Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Rev. Mwibutsawineza Ndagijimana and Rev. Shawn Gauthier on Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in with Unexpected Resilience and Creative Power, by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone, 2022, 303 MAC [From LibraryThing: “This revised edition of “Active hope” shows us how to strengthen our capacity to face crises so that we can respond with unexpected resilience and creative power.”].

2. The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times, by Jane Goodall, Douglas Abrams and Gail Hudson, 2021, 304 GOO [Donated by Elizabeth Murdoch. From LibraryThing: “.. explore through intimate and thought-provoking dialogue one of the most sought after and least understood elements of human nature: hope. In The Book of Hope, Jane focuses on her “Four Reasons for Hope”: The Amazing Human Intellect, The Resilience of Nature, The Power of Young People, and The Indomitable Human Spirit. Drawing on decades of work that has helped expand our understanding of what it means to be human and what we all need to do to help build a better world, The Book of Hope touches on vital questions, including: How do we stay hopeful when everything seems hopeless? How do we cultivate hope in our children? What is the relationship between hope and action? Filled with moving and inspirational stories and photographs from Jane’s remarkable career, The Book of Hope is a deeply personal conversation with one of the most beloved figures in the world today. …”].

3. A People So Bold: Theology and Ministry for Unitarian Universalists, edited by John Gibb Millspaugh, 2009, 261 MIL [From inSpirit UU Book and Gift Shop: “Twenty-two prominent ministers, lay leaders and theologians discuss the future of Unitarian Universalist social justice work. Their thoughts and hopes for the future are captured in this inspiring collection of essays. Grounding this mission in an historical context, these voices address questions like: How does our faith hold brokenness, injustice and suffering? and How do we develop a prophetic voice? …”].

4. 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”].

5. Humankind: A Hopeful History, by Rutger Bregman, translated by Erica Moore and Elizabeth Manton, 2021, 128 BRE [From LibraryThing: “Human beings, we’re taught, are by nature selfish and governed by self-interest. Humankind makes a new argument: that it is realistic, as well as revolutionary, to assume that people are good. The instinct to cooperate rather than compete, trust rather than distrust, has an evolutionary basis going right back to the beginning of Homo sapiens. By thinking the worst of others, we bring out the worst in our politics and economics too. … takes some of the world’s most famous studies and events and reframes them, providing a new perspective on the last 200,000 years of human history. From the real-life Lord of the Flies to the Blitz, a Siberian fox farm to an infamous New York murder, Stanley Milgram’s Yale shock machine to the Stanford prison experiment, Bregman shows how believing in human kindness and altruism can be a new way to think–and act as the foundation for achieving true change in our society. …”].

6. A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster, by Rebecca Solnit, 2009, 155.9 SOL [From LibraryThing: “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.”].

7. Hope in Shadows: Stories and Photographs of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, by Brad Cran and Gillian Jerome, 2008, 971.1 CRA [From LibraryThing: “The poignant story of an at-risk community, in its residents’ own words and pictures.”].

8. The Courage to Laugh: Humor, Hope, and Healing in the Face of Death and Dying, by Allen Klein, 1998, 291.4 KLE [From LibraryThing: “… Illustrating the inherent importance of the ability to laugh, Klein gives readers the power to face the end of life with dignity and compassion. Based on the author’s years of giving speeches and leading workshops for patients and their caregivers and families, The Courage to Laugh will be the first book to: * show how patients use humor to cope when life is threatened * offer hope and encouragement to readers dealing with loss * give readers permission to laugh when they feel like crying * explain how popular culture can ease death-related fears * provide uplifting quotes and jokes With poignant wisdom from children, parents, doctors, and nurses, combined with the spirited writing of the author, …”].

9. My Ending Is My Beginning, by David O. Rankin, 1985, 155.9 RAN [From a LibraryThing Review by uufnn, “David O. Rankin was the minister of Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan for many years. In preface the author writes, “Life and death are inevitably woven together. …”. Also, from the Internet Archive, the Contents page has sections like “Why Do Bad Things Happen?”, “Yes to Life!”, “Living with Armageddon”, “To Hell With Hell!” and “Love is Forever”).

