Torch Trust books
Accessible versions of these books are available for people with sight loss from Torch Trust at the same price as the print edition. To place an order, please call Torch Trust on 01858 438260.
Due to copyright and postal restrictions, these books are only available to registered visually impaired people, or those whose sight is less than N12 as certified by a medical practitioner.
{"id":2439772897380,"title":"God's Belongers: How people engage with God today and how the church can help","handle":"gods-belongers-how-people-engage-with-god-today-and-how-the-church-can-help","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis book transforms thinking about church membership by replacing the division between 'members' and 'non-members' with a four-fold model of belonging. Based in extensive practical research, David Walker shows how 'belonging' can encompass a far wider group of people than those who attend weekly services. He examines belonging through relationship, through place and through events, as well as the traditional belonging through activities. He goes on to explore the opportunities for mission that emerge as a result - while also acknowledging the challenges posed for issues such as church financing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eContents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction: an aid for mission\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 1: How we belong\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1 Belonging: a theological concept\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2 Reliably regular: belonging through church activities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3 People power: belonging through relationships\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e4 Only the once: belonging through events\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e5 Location, location: belonging through place\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e6 The mystery of the missing vicar: an example of belonging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 2: Belonging for mission\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e7 What's the difference? Understanding occasional churchgoers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e8 Together in mission: the Five Marks of Mission\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e9 Paying the piper: what has become of Anglican governance and finance?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 3: Who else is missing?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e10 Types and temperaments: what is Psychological Type?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e11 Models for motivation: exploring the world of Religious Orientation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e12 Never on Sunday: the opportunities and challenges of Sunday worship\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eForeword\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhenever the church gets to talking about numbers, sooner or later someone will protest that it is not all about bums on seats, is it? Well, yes and no. As this readable and insightful book from David Walker makes clear, belonging cannot simply be measured by your attendance record. There are multiple ways of belonging to any organisation or community, and especially the church. But if instead of 'bums on seats' the church talked about 'hearts being changed' or 'lives being transformed', and once we realise that there can be no impact in our local communities and wider society unless there are at least some people who not only belong, but whose belonging shapes and directs the whole of their lives, i.e. their hearts are being changed and their lives are being transformed, then we begin to see that understanding how people belong and ministering to people in their different ways of belonging is something worth thinking about. This book will help you.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThe Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/BishopDavidWalker_480x480.jpg?v=1676497548\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" width=\"219\" height=\"269\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/BishopDavidWalker_480x480.jpg?v=1676497548\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\nAfter a Maths degree at Cambridge, David Walker trained in theology in Birmingham. He served in churches in the dioceses of Sheffield before becoming Bishop of Dudley in 2000 and then in 2013 Bishop of Manchester. He is involved in writing a continuing series of papers for peer review journals and the International Society of Empirical Research in Theology, using quantitative methods to analyse aspects of rural Anglicanism. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the Rural Theology Association, the Church of England Ministry Council and one of the Church Commissioners for England. He has contributed chapters to a number of books including Changing Rural Life: A Christian response to key rural issues (Canterbury Press, 2004), Rural Life and Rural Church: theological and empirical perspectives (Equinox, 2012), Exploring Ordinary Theology: everyday Christian believing and the Church (Ashgate, 2013). He has written papers for (amongst other journals) Rural Theology, the Journal of Beliefs \u0026amp; Values and the Journal of Anglican Studies. In 2014 he was awarded a PhD from the University of Warwick for the studies on which this book will be based.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 21.7.17\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview by Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford of \u003cem\u003eGod's Belongers: How people engage with God today and how the Church can help\u003c\/em\u003e by David Walker and \u003cem\u003eReproducing Churches \u003c\/em\u003eby George Lings\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce in a while, a book comes along that changes the way you look at things. Here are two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Walker's delightfully titled \u003cem\u003eGod's Belongers\u003c\/em\u003e analyses the different ways in which people express their belonging to church and their engagement with God, and suggests new strategies that will help the local church understand and provide for this belonging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on extensive research of church attendance at rural harvest festivals and Christmas carol services, the central thesis of this book is that regular churchgoing is not the only way in which Christian belonging is expressed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn one level, this is completely obvious. Most churches, however, persist with a gold standard of 'every-Sunday-morning' belonging, and all evangelistic endeavour is geared towards achieving this. But, as Walker's well-researched and well-argued book unfolds, we find that belonging can be measured in other ways, and this is more to do with personality and circumstance than commitment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, the one who comes less often is not necessarily less committed. Someone whose primary belonging comes through relationships, and who wishes to express this in service, may never come every week. But his or her 'lived-out' discipleship, day by day, demonstrates a commitment equal to any weekly communicant. If weekly attendance is the only goal, this person's faith development may be stymied, and the church's ability and flexibility to grow in different ways diminished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePut this alongside the vastly changed pattern of work, leisure, and family life in Britain today, and the impact on church life is plain to see. Strategies for evangelism and discipleship need to work with the grain of these different types of belonging, not against them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe development of Fresh Expressions in the Church of England is one such example of helping people to belong differently.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFresh Expressions of Church is not a stepping-stone towards the so-called 'real church' of Sunday morning. Worshipping in a variety of cultural styles, meeting in different places and different formats and at different times, Fresh Expressions have enabled the Church to broaden its reach.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis has been a remarkable story of missional and ecclesiological enterprise, and, although many people have played a significant part in this story, none has done more than George Lings. His ministry as theologian, researcher and church-planter has provided the impetus and inspiration for the Church to try new things. He has also led the way in enabling the Church to reflect on and learn from these experiments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll this is brought together in \u003cem\u003eReproducing Churches\u003c\/em\u003e. Lings explains and develops the basic thesis that reproduction is inherent in what it means to be the Church, not merely an optional function that some may choose. In other words, for the Church to be the Church it must reproduce. Based, again, on extensive research and vast experience, this book is probably the best available handbook for understanding church-planting and Fresh Expressions, and seeing how the Church can become what it is meant to be be. Put these two books together, and every church will be rethinking its evangelistic strategy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArthur Rank Centre Resources. Review by Revd Elizabeth Clark, National Rural Officer for the Methodist and United Reformed Churches\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this challenging book David Walker, Bishop of Manchester, argues that people belong to their community and to church in different ways. Some belong through activities and are often regular churchgoers and office holders in the church, the sort of person everyone knows and likes. This person helps others to relate to God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 'God's Belongers' these ways of belonging are offered as a framework within which we might consider how to shape and focus the mission of the church beyond 'people like us.' So often mission is based around the things that those already in the church are comfortable with. Walker challenges us to look at how we can do things differently so that other ways of belonging can be welcomed and accommodated, and people can grow in faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn short, this book encourages us to look seriously at those not like us so that we can welcome them. It also challenges us to learn from others because 'the evidence we've found of a rich and complex pattern of belonging challenges the often implicit assumption that occasional church goers are 'nominal' Christians'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile 'God's Belongers' inevitably reflects Bishop David's Anglican perspective, his insights are more widely applicable are easy to translate for other denominational contexts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Elizabeth Clark, National Rural Officer for the Methodist and United Reformed Churches\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader (Spring 2018). Review by Janice Price\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an important research based examination of how people belong to church. Based on two surveys taken in 2007 and 2009 in the Dioceses of Worcester and Lichfield, Walker outlines four ways - through people, places, one-off events and regular activities - that people belong to the Church. The samples were taken at rural harvest services and Christmas carol services and show information about the attitudes or regular churchgoers to those who attend occasionally. Walker argues that people, places or one-off events are co-workers with regular attendees and not objects of mission. He also asks whether it is possible to be a good Christian and not go to church very often. 'God's Belongers' is full of important questions and issues for PCCs, ministry teams and others to consider. It challenges stereotypes of the 'not-often-there' church attendees and deserves wide and careful consideration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Janice Price\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2019-01-18T15:21:59+00:00","created_at":"2019-01-18T15:22:01+00:00","vendor":"David Walker","type":"Paperback","tags":["Church life","Kindle","Leadership","Mission","Torch Trust"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":21769369256036,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857464675","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":7436693766244,"product_id":2439772897380,"position":1,"created_at":"2019-01-18T15:22:01+00:00","updated_at":"2019-02-01T17:45:57+00:00","alt":null,"width":427,"height":650,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464675-l.jpg?v=1549043157","variant_ids":[21769369256036]},"available":true,"name":"God's Belongers: How people engage with God today and how the church can help - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":799,"weight":180,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857464675","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":3238877495435,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.657,"height":650,"width":427,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464675-l.jpg?v=1549043157"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464675-l.jpg?v=1549043157","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/59_d53f0ad3-f934-490f-84ef-26363311753e.png?v=1734095680"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464675-l.jpg?v=1549043157","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":3238877495435,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.657,"height":650,"width":427,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464675-l.jpg?v=1549043157"},"aspect_ratio":0.657,"height":650,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464675-l.jpg?v=1549043157","width":427},{"alt":null,"id":63560964866428,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/59_d53f0ad3-f934-490f-84ef-26363311753e.png?v=1734095680"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/59_d53f0ad3-f934-490f-84ef-26363311753e.png?v=1734095680","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003eThis book transforms thinking about church membership by replacing the division between 'members' and 'non-members' with a four-fold model of belonging. Based in extensive practical research, David Walker shows how 'belonging' can encompass a far wider group of people than those who attend weekly services. He examines belonging through relationship, through place and through events, as well as the traditional belonging through activities. He goes on to explore the opportunities for mission that emerge as a result - while also acknowledging the challenges posed for issues such as church financing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eContents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction: an aid for mission\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 1: How we belong\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1 Belonging: a theological concept\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2 Reliably regular: belonging through church activities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3 People power: belonging through relationships\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e4 Only the once: belonging through events\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e5 Location, location: belonging through place\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e6 The mystery of the missing vicar: an example of belonging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 2: Belonging for mission\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e7 What's the difference? Understanding occasional churchgoers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e8 Together in mission: the Five Marks of Mission\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e9 Paying the piper: what has become of Anglican governance and finance?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePart 3: Who else is missing?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e10 Types and temperaments: what is Psychological Type?