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Related Reading for Sunday, October 13

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Dr. Roxy Manning and Rev. Shawn Gauthier on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024 at 11 a.m.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:


1. The Gift Of Thanks, by Margaret Visser, 2008, 179.9 VIS [From LibraryThing: “… considers cultural history, including the modern battle of social scientists to pin down the notion of thankfulness and account for it, and the newly awakened scientific interest in the biological and evolutionary roots of emotions. This fascinating inquiry into all aspects of gratitude ranges from the unusual determination with which parents teach their children to thank, to the difference between speaking the words and feeling them, to the ways different cultures handle the complex matters of giving, receiving, and returning favors and presents. It also illuminates the modern battle of social scientists to pin down the notion of thankfulness and discover its biological and evolutionary roots”].

2. Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort of Joy, by Sarah Ban Breathnach, 1995, 158.12 BAN [From LibraryThing: “… First published in 1995, Simple Abundance topped the New York Times Bestseller list for over two years and is responsible for introducing two hugely popular concepts – the “Gratitude Journal” and the term “Authentic Self.” With daily inspirational meditations and reflections, the Simple Abundance phenomenon became a touchstone for a generation of women, helping them to reclaim their true selves, find balance during life’s busiest moments, and rediscover what makes them truly happy.

Simple Abundance’s powerful messages are needed now more than ever, as we navigate the discord and stress instigated by a constant stream of “breaking news” cycles, and our 24/7 social media culture. Sarah Ban Breathnach has refreshed her bestselling phenomenon to address the needs of a new generation, with her signature candor, wit, and wisdom that made her a trusted and compassionate confidant for millions of women.

A perennial classic whose time has come again, Sarah’s work celebrates quiet joys, simple pleasures, and well-spent moments and reminds us how to find the beauty in the everyday”].

3. Farm Folk City Folk: Stories, Tips and Recipes Celebrating Local Food for Food Lovers of All Stripes, by Herb Barbolrt, 1999, 641.3 BAR [Michael Marrapese is the photographer. Gift of the authors. Signed by one of the co-authors. From LibraryThing: “Farm Folk City Folk celebrates the importance of food in our lives and in our communities. In it’s pages you will be tantalized and inspired as you hear the stories behind successful companies and producers. Throughout, top chefs contribute recipes using local ingredients. Farm Folk City Folk is also jammed with practical tips on everything from growing edible flowers to organising a farmer’s market”].

4. The Art of Loving, by Erich Fromm and Ruth Nanda Ashen, 1989, 157 FRO [Gift of the Unitarian Family Life Centre. From LibraryThing: “The international bestseller that launched a movement with its powerful insight: “Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence.” The Art of Loving is a rich and detailed guide to love-an achievement reached through maturity, practice, concentration, and courage. In the decades since the book’s release, its words and lessons continue to resonate. Erich Fromm, a celebrated psychoanalyst and social psychologist, clearly and sincerely encourages the development of our capacity for and understanding of love in all of its facets. He discusses the familiar yet misunderstood romantic love, the all-encompassing brotherly love, spiritual love, and many more. A challenge to traditional Western notions of love, The Art of Loving is a modern classic about taking care of ourselves through relationships with others. …”].

5. Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul: 101 Stories, by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Heather McNamara, 1999, 158.2 CAN [Gift of Hal Logan. From LibraryThing: “Presents over one hundred inspirational stories that offer encouragement to individuals who are facing challenging times].

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Related Reading for Sunday, October 6

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Dr. Roxy Manning and Rev. Shawn Gauthier on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 at 11 a.m.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:


1. The Antiracist Heart: A Self-Compassion and Activism Handbook, by Roxy Manning and Sarah Peyton, 2023, 305 MAN [From LibraryThing: “The Antiracist Heart delivers a unique path to antiracist activism and introspection by applying neuroscience exercises, questionnaires, and journaling prompts based on the book How to Have Antiracist Conversations. Implicit biases begin forming before we have language and are deeply rooted in the subconscious. By combining neuroscience, introspection, and self-compassion, one can disrupt unconscious patterns. Each chapter of The Antiracist Heart introduces the reader to a concept connected with antiracism such as: Privilege and White Fragility; Disgust and Coded Language; Microaggressions. Manning, a clinical psychologist and antiracist activist and Peyton, a neuroscience expert and educator, explain the neuroscience behind each concept and provide specific exercises and skill sets designed to rewire the brain, in order to unravel implicit bias. Building on the work of How to Have Antiracist Conversations, this workbook provides a road map to guide readers on their journey toward neutralizing subconscious bias, fighting racism from within, and becoming a changemaker in the world”].

2. How to Have Antiracist Conversations: Embracing Our Full Humanity to Challenge White Supremacy, by Roxy Manning, 2023, 305.8 [From LibraryThing: “Utilizing Dr. Martin Luther King’s Beloved Community framework, activists will be empowered to create change and equity through fierce yet compassionate dialogue against racism and systematic white supremacy. Although committed to antiracism, many people struggle with confronting racist behavior. Difficult conversations are avoided or end in negativity, aggression, and even violence. How to Have Antiracist Conversations gives the tools to approach hard conversations with compassion and authenticity by embracing the 6 principles of Kingian Nonviolence: 1. Nonviolence is the way of life for courageous people; 2. The Beloved Community framework is the future; 3. Attack forces of evil, not persons doing evil; 4. Accept suffering without retaliation for the sake of the cause; 5. Avoid internal violence of spirit as well as external physical violence; 6. The universe is on the side of justice. Combined with an understanding of racist theory, readers can approach sensitive topics and address discriminatory behavior while minimizing harm. Drawing on her experience as a clinical psychologist and an Afro-Caribbean immigrant, Manning provides a model of dialogue, demonstrated with practical applications, which can be applied to a variety of situations where difference in power and privilege exist”].

3. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard to Talk to White People About Racism, by Robin J. DiAngelo, 2018, 305.8 DIA [From Beacon Press. Signed by the author. From LibraryThing: “… In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively”].

4. How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi, 2023, 305 KEN [From LibraryThing: “”The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it — and then dismantle it.” Ibram X. Kendi’s concept of antiracism reenergizes and reshapes the conversation about racial justice in America — but even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. In How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi asks us to think about what an antiracist society might look like, and how we can play an active role in building it. In this book, Kendi weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science, bringing it all together with an engaging personal narrative of his own awakening to antiracism. How to Be an Antiracist is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond an awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a truly just and equitable society”].

5. Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, by Martin Luther King Jr., 2010, 323.119 KIN [From LibraryThing: “… In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., isolated himself from the demands of the civil rights movement, rented a house in Jamaica with no telephone, and labored over his final manuscript. In this significantly prophetic work, which has been unavailable for more than ten years, we find King’s acute analysis of American race relations and the state of the movement after a decade of civil rights efforts. Here he lays out his thoughts, plans, and dreams for America’s future, including the need for better jobs, higher wages, decent housing, and quality education. With a universal message of hope that continues to resonate, King demanded an end to global suffering, powerfully asserting that humankind – for the first time – has the resources and technology to eradicate poverty”].

6. Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, by Marshall B. Rosenberg, 2003, 153.6 ROS [From LibraryThing: “What if you could defuse tension and create accord in even the most volatile situations-just by changing the way you spoke? Over the past 35 years, Marshall Rosenberg has done just that, peacefully resolving conflicts in families, schools, businesses, and governments in 30 countries all over the world. On Nonviolent Communication, this renowned peacemaker presents his complete system for speaking our deepest truths, addressing our unrecognized needs and emotions, and honoring those same concerns in others. With this adaptation of the bestselling book of the same title, Marshall Rosenberg teaches in his own words: Course objectives: – Identify the four steps of the Nonviolent Communication process. – Employ the four-step Nonviolent Communication process in every dialogue you engage in. – Utilize empathy to safely confront anger, fear, and other powerful emotions. – Discover how to overcome the blocks to compassion and open to our natural desire to enrich the lives of those around us. – Observations, feelings, needs, and requests-how to apply the four-step process of Nonviolent Communication to every dialogue we engage in. – Overcoming the blocks to compassion-and opening to our natural desire to enrich the lives of those around us. – How to use empathy to safely confront anger, fear, and other powerful emotions. – Here is a definitive audio training workshop on Marshall Rosenberg’s proven methods for “resolving the unresolvable” through Nonviolent Communication”].