10. Life Prayers From Around the World: 365 Prayers, Blessings, and Affirmations to Celebrate the Human Journey, by Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon, 1996, 242.2 ROB [From LibraryThing: “… 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. …”].

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Rev. Shawn Gauthier and Gerta Moray on Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Unitarians and India: A Study in Encounter and Response, by Spencer Lavan, 1991, 289.1 LAV [The Julian Fears Library. From Amazon: “Compelling history of Unitarianism in India, including pioneer missionaries William Roberts, William Adam, Charles Dall, etc.; early Indian Unitarians including Rammohun Roy and Keshub Chunder Sen; contemporary Unitarian supporters of Gandhi, much more.”].

2. Emerson: The Mind on Fire, by Robert D. Richardson Jr., 1996, 814 RIC [From LibraryThing: “… This is not merely a study of Emerson’s writing and his influence on others; it is Emerson’s life as he experienced it. We see the failed minister, the struggling writer, the political reformer, the poetic liberator. The Emerson of this book not only influenced Thoreau, Fuller, Whitman, Dickinson, and Frost, he also inspired Nietzsche, William James, Baudelaire, Marcel Proust, Virginia Woolf, and Jorge Luis Borges. Emerson’s timeliness is persistent and striking: his insistence that literature and science are not separate cultures, his emphasis on the worth of every individual, his respect for nature. Richardson gives careful attention to the enormous range of Emerson’s readings – from Persian poets to George Sand-and to his many friendships and personal encounters – from Mary Moody Emerson to the Cherokee chiefs in Boston – evoking both the man and the times in which he lived. Throughout this book, Emerson’s unquenchable vitality reaches across the decades, and his hold on us endures.”].

3. Walden, by Henry David Thoreau, 1997, 818.3 THO [From LibraryThing: “In 1845 Henry David Thoreau, one of the principal New England Transcendentalists, left the town for the country. Beside the lake of Walden, he built himself a log cabin and returned to nature, to observe and reflect while surviving on eight dollars a year. From this experience emerged one of the great classics of American literature, a deeply personal reaction against the commercialism and materialism that he saw as the main impulses of mid-19th century America.”].

4. Unitarian Universalism: A Narrative History, by David E. Bumbaugh, 2001, 289.1 [From Amazon: “… He explains the tensions between the Unitarians and the Universalists before the merger of the denominations in 1961, the latter fearing they would be swallowed up by the stronger partner. After merger, the contest for the hearts and minds of liberals between the theists and humanists continued over into the new denomination. In recent times, a humanistically inclined denomination has found developing within it new interpretations of liberal religion, among them a vague emotion labeled “spirituality.” and an earth-centered approach to religion, labeled “pagan.” Of course, as one would expect, there is continuing concern over the relation of the denomination to its Christian roots.”].

5. Children of the Same God: The Historical Relationship Between Unitarianism, Judaism, and Islam, by Susan J. Ritchie, 2014, 289 RIT [From Amazon: “… makes the groundbreaking historical argument that, long before Unitarianism and Universalism merged in the United States, Unitarianism itself was inherently multireligious. She demonstrates how Unitarians in Eastern Europe claimed a strong affinity with Jews and Muslims from the very beginning and how mutual theological underpinnings and active cooperation underpin Unitarian history but have largely disappeared from the written accounts. With clear implications for the religious identity of Christians, Jews, and Muslims as well as Unitarian Universalists, and especially for interfaith work, Children of the Same God illuminates the intertwining histories and destinies of these traditions. …”].

6. BHAGAVAD-GITA, translated by Juan Mascaro, 1988, 294.5 MAS [The Julian Fears Library. From LibraryThing: “Sanskrit for ‘Song of the Lord’, the Bhagavad Gita is a 700-verse Hindu epic that constitutes part of the faith’s vast cornerstone work, the Mahabharata. The book provides timeless truths and indispensable advice for believers trying to overcome internal tensions, doubt and indecision. The teachings are conveyed in the form of a dialogue between the Pandava general Arjuna and the deity Krishna, who helps Arjuna understand his position in the Kurukshetra War, and guides him towards the right course of action. The Gita’s treatment of duty and devotion has inspired many, including the peaceful activist Mahatma Gandhi, who referred to it as his ‘spiritual dictionary’.”].