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e11 Models for motivation: exploring the world of Religious Orientation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e12 Never on Sunday: the opportunities and challenges of Sunday worship\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eForeword\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhenever the church gets to talking about numbers, sooner or later someone will protest that it is not all about bums on seats, is it? Well, yes and no. As this readable and insightful book from David Walker makes clear, belonging cannot simply be measured by your attendance record. There are multiple ways of belonging to any organisation or community, and especially the church. But if instead of 'bums on seats' the church talked about 'hearts being changed' or 'lives being transformed', and once we realise that there can be no impact in our local communities and wider society unless there are at least some people who not only belong, but whose belonging shapes and directs the whole of their lives, i.e. their hearts are being changed and their lives are being transformed, then we begin to see that understanding how people belong and ministering to people in their different ways of belonging is something worth thinking about. This book will help you.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThe Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/BishopDavidWalker_480x480.jpg?v=1676497548\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" width=\"219\" height=\"269\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/BishopDavidWalker_480x480.jpg?v=1676497548\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\nAfter a Maths degree at Cambridge, David Walker trained in theology in Birmingham. He served in churches in the dioceses of Sheffield before becoming Bishop of Dudley in 2000 and then in 2013 Bishop of Manchester. He is involved in writing a continuing series of papers for peer review journals and the International Society of Empirical Research in Theology, using quantitative methods to analyse aspects of rural Anglicanism. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the Rural Theology Association, the Church of England Ministry Council and one of the Church Commissioners for England. He has contributed chapters to a number of books including Changing Rural Life: A Christian response to key rural issues (Canterbury Press, 2004), Rural Life and Rural Church: theological and empirical perspectives (Equinox, 2012), Exploring Ordinary Theology: everyday Christian believing and the Church (Ashgate, 2013). He has written papers for (amongst other journals) Rural Theology, the Journal of Beliefs \u0026amp; Values and the Journal of Anglican Studies. In 2014 he was awarded a PhD from the University of Warwick for the studies on which this book will be based.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChurch Times 21.7.17\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview by Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford of \u003cem\u003eGod's Belongers: How people engage with God today and how the Church can help\u003c\/em\u003e by David Walker and \u003cem\u003eReproducing Churches \u003c\/em\u003eby George Lings\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce in a while, a book comes along that changes the way you look at things. Here are two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Walker's delightfully titled \u003cem\u003eGod's Belongers\u003c\/em\u003e analyses the different ways in which people express their belonging to church and their engagement with God, and suggests new strategies that will help the local church understand and provide for this belonging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on extensive research of church attendance at rural harvest festivals and Christmas carol services, the central thesis of this book is that regular churchgoing is not the only way in which Christian belonging is expressed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn one level, this is completely obvious. Most churches, however, persist with a gold standard of 'every-Sunday-morning' belonging, and all evangelistic endeavour is geared towards achieving this. But, as Walker's well-researched and well-argued book unfolds, we find that belonging can be measured in other ways, and this is more to do with personality and circumstance than commitment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, the one who comes less often is not necessarily less committed. Someone whose primary belonging comes through relationships, and who wishes to express this in service, may never come every week. But his or her 'lived-out' discipleship, day by day, demonstrates a commitment equal to any weekly communicant. If weekly attendance is the only goal, this person's faith development may be stymied, and the church's ability and flexibility to grow in different ways diminished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePut this alongside the vastly changed pattern of work, leisure, and family life in Britain today, and the impact on church life is plain to see. Strategies for evangelism and discipleship need to work with the grain of these different types of belonging, not against them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe development of Fresh Expressions in the Church of England is one such example of helping people to belong differently.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFresh Expressions of Church is not a stepping-stone towards the so-called 'real church' of Sunday morning. Worshipping in a variety of cultural styles, meeting in different places and different formats and at different times, Fresh Expressions have enabled the Church to broaden its reach.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis has been a remarkable story of missional and ecclesiological enterprise, and, although many people have played a significant part in this story, none has done more than George Lings. His ministry as theologian, researcher and church-planter has provided the impetus and inspiration for the Church to try new things. He has also led the way in enabling the Church to reflect on and learn from these experiments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll this is brought together in \u003cem\u003eReproducing Churches\u003c\/em\u003e. Lings explains and develops the basic thesis that reproduction is inherent in what it means to be the Church, not merely an optional function that some may choose. In other words, for the Church to be the Church it must reproduce. Based, again, on extensive research and vast experience, this book is probably the best available handbook for understanding church-planting and Fresh Expressions, and seeing how the Church can become what it is meant to be be. Put these two books together, and every church will be rethinking its evangelistic strategy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArthur Rank Centre Resources. Review by Revd Elizabeth Clark, National Rural Officer for the Methodist and United Reformed Churches\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this challenging book David Walker, Bishop of Manchester, argues that people belong to their community and to church in different ways. Some belong through activities and are often regular churchgoers and office holders in the church, the sort of person everyone knows and likes. This person helps others to relate to God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 'God's Belongers' these ways of belonging are offered as a framework within which we might consider how to shape and focus the mission of the church beyond 'people like us.' So often mission is based around the things that those already in the church are comfortable with. Walker challenges us to look at how we can do things differently so that other ways of belonging can be welcomed and accommodated, and people can grow in faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn short, this book encourages us to look seriously at those not like us so that we can welcome them. It also challenges us to learn from others because 'the evidence we've found of a rich and complex pattern of belonging challenges the often implicit assumption that occasional church goers are 'nominal' Christians'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile 'God's Belongers' inevitably reflects Bishop David's Anglican perspective, his insights are more widely applicable are easy to translate for other denominational contexts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Elizabeth Clark, National Rural Officer for the Methodist and United Reformed Churches\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Reader (Spring 2018). Review by Janice Price\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an important research based examination of how people belong to church. Based on two surveys taken in 2007 and 2009 in the Dioceses of Worcester and Lichfield, Walker outlines four ways - through people, places, one-off events and regular activities - that people belong to the Church. The samples were taken at rural harvest services and Christmas carol services and show information about the attitudes or regular churchgoers to those who attend occasionally. Walker argues that people, places or one-off events are co-workers with regular attendees and not objects of mission. He also asks whether it is possible to be a good Christian and not go to church very often. 'God's Belongers' is full of important questions and issues for PCCs, ministry teams and others to consider. It challenges stereotypes of the 'not-often-there' church attendees and deserves wide and careful consideration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview by Janice Price\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
You may also like:
God's Belongers: How people engage with God today and how the church can help
£7.99
This book transforms thinking about church membership by replacing the division between 'members' and 'non-members' with a four-fold model of...
{"id":2439764377700,"title":"Comfort in the Darkness: Helping children draw close to God through biblical stories of night-time and sleep","handle":"comfort-in-the-darkness-helping-children-draw-close-to-god-through-biblical-stories-of-night-time-and-sleep","description":"\u003cp\u003eSleep, dreams and the night can be mysterious and sometimes troubling. Children can be afraid of the dark, have nightmares and night terrors, sleepwalk, or have insomnia. How do we deal with their concerns and fears and help them to draw close to God at night? This collection of Bible story retellings exploring God's character and promises will enable parents to help children grow in peace, confidence and understanding of who God is.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/33kqpzo5X-E\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/RachelTurner_480x480.jpg?v=1676495221\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" width=\"245\" height=\"245\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/RachelTurner_480x480.jpg?v=1676495221\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\nRachel Turner has been a full-time children's and families worker and the National Children's Work Coordinator for New Wine, and continues to consult, speak at conferences and run training days for parents, children and youth workers around the UK and Europe. She is the author of the Parenting Children for a Life of Faith series.\n\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Resource - September 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book aims to help children draw close to God through biblical stories of night time and sleep.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat is not to love about this book?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA helpful introduction from Rachel sets the scene - encouraging us to make the book our own. This is not a 'how to' manual of navigating the night time if our children struggle to sleep or are going through that traumatic stage of night terrors - rather, it gives tools for parents to engage, reflect and ask questions with their children - to journey with them through the night and, most importantly, for them to know that God is present there - just as much as in the day time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e16 stories from the Bible are skilfully retold with just the right amount of drama, suspense and awe - perfect for a shared story!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParents can use the additional sections after each story to take things further . . . but, just simply sharing these stories and creating a rhythm and pattern of reading together creates a calming atmosphere - build a routine around story telling and sharing a night that becomes as familiar as brushing teeth and having a bath.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGet hold of this wonderful book and find comfort in the darkness - not just for your children, but maybe for you as parents too .\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/theresource.org.uk\/comfort-in-the-darkness-by-rachel-turner\/\"\u003eThe Resource\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAli Campbell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003egodventure - November 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is not a book on sleep training, but one which will create a positive relationship with God at night-time - for you and your children! Rachel vividly retells 16 Bible stories, each where someone, usually a child, experiences something of God at night-time. It's simple, it's clever and it's profound. I found my own perspective on night-time changing along with my children's, as they quoted to me things we had discovered of God at night-time. I particularly loved the story of Herman, based on Psalm 88, who discovers that God gives us songs in the night to draw close to Him. We had a fab time asking God to give us songs and singing them together. Great book for any parent - especially, but definitely not exclusively, any with children who struggle at night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVictoria Beech\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBaptist Times - 19 May 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eA very useful aid for helping parents draw their children closer to God, and a must for the bedroom bookshelf\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery Saturday our six and seven year old granddaughters have a sleepover with us because they love to come to church on Sunday mornings.They like to sleep with the bedside light on low but neither of them have nocturnal problems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey are a vivacious pair. The trouble with bedtime is switching off Peppa Pig, or getting them off their tab, and calming them down. When they are finally between the sheets, reading a bedtime story is a great relaxer.\u003c\/p\u003e\nThese 16 Bible stories are all simply written in a manner that allows the reader to add timely pauses and thoughtful expression. They are all set in a night time context through which God's presence and purpose are revealed whether life is easy, perplexing or fraught with trouble and danger. In order to get the most out of the stories the 'Extras for Parents' should be read well before involving the children. A good friend of mine describes it as finding and providing emotional intelligence.\n\u003cp\u003eHowever this is neither a D.I.Y. Sunday School manual nor a lesson book. The Discussion Points are useful if it's appropriate to prolong bedtime a little, but should not be imposed if the conversation is going to erase sleepiness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe prayers that come after each story, sensitively link the thoughts and feelings from the characters with how the children may have reacted and brings them into the love and care of the Lord. Their aim is to develop a sense of prayerfulness in the closeness of God as they snuggle down. It's a far cry from the old kneel by your bed and say your prayers routine. That may have been fine for God to bless mummy and daddy, the cat the dog and the goldfish, tell me about it, but it did hardly anything to develop prayerfulness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Frequently Asked Questions found at the end of the book are required reading prior to the book being used. They can be very useful in helping parents settle children's anxieties, understand the world around them and how best to relate to it. Comfort in the Darkness is a very useful aid for helping parents draw their children closer to God and a must for the bedroom bookshelf.