7. Nonviolent Communication Companion Workbook: A Practical Guide for Individual, Group, or Classroom Study, by Lucy Leu, 2003, 153.6 LEU [From LibraryThing: “… Learning the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) process has often been equated with learning a whole new way of thinking and speaking. The NVC Companion Workbook helps you easily put these powerful, effective skills into practice with chapter-by-chapter study of Marshall Rosenberg’s cornerstone text, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life . Find a wealth of activities, exercises, and facilitator suggestions to refine and practice this powerful way of communicating. Join the hundreds of thousands worldwide who have improved their relationships and their lives with this simple yet revolutionary process. Included in the new edition is a complete chapter on conflict resolution and mediation”].

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Related Reading for Sunday, September 29

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:


1. Standoff: Why Reconciliation Fails Indigenous People and How to Fix It, by Bruce McIvor, 2022, 342 McI [Written by a VanU member. From LibraryThing: “Faced with a constant stream of news reports of standoffs and confrontations, Canada’s “reconciliation project” has obviously gone off the rails. In this series of concise and thoughtful essays, lawyer and historian Bruce McIvor explains why reconciliation with Indigenous peoples is failing and what needs to be done to fix it. Widely known as a passionate advocate for Indigenous rights, McIvor reports from the front lines of legal and political disputes that have gripped the nation. From Wet’suwet’en opposition to a pipeline in northern British Columbia, to Mi’kmaw exercising their fishing rights in Nova Scotia, McIvor has been actively involved in advising First Nation clients, fielding industry and non-Indigenous opposition to true reconciliation, and explaining to government officials why their policies are failing. McIvor’s essays are honest and heartfelt. In clear, plain language he explains the historical and social forces that underpin the development of Indigenous law, criticizes the current legal shortcomings and charts a practical, principled way forward. By weaving in personal stories of growing up Métis on the fringes of the Peguis First Nation in Manitoba and representing First Nations in court and negotiations, McIvor brings to life the human side of the law and politics surrounding Indigenous peoples’ ongoing struggle for fairness and justice. His writing covers many of the most important issues that have become part of a national dialogue, including systemic racism, treaty rights, violence against Indigenous people, Métis identity, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) and the duty to consult. McIvor’s message is consistent and powerful: if Canadians are brave enough to confront the reality of the country’s colonialist past and present and insist that politicians replace empty promises with concrete, meaningful change, there is a realistic path forward based on respect, recognition and the implementation of Indigenous rights”].

2. 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality, by Bob Joseph, 2018, 342.7 JOS [From LibraryThing: “Since its creation in 1876, the Indian Act has dictated and constrained the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Peoples, and is at the root of many enduring stereotypes. Bob Joseph’s book comes at a key time in the reconciliation process, when awareness from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities is at a crescendo. Joseph examines how Indigenous Peoples can return to self-government, self-determination, and self-reliance – and why doing so would result in a better country for every Canadian. He dissects the complex issues around the Indian Act, and demonstrates why learning about its cruel and irrevocable legacy is vital for the country to move toward true reconciliation”].

3.  Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality, by Bob Joseph, 2019, 303 JOS [From LibraryThing: “We are all treaty people. This eagerly awaited sequel to the bestselling 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act offers practical tools that will help you respectfully avoid missteps in your business interactions and personal relationships with Indigenous Peoples. This book will teach you about: Aboriginal Rights and Title, and the treaty process the difference between hereditary and elected leadership, and why it matters the lasting impact of the Indian Act, including the barriers that Indigenous communities face which terms are preferable, and which should be avoided Indigenous Worldviews and cultural traditions the effect of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in Canada the truth behind common myths and stereotypes perpetuated about Indigenous Peoples since Confederation. In addition to being a hereditary chief, Bob Joseph is the President of Indigenous Corporate Training Inc., which offers programs in cultural competency. Here he offers an eight-part process that businesses and all levels of government can use to work more effectively with Indigenous Peoples, which benefits workplace culture as well as the bottom line. Embracing reconciliation on a daily basis in your work and personal life is the best way to undo the legacy of the Indian Act. By understanding and respecting cultural differences, you’re taking a step toward full reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples”].

4. The Reconciliation Manifesto: Recovering the Land, Rebuilding the Economy, by Arthur Manuel, Ronald Derrickson and Grand Chief Ronald Derrickson, 2017, 305 MAN [Naomi Klein has written a preface. From LibraryThing: “In this book Arthur Manuel and Grand Chief Ronald Derrickson challenge virtually everything that non-Indigenous Canadians believe about their relationship with Indigenous Peoples and the steps that are needed to place this relationship on a healthy and honourable footing. Manuel and Derrickson show how governments are attempting to reconcile with Indigenous Peoples without touching the basic colonial structures that dominate and distort the relationship. They review the current state of land claims. They tackle the persistence of racism among non-Indigenous people and institutions. They celebrate Indigenous Rights Movements while decrying the role of government-funded organizations like the Assembly of First Nations. They document the federal government’s disregard for the substance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples while claiming to implement it. These circumstances amount to what they see as a false reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. Instead, Manuel and Derrickson offer an illuminating vision of what Canada and Canadians need for true reconciliation. In this book, which Arthur Manuel and Ron Derrickson completed in the months before Manuel’s death in January 2017, readers will recognize their profound understanding of the country, of its past, present, and potential future. Expressed with quiet but firm resolve, humour, and piercing intellect, The Reconciliation Manifesto will appeal to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people who are open and willing to look at the real problems and find real solutions”].

5. From Where I Stand: Rebuilding Indigenous Nations for a Stronger Canada, by Jody Wilson-Raybould, 2019, 970 WIL [From LibraryThing: “From Where I Stand is a timely, forthright, and optimistic book for all Canadians. Drawn from speeches made over a ten-year period both at home and abroad, Jody Wilson-Raybould reveals why true reconciliation will occur only when Canada moves beyond denial, recognizes Indigenous Rights, and replaces the Indian Act. We have the solutions. Now is the time to end the legacy of colonialism and replace it with a future built on foundations of trust, cooperation, and Indigenous self-government”].

6. Making Native Space: Colonialism, Resistance, and Reserves in British Columbia, by R. Cole Harris, 2002, 971.1 HAR [Written by a UCV member. Nominated for the. From LibraryThing: “This elegantly written and insightful book provides a geographical history of the Indian reserve in British Columbia. Cole Harris analyzes the impact of reserves on Native lives and livelihoods and considers how, in light of this, the Native land question might begin to be resolved. The account begins in the early nineteenth-century British Empire and then follows Native land policy – and Native resistance to it – in British Columbia from the Douglas treaties in the early 1850s to the formal transfer of reserves to the Dominion in 1938”].

