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”].

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. …”].

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 the Holy Quiet of This Hour: A Meditation Manual, by Richard S. Gilbert, 1995, 291.4 GIL, [From Skinner House Books. LibraryThing says “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”].

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

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 June 30 service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

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. The Sacred Depths of Nature, by Ursula Goodenough, 1998, 574.01 GOO [From LibraryThing: “For many of us, the great scientific discoveries of the modern age – the Big Bang, evolution, quantum physics, relativity – point to an existence that is bleak, devoid of meaning, pointless. But in The Sacred Depths of Nature, eminent biologist Ursula Goodenough shows us that the scientific world view need not be a source of despair. Indeed, it can be a wellspring of solace and hope. This eloquent volume reconciles the modern scientific understanding of reality with our timeless spiritual yearnings for reverence and continuity. Looking at topics such as evolution, emotions, sexuality, and death, Goodenough writes with rich, uncluttered detail about the workings of nature in general and of living creatures in particular. Her luminous clarity makes it possible for even non scientists to appreciate that the origins of life and the universe are no less meaningful because of our increasingly scientific understanding of them. At the end of each chapter, Goodenough’s spiritual reflections respond to the complexity of nature with vibrant emotional intensity and a sense of reverent wonder.; A beautifully written celebration of molecular biology with meditations on the spiritual and religious meaning that can be found at the heart of science, this volume makes an important contribution to the ongoing dialogue between science and religion. This book will engage anyone who was ever mesmerized-or terrified-by the mysteries of existence”].

2. Universal Questions: Exploring the Mysteries of Existence, by Harold Rosen, 1997 [Written by a Unitarian minister].

3. Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth, by J. E. Lovelock, 1987, 113 LOV [From LibraryThing: “In this classic work that continues to inspire its many readers, Jim Lovelock puts forward his idea that life on earth functions as a single organism. Written for non-scientists, Gaia is a journey through time and space in search of evidence with which to support a new and radically different model of our planet. In contrast to conventional belief that living matter is passive in the face of threats to its existence, the book explores the hypothesis that the earth’s living matter air, ocean, and land surfaces forms a complex system that has the capacity to keep the Earth a fit place for life. Since Gaia was first published, many of Jim Lovelock’s predictions have come true and his theory has become a hotly argued topic in scientific circles. In a new Preface to this reissued title, he outlines his present state of the debate”].

4. How It Began: A Time-Traveler’s Guide to the Universe, by Chris Impey, 2013, 523.1 IMP [From LibraryThing: “In this vibrant, eye-opening tour of milestones in the history of our universe, Chris Impey guides us through space and time, leading us from the familiar sights of the night sky to the dazzlingly strange aftermath of the Big Bang”].

5. A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes, by Stephen W. Hawking, 1988, 523.1 HAW [From Penguin Random House Canada: “Stephen Hawking, one of the great minds of our time, explores such profound questions as: How did the universe begin—and what made its start possible? Does time always flow forward? Is the universe unending—or are there boundaries? Are there other dimensions in space? What will happen when it all ends?”].

6. The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution, by Richard Dawkins, 2009, 576.8 DAW [From LibraryThing: “Sifting through rich layers of scientific evidence, Dawkins’ “The Greatest Show on Earth” is a stunning counterattack on advocates of “Intelligent Design,” explaining the evidence for evolution while exposing the absurdities of the creationist “argument””].

7. With Purpose and Principle: Essays About the Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism, edited by Edward A. Frost, 1998, 288 FRO [From Skinner House Books. This is from LibraryThing: “This invaluable book contains a short history of the Principles and Purposes followed by essays from present-day UU leaders including John Buehrens, Marilyn Sewell, Earl Holt and Barbara Merritt. World community and the interdependent web of all existence are some of the topics explored”] .

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 June 30 service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

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. A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster, by Rebecca Solnit, 2009, 155.9 SOL [Why is it that in the aftermath of a disaster, people suddenly become altruistic, resourceful, and brave? Award-winning author Solnit explores this phenomena, looking at major calamities from the past 100 years].

2. Widening Circles: A Memoir, by Joanna Macy, 2000, 921 MAC [The well-known eco-philosopher, Buddhist scholar, and deep ecology activist/teacher Joanna Macy recounts her adventures of mind and spirit in the key social movements of our era. From involvement with the CIA and the Cold War, through experiences in Africa, India and Tibet, to her encounter with the Dalai Lama and Buddhism which led to her life-long embrace of the religion and a deep commitment to the peace and environmental movements, Macy’s autobiography reads like a novel as she reflects on how her marriage and family life enriched her service to the world].