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by The Revd Dr Martin M'Caw\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e","published_at":"2019-01-18T15:21:28+00:00","created_at":"2019-01-18T15:21:29+00:00","vendor":"Rachel Turner","type":"Paperback","tags":["Parenting","Parenting for Faith books","Sep-16","Torch Trust"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":21769237430372,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857464231","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":7436642386020,"product_id":2439764377700,"position":1,"created_at":"2019-01-18T15:21:29+00:00","updated_at":"2019-02-01T17:46:03+00:00","alt":null,"width":427,"height":650,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464231-l.jpg?v=1549043163","variant_ids":[21769237430372]},"available":true,"name":"Comfort in the Darkness: Helping children draw close to God through biblical stories of night-time and sleep - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":799,"weight":167,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857464231","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":3238876905611,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.657,"height":650,"width":427,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464231-l.jpg?v=1549043163"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464231-l.jpg?v=1549043163"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464231-l.jpg?v=1549043163","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":3238876905611,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.657,"height":650,"width":427,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464231-l.jpg?v=1549043163"},"aspect_ratio":0.657,"height":650,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857464231-l.jpg?v=1549043163","width":427}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003eSleep, dreams and the night can be mysterious and sometimes troubling. Children can be afraid of the dark, have nightmares and night terrors, sleepwalk, or have insomnia. How do we deal with their concerns and fears and help them to draw close to God at night? This collection of Bible story retellings exploring God's character and promises will enable parents to help children grow in peace, confidence and understanding of who God is.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/33kqpzo5X-E\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/RachelTurner_480x480.jpg?v=1676495221\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" width=\"245\" height=\"245\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/RachelTurner_480x480.jpg?v=1676495221\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\nRachel Turner has been a full-time children's and families worker and the National Children's Work Coordinator for New Wine, and continues to consult, speak at conferences and run training days for parents, children and youth workers around the UK and Europe. She is the author of the Parenting Children for a Life of Faith series.\n\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Resource - September 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book aims to help children draw close to God through biblical stories of night time and sleep.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat is not to love about this book?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA helpful introduction from Rachel sets the scene - encouraging us to make the book our own. This is not a 'how to' manual of navigating the night time if our children struggle to sleep or are going through that traumatic stage of night terrors - rather, it gives tools for parents to engage, reflect and ask questions with their children - to journey with them through the night and, most importantly, for them to know that God is present there - just as much as in the day time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e16 stories from the Bible are skilfully retold with just the right amount of drama, suspense and awe - perfect for a shared story!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParents can use the additional sections after each story to take things further . . . but, just simply sharing these stories and creating a rhythm and pattern of reading together creates a calming atmosphere - build a routine around story telling and sharing a night that becomes as familiar as brushing teeth and having a bath.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGet hold of this wonderful book and find comfort in the darkness - not just for your children, but maybe for you as parents too .\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/theresource.org.uk\/comfort-in-the-darkness-by-rachel-turner\/\"\u003eThe Resource\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAli Campbell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003egodventure - November 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is not a book on sleep training, but one which will create a positive relationship with God at night-time - for you and your children! Rachel vividly retells 16 Bible stories, each where someone, usually a child, experiences something of God at night-time. It's simple, it's clever and it's profound. I found my own perspective on night-time changing along with my children's, as they quoted to me things we had discovered of God at night-time. I particularly loved the story of Herman, based on Psalm 88, who discovers that God gives us songs in the night to draw close to Him. We had a fab time asking God to give us songs and singing them together. Great book for any parent - especially, but definitely not exclusively, any with children who struggle at night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVictoria Beech\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBaptist Times - 19 May 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eA very useful aid for helping parents draw their children closer to God, and a must for the bedroom bookshelf\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery Saturday our six and seven year old granddaughters have a sleepover with us because they love to come to church on Sunday mornings.They like to sleep with the bedside light on low but neither of them have nocturnal problems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey are a vivacious pair. The trouble with bedtime is switching off Peppa Pig, or getting them off their tab, and calming them down. When they are finally between the sheets, reading a bedtime story is a great relaxer.\u003c\/p\u003e\nThese 16 Bible stories are all simply written in a manner that allows the reader to add timely pauses and thoughtful expression. They are all set in a night time context through which God's presence and purpose are revealed whether life is easy, perplexing or fraught with trouble and danger. In order to get the most out of the stories the 'Extras for Parents' should be read well before involving the children. A good friend of mine describes it as finding and providing emotional intelligence.\n\u003cp\u003eHowever this is neither a D.I.Y. Sunday School manual nor a lesson book. The Discussion Points are useful if it's appropriate to prolong bedtime a little, but should not be imposed if the conversation is going to erase sleepiness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe prayers that come after each story, sensitively link the thoughts and feelings from the characters with how the children may have reacted and brings them into the love and care of the Lord. Their aim is to develop a sense of prayerfulness in the closeness of God as they snuggle down. It's a far cry from the old kneel by your bed and say your prayers routine. That may have been fine for God to bless mummy and daddy, the cat the dog and the goldfish, tell me about it, but it did hardly anything to develop prayerfulness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Frequently Asked Questions found at the end of the book are required reading prior to the book being used. They can be very useful in helping parents settle children's anxieties, understand the world around them and how best to relate to it. Comfort in the Darkness is a very useful aid for helping parents draw their children closer to God and a must for the bedroom bookshelf.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by The Revd Dr Martin M'Caw\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e"}
You may also like:
Comfort in the Darkness: Helping children draw close to God through biblical stories of night-time and sleep
£7.99
Sleep, dreams and the night can be mysterious and sometimes troubling. Children can be afraid of the dark, have nightmares...
{"id":2439763951716,"title":"Comings and Goings: Retracing the Christmas story through place and time","handle":"comings-and-goings-retracing-the-christmas-story-through-place-and-time","description":"\u003cp\u003eLife involves many 'comings and goings', as we make our way along the path of faith day by day, guided by God's Holy Spirit. This book of readings for Advent and Christmas invites us to make a journey through time, from the end to the very beginning of all things. The daily reflections work backwards from the traditional Advent focus of the 'Four Last Things' - Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell - via Jesus' life, death and resurrection, to come at last to the Incarnation and the events commemorated at Christmas itself. In the following days, the focus turns to Christ as the Word of God, present at the dawn of creation. Along the way, we 'visit' some of the actual Holy Land sites associated with gospel events, drawing new insights from the familiar stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Revd Dr Gordon Giles is Vicar of St Mary Magdalene's Church in Enfield, North London, and director of Post-Ordination Training in the Edmonton Episcopal Area of the Diocese of London Diocese. He has written several books including The Music of Praise, The Harmony of Heaven, O Come, Emmanuel, O Clap your Hands and Fasting and Feasting. He has also led many pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Turkey, China and Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/GordonGiles1_480x480.jpg?v=1676494801\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" width=\"142\" height=\"252\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/GordonGiles1_480x480.jpg?v=1676494801\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\nGordon Giles is Canon Chancellor of Rochester Cathedral. He is the author of several books, including \u003cem\u003eComings and Goings\u003c\/em\u003e (2015) and \u003cem\u003eAt Home in Lent\u003c\/em\u003e (2018).\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom goodbookreviews.org.uk November 2015\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis really is what I would call an advent book as it most fully reflects the purpose of Advent, that journey to Christmas where we most fully reflect on the incarnation in its fullness, the journey through not just the story of Christmas but of the Bible as a whole and the life of Christ made man and witness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach day's reflection begins with a very short passage from the New Testament and then moves on to a contemplation that both reflects on the passage at hand, the wider story of Christmas, and also the world in which we live and how this too is a wider reflection of the bigger story.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the whole this is a brilliant book to journey to Christmas with.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMelanie Carroll.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e","published_at":"2024-12-13T17:47:51+00:00","created_at":"2019-01-18T15:21:28+00:00","vendor":"Gordon Giles","type":"Paperback","tags":["Advent","Kindle","Torch Trust"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":false,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":21769229303908,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857463760","requires_shipping":false,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":7436639240292,"product_id":2439763951716,"position":1,"created_at":"2019-01-18T15:21:28+00:00","updated_at":"2019-02-01T17:46:04+00:00","alt":null,"width":426,"height":650,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463760-l.jpg?v=1549043164","variant_ids":[21769229303908]},"available":false,"name":"Comings and Goings: Retracing the Christmas story through place and time - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":799,"weight":131,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857463760","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":3238876872843,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.655,"height":650,"width":426,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463760-l.jpg?v=1549043164"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463760-l.jpg?v=1549043164"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463760-l.jpg?v=1549043164","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":3238876872843,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.655,"height":650,"width":426,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463760-l.jpg?v=1549043164"},"aspect_ratio":0.655,"height":650,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463760-l.jpg?v=1549043164","width":426}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003eLife involves many 'comings and goings', as we make our way along the path of faith day by day, guided by God's Holy Spirit. This book of readings for Advent and Christmas invites us to make a journey through time, from the end to the very beginning of all things. The daily reflections work backwards from the traditional Advent focus of the 'Four Last Things' - Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell - via Jesus' life, death and resurrection, to come at last to the Incarnation and the events commemorated at Christmas itself. In the following days, the focus turns to Christ as the Word of God, present at the dawn of creation. Along the way, we 'visit' some of the actual Holy Land sites associated with gospel events, drawing new insights from the familiar stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Revd Dr Gordon Giles is Vicar of St Mary Magdalene's Church in Enfield, North London, and director of Post-Ordination Training in the Edmonton Episcopal Area of the Diocese of London Diocese. He has written several books including The Music of Praise, The Harmony of Heaven, O Come, Emmanuel, O Clap your Hands and Fasting and Feasting. He has also led many pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Turkey, China and Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/GordonGiles1_480x480.jpg?v=1676494801\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" width=\"142\" height=\"252\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"margin-right: 10px; float: left;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0148\/6107\/4532\/files\/GordonGiles1_480x480.jpg?v=1676494801\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\nGordon Giles is Canon Chancellor of Rochester Cathedral. He is the author of several books, including \u003cem\u003eComings and Goings\u003c\/em\u003e (2015) and \u003cem\u003eAt Home in Lent\u003c\/em\u003e (2018).\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom goodbookreviews.org.uk November 2015\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis really is what I would call an advent book as it most fully reflects the purpose of Advent, that journey to Christmas where we most fully reflect on the incarnation in its fullness, the journey through not just the story of Christmas but of the Bible as a whole and the life of Christ made man and witness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach day's reflection begins with a very short passage from the New Testament and then moves on to a contemplation that both reflects on the passage at hand, the wider story of Christmas, and also the world in which we live and how this too is a wider reflection of the bigger story.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the whole this is a brilliant book to journey to Christmas with.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMelanie Carroll.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e"}
You may also like:
Comings and Goings: Retracing the Christmas story through place and time
Out of Stock
Life involves many 'comings and goings', as we make our way along the path of faith day by day, guided...