7. Rez Rules: My Indictment of Canada’s and America’s Systemic Racism Against Indigenous Peoples, by Chief Clarence Louie, 2023, 305 LOU [From LibraryThing: “A common-sense blueprint for what the future of First Nations should look like as told through the fascinating life and legacy of a remarkable leader. In 1984, at the age of twenty-four, Clarence Louie was elected Chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band in the Okanagan Valley. Nineteen elections later, Chief Louie has led his community for nearly four decades. The story of how the Osoyoos Indian Band–“The Miracle in the Desert”–transformed from a Rez that once struggled with poverty into an economically independent people is well-known. Guided by his years growing up on the Rez, Chief Louie believes that economic and business independence are key to self-sufficiency, reconciliation, and justice for First Nations people. In Rez Rules, Chief Louie writes about his youth in Osoyoos, from early mornings working in the vineyards, to playing and coaching sports, and attending a largely white school in Oliver, B.C. He remembers enrolling in the “Native American Studies” program at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College in 1979 and falling in love with First Nations history. Learning about the historic significance of treaties was life-changing. He recalls his first involvement in activism: participating in a treaty bundle run across the country before embarking on a path of leadership. He and his band have worked hard to achieve economic growth and record levels of employment. Inspired by his ancestors’ working culture, and by the young people on the reserve, Chief Louie continues to work for First Nations’ self-sufficiency and independence. Direct and passionate, Chief Louie brings together wide-ranging subjects: life on the Rez, including Rez language and humour; per capita payments; the role of elected chiefs; the devastating impact of residential schools; the need to look to culture and ceremony for governance and guidance; the use of Indigenous names and logos by professional sports teams; his love for motorcycle honour rides; and what makes a good leader. He takes aim at systemic racism and examines the relationship between First Nations and colonial Canada and the United States, and sounds a call to action for First Nations to “Indian Up!” and “never forget our past.” Offering leadership lessons on and off the Rez, this memoir describes the fascinating life and legacy of a remarkable leader and provides a common-sense blueprint for the future of First Nations communities. In it, Chief Louie writes, “Damn, I’m lucky to be an Indian!””].

8. Indigenous Continent: The Epic Contest for North America, by Pekka Hämäläinen, 2023, 970 HAM [From LibraryThing: “… There is an old, deeply rooted story about America that goes like this: Columbus “discovers” a strange continent and brings back tales of untold riches. The European empires rush over, eager to stake out as much of this astonishing “New World” as possible. Though Indigenous peoples fight back, they cannot stop the onslaught. White imperialists are destined to rule the continent, and history is an irreversible march toward Indigenous destruction. 

Yet as with other long-accepted origin stories, this one, too, turns out to be based in myth and distortion. In Indigenous Continent, acclaimed historian Pekka Hämäläinen presents a sweeping counternarrative that shatters the most basic assumptions about American history. Shifting our perspective away from Jamestown, Plymouth Rock, the Revolution, and other well-trodden episodes on the conventional timeline, he depicts a sovereign world of Native nations whose members, far from helpless victims of colonial violence, dominated the continent for centuries after the first European arrivals. From the Iroquois in the Northeast to the Comanches on the Plains, and from the Pueblos in the Southwest to the Cherokees in the Southeast, Native nations frequently decimated white newcomers in battle. Even as the white population exploded and colonists’ land greed grew more extravagant, Indigenous peoples flourished due to sophisticated diplomacy and leadership structures. 

By 1776, various colonial powers claimed nearly all of the continent, but Indigenous peoples still controlled it – as Hämäläinen points out, the maps in modern textbooks that paint much of North America in neat, color-coded blocks confuse outlandish imperial boasts for actual holdings. In fact, Native power peaked in the late nineteenth century, with the Lakota victory in 1876 at Little Big Horn, which was not an American blunder, but an all-too-expected outcome. 

Hämäläinen ultimately contends that the very notion of “colonial America” is misleading, and that we should speak instead of an “Indigenous America” that was only slowly and unevenly becoming colonial. The evidence of Indigenous defiance is apparent today in the hundreds of Native nations that still dot the United States and Canada. Necessary reading for anyone who cares about America’s past, present, and future, Indigenous Continent restores Native peoples to their rightful place at the very fulcrum of American history”].

9. Assembling Unity: Indigenous Politics, Gender, and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, by Sarah A. Nickel, 2019, 323 NIC [From LibraryThing: “Established narratives portray Indigenous unity as emerging solely in response to the political agenda of the settler state. But unity has long shaped the modern Indigenous political movement. With Indigenous perspectives in the foreground, Assembling Unity explores the relationship between global political ideologies and pan-Indigenous politics in British Columbia through a detailed history of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. Sarah Nickel demonstrates that the articulation of unity was heavily negotiated between UBCIC members, grassroots constituents, and Indigenous women’s organizations. This incisive work unsettles dominant political narratives that cast Indigenous men as reactive and Indigenous women as apolitical”].

10. The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America, by Thomas King, 2012, 970 KIN [From LibraryThing: “The Inconvenient Indian is at once a ‘history’ and the complete subversion of a history-in short, a critical and personal meditation that the remarkable Thomas King has conducted over the past 50 years about what it means to be ‘Indian’ in North America. Rich with dark and light, pain and magic, this book distills the insights gleaned from that meditation, weaving the curiously circular tale of the relationship between non-Natives and Natives in the centuries since the two first encountered each other. In the process, King refashions old stories about historical events and figures, takes a sideways look at film and pop culture, relates his own complex experiences with activism, and articulates a deep and revolutionary understanding of the cumulative effects of ever-shifting laws and treaties on Native peoples and lands. This is a book both timeless and timely, burnished with anger but tempered by wit, and ultimately a hard-won offering of hope — a sometimes inconvenient, but nonetheless indispensable account for all of us, Indian and non-Indian alike, seeking to understand how we might tell a new story for the future”].

11. Vancouver Dialogues First Nations, Urban Aboriginal and Immigrant Communities, by Zool Suleman, 2011, 305.8 SUL [As shown in a PDF of the book, there’s an introduction by the Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson, the 26th Governor General of Canada of “New Canadians want to know about our Aboriginal peoples because they sense they have a wisdom, knowledge and history which will help immigrants understand Canada as a land with an ancient human history as well as an incredible natural richness. You cannot come to this country and spend time without realizing the important relationship we, the newcomers, can have with the original inhabitants. This can only be enlightening and enriching. The Dialogues Project helps to create these connections in a meaningful, personal way. We need Dialogues across the country!”].

12. Prospering Together: The Economic Impact of the Aboriginal Title Settlements in B.C., edited by Roslyn Kunin, 1998, 333.2 KUN [Signed by the editor. From LibraryThing: “This updated, fully indexed edition contains a new chapter that captures the developments in the B.C. treaty process since the original publication in 1998, including an analysis of the ground-breaking Nisga’a Final Agreement and new approaches to the treaty process. The book also examines the effect settlements and their costs will likely have on investment and the provincial economy”].

13. We Are Born with the Songs Inside Us: Lives and Stories of First Nations People in British Columbia, by Katherine Palmer Gordon, 2013, 971.1 GOR [Autographed by the author. From LibraryThing: “… journalist Katherine Palmer Gordon has interviewed dozens of young First Nations people living in British Columbia–artists and community leaders, comedians and consultants, musicians and lawyers, people who are household names and those known only within their own communities. We Are Born with the Songs Inside Us collects sixteen candid stories gleaned from those interviews, stories of people who share an unshakeable belief in the importance of their cultural heritage to their well-being, to their success at what they do, and to their everyday lives. Included are Kim Baird, former chief of the Tsawwassen First Nation; Lisa Webster-Gibson, spoken word artist and rock-and-roll drummer with Delaware-Mohawk and Scottish-Canadian heritage who lives and works on Gabriola Island as an Environmental Assessment Professional; and John Marston (Qap’u’luq), an artist and storyteller from the Chemainus First Nation who learned to carve from his father. “What I put into each piece,” he says, in his interview with Gordon, “is 100 percent me.” Shattering stereotypes, We Are Born with the Songs Inside Us gathers the thoughts and hopes of young native people living in twenty-first century Canada. Each has a compelling, meaningful story that deserves to be told, understood and, above all, celebrated”].

