but all are fighting for survival...

The second standout point is to do with the place of humanity, human conduct doesn't really seem to be the peak of the evolutionary chain, in fact his book asks questions of our conduct when resources are much scarce than they are now, maybe not quite so apocalyptic in that sense.

The pace of the book is like a good film and has some great moments of suspense and a great twist.

Have a read

Drops Like Stars & Nooma Rain.

As sleep is hard to come by tonight[I pulled the post as it made no sense this is the edited and slightly more sensical version], I might as well do this review that I have been meaning to do since Lent...

...while I was on my chaplaincy placement I read a few books on suffering one of them was the grove booklet below:

which was a good introduction as well as Trystan's book which I have already reviewed which I think is great (see finding hope and meaning in suffering).

Then I turned to Rob Bell (I still intend to read some CS Lewis but this is when I can find time between assignments, placements and Dissertation research)
Rob Bell's book is a great discussion starter (I bet you never thought I'd say that). If you grew up in a christian home like me then you probably will have read plenty of apologetic(trying to make sense of faith) material, explaining that suffering is either a result of the fallen nature of the world, or disobedience and human selfishness, Jesus said that while we were in the world we would suffer, and that in the end it will be different... but when you are in the midst of suffering don't you just want to know that someone cares?

Bell doesn't try and justify why suffering occurs, or give pat answers to someone who is suffering instead he asks the question "What now?"


***I don't think this is a spoiler alert for CSI series 11 but just in case*********



In the current series of CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) two individuals with the same gene have taken two separate paths one a mass murderer the other a CSI. Two people with the same gene take two totally different paths and so too with suffering two people can both suffer but one finds creativity the other a pit of despair (probably an oversimplification).

For Bell suffering doesn't fit into our neat packaged boxes, but this presents an opportunity creativity can come out of suffering (reminds me a little of honey from the lion). I desperately want to take sometime to blog the keynote from the Bonhoeffer conference on disability..

he affirms that God is not some voyeur looking down on our suffering, additionally that we may never understand here on earth why it has happened...that some things are just left hanging (the story of the prodigal) but he suggests that it is the moments when we are suffering which can be creative.

Couple this with the Nooma resource Rain and they are an alternate look at suffering, not as something which is the instrument of a wrathful and vengeful God, instead suffering is part of living in this broken and fallen world...
by watching the nooma video rain you get some further understanding that God is a loving father who doesn't want us to suffer that he is right there with us in the midst of suffering.

The book is short, you can read it in half an hour, some of the illustrations work really well, others are lost in translation (I am English after all). I would recommend this book to explore and ask questions, use it as a discussion starter in church... I know it is more risky starting with questions but that is where most people are, as a Christian I believe we have something vital to share with others that God is not some far and distant God, irrelevant and fictitious, but is present right here right now:

Saviour of the world-

Jesus, Saviour of the world,
come to us in your mercy: •
we look to you to save and help us.

By your cross and your life laid down,
you set your people free: •
we look to you to save and help us.

When they were ready to perish, you saved your disciples: •
we look to you to come to our help.

In the greatness of your mercy, loose us from our chains, •
forgive the sins of all your people.

Make yourself known as our Saviour and mighty deliverer; •
save and help us that we may praise you.

Come now and dwell with us, Lord Christ Jesus: •
hear our prayer and be with us always.

And when you come in your glory: •
make us to be one with you
and to share the life of your kingdom.

(Canticle from: Common Worship, p.801)

May God richly bless you in whatever circumstances you find yourself today...

Paul

In the future I think I will use these suggestions

Up your sleeve!

In addition to the questions we suggest for each book, it’s a good idea to have some general questions ready which can be applied to any book such as:

• How engaging did you find it – did it interest you from the word go?
• How does the author’s view relate to your faith position?
• Did you find that the book challenged your beliefs?
• Did any part make you angry or irritate you?
• Would you read more by this author?
• If you were to describe this book to a friend, what would you say?

(taken from the SPCK website on book clubs)