Out of Stock
{"id":2439757594724,"title":"Bereavement","handle":"bereavement","description":"This book of 24 undated reflections draws comfort and inspiration from the Bible and from experience for those who are going through a time of bereavement, as well as providing insight for those wanting to support others who are bereaved. Jean Watson suggests how it might feel to get through the dark days and to move, however slowly, from 'getting by' with help, to 'getting a life' in which living with loss goes alongside the gains in terms of new insights on faith and life and a greater ability to empathise with others.\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\nAuthor info\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eJean Watson has written devotional books and biographies as well as books and teaching material for children, and is a member of the \u003cem\u003eDay by Day with God\u003c\/em\u003e contributor team (BRF\/Christina Press). Her writing on bereavement is informed by her many experiences of bereavement and by getting alongside other bereaved people.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2019-01-18T15:21:05+00:00","created_at":"2019-01-18T15:21:07+00:00","vendor":"Jean Watson","type":"Paperback","tags":["May-15","Pastoral care","Torch Trust"],"price":499,"price_min":499,"price_max":499,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":21769159475300,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857463265","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":7436595888228,"product_id":2439757594724,"position":1,"created_at":"2019-01-18T15:21:07+00:00","updated_at":"2019-02-01T17:46:07+00:00","alt":null,"width":459,"height":650,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463265-l.jpg?v=1549043167","variant_ids":[21769159475300]},"available":true,"name":"Bereavement - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":499,"weight":65,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857463265","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":3238876184715,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.706,"height":650,"width":459,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463265-l.jpg?v=1549043167"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463265-l.jpg?v=1549043167"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463265-l.jpg?v=1549043167","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":3238876184715,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.706,"height":650,"width":459,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463265-l.jpg?v=1549043167"},"aspect_ratio":0.706,"height":650,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9780857463265-l.jpg?v=1549043167","width":459}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"This book of 24 undated reflections draws comfort and inspiration from the Bible and from experience for those who are going through a time of bereavement, as well as providing insight for those wanting to support others who are bereaved. Jean Watson suggests how it might feel to get through the dark days and to move, however slowly, from 'getting by' with help, to 'getting a life' in which living with loss goes alongside the gains in terms of new insights on faith and life and a greater ability to empathise with others.\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\nAuthor info\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eJean Watson has written devotional books and biographies as well as books and teaching material for children, and is a member of the \u003cem\u003eDay by Day with God\u003c\/em\u003e contributor team (BRF\/Christina Press). Her writing on bereavement is informed by her many experiences of bereavement and by getting alongside other bereaved people.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
You may also like:
Bereavement
£4.99
This book of 24 undated reflections draws comfort and inspiration from the Bible and from experience for those who are...
{"id":2439747600484,"title":"At the End of the Day: Enjoying life in the departure lounge","handle":"at-the-end-of-the-day-enjoying-life-in-the-departure-lounge","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn octogenarian takes a wryly humorous look at what it's like to be old in an era of the relentlessly new. Turning to the Bible, he explores its store of timeless wisdom, encouragement and reassurance about what it has always meant to grow old and be old. The book is structured around a series of fascinating biblical pictures, from the legendary Methuselah to the feisty Sarah and the great leader Moses, from the picture of inevitable decline as the Preacher saw it in Ecclesiastes to the glorious Nunc Dimittis of old Simeon in the temple.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e'At the end of the day' is a well-worn phrase - yet seeing life as a single day, with dawn, noon, sunny afternoon, twilight and then darkness and sleep, provides a sort of contracted chronology of a journey we are all taking. Those who are at, or beyond, tea-time - as well as their friends and family - may find this book offers an essentially optimistic, positive and attractive picture of both the present and the future.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDavid Winter introduces \u003cem\u003eAt the End of the Day\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eI wrote \u003cem\u003eAt the End of the Day\u003c\/em\u003e because I wanted to address this situation not as a problem (which is how sociologists, politicians and media commentators seem to see it) but simply as yet another life experience. All through life we move more or less seamlessly from one stage to another, from childhood to adolescence, from that to young adulthood, from that to middle age, and from that to the retirement years. This book is an attempt to record what it is like finally to move into the departure lounge of life, awaiting the call to board our flight from this life to whatever it is that God has planned for us at its end.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe departure lounge is not as bad as it may look in prospect. Believe it or not, being old can be fun. Of course there are problems - aches and pains, sluggish memory and so on. But there are also enormous compensations in old age, including the freedom to be ourselves without any pressure to achieve or justify our existence. I was surprised to discover (when I got there myself) that the elderly don't endlessly discuss death. Compared with teenagers, young adults and even the middle-aged, they are not living with plans for the future but with the richness of the here and now.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAt the End of the Day \u003c\/em\u003etakes a quizzical look at some of the wonderful old men and women whose stories are part of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. Surprisingly, perhaps, their experiences seem to match many of ours. We look at them, of course, through the long perspective of time and also through the prism of our modern experiences, but there is wisdom, fulfilment and encouragement in those biblical records.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis is not a 'heavy' book. How could it be when the elderly spend so much time laughing at themselves and at the whole business of being old! Nor is it depressing - again, how could it be, when we are seated in that departure lounge awaiting the final great adventure.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eI wrote it not just for those who are already old, although I hope they'll find it both amusing and encouraging, but also for all those who want to know what it's going to be like to join our ranks. They may be surprised to find that the poet Robert Browning got it right when he said, 'The best is yet to be.'\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/kP4wFKmvMmg\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\nDavid Winter is one of the UK's most popular and long-established Christian writers and broadcasters. He has written many books over the last sixty years, including Facing the Darkness and Finding the Light, Pilgrim's Way, Journey to Jerusalem and With Jesus in the Upper Room for BRF. He also writes for New Daylight and was a regular contributor to Radio 4's Thought for the Day from 1989 to 2012.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Winter has written a book for the elderly; those in their twilight years. With 1.4 million people in the U.K now over 85, this partly auto-biographical book is humorous and down to earth, taking a practical look at the benefits and pit-falls of old age. He looks at a number of Bible characters who are in or approaching old age, linking these with his own experiences and those of others known to him. With some delightful insights into the positive aspects of old age, and 'that (I love this line!) nothing is beyond redemption and no situation irretrievably hopeless' It can speak to those who feel their lives are worthless and aimless.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eHe looks honestly at the downsides of old age, its fears, doubts and regrets and the problem of loneliness and physical limitations. With its useful headings, the reader can `dip back` as and when needed. The book might have benefited from more detail of how to enjoy a deeper relationship with Jesus, and for non church goers, a simple explanation of the basic Gospel message would have been useful.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eI would give a recommendation to buy this well researched, topical book as it is easy to read, has plenty of humour and no Christian Jargon. As a person approaching `the departure lounge` I found this little book very interesting and full of hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Gill Mason for Preach Magazine September 28, 2014\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Winter, now in his 80s, will be well known to many as a Christian writer, retreat leader and broadcaster. Readers should not be put off by the sub - title of his book, 'Enjoying life in the departure lounge', which is illustrative of the wry humour evident throughout. In fact, I have never laughed so much while reading a book on ageing. In his very personal introduction he declares that he no longer attempts a geriatric and breathtaking sprint when trying to catch a bus: 'After all, there will be another one in 30 minutes, and what's that in the eyes of eternity?' \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the early chapters Winter confronts the prevailing culture of what he terms 'geraphobia', against which he pitches the enormous value of life experience which provides the sap for a fruitful old age. The remainder of the book is structured around a succession of biblical characters, from Methusaleh via (among others) Sarah and Abraham, Moses and the Psalmists to Simeon and Anna, the Holy Family and St Paul in the New Testament. What I expected might be old - hat turned out to be truly enlightening and to have real contemporary relevance. En route, he raises a number of issues that tend to be overlooked or played down: the tension between a desirable serenity and 'the tantrums of the terrible 80s'; waiting as expectancy rather than passivity; the need for wisdom to be tinged with humility. He is particularly helpful on the mood swings of old age which can cloud our vision of God and on loneliness. He acknowledges the value for older people of modern technology, such as emails and Skype, but captures the bewilderment of many when asked for 'passwords you've forgotten, customer numbers you never knew you had, overdraft facility figures you've never used - and all before you get to speak to a human being'. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe final two chapters touch upon ultimate issues. He is perhaps right in suggesting that older people, living in the shadow of morality, do not in fact have death constantly in their thoughts nor are they over - concerned with the details of heaven. His concept of 'resurrection' and the after - life is movingly illustrated by the death of his wife which left him with the strong sense that she had not ceased to exist. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI found this short book personally helpful and pastorally valuable. It is an honest testimony of the author's life and faith journey. Any older person will read it with profit and younger people with a greater understanding of their elders. And, yes, he does quote from Browning's 'Rabbi ben Ezra'. We can be encouraged that the best is indeed yet to be. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Rev Albert Jewell for The Methodist Recorded 21 Feb 2014\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2019-01-18T15:20:28+00:00","created_at":"2019-01-18T15:20:31+00:00","vendor":"David Winter","type":"Paperback","tags":["Nov-13","Recommended for Anna Chaplaincy","Retired and inspired","Torch Trust"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":false,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":21769047572580,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9780857460578","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":false,"name":"At the End of the Day: Enjoying life in the departure lounge - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":799,"weight":151,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9780857460578","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/347.png?v=1730713212","\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/348.png?v=1730713212"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/347.png?v=1730713212","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":62986091037052,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/347.png?v=1730713212"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/347.png?v=1730713212","width":1303},{"alt":null,"id":62986091004284,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"width":1303,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/348.png?v=1730713212"},"aspect_ratio":0.652,"height":2000,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/files\/348.png?v=1730713212","width":1303}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003eAn octogenarian takes a wryly humorous look at what it's like to be old in an era of the relentlessly new. Turning to the Bible, he explores its store of timeless wisdom, encouragement and reassurance about what it has always meant to grow old and be old. The book is structured around a series of fascinating biblical pictures, from the legendary Methuselah to the feisty Sarah and the great leader Moses, from the picture of inevitable decline as the Preacher saw it in Ecclesiastes to the glorious Nunc Dimittis of old Simeon in the temple.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e'At the end of the day' is a well-worn phrase - yet seeing life as a single day, with dawn, noon, sunny afternoon, twilight and then darkness and sleep, provides a sort of contracted chronology of a journey we are all taking. Those who are at, or beyond, tea-time - as well as their friends and family - may find this book offers an essentially optimistic, positive and attractive picture of both the present and the future.