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Related Reading for Sunday, September 22

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:


1. How to Have Antiracist Conversations: Embracing Our Full Humanity to Challenge White Supremacy, by Roxy Manning, 2023, 305.8 [Recommended or referenced by Kiersten Moore. From LibraryThing: “Utilizing Dr. Martin Luther King’s Beloved Community framework, activists will be empowered to create change and equity through fierce yet compassionate dialogue against racism and systematic white supremacy. Although committed to antiracism, many people struggle with confronting racist behavior. Difficult conversations are avoided or end in negativity, aggression, and even violence. How to Have Antiracist Conversations gives the tools to approach hard conversations with compassion and authenticity by embracing the 6 principles of Kingian Nonviolence: 1. Nonviolence is the way of life for courageous people; 2. The Beloved Community framework is the future; 3. Attack forces of evil, not persons doing evil; 4. Accept suffering without retaliation for the sake of the cause; 5. Avoid internal violence of spirit as well as external physical violence; 6. The universe is on the side of justice. Combined with an understanding of racist theory, readers can approach sensitive topics and address discriminatory behavior while minimizing harm. Drawing on her experience as a clinical psychologist and an Afro-Caribbean immigrant, Manning provides a model of dialogue, demonstrated with practical applications, which can be applied to a variety of situations where difference in power and privilege exist”].

2. The Antiracist Heart: A Self-Compassion and Activism Handbook, by Roxy Manning and Sarah Peyton, 2023, 305 MAN [From LibraryThing: “The Antiracist Heart delivers a unique path to antiracist activism and introspection by applying neuroscience exercises, questionnaires, and journaling prompts based on the book How to Have Antiracist Conversations. Implicit biases begin forming before we have language and are deeply rooted in the subconscious. By combining neuroscience, introspection, and self-compassion, one can disrupt unconscious patterns. Each chapter of The Antiracist Heart introduces the reader to a concept connected with antiracism such as: Privilege and White Fragility; Disgust and Coded Language; Microaggressions. Manning, a clinical psychologist and antiracist activist and Peyton, a neuroscience expert and educator, explain the neuroscience behind each concept and provide specific exercises and skill sets designed to rewire the brain, in order to unravel implicit bias. Building on the work of How to Have Antiracist Conversations, this workbook provides a road map to guide readers on their journey toward neutralizing subconscious bias, fighting racism from within, and becoming a changemaker in the world”].

3. Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, by Martin Luther King Jr., 2010, 323.119 KIN [From LibraryThing: “… In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., isolated himself from the demands of the civil rights movement, rented a house in Jamaica with no telephone, and labored over his final manuscript. In this significantly prophetic work, which has been unavailable for more than ten years, we find King’s acute analysis of American race relations and the state of the movement after a decade of civil rights efforts. Here he lays out his thoughts, plans, and dreams for America’s future, including the need for better jobs, higher wages, decent housing, and quality education. With a universal message of hope that continues to resonate, King demanded an end to global suffering, powerfully asserting that humankind – for the first time – has the resources and technology to eradicate poverty”].

4. Made for Goodness: And Why This Makes All the Difference, by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu, 2011, 170 TUT [From LibraryThing: “Archbishop Desmond Tutu has witnessed some of the world’s darkest moments, for decades fighting the racist government policy of apartheid and since then being an ambassador of peace amidst political, diplomatic, and natural disasters. Yet people continue to find him one of the most joyful and hopeful people they have encountered. In Made for Goodness, Tutu shares his source of strength and optimism. Written with his daughter, Mpho, who is also an ordained Anglican minister, Tutu argues that God has made us for goodness, and when we simply start walking in the direction of this calling, God is there to meet us, encourage us, embrace us. God has made the world as a grand theater for us to work out this call to goodness; it is up to us to live up to this calling, but God is there to help us every step of the way. So tackling our worst problems takes on new meaning and is bolstered with hope and the expectation that that is exactly where God will show up. Father and daughter offer an inspiring message of hope that will transform readers into activists for change and blessing”].

5. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard to Talk to White People About Racism, by Robin J. DiAngelo, 2018, 305.8 DIA [From Beacon Press. Signed by the author. From LibraryThing: “… In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively”].

6. How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi, 2023, 305 KEN [From LibraryThing: “”The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it — and then dismantle it.” Ibram X. Kendi’s concept of antiracism reenergizes and reshapes the conversation about racial justice in America — but even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. In How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi asks us to think about what an antiracist society might look like, and how we can play an active role in building it. In this book, Kendi weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science, bringing it all together with an engaging personal narrative of his own awakening to antiracism. How to Be an Antiracist is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond an awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a truly just and equitable society”].

7. Islam and the Future of Tolerance: A Dialogue, by Sam Harris, 2015, 297 HAR [From LibraryThing: “In this short book, Sam Harris and Maajid Nawaz invite you to join an urgently needed conversation: Is Islam a religion of peace or war? Is it amenable to reform? Why do so many Muslims seem drawn to extremism? What do words like Islamism, jihadism, and fundamentalism mean in today’s world? Remarkable for the breadth and depth of its analysis, this dialogue between a famous atheist and a former radical is all the more startling for its decorum. Harris and Nawaz have produced something genuinely new: they engage one of the most polarizing issues of our time — fearlessly and fully — and actually make progress. Islam and the Future of Tolerance has been published with the explicit goal of inspiring a wider public discussion by way of example. In a world riven by misunderstanding and violence, Harris and Nawaz demonstrate how two people with very different views can find common ground”].

8. Beyond Civilization: Humanity’s Next Great Adventure, by Daniel Quinn, 2000, 901 QUI [Gift of Shelagh Lindsey. From LibraryThing: “… We all know there’s no one right way to build a bicycle, no one right way to design an automobile, no one right way to make a pair of shoes, but we’re convinced that there must be only one right way to live — and the one we have is it, no matter what. Beyond Civilization makes practical sense of the vision of Daniel Quinn’s best-selling novel Ishmael. Examining ancient civilizations such as the Maya and the Olmec, as well as modern-day microcosms of alternative living like circus societies, Quinn guides us on a quest for a new model for society, one that is forward-thinking and encourages diversity instead of suppressing it. Beyond Civilization is not about a “New World Order” but a “New Personal World Order” that would allow people to assert control over their own destiny and grant them the freedom to create their own way of life right now — not in some distant utopian future”].

9. The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason, by Sam Harris, 2005, 200 HAR [From LibraryThing: “A startling analysis of the clash of faith and reason in today’s world, this historical tour of mankind’s willingness to suspend reason in favor of religious beliefs, even when those beliefs are used to justify atrocities, asserts that in the shadow of weapons of mass destruction, we can not expect to survive our religious differences indefinitely. Most controversially, argues that moderate lip service to religion only blinds us to the real perils of fundamentalism. Harris also draws on new evidence from neuroscience and insights from philosophy to explore spirituality as a biological, brain-based need, and invokes that need in taking a secular humanistic approach to solving the problems of this world”].

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Related Reading for Sunday, September 15

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Compassion In Action: Setting Out on the Path of Service, by Ram Dass and Mirabai Bush, 1992, 158.3 RAM [From LibraryThing: “… this classic guide is for those ready to commit time and energy to relieving suffering in the world. No two people are better qualified to help us along this path than Ram Dass, who has spent more than 25 years teaching and writing on the subject of living consciously, and Mirabi Bush, who succeeded him as chairperson of the Seva Foundation”].

2. How Can I Help?: Stories and Reflections on Service, by Ram Dass and Paul Gorman, 1985, 158.3 RAM [From LibraryThing: “Not a day goes by without our being called upon to help one another-at home, at work, on the street, on the phone. . . We do what we can. Yet so much comes up to complicate this natural response: “Will I have what it takes?” “How much is enough?” “How can I deal with suffering?” “And what really helps, anyway?” In this practical helper’s companion, the authors explore a path through these confusions, and provide support and inspiration for us in our efforts as members of the helping professions, as volunteers, as community activists, or simply as friends and family trying to meet each other’s needs. Here too are deeply moving personal accounts: A housewife brings zoo animals to lift the spirits of nursing home residents; a nun tends the wounded on the first night of the Nicaraguan revolution; a police officer talks a desperate father out of leaping from a roof with his child; a nurse allows an infant to spend its last moments of life in her arms rather than on a hospital machine. From many such stories and the authors’ reflections, we can find strength, clarity, and wisdom for those times when we are called on to care for one another. How Can I Help? reminds us just how much we have to give and how doing so can lead to some of the most joyous moments of our lives.”].

