The wise and funny memoir of a pastor's wife, mother of five, and nurse for over twenty years. Includes stories of a migratory childhood (around the Midwest), college days, years of poverty as her husband studied for a divinity degree at Harvard, and more troubled times as her husband Jim, now a minister and a chaplain, served two tours of duty in Vietnam before finding a more settled ministry and home in Nebraska.
More than his ad “More Parks Sausages Mom!” “Please!” Henry G. Parks, Jr. was a man before his time. Pioneering in the American free enterprise system he embarked on a journey leading to a multi-million dollar industry. After many endeavors in business, The H.G. Parks, Inc. trading as Parks Sausage became a reality in 1951. With strong aggressive leadership, brilliant marketing and advertising, Mr. Parks build a business that never posted a losing year under his ownership. Park’s Sausage was the first African American owned business to issue stock publicly. Mr. Park’ssuccess caught the attention of some of the leading corporate boards in this country along with national organizations, city, state, and federal leaders. They sought to bring him aboard to share his knowledge, leadership skills, and ability with other leading American business, government and non-profit leaders. This is the story of a businessman who was African American and was optimistic and determined while achieving ultimate success.
To Bless Our Callings: Prayers, Poems, and Hymns to Celebrate Vocation is an ecumenical collection that supports the callings of everyone within the Christian community. This valuable resource of over two hundred prayers, blessings, poems, and sacred songs from diverse Christian traditions speaks to the heart of vocation's richness. -Part I (Ages and Stages) gathers prayers for children, teens, young adults, and adults in mid-life, later, and older adulthood. -Part II (Work and Profession) offers blessings for traditional professions and overlooked occupations--from nurses to truck drivers, janitors to lawyers, salespeople to stay-at-home parents. -Part III (A Year of Blessing) highlights times to preach and pray about vocation throughout the church year and cultural calendar. Drawing from research with hundreds of Christians in congregations across the country about their sense of God's call in their lives, the book fills the gap between Christianity's rich theologies of vocation and people's pastoral needs in living out their callings. To Bless Our Callings is a perfect resource for catechists, musicians, worship leaders, spiritual directors, retreat leaders, campus ministers, and chaplains.
Clinical psychologist and clergywoman Lucille F. Sider adds her voice to the chorus of women in the #WhyIDidntReport and #MeToo movements. This is Lucille’s story of resilience and hope as a survivor of sexual abuse. She explains the challenges of finding her way out of a fear-based spirituality into one that is full of grace, hope and forgiveness. The unique richness of her book is that she wrote it to spark healing discussion. As she describes her experiences in these pages, she also steps back and offers helpful analysis as both a psychologist and a clergywoman. At the end of the book, she includes a complete study guide with questions for reflection for individuals, small groups and classes. “The book is arranged to be a valuable tool in the hands of persons in the helping professions, such as clergy, social workers, psychologists,” writes the Rev. Jo Anne Lyon, General Superintendent Emerita and Ambassador of The Wesleyan Church. “This writing is so powerful, yet gentle, that people will be able to add their own words to combat the pain. Lucille’s credentials enhance the power of the story. Truly a book for these days!” Lucille was just 6 years old when she was abused both physically and sexually by a hired man on the family’s farm. Lucille’s inner conflict about these experiences, propelled her into a childhood of guilt and shame. While Lucille was an outstanding student, singer and athlete, she lived with an underlying fear, loneliness and mild depression. A second sexual abuse by her brother-in-law, when she was just 15 years old, added to Lucille’s fears. When she tried to tell her parents about this, their response was only to pray for her—so, she kept these painful events secret for years. Many years later, her brother in law was arrested for molesting a 15-year-old girl. Lucille and others, including his own daughter, testified against him and he was incarcerated. Raised in a conservative household and faith, Lucille went to college and seminary to search for a theology that was full of grace and forgiveness. She found this especially at Yale Divinity School, though she always lived with a mild depression. Her struggle to understand both her faith and psyche led her to earn a PhD from Northwestern University in psychology and religion. She became a clinical psychologist and pastoral counselor and later the Executive Director of The Samaritan Pastoral Counseling Center in Evanston, Illinois. At age 50, when her husband suddenly divorced her, Lucille was cast into darkness and despair which resulted in major depression. Lucille became dysfunctional and had to step down as Executive Director of her counseling center. Years of therapy led her to new ways of offering and sharing her gifts, which included writing stories and ministering to seniors, especially those suffering from dementia. In Light Shines in the Darkness, Lucille F. Sider shares her unique story of sexual abuse and severe mental illness, including depression and PTSD. She describes her legal battle in fighting for justice and her ongoing persistence in finding ways to remain stable. She calls these her mental health and spiritual practices and they include: counseling, medication, meditation, healthy diet, exercise, daily prayer and church attendance. In sharing her story, Lucille now is helping others along their journeys from sexual abuse to stability—to find their own hope and their own light that shines through the darkness. “Timely, compelling and courageous, this autobiography lays bare the trauma of both child and adolescent abuse,” writes Carol Schreck, Professor Emerita of Pastoral Care and Counseling at Palmer Theological Seminary. “This book deserves to be read by any adult who, living in a culture where 80 percent of females have experienced some form of sexual abuse by the age of 18, are no longer content to keep their proverbial head in the sand.”
John Henry Jowett guides you through a year-long spiritual journey with My Daily Meditation, offering reflections to inspire and uplift. My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year by John Henry Jowett: Enrich your daily life with the timeless reflections found in My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year by John Henry Jowett. This collection offers daily insights and meditations to inspire contemplation and spiritual growth throughout the year. Jowett's words provide a source of wisdom and solace for readers on their journey of self-discovery. Why This Book? My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year serves as a companion for those seeking moments of reflection and spiritual nourishment. Jowett's profound meditations offer daily guidance, making this collection an invaluable resource for individuals on a quest for inner peace and enlightenment. John Henry Jowett invites readers to embark on a year-long journey of self-discovery and spiritual reflection with My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year.
This is the third volume published in a three-volume set of lectionary resources, providing preachers and worship leaders of all denominations a host of written material for worship and reflection. Designed to complement the three volumes in WJK's acclaimedTexts for Preaching, this book weaves together a rich tapestry of quotations, meditations, poems, and prayers. With material from both classic and contemporary spiritual writings,Resources for Preaching and Worshipcomplements the lectionary readings for Sundays and important festival days in the church's year. Biblical and thematic indexes are included.
Our Hearts Are Restless Till They Find Their Rest in Thee: Prophetic Wisdom in a Time of Anguish from Coleman B. Brown, edited by Michael Granzen and Lisa A. Masotta. The book includes powerful reflections from Chris Hedges, Peter Ochs, and Joshua Brown.