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDavid Winter introduces \u003cem\u003eAt the End of the Day\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eI wrote \u003cem\u003eAt the End of the Day\u003c\/em\u003e because I wanted to address this situation not as a problem (which is how sociologists, politicians and media commentators seem to see it) but simply as yet another life experience. All through life we move more or less seamlessly from one stage to another, from childhood to adolescence, from that to young adulthood, from that to middle age, and from that to the retirement years. This book is an attempt to record what it is like finally to move into the departure lounge of life, awaiting the call to board our flight from this life to whatever it is that God has planned for us at its end.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe departure lounge is not as bad as it may look in prospect. Believe it or not, being old can be fun. Of course there are problems - aches and pains, sluggish memory and so on. But there are also enormous compensations in old age, including the freedom to be ourselves without any pressure to achieve or justify our existence. I was surprised to discover (when I got there myself) that the elderly don't endlessly discuss death. Compared with teenagers, young adults and even the middle-aged, they are not living with plans for the future but with the richness of the here and now.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAt the End of the Day \u003c\/em\u003etakes a quizzical look at some of the wonderful old men and women whose stories are part of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. Surprisingly, perhaps, their experiences seem to match many of ours. We look at them, of course, through the long perspective of time and also through the prism of our modern experiences, but there is wisdom, fulfilment and encouragement in those biblical records.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis is not a 'heavy' book. How could it be when the elderly spend so much time laughing at themselves and at the whole business of being old! Nor is it depressing - again, how could it be, when we are seated in that departure lounge awaiting the final great adventure.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eI wrote it not just for those who are already old, although I hope they'll find it both amusing and encouraging, but also for all those who want to know what it's going to be like to join our ranks. They may be surprised to find that the poet Robert Browning got it right when he said, 'The best is yet to be.'\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/kP4wFKmvMmg\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\nDavid Winter is one of the UK's most popular and long-established Christian writers and broadcasters. He has written many books over the last sixty years, including Facing the Darkness and Finding the Light, Pilgrim's Way, Journey to Jerusalem and With Jesus in the Upper Room for BRF. He also writes for New Daylight and was a regular contributor to Radio 4's Thought for the Day from 1989 to 2012.\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Winter has written a book for the elderly; those in their twilight years. With 1.4 million people in the U.K now over 85, this partly auto-biographical book is humorous and down to earth, taking a practical look at the benefits and pit-falls of old age. He looks at a number of Bible characters who are in or approaching old age, linking these with his own experiences and those of others known to him. With some delightful insights into the positive aspects of old age, and 'that (I love this line!) nothing is beyond redemption and no situation irretrievably hopeless' It can speak to those who feel their lives are worthless and aimless.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eHe looks honestly at the downsides of old age, its fears, doubts and regrets and the problem of loneliness and physical limitations. With its useful headings, the reader can `dip back` as and when needed. The book might have benefited from more detail of how to enjoy a deeper relationship with Jesus, and for non church goers, a simple explanation of the basic Gospel message would have been useful.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eI would give a recommendation to buy this well researched, topical book as it is easy to read, has plenty of humour and no Christian Jargon. As a person approaching `the departure lounge` I found this little book very interesting and full of hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Gill Mason for Preach Magazine September 28, 2014\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Winter, now in his 80s, will be well known to many as a Christian writer, retreat leader and broadcaster. Readers should not be put off by the sub - title of his book, 'Enjoying life in the departure lounge', which is illustrative of the wry humour evident throughout. In fact, I have never laughed so much while reading a book on ageing. In his very personal introduction he declares that he no longer attempts a geriatric and breathtaking sprint when trying to catch a bus: 'After all, there will be another one in 30 minutes, and what's that in the eyes of eternity?' \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the early chapters Winter confronts the prevailing culture of what he terms 'geraphobia', against which he pitches the enormous value of life experience which provides the sap for a fruitful old age. The remainder of the book is structured around a succession of biblical characters, from Methusaleh via (among others) Sarah and Abraham, Moses and the Psalmists to Simeon and Anna, the Holy Family and St Paul in the New Testament. What I expected might be old - hat turned out to be truly enlightening and to have real contemporary relevance. En route, he raises a number of issues that tend to be overlooked or played down: the tension between a desirable serenity and 'the tantrums of the terrible 80s'; waiting as expectancy rather than passivity; the need for wisdom to be tinged with humility. He is particularly helpful on the mood swings of old age which can cloud our vision of God and on loneliness. He acknowledges the value for older people of modern technology, such as emails and Skype, but captures the bewilderment of many when asked for 'passwords you've forgotten, customer numbers you never knew you had, overdraft facility figures you've never used - and all before you get to speak to a human being'. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe final two chapters touch upon ultimate issues. He is perhaps right in suggesting that older people, living in the shadow of morality, do not in fact have death constantly in their thoughts nor are they over - concerned with the details of heaven. His concept of 'resurrection' and the after - life is movingly illustrated by the death of his wife which left him with the strong sense that she had not ceased to exist. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI found this short book personally helpful and pastorally valuable. It is an honest testimony of the author's life and faith journey. Any older person will read it with profit and younger people with a greater understanding of their elders. And, yes, he does quote from Browning's 'Rabbi ben Ezra'. We can be encouraged that the best is indeed yet to be. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Rev Albert Jewell for The Methodist Recorded 21 Feb 2014\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
You may also like:
At the End of the Day: Enjoying life in the departure lounge
Out of Stock
An octogenarian takes a wryly humorous look at what it's like to be old in an era of the relentlessly...
Out of Stock
{"id":2439733018724,"title":"Rhythms of Grace: Finding intimacy with God in a busy life","handle":"rhythms-of-grace-finding-intimacy-with-god-in-a-busy-life","description":"\u003cp\u003eRhythms of Grace emerges from a personal exploration of contemplative spirituality. Coming from an evangelical and charismatic background, Tony Horsfall felt an increasing desire to know God more deeply. At the same time, he felt an increasing dissatisfaction with his own spiritual life, as well as concern at the number of highly qualified and gifted people involved in Christian ministry who experience burn-out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book he shows how contemplative spirituality, with its emphasis on realising our identity as God's beloved children and on being rather than doing, has vital lessons for us about discovering intimacy with God. It also provides essential insights about building a ministry that is both enjoyable and sustainable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncludes questions for reflection and action at the end of each chapter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe words of Jesus:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?\u003cbr\u003eCome to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life.\u003cbr\u003eI'll show you how to take a real rest.\u003cbr\u003eWalk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.\u003cbr\u003eLearn the unforced rhythms of grace.\u003cbr\u003eI won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.\u003cbr\u003eKeep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.'\u003cbr\u003eMatthew 11:28 - 30 (The Message)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRecommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Tony Horsfall would be satisfied if we could all say, 'I've got rhythm,' because he believes that rhythm is the secret to Christian happiness and fruitfulness. It is a rhythm of advance and retreat, going out and going in, activity and time with God. Tony gives down-to-earth guidance on how we build that rhythm into our lives. Seldom do writers make these great lessons so easily available to the average reader, but Tony does it. This is a wonderful book.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMajor Peter Farthing, Salvation Army, Sydney\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eForeword\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou've placed a hunger in my heart...\u003cbr\u003eYou've caused a thirst that I cannot ignore;\u003cbr\u003eYou've stirred a passion that will drive me\u003cbr\u003einto Your presence\u003cbr\u003eAnd I won't rest until You've heard\u003cbr\u003eMy cry for more.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat verse from one of Stuart Townend's worship songs describes so accurately the hunger that is gnawing at many hearts in these days when the pace of life seems to accelerate year by year. I have heard that heart-hunger being expressed in many parts of the world, from Singapore and Malaysia to England and North America. I heard it being expressed some years ago by the author of this book when he first came to our home to make a retreat towards the end of his sabbatical leave.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring that retreat and since, Tony Horsfall has tasted and seen for himself that 'the Lord is good'. Many readers and would-be contemplatives will be grateful to him for the time he has spent sharing with us some of the fruit of his own exploration into a form of prayer that has set him free to enjoy an ever-deepening intimacy with God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe way the contents of the book have been spread out reminds me of an appetising buffet. Every chapter spreads before us a variety of tempting titbits. Sample them and they simply whet your appetite so that you find yourself going back for more - and more, and more. Take Chapter 8, for example. Here we read, 'If we seek him, we shall find him; if we have a longing for him, it will eventually be satisfied.' Such sentences are to be savoured and reflected on. As we reflect, God's Spirit may well stir up in us a desire for more - more stillness, more sustenance, more of God's love, more of God himself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe author makes this claim: 'When we meet God in the person of Jesus, we experience beauty - sheer loveliness, tenderness, compassion, charm and grace' (p. 68). That has been my experience as I have read and prayed with the contents of this book. That is why it is a joy for me to recommend the following pages to those who can no longer ignore or push away the passion for God's presence that has been planted in their hearts by God's Spirit. In particular, I warmly recommend it to those who find their hearts echoing the kind of sentiments that are voiced in Stuart Townend's song but who come from a church background that has never taught or understood the value of a more still approach to God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs I have read, reread and prayed with each chapter of this book, there have been occasions when I have sensed the anointing of God's Spirit on the insights shared. My prayer as this little gem goes to print again is that through its pages and by the grace of God, readers will find themselves enriched and enlightened and that they will be nourished as they feast from the banquet spread before them. Whenever this happens, the author will be rewarded for the hard work he has poured into this book and God will be glorified. For this I pray.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJoyce Huggett\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrawing on the insights and disciplines of contemplative spirituality, Tony writes without legalism to help us engage and encounter God through Christ in meaningful ways. This book will significantly widen our worship experience as we present our real selves to a real God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Dave Bilbrough, international songwriter and worship leader \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReading this book was like drinking refreshing water. It satisfied a thirsty soul. It pointed me back to Jesus and his releasing rhythms of life. Too quickly we are working for him rather than walking with him. I believe this is one of the most important books written in recent years because it is about depth and intimacy. For over-busy Christians and leaders, this book is a must. It is about much more than pace in the race. It is about going deeper with Jesus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e The Right Reverend Ken Clarke, Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh, Church of Ireland \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten in a readable style, this book has been a helpful introduction for me to contemplative spirituality and its practice. I have been challenged to live by it, and to please God by my being with him rather than my being busy for him. I commend this book to all who desire to be drawn closer to God because he is pleased with who we are more than what we do.