3. The USC Story: A Quarter Century of Loving Service by the Unitarian Service Committee of Canada in Europe, the Middle east and Asia 1945-1970, by Lotta Hitschmanova, 1970, 288 UN [From the Unitarian Service Committee of Canada].

4. Random Acts of Kindness, by Conari Press, 1993, 177.7 CON [Introduction by Dawna Markova and foreward by Daphne Rose Kingma. From LibraryThing: “… Inspirational Stories Make a commitment to spread kindness wherever you go. Being kind doesn’t cost anything, but it can mean the world to those around you. What if all of a sudden everyone started performing daily good deeds? This inspiring collection presents true stories of people who’ve committed, received, and observed voluntary acts of kindness. Hearing their stories reveals how these simple, small acts of goodness can have a profoundly positive effect in the world. The true stories, thoughtful quotations, and suggestions for generosity in this book will inspire you to live more compassionately and be a kinder person. Join the kindness movement. In 1995, a small group of people at Conari Press, including M.J. Ryan, Will Glennon, and Dawna Markova, came together around the idea that small gestures and simple acts can make a difference in people’s lives. Thus, Random Acts of Kindness was born, but they had no idea how big this little idea would become. Soon, instead of the usual two or three letters from readers, they were getting bags of mail from readers submitting their own acts of kindness and stories of compassion. Now, twenty-five years later, over one million copies have been sold and it is a worldwide movement, with National Random Acts of Kindness Week, celebrated each February. An inspirational gift of kind words. Sometimes the smallest gesture makes the biggest difference. This little book shows how to start–with the small, with the particular, with the individual–in order to make a difference in the world. It features: True stories about acts of kindness and generosity of spirit Suggestions for living more compassionately Inspirational quotes to get you started Readers of motivational books and stories like Chicken Soup for the Soul: Random Acts of Kindness, A Pebble for Your Thoughts, I’ve Been Thinking…, or You Can Do All Things will love the encouraging, inspirational stories in Random Acts of Kindness”].

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Related Reading for Sunday, September 8

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Shoreline – Water Poems, from the Canadian Unitarian Council, 2007, 821 CUC.

2. From Beginning to End: The Rituals of Our Lives, by Robert Fulghum, 1995, 128 FUL [From LibraryThing: “… My thinking was set in motion by those who, knowing I was a parish minister for many years, have asked me for advice about ceremonies and celebrations. They wanted words to use at graduations, funerals, and the welcoming of children. They inquired about grace at family meals, the reaffirmation of wedding vows, and ways to heal wounds suffered in personal conflict. People requested help with the rituals of solitude, such as meditation, prayer, and contemplation. . . . Rituals do not always involve words, occasions, officials, or an audience. Rituals are often silent, solitary, and self-contained. The most powerful rites of passage are reflective–when you look back on your life again and again, paying attention to the rivers you have crossed and the gates you have opened and walked on through, the thresholds you have passed over. I see ritual when people sit together silently by an open fire. Remembering. As human beings have remembered for thousands and thousands of years. FULGHUM From the Paperback edition”].

3. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, 2015, 305 KIM [From LibraryThing: “… As a botanist and professor of plant ecology, Robin Wall Kimmerer has spent a career learning how to ask questions of nature using the tools of science. As a Potawatomi woman, she learned from elders, family, and history that the Potawatomi, as well as a majority of other cultures indigenous to this land, consider plants and animals to be our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowing together to reveal what it means to see humans as “the younger brothers of creation.” As she explores these themes, she circles toward a central argument: The awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgement and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the world. Once we begin to listen for the languages of other beings, we can begin to understand the innumerable life-giving gifts the world provides us and learn to offer our thanks, our care, and our own gifts in return”].

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Related Reading for Sunday, September 1

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. In Search of Progress in a Time of Fear and Disillusionment: Questions from a Life in Community Work, by Michael Clague, 2024 [Written by a VanU member. He writes, “In this time of multiple global crises, notably the coming climate collapse, the burden falls directly on communities. Community work is uniquely suited to mobilizing citizens for informed plans and actions in a democratic society. It offers a life raft of hope by calling on the best of the human spirit to solve these problems or at least survive them”].

2. Community Organizing: Canadian Experiences, edited by Brian Wharf and Michael Clague, 1997, 361.250971 [Written by a VanU member. From LibraryThing: “… tells the story of community development in Canada, with the objective of determining lasting legacies and extracting lessons from the varied experiences. This edited volume has a number of objectives. First, it traces the beginnings of community organizing in Quebec and Anglophone Canada. Second, the book tells the stories of some of the significant initiatives from both community and state during the ‘heydey’ years – initiatives such as The Company of Young Canadians, Opportunities for Youth, and the Local Initiatives Program. Third, it describes some current initiatives like feminist organizing and the environmental movement, in an era of diminished and ever-decreasing resources. Fourth, the book attempts the ambitious task of identifying who participates in community organizing activities and analyses the early ‘heyday’ and current experiences in community organizing in order to extract lessons and identify legacies”].

3. So, How Have I Been Doing At Being Who I Am?, by Michael Clague, 2023, 921 CLA [Written by a VanU member, and is a gift of the author. Reviews from Amazon.ca: “I do not remember a book that moved me so much as this one.” – Ray Spaxman. Former Director of Planning, City of Vancouver.

“Should be in the library of every school of social work, social planning and planning.” – Gordon Gram. Development industry and environmental and land use public sector planner.

“I liked this book very much. In my career in publishing and philanthropy I’ve read about many inspiring people, and I’m really impressed with his story telling skills. Like a friend sharing some of his life story over a coffee or a beer.” – Karen Theroux. Former writer/editor for the Carnegie Corporation, New York].

4. Social Action Heroes: Unitarian Universalists Who Are Changing the World, by Michelle Bates Deakin, 2012, 261 DEA [Published by Skinner House Books. From GoodReads: “Unitarian Universalists are committed to acting on important issues of social justice throughout the world. Award-winning journalist Michelle Bates Deakin explores the actions of eleven individuals and the impact their actions have had on their communities and their souls. Compelling and inspiring, Social Action Heroes illuminates the potential for deep change inherent in each of us, and in Unitarian Universalism as a whole”].

5. The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, by Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Carlton Abrams, 2016, 294 LAM [From LibraryThing: “… The occasion was a big birthday. And it inspired two close friends to get together in Dharamsala for a talk about something very important to them. The friends were His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The subject was joy. Both winners of the Nobel Prize, both great spiritual masters and moral leaders of our time, they are also known for being among the most infectiously happy people on the planet.

From the beginning the book was envisioned as a three-layer birthday cake: their own stories and teachings about joy, the most recent findings in the science of deep happiness, and the daily practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives. Both the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu have been tested by great personal and national adversity, and here they share their personal stories of struggle and renewal. Now that they are both in their eighties, they especially want to spread the core message that to have joy yourself, you must bring joy to others.

Most of all, during that landmark week in Dharamsala, they demonstrated by their own exuberance, compassion, and humor how joy can be transformed from a fleeting emotion into an enduring way of life”].