7. Hinduism: The Rig Veda (Sacred Writings, Volume 5), by series Editor Ralph T.H. Griffith, 1992, 294.592 [From LibraryThing: “The Rigveda (Sanskrit: ऋग्वेद rgveda, a compound of rc “praise, verse” and veda “knowledge”) is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns. It is counted among the four canonical sacred texts (śruti) of Hinduism known as the Vedas. Some of its verses are still recited as Hindu prayers, at religious functions and other occasions, putting these among the world’s oldest religious texts in continued use. The Rigveda contains several mythological and poetical accounts of the origin of the world, hymns praising the gods, and ancient prayers for life, prosperity, etc. …”].

8. This Very Moment: A Brief Introduction to Buddhism and Zen for Unitarian Universalists, by James Ishmael Ford, 1996, 294 FOR [Published by Skinner House Books. From LibraryThing: “An elegant primer, This Very Moment includes basic teachings of the Buddha, the historical development of Zen Buddhism, Zen meditation practices, koans and more. Ford also highlights the spiritual and political connections between Zen Buddhism and Unitarian Universalism, demonstrating the harmonious balance that can be struck between the two.”].

9. Buddhism: Religions of our Neighbors: Volume 3, Sid Bentley, 1983, 294 BEN [Published by the Province of BC, Ministry of Education].

10. Buddhism and Whiteness, by George Yancy, 2021, 294 YAN [From LibraryThing: “… contributors use Buddhist philosophical and contemplative traditions, both ancient and modern, and deploy critical philosophy of race, and critical whiteness studies, to address the proverbial elephant in the room-whiteness”].

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Rev. Shawn Gauthier, Kiersten Moore and Laureen Stokes, on Sunday, May 4, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Cascadia: The Elusive Utopia, by Douglas Todd, 2008, 204 TOD [From LibraryThing: “This collection explores the unique spirituality and culture of Cascadia, which includes British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. … Cascadia is home to the least institutionally religious people on the continent. Despite this, Cascadia: The Elusive Utopia argues that most of the region’s 14 million residents feel deeply “spiritual.” Many gain 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 [From LibraryThing: “At once a meditation on the world of nature and a personal and spiritual exploration of the roots of creativity, The Perfection of the Morning is Sharon Butala’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; published by Skinner House Books. Note that Norbert Čapek initiated the flower communion in Prague on June 4, 1923. From LibraryThing: “… during one of the most turbulent periods in modern history, built a religious movement in his native Czechoslovakia that numbered close to 10,000 people. … Richard Henry draws on Čapek’s diaries, unfinished autobiography and personal items such as sheet music, scrapbooks and photographs. …”].

4. The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature, by David Suzuki, 2007, 304.2 SUZ [From LibraryThing: “… The world is changing at a relentless pace. How can we slow down and act from a place of respect for all living things? … David Suzuki reflects on the increasingly radical changes in science and nature-from the climate crisis to peak oil and the rise in clean energy-and examines what they mean for humankind. He also reflects on what we have learned by listening to Indigenous leaders, whose knowledge of the natural world is profound, and whose peoples are on the frontlines of protecting land and water around the world. Drawing on his own experiences and those of others who have put their beliefs into action, The Sacred Balance combines science, philosophy, spirituality, and Indigenous knowledge to offer concrete suggestions for creating an ecologically sustainable future by rediscovering and addressing humanity’s basic needs.”].

5. 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].

6. Walden, by Henry David Thoreau, 1997, 818.3 THO [From LibraryThing: “In 1845 Henry David Thoreau, one of the principal New England Transcendentalists, left the town for the country. Beside the lake of Walden, he built himself a log cabin and returned to nature, to observe and reflect while surviving on eight dollars a year. From this experience emerged one of the great classics of American literature, a deeply personal reaction against the commercialism and materialism that he saw as the main impulses of mid-19th century America.”].

