Liturgy with a difference

by Stephen Burns & Bryan Cones (eds.) The subtitle of this collection of essays is ‘Beyond Inclusion in the Christian Assembly’, a phrase which immediately sets a challenge and moves the reader into potentially tricky territory. As the editors note,

Jesus Said, ‘I Am’

by Andrea Skevington Subtitled ‘Finding Life in the Everyday’, nearly all the chapters in this book are built on specific ‘I Am’ sayings of Jesus. Its great strength is the combination in each chapter of contextual and theological analysis, reflections

Preaching at Funerals

by Nick Watson Grove Books have published an update of a guide to preaching at funerals, first published in 2001. Nick Watson notes the rise, in recent years, of funerals being led by people other than Christian ministers, some people

Espying Heaven

by Adrian Barlowy Sub-titled ‘the stained glass of Charles Eamer Kempe and his artists’ this beautifully illustrated volume in itself provides a vibrant window into the work of this eminent artisan and team of creative colleagues. The development of the

Book Review

Everyday Faith

by Nick Shepherd, Mark Greene & Rachel Treweeke

Subtitled ‘Reflections and prayers to help you find and follow God in everyday life’, this attractive little booklet ‘does what it says on the tin’. It is a programme of prayer covering 21 days, under three themes: faith, hope and love (from 1 Cor. 13.13). Each week features everyday life encounters, showing how Christians may pray – often silently and anonymously – for those they encounter. A teenage hairdresser who prays as she massages in the conditioner; a policeman who has the gift of reconciliation; a plumber who prays for his client with cancer…all these are carefully crafted examples of how prayer can make a difference, outside the church environment, as faith is transformed into love for other people. I was especially struck by the story of the teacher who prayed as he passed the desks of his pupils and received a startling insight from God: ‘No one has ever mentioned this boy’s name to me before.’ Is that an inditement of the lack of religion in our society? Or the infrequency of Christian prayer for those we encounter daily? Probably both. Biblically grounded, simply written and pastorally wise, this useful booklet is recommended for Christians, young and old, who want to pray more effectively and deepen their discipleship.

ELIZABETH HOGG

CHP £2.99 pbk 2019

9781781401392