6. The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist’s Guide to the Climate Crisis, by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac, 2021, 363 FIG [Donated by John Boyle. From LibraryThing: “In this cautionary but optimistic book, Figueres and Rivett-Carnac–the architects of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement–tackle arguably the most urgent and consequential challenge humankind has ever faced: the world’s changing climate and the fate of humanity. In The Future We Choose, the authors outline two possible scenarios for the planet. In one, they describe what life on Earth will be like by 2050 if we fail to meet the Paris targets for carbon dioxide emission reduction. In the other, they describe what it will take to create and live in a carbon neutral, regenerative world. They argue for confronting the climate crisis head on, with determination and optimism. How we all of us address the climate crisis in the next thirty years will determine not only the world we will live in but also the world we will bequeath to our children and theirs. The Future We Choose presents our options and tells us, in no uncertain terms, what governments, corporations, and each of us can and must do to fend off disaster”].

7. All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson, 2021, 363.7 [Gift of Mary Bennett. From LibraryThing: “There is a renaissance blooming in the climate movement: leadership that is more characteristically feminine and more faithfully feminist, rooted in compassion, connection, creativity, and collaboration. While it’s clear that women and girls are vital voices and agents of change for this planet, they are too often missing from the proverbial table. More than a problem of bias, it’s a dynamic that sets us up for failure. To change everything, we need everyone.

All We Can Save illuminates the expertise and insights of dozens of diverse women leading on climate in the United States’ scientists, journalists, farmers, lawyers, teachers, activists, innovators, wonks, and designers, across generations, geographies, and race, and aims to advance a more representative, nuanced, and solution-oriented public conversation on the climate crisis. These women offer a spectrum of ideas and insights for how we can rapidly, radically reshape society.

This book is both a balm and a guide for knowing and holding what has been done to the world, while bolstering our resolve never to give up on one another or our collective future. We must summon truth, courage, and solutions to turn away from the brink and toward life-giving possibility. Curated by two climate leaders, the book is a collection and celebration of visionaries who are leading us on a path toward all we can save”].

8. For the Common Good: Redirecting the Economy Toward Community, the Environment, and a Sustainable Future, by Herman E. Daly, John B. Cobb and Clifford W. Cobb, 1989, 330.1 DA [From LibraryThing: “Winner of the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order 1992, Named New Options Best Political Book Economist Herman Daly and theologian John Cobb, Jr., demonstrate how conventional economics and a growth-oriented industrial economy have led us to the brink of environmental disaster, and show the possibility of a different future. Named as one of the Top 50 Sustainability Books by University of Cambridges Programme for Sustainability Leadership and Greenleaf Publishing”]

9. Turning the World Right Side Up: Science, Community and Democracy, by Patrick Kerans and John Kearney, 2006, 350.12 KEA [Gift of Barbara Taylor. Signed by Patrick Kerans, one of the co-authors. From AbeBooks: “Framed within an analysis of contemporary neoliberalism, this study explores new directions leading to a broad, grass roots–based democracy and argues that the decline of democracy is entrenched in the rule of experts and the domination of scientific reductionism. This essay focuses on the unsustainability of the system that current economists have created in the name of science and discusses a new cultural diversity for communities, outlining an alternative vision for society with democratic participation in decision-making and policy formation”].

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Related Reading for Sunday, August 25

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. In Stillness, Renewal: Meditations, by Jacob Trapp, 1983, 242 TRA [Gift of Petrt Aaloe and Ann Rieger].

2. Daily Meditations for Calming Your Anxious Mind, by Jefferey Brantley, 2008, 242.6 BRA [From LibraryThing: “Trying to control your anxious thoughts can backfire, making them more prevalent, not less. The best way to calm these common feelings is by attuning yourself to your thoughts in a nonjudgmental, attentive manner, acknowledging your anxieties but choosing to act rather than react” and “… , a collection of more than sixty-four daily mindfulness-based meditations to help you engage with the present moment, manage stress and anxiety, and rediscover the joy in living. Each meditation contains an easy-to-learn visualization exercise, affirmation, or activity, with meditations grouped into four sections: relaxing and feeling safe, embracing joys and fears, befriending your anxious mind and body, and connecting to the web of life”].

3. A Small Heaven: A Meditation Manual, by Jane Ranney Rzepka, 1988, 242.2 RZE [A 50 pages book from the Unitarian Universalist Association, and published by Skinner House Books].

4. In the Holy Quiet of This Hour: A Meditation Manual, by Richard S. Gilbert, 1995 291.4 GIL [Published by Skinner House Books. From LibraryThing: “These gentle prayers remind us that we can find the sacred and profound in every day by taking the time to stop and absorb the holy quiet”].

5. To Meet the Asking Years: A Meditation Manual for 1984, by Gordon B. (ed) McKeeman, 1983, 242 McK [From the Unitarian Universalist Assn, and published by Skinner House Books].

6. Evening Tide: Meditations, by Elizabeth Tarbox, 1998, 242 TAR [A gift, from Skinner House Books. From LibraryThing: “Whether in the bleakest moment of bidding goodbye to her dying father or in the pain she hears as she counsels gay youth, Tarbox’s ears and eyes are attuned to the hopes and the solace that she finds in nature — in the gentle sounds in a stand of pines, in the intensive chore of splitting wood. These meditations will comfort and inspire. Part of the UUA Meditation Manual series”].

7. The Gift of the Ordinary: A Meditation Manual for 1985, edited by Charles S. Stephen Jr., 1985, 288 STE [A 50 pages book from the Unitarian Universalist Association].

8. The Miracle of Mindfulness: A Manual on Meditation, by Thich Nhat Hanh, 1987, 294 HAN [Translated by Mobi Ho, illustrated by Vo-Dihn Mai, and published by Beacon Press. From LibraryThing: “In this beautiful and lucid guide, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh offers gentle anecdotes and practical exercises as a means of learning the skills of mindfulness-being awake and fully aware. From washing the dishes to answering the phone to peeling an orange, he reminds us that each moment holds within it an opportunity to work toward greater self-understanding and peacefulness”].

9. Tree and Jubilee: A Book of Meditations, by Greta W Crosby, 1982, 242 CRO [A 79 pages book from the Unitarian Universalist Association].

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Related Reading for Sunday, August 18

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up, by James Hollis, 2005, 155.6 HOL [From LibraryThing: “What does it really mean to be a grown-up in today’s world? We assume that once we “get it together” with the right job, marry the right person, have children, and buy a home, all is settled and well. But adulthood presents varying levels of growth and is rarely the respite of stability we expected. Turbulent emotional shifts can take place anywhere between the age of thirty-five and seventy when we question the choices we’ve made, realize our limitations, and feel stuck-commonly known as the “midlife crisis. ” Jungian psychoanalyst James Hollis believes that it is only in the second half of life that we can truly come to know who we are and thus create a life that has meaning. In Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life, Hollis explores the ways we can grow and evolve to fully become ourselves when the traditional roles of adulthood aren’t quite working for us. Offering wisdom to anyone facing a career that no longer seems fulfilling, a long-term relationship that has shifted, or family transitions that raise issues of aging and mortality, Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life provides a reassuring message and a crucial bridge across this critical passage of adult development”].

2. Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit, by Lyanda Lynn Haupt, 2023, 304 HAU [The publisher’s blurb states “In Rooted, cutting-edge science supports a truth that poets, artists, mystics, and earth-based cultures across the world have proclaimed over millennia: life on this planet is radically interconnected. Our bodies, thoughts, minds, and spirits are affected by the whole of nature, and they affect this whole in return. In this time of crisis, how can we best live upon our imperiled, beloved earth? [This] book is a brilliant invitation to live with the earth in both simple and profound ways—from walking barefoot in the woods and reimagining our relationship with animals and trees, to examining the very language we use to describe and think about nature. She invokes rootedness as a way of being in concert with the wilderness—and wildness—that sustains humans and all of life. …  Each chapter provides tools for bringing our unique gifts to the fore and transforming our sense of belonging within the magic and wonder of the natural world”].