3. Man’s Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy, by Viktor E. Frankl, 1984, 150.19 FRA, [From the Julian Fears Library. Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl’s memoir has riveted generations of readers with its descriptions of life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival. Based on his own experience between 1942 and 1945 while in four different concentration camps, including Auschwitz, and the experiences of others he treated later in his practice, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. Frankl’s theory-known as logotherapy, from the Greek word logos (“meaning”)-holds that our primary drive in life is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful].

4. Rescuers: Portraits of Moral Courage in the Holocaust, by Malka Drucker, 1992, 940.53 BLO [Malka Drucker and Gay Block spent three years visiting 105 rescuers (who saved Jews marked for death during the Holocaust) from ten countries. Block’s full-page color portraits accompany each narrative, inviting us to look at these men and women as they are today, people whose faces resemble our own. Would we act as they did? In their own words, forty-nine of the rescuers present a vivid picture of their lives before, during, and after the war as they grapple with the question of why they acted with humanity in a time of barbarism and whether they would do it again. Their stories – infused with the deep memory that engages a terrible past – are unforgettable. This details how they smuggled Jews out of the ghettos; worked in resistance movements; forged passports and baptismal certificates; hid Jews in cellars, barns, and behind false walls; shared their meager food rations; secretly disposed of waste; and raised Jewish children as their own. A landmark volume that includes maps, historic photographs from family collections, and a comprehensive introduction by Malka Drucker, this book makes a vital contribution to our understanding of the Holocaust, of the complex factors that made some people refuse the role of passive bystander, and of the profound psychological and ethical issues that still perplex us. When asked about the prospects for acts of moral courage today, rescuer Liliane Gaffney told the authors: “It’s very difficult for a generation raised looking out for Number One to understand it. This is something totally unknown here. But there, if you didn’t live for others as well as yourself it wasn’t worth living.” For Jan Karski, however, the legacy of the rescuers is one of affirmation: “Do not lose hope in humanity.” In the end, what is perhaps most striking about the rescuers is their modesty and simple humanness; yet, as Cynthia Ozick concludes in the Prologue, “It is from these undeniably heroic and principled few that we can learn the full resonance of civilization.”].

5. The Greatest Generation Speaks: Letters and Reflections, by Tom Brokaw, 1999, 940.548 BRO [Large print book, in memory of Marguerite (Dee) Kelsey. The book pays affecting tribute to those who gave the world so much, and who left an enduring legacy of courage and conviction, with it collecting the vast outpouring of letters Brokaw received from men and women eager to share their intensely personal stories of a momentous time in America’s history. If we are to heed the past to prepare for the future, we should listen to these quiet voices of a generation that speaks to us of duty and honor, sacrifice and accomplishment].

6. Letters from the Lost: A Memoir of Discovery (Our Lives: Diary, Memoir, and Letters Series), by Helen Waldstein Wilkes, 2010, 940.53 WAL [Gift of Arthur Hughes, with it being autographed by the author. Helen Waldstein and her parents escaped from Prague, Czechoslovakia on March 15, 1939, as the Nazis closed in, so only letters from their extended family could reach Canada through the barriers of conflict. The Waldstein family received these letters as they made their lives on a southern Ontario farm, where they learned to be Canadian and forget their Jewish roots. Helen read these letters as an adult, with this changing everything. With her past refusing to keep silent, Helen followed the trail of the letters back to Europe, where she discovered living witnesses who could attest to the letters’ contents. She has interwoven their stories and her own into a compelling narrative of suffering, survivor guilt, and overcoming intergenerational obstacles when exploring a traumatic past].

7. Kiss the Red Stairs: The Holocaust, Once Removed, by Marsha Lederman, 2022, 940.531809 [Donated and signed by the author. This tells Marsha’s parents’ stories of loss and survival, with the book being a compelling memoir of Holocaust survival, inherited trauma, her divorce and discovery that will reassure readers as they navigate their own monumental change].

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 June 30 service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Hope for Animals and Their World: How Endangered Species Are Being Rescued from the Brink, by Jane Goodall, 2009, 578 GOO [At a time when we are confronted with bad news about the environment nearly every day, the renowned scientist Jane Goodall gives various stories from her first-hand experiences with the research of premier scientists (e.g., fascinating survival stories about the American crocodile, the California condor, the black-footed ferret and more, all formerly endangered species and species once on the verge of extinction whose populations are now being regenerated). This book provides a celebration of the animal kingdom and a passionate call to arms, with it presenting an uplifting, hopeful message for the future of animal-human coexistence].