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Paul Tan, Overseas Missionary Fellowship, Singapore \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one of those books which has had a profound influence on my life. Tony not only reminds us of our need to slow down and simply 'be' with God, he also illustrates how we can do this, by providing practical guidelines on meditation and contemplative prayer. This book can enrich your walk with God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Debbie Lovell-Hawker, Clinical Psychologist, Interhealth , London \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have read, and read, and read again this wise and gentle book, and each read has only increased my hunger to know and to love God and to walk the ancient pathways and embrace the age-old practices which Tony unwraps for us in its pages. This is a book for those of us who are weary of disappointing short-cuts to intimacy, and who long for a rich and deep and transformative relationship with God. In this book Tony reminds us of God's yearning for the love of our hearts, and shows us ways by which we can respond to that love. I cannot recommend it highly enough.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Mags Duggan, Redcliffe College, Gloucester \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Horsfall, a self-confessed activist, turns out to be perfect company for a busy Christian who wants to escape the destructive and depleting spiral of ever-increasing activity. Tony's book calls us to focus on the true Master of life - Jesus - who not only extends the invitation to this beautiful way of living, but has modelled it himself, and indeed offers to show us how on a daily basis. I hope this book finds its way into the hands of every active Christian, and in turn finds its way into their hearts and lives.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Erik Jespersen, Head of Social Transformation, Emmaus Road Church \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first edition of this book made me realise how hungry I was for God. I was a spiritual anorexic and I didn't even know how starved I was for something other than what I thought it meant to be a Christian. In England, at a retreat centre near Oxford, I absorbed the book walking fields, dangling hot feet in cold streams, sipping wine in pubs, and late at night huddled under warm blankets. Tony shares his experiences of becoming worn out following evangelical voices urging us to win the world for Christ and charismatic voices promising us to be able to do it faster and better. He found rest in the contemplative tradition. For the first time in many years I felt I could breathe and relax in God's company.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Fran Love, spiritual director and cross-cultural communicator, Arizona \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy reading this book in a little church group, we learned to practise God's contemplation rather than to do more and more. Taking time to hear and admire our God is the key to our development. As we studied we experienced the nearness of God and his love.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Genevieve Utermann, Switzerland \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRhythms of Grace met the thirst of my heart and the longing of my spirit for guidance and direction in pursuing Christ's presence as opposed to continually trying to please him through performance. Instead of having to constantly work harder - the only response to salvation I'd previously understood - Tony helped me realise my desperate need to rest, reflect and spend time alone with Jesus. This book is water on a faith gone dry. May it refresh and renew your faith as it has mine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Keith Dodson, Director of Human Resources, Missionary Maintenance Services Aviation, Ohio \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Horsfall would be satisfied if we could all say, 'I've got rhythm,' because he believes that rhythm is the secret to Christian happiness and fruitfulness. It is a rhythm of advance and retreat, going out and going in, activity and time with God. Tony gives down-to-earth guidance on how we build that rhythm into our lives. Seldom do writers make these great lessons so easily available to the average reader, but Tony does it. This is a wonderful book.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Major Peter Farthing, Salvation Army, Sydney \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Horsfall is a freelance trainer and retreat leader, whose work regularly takes him around the world. He has written a number of books for BRF, including Mentoring for Spiritual Growth and Working from a Place of Rest, which has been reprinted twice since publication. He also contributes to New Daylight Bible reading notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview in the Julian Meetings Magazine, August 2019\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFifteen years ago a book by John Main started me on the path of contemplative prayer and an exciting new journey in faith. I had already encountered Brother Lawrence and read \u003cem\u003eThe Cloud of Unknowing\u003c\/em\u003e. Later I read Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, Margaret Silf and many more, who deepened my appreciation of the riches we have in our Christian tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a fascinating book by an author new to me, whose experience echoes my own. I returned to living faith through the ministry of a charismatic church, so I appreciate the early chapters which highlight the strengths of the Evangelical and Charismatic strands Christianity in the UK. He alludes to the need for a growing maturity of faith, where we serve out of a place of rest in God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony outlines a journey that many will recognise and clarifies six great practices for setting out on, maintaining and deepening our relationship with God. He introduces us to spiritual explorers down the centuries, from the 4th century desert fathers and mothers, to those of the present day. He gives the scriptural grounding of their exploration in the practice and experience of Jesus and the early church. The joy too is that, in the final pages, Tony sets out how the reader or small groups of interested people, might explore together those inner disciplines which lead us into new life; a gift indeed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReview by Sue Cutts\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLast year I read an article by Tony Horsfall in 'The Reader' magazine (I am a Reader in the Anglican Church) which was basically promoting his book Rhythms of Grace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo years earlier, I had left a large evangelical, charismatic church in the city centre to work with a church in my local community on the edge of the city. I had already been challenged to consider my identity in Christ: that I am not defined by what I do but by who I am - a child of God. In my local church, my ideas of worship were broadened to include Celtic Daily Prayer. I learnt that silence in prayer meetings was not an awkward pause but a time to be valued. So when I realised that Tony's book was advocating Contemplative Spirituality and that the author came from my sort of background, I decided to buy it. I wanted to investigate further how I could have a deeper intimacy with God; to know Him better - not just theologically but in relationship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book lived up to my expectations. Because my background is similar to Tony Horsfall's, I could identify with the author. He's not criticising the evangelical\/charismatic church, just saying there is more! Worship is not all about words and doing; Jesus said 'Come' as well as 'Go'. In my mission-focussed city church, 'go' had prominently featured; 'come' in the sense of just spending time with Jesus to enjoy his presence had not been given the same import. We were too busy 'doing' and had little time for 'being' or 'resting', which consequently led to discouragement and feelings of guilt for not having done enough.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI had started to realise the importance of 'being' before reading Rhythms of Grace but this book has helped both in my thinking and in practice. It is very readable with concise chapters, yet it is full of helpful and practical advice. I have not only read it but studied it. I am learning more and more the value of times of silence and solitude away from the noise and busyness of life; that effective 'doing' comes from the strength of being with God, assured of his love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Sheila McKay\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Christianity Magazine - June 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Horsfall is a charismatic evangelical who, in his quest to know God more deeply and to avoid burnout, felt God call him to journey into a contemplative form of spirituality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRhythms of Grace explains the basic tenets of this spirituality in a reflective and inspiring way. Each chapter involves a theme such as stillness, solitude or contemplation. Horsfall's material is well-researched, rooted in scripture and accessible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also includes a useful six-session small group resource. Each session looks at the biblical foundations for a discipline such as silence or biblical meditation, and then offers ideas for the group to try this out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you long to find deeper intimacy with God, or you have never engaged with the contemplative tradition, this is the book for you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Lucinda van der Hart\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTired and worn out? Burnt out on religion? If so, you may wish to read Tony Horsfall's book, \u003cem\u003eRhythms of Grace\u003c\/em\u003e, which is written out of a deep concern for the many activist Christians like himself who are caught up in a 'spiral of ever-increasing activity'. Not surprisingly, he notes that many qualified and gifted Christians in the evangelical\/charismatic section of the church are dissatisfied and suffering burn-out. Starting with a brief, yet clear and interesting description of evangelical and charismatic spiritualities, Horsfall suggests that a contemplative spirituality will bring the necessary balance to make ministry more enjoyable and sustainable. He writes: 'There seems to be something lacking in our spirituality, for the way many of us currently practise the Christian life leads us more to activity than to intimacy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a result, many of us seem to endure our faith rather than enjoy it, for it brings us increasingly into the busyness of the outer life and less and less into the vitality of the inner life.' Even though Horsfall specifically addresses the many activists in the evangelical\/charismatic tradition, I am sure his observation resonates with ministers and members in all sections of the church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter giving the example of the contemplative life practised and taught by Jesus and his disciples, Horsfall calls for lives centred on Jesus, and lives which embrace stillness, silence, solitude, reflection, Bible meditation and contemplation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the concluding chapters, practical suggestions are offered on how a contemplative spirituality can be integrated into our busy lives and how 'unforced rhythms of grace' can be practised in our daily living, allowing us to discover 'true intimacy with God'. I recommend the book as it is written in clear and practical terms, each chapter offering useful insights and deep wisdom, and as it concludes with helpful questions for reflection and action. Perhaps some of the chapters seem a bit repetitive, but this book would lend itself very well to being read in a church group, or to being used as a resource for a quiet day or retreat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Leonora Jagessar-Visser't Hooft - a United Reformed Church minister at Trinity (St Albans), Harpenden and Bricket Wood URCs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom \u003cem\u003eThe Church Times\u003c\/em\u003e - 18 May 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI confess that I approached Tony Horsfall's book with a cautious heart, but came away from it with a glad one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe writer comes from an Evangelical background, which is not my own, and my prejudices got in the way. His aim is to widen the spirituality of the 'usual' Evangelical (if there is such a person), and introduce him or her to a kind of spirituality which for many good Christians would be entirely new. He does this with great sensitivity - and possibly a little deliberate cunning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first chapters describe issues that will be quite familiar to most Evangelical Christians, and probably form part of their daily devotions. But, slowly and gently, he leads his reader into what is probably, for most British Christians, new ground. He plays no tricks, but opens up radically different ways of prayer and listening to God. None of these is new to Christianity - indeed, many have ancient roots - but most have only relatively recently found their way into the daily devotions of today's Anglican (and probably Free Church) Christian lives. With Horsfall, prayer becomes listening and waiting rather than speaking and asking - as (he tells us) he has himself discovered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Canon John Armson, former Precentor of Rochester Cathedral\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom The Good Bookstall - 14 April 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHorsfall's message here is a prophetic and timely one. Experiencing intimacy with God in a busy life is a perennial if not cosmic wrestle. The world, the flesh and the devil all collaborate with our busyness and vulnerabilities, to minimise the truthfulness that comes from silence and solitude with our Saviour. \u003cem\u003eRhythms of Grace\u003c\/em\u003e has a pulsing beat emanating from a personal exploration of contemplative spirituality. Evangelical and charismatic pathways fuse meaningfully in an experiential pursuit of God. This is full of insights, wisdom, reflection and signposts toward action and transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDense, definitive and delightful for the soul! This is a great title deserving of more than just shelf collection. Read and then re-read this gem of a book! This is a well-crafted and compelling invitation to walk in intimate grace with the risen Jesus Christ. This book in God's goodness could birth healing for many.