3. The First Survivors of Alzheimer’s: How Patients Recovered Life and Hope in Their Own Words, by Dale Bredesen, 2021, 616 BRE [Donated by Jan Phelps, LibraryThing states: “It has been said that everyone knows a cancer survivor, but no one has met an Alzheimer’s survivor – until now. In his first two books, Dr. Dale Bredesen outlined the revolutionary treatments that are changing what had previously seemed like the inevitable outcome of cognitive decline and dementia. And in these moving narratives, you can hear directly from the first survivors of Alzheimer’s themselves–their own amazing stories of hope told in their own words. These first person accounts honestly detail the fear, struggle, and ultimate victory of each patient’s journey. They vividly describe what it is like to have Alzheimer’s. They also drill down on how each of these patients made the program work for them–the challenges, the workarounds, the encouraging results that are so motivating. Dr. Bredesen includes commentary following each story to help point readers to the tips and tricks that might help them as well. Dr. Bredesen’s patients have not just survived; they have thrived to rediscover fulfilling lives, rewarding relationships, and meaningful work. This book will give unprecedented hope to patients and their families”].

4. Learning to Fall: The Blessings of an Imperfect Life, by Philip Simmons, 2003, 291 SIM [Donated by Gerta Moray, LibraryThing states: “… Philip Simmons was just thirty-five years old in 1993 when he learned that he had ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, and was told he had less than five years to live. As a young husband and father, and at the start of a promising literary career, he suddenly had to learn the art of dying. Nine years later, he has succeeded, against the odds, in learning the art of living. Now, in this surprisingly joyous and spirit-renewing book, he chronicles his search for peace and his deepening relationship with the mystery of everyday life. Set amid the rugged New Hampshire mountains he once climbed, and filled with the bustle of family life against the quiet progression of illness, Learning to Fall illuminates the journey we all must take — “the work of learning to live richly in the face of loss.” From our first faltering steps, Simmons says, we may fall into disappointment or grief, fall into or out of love, fall from youth or health. And though we have little choice as to the timing or means of our descent, we may, as he affirms, “fall with grace, to grace.” With humor, hard-earned wisdom and a keen eye for life’s lessons — whether drawn from great poetry or visits to the town dump — Simmons shares his discovery that even at times of great sorrow we may find profound freedom. And by sharing the wonder of his daily life, he offers us the gift of connecting more deeply and joyously with our own”].

5. Aging Well: Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life from the Landmark Study of Adult Development, by George E. Vaillant MD, 2003, 362.6 VAI [Gift of Phillip Hewett, from LibraryThing: “In an unprecedented series of studies, Harvard Medical School has followed 824 subjects — men and women, some rich, some poor — from their teens to old age. Harvard’s George Vaillant now uses these studies — the most complete ever done anywhere in the world — and the subjects’ individual histories to illustrate the factors involved in reaching a happy, healthy old age. He explains precisely why some people turn out to be more resilient than others, the complicated effects of marriage and divorce, negative personality changes, and how to live a more fulfilling, satisfying and rewarding life in the later years. He shows why a person’s background has less to do with their eventual happiness than the specific lifestyle choices they make. And he offers step-by-step advice about how each of us can change our lifestyles and age successfully. Sure to be debated on talk shows and in living rooms, Vaillant’s definitive and inspiring book is the new classic account of how we live and how we can live better. It will receive massive media attention, and with good reason: we have never seen anything like it, and what it has to tell us will make all the difference in the world”].

6. A Faith for All Seasons: Liberal Religion and the Crises of Life, by William R. Murry, 1990, 288 MUR [From GoodReads: “A liberal religious understanding of the pain and suffering in life which mirrors a Unitarian Universalist philosophy. It is a refreshing approach to the crisis of life that will help many people deal with their feelings of blame and guilt when a loved one dies. This book is a solid reference for those dealing with providing comfort to those grieving. It deals with providing meaning and purpose to individuals who can’t find it in their lives”].

7. Happiness in a Storm: Facing Illness and Embracing Life as a Healthy Survivor, by Wendy Schlessel Harpham, 2005, 155.9 HAR [From LibraryThing: “… Award-winning author Wendy Schlessel Harpham, MD, offers her program to getting good care and finding happiness when you are sick. Having coined the term “Healthy Survivor” while dealing with her own chronic lymphoma, Harpham encourages people dealing with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or any prolonged illness to simultaneously do all they can to overcome disease and live life to the fullest. Harpham opens our eyes to the opportunities for happiness in life despite medical problems and even because of illness”].

8. Life After Youth: Female, Forty, What Next?, by Ruth Harriet Jacobs, 1979, 301.43 JA [LibraryThing states the book’s back cover has “Once depicted as witches, croneks, and hags in fiction, burned at the stake in the not-so-distant past, the older woman is still largely scorned in America today. In a solidly researched, compassionate study, Ruth Jacobs … presents a frank assessment of the older woman’s position in American society. She offers unique and workable suggestions for breaking the restrictive roles woman now occupy and broadening the options open to older women. She shows how they can increase the opportunity for their personal growth”].

9. Life Prayers From Around the World: 365 Prayers, Blessings, and Affirmations to Celebrate the Human Journey, by Elizabeth Roberts, 1996, 242.2 ROB [From LibraryThing: “An eloquent anthology honoring the wonders and challenges of life on earth and celebrating the seasons of our lives. The mysteries and delights of life on earth are illuminated in this richly eclectic collection of poetry, wisdom, prayers, and blessings from thinkers and writers around the world. Here you will find the poetry of Hildgard of Bingen and Gary Snyder; the political wisdom of Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, Jr.; a treasury of women’s prayers, classical verse from China and Japan; and beautiful chants and prayers by Native Americans. A joyous affirmation of the human journey in all its forms, in all its struggles and glories”].

10. Life Preservers: Staying Afloat in Love and Life, by Harriet Goldhor Lerner, 1996, 155.6 LER [From LibraryThing: “With wit, wisdom and uncommon sense, Dr. Harriet Lerner gives readers the tools to solve problems and create joy, meaning and integrity in their relationships. Women will find Life Preservers (more than 40,000 copies sold in hardcover) to be an invaluable motivational guide that covers the landscape of work and creativity, anger and intimacy, friendship and marriage, children and parents, loss and betrayal, sexuality and health and much more. With new insights and a results-oriented approach, Dr. Lerner answers women’s most frequently asked questions and offers the best advice for problems women face today: I always pick the wrong guys. Should I move in with him? I can’t stand my boss. Should I leave my marriage? How can I recover from his affair? Is my fantasy abnormal? Is my therapy working? I miss my mother. I can’t believe I was fired”].

11. On the Move: A Life, by Oliver Sacks, 2015, 921 SAC [From LibraryThing: “When Oliver Sacks was twelve years old, a perceptive schoolmaster wrote in his report: “Sacks will go far, if he does not go too far.” Sacks has never stopped going. From its opening pages on his youthful obsession with motorcycles and speed, On the Move is infused with his restless energy. As he recounts his experiences as a young neurologist in the early 1960s, first in California, where he struggled with drug addiction, and then in New York, where he discovered a long-forgotten illness in the back wards of a chronic hospital, we see how his engagement with patients comes to define his life. Sacks shows us that the same energy that drives his physical passions — weight lifting and swimming — also drives his cerebral passions. He writes about his love affairs, both romantic and intellectual; his guilt over leaving his family to come to America; his bond with his schizophrenic brother; and the writers and scientists — Thom Gunn, A. R. Luria, W. H. Auden, Gerald M. Edelman, Francis Crick — who influenced him”].

12. Life Rules: Nature’s Blueprint for Surviving Economic and Environmental Collapse, by Ellen LaConte, 2012, 330.9 LAC [From LibraryThing: “Why so much is going wrong everywhere at once and how Life teaches us to fix it”].