2. The Day the World Stops Shopping: How Ending Consumerism Saves the Environment and Ourselves, by J.B. MacKinnon, 2021, 339.47 [Gift of Mary Bennett. Drawing from experts in fields ranging from climate change to economics, MacKinnon investigates how living with less would change our planet, our society, and ourselves, with us having very much to gain: an investment in our physical and emotional wellness; the pleasure of caring for our possessions; and closer relationships with our natural world and one another. Both imaginative and inspiring, this will embolden you to envision another way].

3. I Seem to Be a Verb: Environment and Man’s Future, by R. Buckminster Fuller, 1970, 917.3 FUL [From the Julian Fears Library, this is packed with utopian plans, clever insights and light-hearted musings, all aimed at reminding us that we are verbs, not nouns, and that we are never, ever, stuck with life as it is as we can create things].

4. Let the Mountains Talk, Let the Rivers Run: A Call to Those Who Would Save the Earth, by David Brower, 2000, 574.09 BRO [The climber and conservationist Brower brings a mountaineer’s determination and reverence for nature to his efforts to protect the Earth and educate its human inhabitants, including keeping dams out of the Grand Canyon and loggers out of Olympic National Park, establishing the National Wilderness Preservation System, adding seven new regions to the National Park System, and helping to foster a mind-set that questions careless growth. Here, the man The New York Times designated the most effective conservation activist in the world, offers a tough, witty, and impassioned game plan “for those who would save the Earth.”].

5. For the Common Good: Redirecting the Economy Toward Community, the Environment, and a Sustainable Future, by Herman E. Daly, 1989, 330.1 DA [The authors demonstrate how conventional economics and a growth-oriented industrial economy have led us to the brink of environmental disaster, but also show the possibility of a different future].

(Image credit: Kimberley Farmer / Unsplash)

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 June 23 service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Essays By Ralph Waldo Emerson: First Series, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, 814.3 EME [From the Julian Fears Library. The American essayist, philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, in the early nineteenth century, said that his primary principle was “the infinitude of the private man”, and advised us to “make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” Also, he argued that rather than just relying on received wisdom, we should use our direct everyday life experience for genuine creativity. His First Series has the following 12 essays: History, Self-Reliance, Compensation, Spiritual Laws, Love, Friendship, Prudence, Heroism, The Over-Soul, Circles, Intellect and Art, with the one on Self-Reliance being particularly related to this sermon].

2. In Defense of Troublemakers: The Power of Dissent in Life and Business, by Charlan Jeanne Nemeth, 2018, 302 NEM [This book argues our decision by consensus that consensus is good, is wrong, with unchallenged majority opinions often being biased, unoriginal, or false. This leads planes and markets to crash, causes juries to convict innocent people, and can quite literally make people think blue is green. Dissent forces us to question the status quo, consider more information, and engage in creative decision-making, with this helping us to make better decisions].

3. Dear Life, by Alice Munro, 2013, FIC MUN [In story after story in this brilliant new collection, the author pinpoints the moment a person is forever altered by a chance encounter, an action not taken, or a simple twist of fate, with most set in her signature territory around Lake Huron, but some strike even closer to home: an astonishing suite of four autobiographical tales that offer an unprecedented glimpse into Munro’s own childhood].

4. You Already Know What to Do: 10 Invitations to the Intuitive Life, by Sharon Franquemont, 2000, 153.4 FRA [This explains how to develop and nurture one’s natural intuitive powers in order to deepen relationships, improve collaboration, and make the most of every situation].

(Image credit: Kimberley Farmer / Unsplash)

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 June 16 service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Seasons of Life: Our Dramatic Journey from Birth to Death, by John Kotre and Elizabeth Hall, 1990, 155 KOT [A companion book to the acclaimed PBS television series, this interprets the fascinating work and discoveries of hundreds of social scientists and, through the personal stories of dozens of ordinary individuals, reveals the rich drama of life’s passages at the end of the twentieth century].

2. Guide My Feet: Prayers and Meditations on Loving and Working for Children, by Marian Wright Edelman, 1995, 242.6 EDE [From Beacon Press; A collection of prayers and meditations gathered from Edelman’s own holiday rituals and experiences and the writings of such inspiring leaders as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, and Frederick Douglass, the book (filled with wisdom, compassion and understanding) urges readers to commit to and pray for strength and patience, and offers solace and direction for parents troubled by the commercialism and violence running rampant in today’s society, and also provides an important spiritual and moral resource all caregivers can turn to as they strive to instill values, integrity, self-discipline and faith in children].