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Johnny Douglas\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI greatly enjoyed reading Rhythms of Grace. Tony Horsfall's message to those of us who are so busy that we hardly ever have time to sit still and simply be is a timely one. It also helps us to realise just how precious we are to God, and that though we may feel we don't measure up as Christians, God accepts and loves us as we are, and longs to deepen our relationship with him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSusan Hibbins, Editor of the UK edition of The Upper Room\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2019-01-18T15:19:34+00:00","created_at":"2019-01-18T15:19:35+00:00","vendor":"Tony Horsfall","type":"Paperback","tags":["Feb-12","For individuals","Glassboxx","Leadership","Spirituality","Tony Horsfall","Torch Trust"],"price":999,"price_min":999,"price_max":999,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":21768861515876,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781841018423","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Rhythms of Grace: Finding intimacy with God in a busy life - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":999,"weight":196,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9781841018423","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781841018423-l.jpg?v=1549043184"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781841018423-l.jpg?v=1549043184","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":3238874054795,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.657,"height":650,"width":427,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781841018423-l.jpg?v=1549043184"},"aspect_ratio":0.657,"height":650,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781841018423-l.jpg?v=1549043184","width":427}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003eRhythms of Grace emerges from a personal exploration of contemplative spirituality. Coming from an evangelical and charismatic background, Tony Horsfall felt an increasing desire to know God more deeply. At the same time, he felt an increasing dissatisfaction with his own spiritual life, as well as concern at the number of highly qualified and gifted people involved in Christian ministry who experience burn-out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book he shows how contemplative spirituality, with its emphasis on realising our identity as God's beloved children and on being rather than doing, has vital lessons for us about discovering intimacy with God. It also provides essential insights about building a ministry that is both enjoyable and sustainable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncludes questions for reflection and action at the end of each chapter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe words of Jesus:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?\u003cbr\u003eCome to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life.\u003cbr\u003eI'll show you how to take a real rest.\u003cbr\u003eWalk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.\u003cbr\u003eLearn the unforced rhythms of grace.\u003cbr\u003eI won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.\u003cbr\u003eKeep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.'\u003cbr\u003eMatthew 11:28 - 30 (The Message)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRecommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Tony Horsfall would be satisfied if we could all say, 'I've got rhythm,' because he believes that rhythm is the secret to Christian happiness and fruitfulness. It is a rhythm of advance and retreat, going out and going in, activity and time with God. Tony gives down-to-earth guidance on how we build that rhythm into our lives. Seldom do writers make these great lessons so easily available to the average reader, but Tony does it. This is a wonderful book.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMajor Peter Farthing, Salvation Army, Sydney\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eForeword\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou've placed a hunger in my heart...\u003cbr\u003eYou've caused a thirst that I cannot ignore;\u003cbr\u003eYou've stirred a passion that will drive me\u003cbr\u003einto Your presence\u003cbr\u003eAnd I won't rest until You've heard\u003cbr\u003eMy cry for more.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat verse from one of Stuart Townend's worship songs describes so accurately the hunger that is gnawing at many hearts in these days when the pace of life seems to accelerate year by year. I have heard that heart-hunger being expressed in many parts of the world, from Singapore and Malaysia to England and North America. I heard it being expressed some years ago by the author of this book when he first came to our home to make a retreat towards the end of his sabbatical leave.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring that retreat and since, Tony Horsfall has tasted and seen for himself that 'the Lord is good'. Many readers and would-be contemplatives will be grateful to him for the time he has spent sharing with us some of the fruit of his own exploration into a form of prayer that has set him free to enjoy an ever-deepening intimacy with God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe way the contents of the book have been spread out reminds me of an appetising buffet. Every chapter spreads before us a variety of tempting titbits. Sample them and they simply whet your appetite so that you find yourself going back for more - and more, and more. Take Chapter 8, for example. Here we read, 'If we seek him, we shall find him; if we have a longing for him, it will eventually be satisfied.' Such sentences are to be savoured and reflected on. As we reflect, God's Spirit may well stir up in us a desire for more - more stillness, more sustenance, more of God's love, more of God himself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe author makes this claim: 'When we meet God in the person of Jesus, we experience beauty - sheer loveliness, tenderness, compassion, charm and grace' (p. 68). That has been my experience as I have read and prayed with the contents of this book. That is why it is a joy for me to recommend the following pages to those who can no longer ignore or push away the passion for God's presence that has been planted in their hearts by God's Spirit. In particular, I warmly recommend it to those who find their hearts echoing the kind of sentiments that are voiced in Stuart Townend's song but who come from a church background that has never taught or understood the value of a more still approach to God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs I have read, reread and prayed with each chapter of this book, there have been occasions when I have sensed the anointing of God's Spirit on the insights shared. My prayer as this little gem goes to print again is that through its pages and by the grace of God, readers will find themselves enriched and enlightened and that they will be nourished as they feast from the banquet spread before them. Whenever this happens, the author will be rewarded for the hard work he has poured into this book and God will be glorified. For this I pray.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJoyce Huggett\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrawing on the insights and disciplines of contemplative spirituality, Tony writes without legalism to help us engage and encounter God through Christ in meaningful ways. This book will significantly widen our worship experience as we present our real selves to a real God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Dave Bilbrough, international songwriter and worship leader \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReading this book was like drinking refreshing water. It satisfied a thirsty soul. It pointed me back to Jesus and his releasing rhythms of life. Too quickly we are working for him rather than walking with him. I believe this is one of the most important books written in recent years because it is about depth and intimacy. For over-busy Christians and leaders, this book is a must. It is about much more than pace in the race. It is about going deeper with Jesus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e The Right Reverend Ken Clarke, Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh, Church of Ireland \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten in a readable style, this book has been a helpful introduction for me to contemplative spirituality and its practice. I have been challenged to live by it, and to please God by my being with him rather than my being busy for him. I commend this book to all who desire to be drawn closer to God because he is pleased with who we are more than what we do.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Paul Tan, Overseas Missionary Fellowship, Singapore \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one of those books which has had a profound influence on my life. Tony not only reminds us of our need to slow down and simply 'be' with God, he also illustrates how we can do this, by providing practical guidelines on meditation and contemplative prayer. This book can enrich your walk with God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Debbie Lovell-Hawker, Clinical Psychologist, Interhealth , London \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have read, and read, and read again this wise and gentle book, and each read has only increased my hunger to know and to love God and to walk the ancient pathways and embrace the age-old practices which Tony unwraps for us in its pages. This is a book for those of us who are weary of disappointing short-cuts to intimacy, and who long for a rich and deep and transformative relationship with God. In this book Tony reminds us of God's yearning for the love of our hearts, and shows us ways by which we can respond to that love. I cannot recommend it highly enough.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Mags Duggan, Redcliffe College, Gloucester \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Horsfall, a self-confessed activist, turns out to be perfect company for a busy Christian who wants to escape the destructive and depleting spiral of ever-increasing activity. Tony's book calls us to focus on the true Master of life - Jesus - who not only extends the invitation to this beautiful way of living, but has modelled it himself, and indeed offers to show us how on a daily basis. I hope this book finds its way into the hands of every active Christian, and in turn finds its way into their hearts and lives.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Erik Jespersen, Head of Social Transformation, Emmaus Road Church \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first edition of this book made me realise how hungry I was for God. I was a spiritual anorexic and I didn't even know how starved I was for something other than what I thought it meant to be a Christian. In England, at a retreat centre near Oxford, I absorbed the book walking fields, dangling hot feet in cold streams, sipping wine in pubs, and late at night huddled under warm blankets. Tony shares his experiences of becoming worn out following evangelical voices urging us to win the world for Christ and charismatic voices promising us to be able to do it faster and better. He found rest in the contemplative tradition. For the first time in many years I felt I could breathe and relax in God's company.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Fran Love, spiritual director and cross-cultural communicator, Arizona \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy reading this book in a little church group, we learned to practise God's contemplation rather than to do more and more. Taking time to hear and admire our God is the key to our development. As we studied we experienced the nearness of God and his love.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Genevieve Utermann, Switzerland \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRhythms of Grace met the thirst of my heart and the longing of my spirit for guidance and direction in pursuing Christ's presence as opposed to continually trying to please him through performance. Instead of having to constantly work harder - the only response to salvation I'd previously understood - Tony helped me realise my desperate need to rest, reflect and spend time alone with Jesus. This book is water on a faith gone dry. May it refresh and renew your faith as it has mine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Keith Dodson, Director of Human Resources, Missionary Maintenance Services Aviation, Ohio \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Horsfall would be satisfied if we could all say, 'I've got rhythm,' because he believes that rhythm is the secret to Christian happiness and fruitfulness. It is a rhythm of advance and retreat, going out and going in, activity and time with God. Tony gives down-to-earth guidance on how we build that rhythm into our lives. Seldom do writers make these great lessons so easily available to the average reader, but Tony does it. This is a wonderful book.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Major Peter Farthing, Salvation Army, Sydney \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Horsfall is a freelance trainer and retreat leader, whose work regularly takes him around the world. He has written a number of books for BRF, including Mentoring for Spiritual Growth and Working from a Place of Rest, which has been reprinted twice since publication. He also contributes to New Daylight Bible reading notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eMedia reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview in the Julian Meetings Magazine, August 2019\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFifteen years ago a book by John Main started me on the path of contemplative prayer and an exciting new journey in faith. I had already encountered Brother Lawrence and read \u003cem\u003eThe Cloud of Unknowing\u003c\/em\u003e. Later I read Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, Margaret Silf and many more, who deepened my appreciation of the riches we have in our Christian tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a fascinating book by an author new to me, whose experience echoes my own. I returned to living faith through the ministry of a charismatic church, so I appreciate the early chapters which highlight the strengths of the Evangelical and Charismatic strands Christianity in the UK. He alludes to the need for a growing maturity of faith, where we serve out of a place of rest in God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony outlines a journey that many will recognise and clarifies six great practices for setting out on, maintaining and deepening our relationship with God. He introduces us to spiritual explorers down the centuries, from the 4th century desert fathers and mothers, to those of the present day. He gives the scriptural grounding of their exploration in the practice and experience of Jesus and the early church. The joy too is that, in the final pages, Tony sets out how the reader or small groups of interested people, might explore together those inner disciplines which lead us into new life; a gift indeed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReview by Sue Cutts\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLast year I read an article by Tony Horsfall in 'The Reader' magazine (I am a Reader in the Anglican Church) which was basically promoting his book Rhythms of Grace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo years earlier, I had left a large evangelical, charismatic church in the city centre to work with a church in my local community on the edge of the city. I had already been challenged to consider my identity in Christ: that I am not defined by what I do but by who I am - a child of God. In my local church, my ideas of worship were broadened to include Celtic Daily Prayer. I learnt that silence in prayer meetings was not an awkward pause but a time to be valued. So when I realised that Tony's book was advocating Contemplative Spirituality and that the author came from my sort of background, I decided to buy it. I wanted to investigate further how I could have a deeper intimacy with God; to know Him better - not just theologically but in relationship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book lived up to my expectations. Because my background is similar to Tony Horsfall's, I could identify with the author. He's not criticising the evangelical\/charismatic church, just saying there is more! Worship is not all about words and doing; Jesus said 'Come' as well as 'Go'. In my mission-focussed city church, 'go' had prominently featured; 'come' in the sense of just spending time with Jesus to enjoy his presence had not been given the same import. We were too busy 'doing' and had little time for 'being' or 'resting', which consequently led to discouragement and feelings of guilt for not having done enough.