7. From Beginning to End: The Rituals of Our Lives, by Robert Fulghum, 1995, 128 FUL [From the author in the paperback edition, as stated on LibraryThing: “… 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.”].

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Tamiko Suzuki, on Sunday, April 27, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World, by Karen Armstrong, 2023, 202 ARM [From LibraryThing: “A profound exploration of the spiritual power of nature–and an urgent call to reclaim that power in everyday life. Since the beginning of time, humankind has looked upon nature and seen the divine. In the writings of the great thinkers across religions, the natural world inspires everything from fear, to awe, to tranquil contemplation; God, or however one defined the sublime, was present in everything. … In this short but deeply powerful book, the best-selling historian of religion Karen Armstrong re-sacralizes nature for modern times.”].

2. Walden, by Henry David Thoreau, 1997, 818.3 THO [From LibraryThing: “In 1845 Henry David Thoreau, one of the principal New England Transcendentalists, left the town for the country. Beside the lake of Walden, he built himself a log cabin and returned to nature, to observe and reflect while surviving on eight dollars a year. From this experience emerged one of the great classics of American literature, a deeply personal reaction against the commercialism and materialism that he saw as the main impulses of mid-19th century America.”].

3. For the Love of Trees An Arboreal Odyssey, by Roy Forster, 2010, 709.2 FOR [From Elisabeth C. Miller Library, an excerpt from the Fall 2014 Arboretum Bulletin: “Roy Forster was the first curator and director of the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, British Columbia, designing much of the plantings that help make this one of the outstanding botanical gardens in our region. “For the Love of Trees” is in some ways his autobiography, but in a most unusual format, as he uses his own paintings to tell most of that story.
—

Throughout, Forster shares his philosophy on trees, which is also his philosophy on life. He describes the profits of his life as a tree planter in public landscapes: “The rewards are of a different kind, consisting mainly in the joy of observing the vigorous growth of the trees over the decades of life, knowing they will be there long after the planter is gone. There is a kind of love in that.”].

4. 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”].

5. Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth, by J. E. Lovelock, 1987, 113 LOV [From LibraryThing: “… 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 of air, ocean, and land surfaces forms a complex system that has the capacity to keep the Earth a fit place for life.”].

6. Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, by Richard Louv, 2008, 155.41 LOU [From LibraryThing: “I like to play indoors better because that’s where all the electrical outlets are, reports a fourth grader. But it’s not only computers, television, and video games that are keeping kids inside. It’s also their parents’ fears of traffic, strangers, Lyme disease, and West Nile virus; their schools’ emphasis on more and more homework; their structured schedules; and their lack of access to natural areas. Local governments, neighborhood associations, and even organizations devoted to the outdoors are placing legal and regulatory constraints on many wild spaces, sometimes making natural play a crime.
As children’s connections to nature diminish and the social, psychological, and spiritual implications become apparent, new research shows that nature can offer powerful therapy for such maladies as depression, obesity, and attention deficit disorder. Environment-based education dramatically improves standardized test scores and grade-point averages and develops skills in problem solving, critical thinking, and decision making. Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that childhood experiences in nature stimulate creativity.
In Last Child in the Woods, Louv talks with parents, children, teachers, scientists, religious leaders, child-development researchers, and environmentalists who recognize the threat and offer solutions. Louv shows us an alternative future, one in which parents help their kids experience the natural world more deeply – and find the joy of family connectedness in the process. …”].

7. The Animal World of Albert Schweitzer: Jungle Insights into Reverence for Life, by Albert Schweitzer, 1996, 921 SCH [From LibraryThing, what’s on the book jacket: “… These anecdotes culminate in a group of brief, moving essays and meditations in which Schweitzer seeks to place humanity’s legitimate self-interest within the larger context of a natural world in which all life is sacred. In this time of heated animal rights activism and heightened environmental awareness, Albert Schweitzer’s observations reveal him to be a man of concrete moral intelligence – and thoroughly contemporary in his concerns.”].