3. Education and the Good Life, by Bertrand Russell, 1926, 192 RU [Bertrand Russell, considered to be one of the most significant educational innovators of his time, calls for an education that would liberate the child from unthinking obedience to parental and religious authority, with his argument being that, if the basis of all education is knowledge wielded by love, then society can be transformed].

4. The Story of Your Life: Writing a Spiritual Autobiography, by Dan Wakefield, 1990, 808.2 WAK [From Beacon Press; This shows how to write about and share our most meaningful life experiences, and in so doing to see our lives in a new light].

5. Trusting Change: Finding Our Way Through Personal and Global Transformation, by Karen Hering, 2022, 248 [Sharing wisdom found in nature and in metaphors, the book’s reflections include evocative questions and creative, often embodied exercises that invite the reader into a larger story of change, with this book being a conversation with the reader meant to also stir conversations between readers as we learn to live into and through our transformative times together].

(Image credit: Kimberley Farmer / Unsplash)

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 June 9 service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. The Seasoned Soul: Reflections on Growing Older, by Eliza Blanchard, 2012, 204.4 BLA [From Skinner House Books; Using wise and inspiring quotations from many cultures and religious traditions, eighty-seven elegant essays provide guidance and encouragement for navigating life changes, dealing with fear, retaining dignity and passion, and living a life of meaning, helping all of us face the joys and challenges of aging with insight and grace].

2. The Song of the Bird, by Anthony De Mello, 1982, 248.4 DeM [Gift of Anne Ptolemy; 124 stories and parables from a variety of traditions, both ancient and modern, with each resonating with life lessons that can teach us inescapable truths about ourselves and our world, and with the author directing “Let the story speak to your heart, not to your brain”.]

3. Lifecraft: The Art of Meaning in the Everyday, by Forrest Church, 2001, 248.4 CHU [Beacon Press; A joyous book on the art of finding meaning in daily life].

4. Learning to Fall: The Blessings of an Imperfect Life, by Philip Simmons, 2003, 291.4 [Donated by Gerta Moray; Philip Simmons, who was just thirty-five years old in 1993 when he learned that he had ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, was told he had less than five years to live, but nine years later, he has succeeded, against the odds, in learning the art of living, with this surprisingly joyous and spirit-renewing book, he chronicles his search for peace and his deepening relationship with the mystery of everyday life, with this offering 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; In an unprecedented series of the most complete studies ever done, Harvard Medical School followed 824 subjects (men and women, some rich, some poor) from their teens to old age, with Harvard’s George Vaillant using these studies and the subjects’ individual histories to illustrate the factors involved in reaching a happy, healthy old age].

6. Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up, by James Hollis, 2005, 155.6 HOL [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, with this book 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, to generally provide a reassuring message and a crucial bridge across this critical passage of adult development].

7. The Spirituality of Imperfection: Modern Wisdom from Classic Stories, by Ernest Kurtz, 1992, 291.4 KUR [Gift of Carol Anne Owen; Steeped in the rich traditions of the Hebrew prophets and Greek thinkers, Buddhist sages and Christian disciples, this insightful work draws on the wisdom stories of the ages to provide an extraordinary wellspring of hope and inspiration].

(Image credit: Kimberley Farmer / Unsplash)

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 June 2 service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Cascadia: The Elusive Utopia, by Douglas Todd, 2008, 204 TOD [This explores the unique spirituality and culture of Cascadia, which includes British Columbia, Washington and Oregon, arguing that most of the region’s 14 million residents feel deeply “spiritual”, with many gaining their sense of the sacred from the spectacular and imposing land].

2. Perfection of the Morning: An Apprenticeship in Nature, by Sharon Butala, 1995, 921 BUT [A meditation on the world of nature, this is Sharon’s search for a connection with the prairie that encompassed and often overwhelmed her].

3. Norbert Fabian Capek: A Spiritual Journey, by Richard Henry, 1999, 921 CAP [Gift of Harold Brown; from Skinner House Books; Norbert Čapek, who initiated the flower communion in Prague on 4 June 1923, was also an inspiring leader who, during one of the most turbulent periods in modern history, built a religious movement in Czechoslovakia of close to 10,000 people].

4. The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature, by David Suzuki, 2007, 304.2 SUZ [Drawing on David’s own experiences, as well as that of others who have put their beliefs into action, this combines science, philosophy, spirituality, and Indigenous knowledge to offer concrete suggestions to create an ecologically sustainable future by rediscovering and addressing humanity’s basic needs].