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Related Reading for Sunday, August 11

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Come of Age: The Case for Elderhood in a Time of Trouble, by Stephen Jenkinson, 2018, 305 JEN [with a Foreward by Charles Eisenstein, LibraryThing has this from the Publisher’s description: “In his landmark provocative style, Stephen Jenkinson makes the case that we must birth a new generation of elders, one poised and willing to be true stewards of the planet and its species. Come of Age does not offer tips on how to be a better senior citizen or how to be kinder to our elders. Rather, with lyrical prose and incisive insight, Stephen Jenkinson explores the great paradox of elderhood in North America: how we are awash in the aged and yet somehow lacking in wisdom; how we relegate senior citizens to the corner of the house while simultaneously heralding them as sage elders simply by virtue of their age. Our own unreconciled relationship with what it means to be an elder has yielded a culture nearly bereft of them. Meanwhile, the planet boils, and the younger generation boils with anger over being left an environment and sociopolitical landscape deeply scarred and broken. Taking on the sacred cow of the family, Jenkinson argues that elderhood is a function rather than an identity–it is not a position earned simply by the number of years on the planet or the title “parent” or “grandparent.” As with his seminal book Die Wise, Jenkinson interweaves rich personal stories with iconoclastic observations that will leave readers radically rethinking their concept of what it takes to be an elder and the risks of doing otherwise. Part critique, part call to action, Come of Age is a love song inviting us–imploring us–to elderhood in this time of trouble. That time is now. We’re an hour before dawn, and first light will show the carnage, or the courage, we bequeath to the generations to come”].

2. The Highest Common Denominator: Using Convergent Facilitation to Reach Breakthrough Collaborative Decisions, by Miki Kashtan, 2021, 658 KAS [From LibraryThing: “What if people — even longtime enemies — could transform conflicts into creative dilemmas they feel motivated to solve together in an atmosphere that builds connection and trust? … The traditional ways we make decisions are flawed. Majority rule, top-down orders, compromise, and consensus lead to people feeling disconnected, drained of energy, and unsatisfied. “THE HIGHEST COMMON DENOMINATOR: Using Convergent Facilitation to Reach Breakthrough Collaborative Decisions” presents a better way to make decisions using Convergent Facilitation, the method Miki developed after years of working with groups in a variety of settings. Miki posits that collaborative decision-making, where people feel heard and their needs respected in a structured and trusting environment, maximizes willingness and efficiency for all. This can lay the ground for breakthroughs for groups working on challenges, allowing decisions to be made at lightning speed. The process includes three phases that can bring groups to outcomes that are profoundly collaborative and genuinely supported by all. THE HIGHEST COMMON DENOMINATOR gives readers examples, tools, and processes to implement Convergent Facilitation. It includes vivid case studies and practical examples to explain how to guide people towards solutions that integrate everyone’s needs and concerns and don’t require compromise; provides tips on how to keep people on track with the task at hand; and encourages facilitators to invite dissent and engage with it productively. … The procedures described in this book can be used in any kind of setting–from grassroots social change movements to village councils to corporate boardrooms–where people are having trouble collaborating effectively in a group, which is almost everywhere. With the mounting social, political, and environmental problems of our times, harnessing a group’s energy for effective action is essential. And yet many people drift away from organizations they care about due to their inability to sit through meetings–where tensions may remain unresolved, power differences are not addressed, and solutions that work for all do not seem available. Ultimately, this book is not just about working with groups. It is an entire re-examination and affirmation of the human heart. Facilitation involves transparency on the part of the one leading it, as well as a deep faith and hope in how even impossible-seeming differences can transform into unity”].

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Related Reading for Sunday, August 4

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Homelessness: the Making and Unmaking of a Crisis, by Jack Layton, 2000, 363.5 LAY [From LibraryThing: “Jack Layton, one of this country’s leading experts and outspoken activists on housing issues, addresses the crisis from its roots, in order not only to understand the problem, but to find workable solutions. With a stunning combination of rigorous research and compelling personal anecdote, and trenchant and timely analysis from such wide-ranging sources as social scientists, housing economists, mayors, journalists, clergy and the homeless themselves, Homelessness offers insight, perspective and proactive solutions to a seemingly intractable crisis”].

2. Selavi, That is Life: A Haitian Story of Hope, by Youme Landowne, 2005, J+ EASY YOU [From LibraryThing: “A homeless boy on the streets of Haiti joins other street children, and together they build a home and a radio station where they can care for themselves and for other homeless children”].

3. Debt: The First 5,000 Years, by David Graeber, 2012, 332 [From LibraryThing: “… anthropologist David Graeber presents a stunning reversal of conventional wisdom: he shows that before there was money, there was debt. For more than 5,000 years, since the beginnings of the first agrarian empires, humans have used elaborate credit systems to buy and sell goods-that is, long before the invention of coins or cash. It is in this era, Graeber argues, that we also first encounter a society divided into debtors and creditors. Graeber shows that arguments about debt and debt forgiveness have been at the center of political debates from Italy to China, as well as sparking innumerable insurrections. He also brilliantly demonstrates that the language of the ancient works of law and religion (words like “guilt,” “sin,” and “redemption”) derive in large part from ancient debates about debt, and shape even our most basic ideas of right and wrong. We are still fighting these battles today without knowing it”].

4. The Essential James Luther Adams: Selected Essays and Addresses, by James Luther Adams, 1998, 230.91 ADA [From Skinner House Books, LibraryThing states: “Revealing essays discuss the religious power of music, the role of the liberal church in social justice, the historical origins of the free church movement, the balance of spirituality and social responsibility and more. Spans Adams’ entire career”].

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Related Reading for Sunday, July 28

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour, and now the Library Team will be offering related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families, by Peggy Gillespie, 2023, 306.76 GIL [From LibraryThing: “Groundbreaking in its depictions of joy and community, Authentic Selves celebrates trans and nonbinary people and their families in stunning photographs and their own words. Foreword by transgender activist Jazz Jennings and her mom and fellow activist, Jeanette Jennings. Developed in collaboration with PFLAG National and Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund”].

2. The Welcoming Congregation, edited by the Rev. Scott W. Alexander, 1990, 289.1 ALE [As stated in LibraryThing, page 1 has “This manual, prepared by the UUA’s Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns, is designed to help interested congregations become more welcoming places for the gay, lesbian, and bisexual people in their midst and in the wider community”].

3. The Sexual Spectrum: Exploring Human Diversity, by Olive Skene Johnson, 2005, 155.3 JON [Gift of, and autographed by, the author. From LibraryThing: “Questions of sexuality and gender are in the forefront of public discourse. Every day there are stories in the newspaper about such issues as same-sex marriage, and gay and lesbian parenting. This fascinating book explores the myriad influences that shape human gender and sexuality. Drawing on the scientific findings of experts and on a wide range of personal experiences from everyday people, Johnson explores questions such as: Is sexual diversity new? Why do men and women think differently? Apart from their sexuality, are homosexuals and heterosexuals different? Why do some people feel compelled to change their gender? How do genes, hormones and society affect our sexuality? Answering these and related questions in a rational and entertaining way, Johnson provides a wealth of information about our own sexuality and asserts that only familiarity with the concept of sexual diversity will breed tolerance and understanding”].

4. The Ethics of World Religions and Human Rights, by Hans Küng, 1990, 291.56 KUN [From LibraryThing: “Irreplaceable as a reference to where Catholic theology is at any given moment, Concilium maps the state of the most pressing questions with solid contributions from leading theologians and cutting edge voices. Each volume addresses major issues in dialogue with wider public discourses, regularly engaging perspectives from the religions of the world”].

5. Inland Passage, by Jane Rule, 2002, FIC RU [From LibraryThing: “… The eponymous heroine “Dulce” is a self-proclaimed muse, witch, whore, “preying lesbian,” and “devouring mother” who has a profound effect on the lives of the women and men around her. “His Nor Hers” tracks the unraveling of a marriage–with unexpected results. “The Real World” explores the moral universe of a female mechanic who creates an unconventional family. In “A Matter of Numbers,” a divorced math professor falls in love with her twenty-year-old student. And the title story introduces two women–one widowed, one divorced–who rediscover romance aboard a cruise ship. …”].

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