8. The Geography of Childhood: Why Children Need Wild Places, by Gary Paul Nabhan and Stephen Trimble, 1994, 155.4 NAB [Published by Beacon Press. From LibraryThing: “What may happen now that so many more children are denied exposure to wilderness than at any other time in human history?”].

9. The Way of the Earth: Encounters With Nature in Ancient and Contemporary Thought, by T. C. McLuhan, 1994, 113.09 McL [From LibraryThing, about what’s on the book jacket: “This book draws upon both ancient and contemporary sources to examine the significance of the earth from the perspective of six different cultures and how these spiritual traditions have valued, perceived, and understood the earth. At first glance the peoples of aboriginal Australia, Japan, Greece, Africa, South America, and Native North America couldn’t be more different. But by taking a closer look, the author shows that there are many more similarities than differences- all revere mountains as a source of inspiration and holiness, all feel a spiritual connection to the soil itself, all create art and literature to celebrate their connection to the land, and all see themselves as inextricable from the land they call home. This unique volume explores how human beings across the planet and across time have felt about the earth and nature, and how they have understood it, related to it, and celebrated it in their literature, mythology, religion, and art. It demonstrates that no matter where on the planet we exist, and no matter what time period we live, we all have a profound connection to the earth.”].

10. Before They’re Gone: A Family’s Year-Long Quest to Explore America’s Most Endangered National Parks, by Michael Lanza, 2013, 333.720973 LAN [From LibraryThing, what’s on the book jacket: “… Through these poignant and humorous adventures, Lanza shares the beauty of each place and shows how his children connect with nature when given “unscripted” time. Ultimately, he writes, this is more their story than his, for whatever comes of our changing world, they are the ones who will live in it.”].

11. 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.]

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Rev. Shawn Gauthier, on Sunday, April 20, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. What Easter Means to Unitarians, by Phillip Hewett, 1987, 394 HEW.

2. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, by Bryan Stevenson, 2014, 921 STE [From LibraryThing: “… Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship – and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever.
Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice.”].

3. The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World, by Desmond Tutu, 2015, 179 TUT [From LibraryThing: “… Writing with his daughter, Mpho, an Anglican priest, they lay out the simple but profound truths about the significance of forgiveness, how it works, why everyone needs to know how to grant it and receive it, and why granting forgiveness is the greatest gift we can give to ourselves when we have been wronged. They explain the four-step process of forgiveness — Telling the Story, Naming the Hurt, Granting Forgiveness, and Renewing or Releasing the Relationship — as well as offer meditations, exercises, and prayers to guide the reader along the way. ‘With each act of forgiveness, whether small or great, we move toward wholeness,’ they write. ‘Forgiveness is how we bring peace to ourselves and our world.’”].

4. Forgiveness, by Mark Sakamoto, 2014, 940.54 SAK [From LibraryThing: “… When the Second World War broke out, Ralph MacLean chose to escape his troubled life on the Magdalen Islands in eastern Canada and volunteer to serve his country overseas. Meanwhile, in Vancouver, Mitsue Sakamoto saw her family and her stable community torn apart after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Like many young Canadian soldiers, Ralph was captured by the Japanese army. He would spend the war in prison camps, enduring pestilence, beatings and starvation, as well as a journey by hell ship to Japan to perform slave labour, while around him his friends and countrymen perished. Back in Canada, Mitsue and her family were expelled from their home by the government and forced to spend years eking out an existence in rural Alberta, working other people’s land for a dollar a day.
By the end of the war, Ralph emerged broken but a survivor. Mitsue, worn down by years of back-breaking labour, had to start all over again in Medicine Hat, Alberta. A generation later, at a high school dance, Ralph’s daughter and Mitsue’s son fell in love.
Although the war toyed with Ralph’s and Mitsue’s lives and threatened to erase their humanity, these two brave individuals somehow surmounted enormous transgressions and learned to forgive. Without this forgiveness, their grandson Mark Sakamoto would never have come to be.”].