5. Generation Dread, by Britt Wray, 2023, 155.9 [An impassioned, generational perspective on not only why climate anxiety is completely natural and necessary, but also how we can be stronger for it].

6. Emerson’s Angle of Vision; Man and Nature in American Experience, by Sherman Paul, 1952, 921 EM [Gift of Christine Peirce Douglas in memory of her son Lionel Peirce Douglas].

7. Walden, by Henry David Thoreau, 1997, 818.3 THO [In 1845, the Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau built a log cabin beside the lake of Walden to return to nature, to observe and reflect, while living on eight dollars per year, with this resulting in a deeply personal reaction against the commercialism and materialism that he saw as the main impulses of mid-nineteenth-century America].

8. From Beginning to End: The Rituals of Our Lives, by Robert Fulghum, 1995, 128 FUL [Rituals don’t always involve words, occasions, officials, or an audience, with them often being silent, solitary, and self-contained; the author even sees ritual when people sit together silently by an open fire].

(Image credit: Kimberley Farmer / Unsplash)

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 May 26 service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Salted with Fire: Unitarian Universalist Strategies for Sharing Faith and Growing Congregations, by Scott W. Alexander, 1994, 289.13 ALE [Dynamic collection of Unitarian Universalist religious leaders’ essays filled with philosophy, practical advice and passion about their commitment and passion for the growth of Unitarian Universalism].

2. Planning For Growth & Vitality For Smaller & Midsize Congregations: Congregational Team Planning Guide, 288 UUA/CUC.

3. The Almost Church: Redefining Unitarian Universalism for a New Era, by Michael Durall, 2004, 289.1 DUR [Delves into how UU congregations can become stronger-minded, as well as more effective, in achieving their hopes and dreams in the future].

4. The Interfaith Alternative: Embracing Spiritual Diversity, by Reverend Steven Greenebaum, 2012, 201.5 [Gift of Mary Bennett; There’s no them – there is only us – with a common humanity, including each of our spiritual paths having the primary tenets of faith including universal love, acceptance and compassion].

5. The Common Heart: An Experience of Interreligious Dialogue, edited by Netanel Miles-Yepez, 2006, 201.5 MIL [Provides Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and Indigenous perspectives in interreligious dialogue gathered from twenty years of Father Thomas Keating’s “Snowmass Conference”].

6. How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving Relationships, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 2006, 294.3 BST [This offers a simple, yet illuminating, program for transforming self-centered energy into outwardly directed compassion, thus helping us to open our hearts and minds to the experience of unlimited love, resulting in transforming every relationship in our lives and guiding us ever closer to wisdom and enlightenment].

(Image credit: Kimberley Farmer / Unsplash)

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 May 19 service.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao, by Ian Johnson, 2018, 200 [On the new acquisitions shelf; A revelatory portrait of religion in China today, along with its history, the spiritual traditions of its Eastern and Western faiths, and the ways in which it is influencing China’s future].

2. Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality, by Bob Joseph, 2019, 303 [Teaches about Aboriginal Rights and Title, 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), and the truth behind common myths and stereotypes perpetuated about Indigenous Peoples since Confederation.].

3. From Where I Stand: Rebuilding Indigenous Nations for a Stronger Canada, by Jody Wilson-Raybould, 2019, 970.5 [Based on speeches made over a ten-year period both at home and abroad, this reveals why true reconciliation will occur only when Canada moves beyond denial, recognizes Indigenous Rights, and replaces the Indian Act].

4. Life Prayers From Around the World: 365 Prayers, Blessings, and Affirmations to Celebrate the Human Journey, by Elizabeth Roberts, 1996, 242.2 ROB [This richly eclectic collection of poetry, wisdom, prayers and blessing from writers and other thinkers from around the world provides a joyous affirmation of the human journey, in all of its forms, struggles and glories].

5. Don’t Label Me: How to Do Diversity Without Inflaming the Culture Wars, by Irshad Manji, 2020, 306.446 [Copies donated by Mary Bennett and John Omielan; Lessons from Bruce Lee, Ben Franklin, Audre Lorde, and Manji’s own experiences as an African refugee, this provides a unique conversation about diversity, bigotry and our common humanity].

6. Rehearsals for Living, by Robyn Maynard and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson , 2023, 306 [The authors discuss with each other the Black and Indigenous perspectives about our unprecedented current issues, including reiterating the long-disavowed histories of slavery and colonization, to create something new: an urgent demand for a different way forward, along with a poetic call to dream up other ways to order earthly life].

(Image credit: Kimberley Farmer / Unsplash)