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI had started to realise the importance of 'being' before reading Rhythms of Grace but this book has helped both in my thinking and in practice. It is very readable with concise chapters, yet it is full of helpful and practical advice. I have not only read it but studied it. I am learning more and more the value of times of silence and solitude away from the noise and busyness of life; that effective 'doing' comes from the strength of being with God, assured of his love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview by Sheila McKay\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Christianity Magazine - June 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Horsfall is a charismatic evangelical who, in his quest to know God more deeply and to avoid burnout, felt God call him to journey into a contemplative form of spirituality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRhythms of Grace explains the basic tenets of this spirituality in a reflective and inspiring way. Each chapter involves a theme such as stillness, solitude or contemplation. Horsfall's material is well-researched, rooted in scripture and accessible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also includes a useful six-session small group resource. Each session looks at the biblical foundations for a discipline such as silence or biblical meditation, and then offers ideas for the group to try this out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you long to find deeper intimacy with God, or you have never engaged with the contemplative tradition, this is the book for you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Lucinda van der Hart\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTired and worn out? Burnt out on religion? If so, you may wish to read Tony Horsfall's book, \u003cem\u003eRhythms of Grace\u003c\/em\u003e, which is written out of a deep concern for the many activist Christians like himself who are caught up in a 'spiral of ever-increasing activity'. Not surprisingly, he notes that many qualified and gifted Christians in the evangelical\/charismatic section of the church are dissatisfied and suffering burn-out. Starting with a brief, yet clear and interesting description of evangelical and charismatic spiritualities, Horsfall suggests that a contemplative spirituality will bring the necessary balance to make ministry more enjoyable and sustainable. He writes: 'There seems to be something lacking in our spirituality, for the way many of us currently practise the Christian life leads us more to activity than to intimacy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a result, many of us seem to endure our faith rather than enjoy it, for it brings us increasingly into the busyness of the outer life and less and less into the vitality of the inner life.' Even though Horsfall specifically addresses the many activists in the evangelical\/charismatic tradition, I am sure his observation resonates with ministers and members in all sections of the church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter giving the example of the contemplative life practised and taught by Jesus and his disciples, Horsfall calls for lives centred on Jesus, and lives which embrace stillness, silence, solitude, reflection, Bible meditation and contemplation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the concluding chapters, practical suggestions are offered on how a contemplative spirituality can be integrated into our busy lives and how 'unforced rhythms of grace' can be practised in our daily living, allowing us to discover 'true intimacy with God'. I recommend the book as it is written in clear and practical terms, each chapter offering useful insights and deep wisdom, and as it concludes with helpful questions for reflection and action. Perhaps some of the chapters seem a bit repetitive, but this book would lend itself very well to being read in a church group, or to being used as a resource for a quiet day or retreat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Leonora Jagessar-Visser't Hooft - a United Reformed Church minister at Trinity (St Albans), Harpenden and Bricket Wood URCs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom \u003cem\u003eThe Church Times\u003c\/em\u003e - 18 May 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI confess that I approached Tony Horsfall's book with a cautious heart, but came away from it with a glad one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe writer comes from an Evangelical background, which is not my own, and my prejudices got in the way. His aim is to widen the spirituality of the 'usual' Evangelical (if there is such a person), and introduce him or her to a kind of spirituality which for many good Christians would be entirely new. He does this with great sensitivity - and possibly a little deliberate cunning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first chapters describe issues that will be quite familiar to most Evangelical Christians, and probably form part of their daily devotions. But, slowly and gently, he leads his reader into what is probably, for most British Christians, new ground. He plays no tricks, but opens up radically different ways of prayer and listening to God. None of these is new to Christianity - indeed, many have ancient roots - but most have only relatively recently found their way into the daily devotions of today's Anglican (and probably Free Church) Christian lives. With Horsfall, prayer becomes listening and waiting rather than speaking and asking - as (he tells us) he has himself discovered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Canon John Armson, former Precentor of Rochester Cathedral\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom The Good Bookstall - 14 April 2012\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHorsfall's message here is a prophetic and timely one. Experiencing intimacy with God in a busy life is a perennial if not cosmic wrestle. The world, the flesh and the devil all collaborate with our busyness and vulnerabilities, to minimise the truthfulness that comes from silence and solitude with our Saviour. \u003cem\u003eRhythms of Grace\u003c\/em\u003e has a pulsing beat emanating from a personal exploration of contemplative spirituality. Evangelical and charismatic pathways fuse meaningfully in an experiential pursuit of God. This is full of insights, wisdom, reflection and signposts toward action and transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDense, definitive and delightful for the soul! This is a great title deserving of more than just shelf collection. Read and then re-read this gem of a book! This is a well-crafted and compelling invitation to walk in intimate grace with the risen Jesus Christ. This book in God's goodness could birth healing for many.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewed by Johnny Douglas\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI greatly enjoyed reading Rhythms of Grace. Tony Horsfall's message to those of us who are so busy that we hardly ever have time to sit still and simply be is a timely one. It also helps us to realise just how precious we are to God, and that though we may feel we don't measure up as Christians, God accepts and loves us as we are, and longs to deepen our relationship with him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSusan Hibbins, Editor of the UK edition of The Upper Room\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e"}
You may also like:
Rhythms of Grace: Finding intimacy with God in a busy life
£9.99
Rhythms of Grace emerges from a personal exploration of contemplative spirituality. Coming from an evangelical and charismatic background, Tony Horsfall...
{"id":2439731871844,"title":"Beauty from Ashes: Readings for times of loss","handle":"beauty-from-ashes-readings-for-times-of-loss","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'When my life seemed burnt to ashes, the last thing I could cope with was reading lengthy Bible passages, yet the Bible contains many verses which encourage and comfort people who are grappling with grief and loss. I began collecting these verses and sticking them all over my kitchen walls! My favourite verse reminded me that God could transform the ashes of my life into something new and beautiful. This book grew out my collection of 'kitchen verses' combined with some of the practical tips and helpful ideas, given to me at the time by others who know how it feels from personal experience'.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a new edition of a BRF classic that has, over the years, helped and comforted many people walking the hard road of grieving. Forty readings offer gentle guidance and consolation, from the earliest stage of groping for God's presence to realising the beginnings of new life and hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book has four sections: The early stages, Walking through question marks, Dealing with the Lurkers and The return of spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough many struggles of her own, Jen has developed an amazing capacity to get to the heart of the matter. I am sure this book will be invaluable to many hurting people.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Fiona Castle \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten out of pain, it will surely help others suffering the pain of any kind of loss. It could be a very practical gift to give to a hurting friend because it says more than we would ever dare, and points to the source of all comfort and love.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Northsound Radio \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJennifer Rees Larcombe runs a charity called Beauty from Ashes, which aims to help people facing loss and trauma. She has experienced several major losses herself, including the 'death' of a 30-year-old marriage. Jennifer has written many books and magazine articles, and is a regular contributor to Day by Day with God, Bible reading notes published by BRF.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2019-01-18T15:19:29+00:00","created_at":"2019-01-18T15:19:30+00:00","vendor":"Jennifer Rees Larcombe","type":"Paperback","tags":["Devotional","Jan-10","Pastoral care","Torch Trust"],"price":699,"price_min":699,"price_max":699,"available":false,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":21768844410980,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"9781841017440","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":7436425855076,"product_id":2439731871844,"position":1,"created_at":"2019-01-18T15:19:30+00:00","updated_at":"2019-02-01T17:46:25+00:00","alt":null,"width":445,"height":676,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781841017440-l.jpg?v=1549043185","variant_ids":[21768844410980]},"available":false,"name":"Beauty from Ashes: Readings for times of loss - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":699,"weight":168,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"9781841017440","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":3238873956491,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.658,"height":676,"width":445,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781841017440-l.jpg?v=1549043185"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781841017440-l.jpg?v=1549043185"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781841017440-l.jpg?v=1549043185","options":["Format"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":3238873956491,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.658,"height":676,"width":445,"src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781841017440-l.jpg?v=1549043185"},"aspect_ratio":0.658,"height":676,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.brfonline.org.uk\/cdn\/shop\/products\/9781841017440-l.jpg?v=1549043185","width":445}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'When my life seemed burnt to ashes, the last thing I could cope with was reading lengthy Bible passages, yet the Bible contains many verses which encourage and comfort people who are grappling with grief and loss. I began collecting these verses and sticking them all over my kitchen walls! My favourite verse reminded me that God could transform the ashes of my life into something new and beautiful. This book grew out my collection of 'kitchen verses' combined with some of the practical tips and helpful ideas, given to me at the time by others who know how it feels from personal experience'.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a new edition of a BRF classic that has, over the years, helped and comforted many people walking the hard road of grieving. Forty readings offer gentle guidance and consolation, from the earliest stage of groping for God's presence to realising the beginnings of new life and hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book has four sections: The early stages, Walking through question marks, Dealing with the Lurkers and The return of spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough many struggles of her own, Jen has developed an amazing capacity to get to the heart of the matter. I am sure this book will be invaluable to many hurting people.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Fiona Castle \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten out of pain, it will surely help others suffering the pain of any kind of loss. It could be a very practical gift to give to a hurting friend because it says more than we would ever dare, and points to the source of all comfort and love.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Northsound Radio \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJennifer Rees Larcombe runs a charity called Beauty from Ashes, which aims to help people facing loss and trauma. She has experienced several major losses herself, including the 'death' of a 30-year-old marriage. Jennifer has written many books and magazine articles, and is a regular contributor to Day by Day with God, Bible reading notes published by BRF.\u003c\/p\u003e"}
You may also like:
Beauty from Ashes: Readings for times of loss
Out of Stock
'When my life seemed burnt to ashes, the last thing I could cope with was reading lengthy Bible passages, yet...
Out of Stock