5. The Death of Religion and the Rebirth of Spirit: A Return to the Intelligence of the Heart, by Joseph Chilton Pearce, 2007, 200 PEAR [Gift of W. Knox Carr. From LibraryThing: “Social visionary Joseph Chilton Pearce’s indictment of cultural imprinting as the cause of humankind’s cruel and violent behavior * Refutes the Neo-Darwinist assumption that violence is inherent in humanity * Identifies religion as the sustaining force behind our negative cultural imprinting * Shows how infant-adult interactions unconsciously block the creative spirit We are all too aware of the endless variety of cruel and violent behavior reported to us in the media, reminded daily that in every corner of the world someone is suffering or dying at the hands of another. We have to ask: Is this violence and cruelty endemic to our nature? Are we, at our foundation, really so murderous? … Joseph Chilton Pearce, life-long advocate of human potential, sounds an emphatic and convincing no. Pearce explains that beneath our awareness, culture imprints a negative force-field that blocks the natural rise of the spirit toward its innate nature of love and altruism. Further, he identifies religion as the primary cultural force behind this negative imprinting. Drawing from recent neuroscience, neurocardiology, cultural anthropology, and brain development research, Pearce explains that the key to reversing this trend can be found in the interaction between infants and adults. The adult mind-set effectively compromises the infant’s neural and hormonal interactions between the heart and the higher evolutionary structures of the developing brain, thus keeping us centered primarily in our most primitive and defensive neural foundations, generation after generation. Pearce shows us that if we allow the intelligence of the heart to take hold and flourish, we can reverse this unconscious loss of our true nature.”].

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Rev. Shawn Gauthier, on Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Guide My Feet: Prayers and Meditations on Loving and Working for Children, by Marian Wright Edelman, 1995, 242.6 EDE [Published by Beacon Press. From LibraryThing: “… presents prayers and meditations to inspire all those, such as parents, teachers, and ministers, who work on the behalf of children. Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund … continues her crusade for the well-being of America’s children by providing a counterweight to the lesson society is teaching this generation of children–to be soulless takers instead of empowered givers. Guide My Feet is 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. It 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. Filled with wisdom, compassion and understanding, it 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.”].

2. Do Children Need Religion?: How Parents Today Are Thinking About the Big Questions, by Martha Fay, 1993, 248.8 FAY [From LibraryThing, the book jacket: “… Drawing on her experience with her own daughter and interviews with believers, non-believers, and those struggling to define their beliefs, Martha Fay explores the questions most often raised about religion’s benefits and its limitations. How do parents answer their children’s questions about the origins of life and the meaning of death outside the framework of a religious system of belief? How do they instill a moral code? How do they convey a sense of community? For a psychologically sophisticated generation of parents there is the concern of balancing the structure and comfort religion provides for children against the rewards of making sense of the world on their own. …”].

3. The Seven Spiritual Laws for Parents: Guiding Your Children to Success and Fulfillment, by Deepak Chopra, 1997, 649.1 CHO [From LibraryThing: “… After a general discussion of parenting and the gift of spirit, this book explores specific ways to practice the Seven Spiritual Laws as a family, how to convey these laws to children depending on their ages, and how to embody them in age-specific activities each day, beginning on Sundays with the Law of Pure Potentiality. …”].

4. The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours, by Marian Wright Edelman, 1992, 649.1 EDE [Published by Beacon Press. From LibraryThing: “A message for parents trying to raise moral children, an open letter to all of America, a timely message of hope and purpose.”].

5. Something More: Nurturing Your Child’s Spiritual Growth, by Jean Grasso Fitzpatrick, 1992, 248.8 FIT [From LibraryThing: “… Something More offers parents of all faiths, even those who don’t consider themselves religious, everyday ways to make family life more meainginful. Jean Grasso Fitzpatrick reminds us that spiritual nurturing is not something we “do” to our child but is a journey that parent and child take together. This powerful book integrates spiritual insights, current child-development theory, and, in their own words, the experiences of parents. It features advice on how to answer your child’s often difficult questions on everything from death to religious holidays to homelessness and includes lists of suggested books, music, and videos that will help you explore your own and your child’s spirituality. …”].

6. What If Nobody Forgave, and Other Stories of Principle, by Colleen McDonald, 1999, 268.89 MCD [Published by Skinner House Books. From LibraryThing: “… Nineteen stories that focus on justice and other virtues. Each story is followed by discussion questions, activity suggestions and a reading list These stories bring to life for young listeners the virtues of compassion, idealism, justice, responsibility and respect. Resources include advice on storytelling techniques–including introducing the story, tips on relating your own experiences, harnessing audience participation, using props, and more. Ideal for a variety of occasions, including family story time, worship, home schooling, camp programs and more.”].

7. Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue, by Edwin H. Friedman, 1985, 261.8 FRI [In memory of Jerre Partridge. From LibraryThing: “… shows how the same understanding of family process that can aid clergy in their pastoral role also has important ramifications for negotiating congregational dynamics and functioning as an effective leader. Clergy from diverse denominations, as well as family therapists and counselors, have found that this book directly addresses the dilemmas and crises they encounter daily. …”].

8. Spinning Inward: Using Guided Imagery with Children for Learning, Creativity & Relaxation, by Maureen Murdock, 1987, 155.4 MUR [Gift of Denise Neireda. From LibraryThing: “… simple exercises in guided imagery designed to help young people ages three through eighteen to relax into learning, focus attention and increase concentration, stimulate creativity, and cultivate inner peace and group harmony. The use of guided imagery has been internationally recognized as an effective method of “whole brain” learning. The author’s approach will have special appeal to parents and teachers who are frustrated by an educational system that seems to reward only those children who excel at verbal, linear learning. With the exercises in this book, young people can discover learning styles that are effective and enjoyable for them. …”].

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Casey Stainsby, on Sunday, April 6, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. 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. …, 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.”].

2. 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”].

3. Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness, by Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD, 2006, 242 KAB [From LibraryThing: “As stress continues to exact a toll on everyday life, people are increasingly turning to meditative methods, tested by science, to relieve its ill effects and become more focused, healthy, and proactive. Kabat-Zinn is a leader of the mind/body revolution in medicine and health care, demystifying it and bringing it into the mainstream. This book offers insight into how to use the five senses — touch, hearing, sight, taste, and smell, plus awareness itself — as a path to a healthier, saner, and more meaningful life.”].

4. Falling into the Sky: A Meditation Anthology, edited by Abhi Janamanchi and Abhimanyu Janamanchi, 2013, 242 JAN [Published by Skinner House Books. From GoodReads: “The 2013 UUA Meditation Manual is full of open spaces and possibility. Comprised of forty remarkable writings from Unitarian Universalist ministers, leaders, and lay people, these meditations are full of vivid vistas of imagination and reflection.”].

5. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: 50th Anniversary Edition, by Shunryu Suzuki, 2020, 294 SUZ [From LibraryThing: “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few. … In a single stroke, the simple sentence cuts through the pervasive tendency students have of getting so close to Zen as to completely miss what it’s all about. … Suzuki Roshi presents the basics of Zen in a way that is remarkably clear and resonates with the joy of insight. …”].

6. 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].

7. The One Minute Active Meditation Technique: How to Unclutter your mind and connect with your Zest, by Alannah Jantzen, edited by Jools Andres, illustrated by Full Circle Graphics, 2012, 158.12 JAN [Autographed by the author. From AbeBooks: “Meditate Anytime, Anywhere. The One Minute Active Meditation book gives one simple, easy technique that helps busy active people meditate anytime, anywhere.”].

8. Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in with Unexpected Resilience and Creative Power, by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone, 2022, 303 MAC [From LibraryThing: “This revised edition of “Active hope” shows us how to strengthen our capacity to face crises so that we can respond with unexpected resilience and creative power.”].

9. This Very Moment: A Brief Introduction to Buddhism and Zen for Unitarian Universalists, by James Ishmael Ford, 1996, 294 FOR [Published by Skinner House Books. From LibraryThing: “An elegant primer, This Very Moment includes basic teachings of the Buddha, the historical development of Zen Buddhism, Zen meditation practices, koans and more. Ford also highlights the spiritual and political connections between Zen Buddhism and Unitarian Universalism, demonstrating the harmonious balance that can be struck between the two.”].

10. The Heart of Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy & Liberation, by Thich Nhat Hanh, 1999, 294 NHA [From Amazon: “With poetry and clarity, Thich Nhat Hanh imparts comforting wisdom about the nature of suffering and its role in creating compassion, love, and joy – all qualities of enlightenment.”].

11. The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety, by Alan W. Watts, 1951, 128.3 WAT [The Julian Fears Library. From LibraryThing, a Los Angeles Times article: “… Alan Watts draws on the wisdom of Eastern philosophy and religion in this timeless and classic guide to living a more fulfilling life. His central insight is more relevant now than ever: when we spend all of our time worrying about the future and lamenting the past, we are unable to enjoy the present moment – the only one we are actually able to inhabit.
Watts offers the liberating message that true certitude and security come only from understanding that impermanence and insecurity are the essence of our existence. He highlights the futility of endlessly chasing moving goalposts, whether they consist of financial success, stability, or escape from pain, and shows that it is only by acknowledging what we do not know that we can learn anything truly worth knowing.
In The Wisdom of Insecurity, Watts explains complex concepts in beautifully simple terms, making this the kind of book you can return to again and again for comfort and insight in challenging times. …”].

12. The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker, 2020, 302 PAR [From LibraryThing: “… argues that the gatherings in our lives are lackluster and unproductive – which they don’t have to be. We rely too much on routine and the conventions of gatherings when we should focus on distinctiveness and the people involved. At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play. …”].

13. New Seeds of Contemplation, by Thomas Merton, 2007, 248.34 MER [From LibraryThing: “… seeks to awaken the dormant inner depths of the spirit so long neglected by Western culture, to nurture a deeply contemplative and mystical dimension in our lives. For Merton, every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul. Just as the wind carries thousands of winged seeds, so each moment brings with it germs of spiritual vitality that come to rest imperceptibly in the minds and wills of men. Most of these unnumbered seeds perish and are lost, because men are not prepared to receive them: for such seeds as these cannot spring up anywhere except in the soil of freedom, spontaneity, and love.”].

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Rev. Shawn Gauthier, on Sunday, March 30, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. A Brief History of the Unitarian Church of Vancouver 1909-1979, by Peggy Woods, 1979, 288 WOO [Signed by the author].

2. Life and Transcendence: Unitarian Sermons by Rev. Steven Epperson, by Steven Epperson, 2019, 288 EPP [Written by a UCV minister].

3. Complete Sermons 1956 – 2018, by Phillip Hewett, 2019, 288 HEW [Sermons of a UCV minister on a DVD].

4. Churchworks: A Well-Body Book for Congregations, by Anne Odin Heller, 1999, 254.09 HEL [From LibaryThing: “Accessible and ingenious, this handbook uses the human body as a metaphor for the congregation and provides essential advice for growing and sustaining a healthy church.”].

5. Salted with Fire: Unitarian Universalist Strategies for Sharing Faith and Growing Congregations, by Scott W. Alexander, 1994, 289.13 ALE [Published by Skinner House Books].

6. Belonging: The Meaning of Membership, by the Unitarian Universalist Commission on Appraisal, 2001, 289.1 UNI [From the Introduction in the book’s online PDF: “What is the meaning of membership, or more thoroughly, what are the meanings of membership? What is it that people seek when they affiliate with our congregations? What is it that congregations owe to their membership, and members owe to their congregation? Whom do we include as members of congregations?”].

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

8. The Welcoming Congregation, edited by the Rev. Scott W. Alexander, 1990, 289.1 ALE [By the Unitarian Universalist Association. From LibraryThing, being from the first page: “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”].

9. Black Pioneers in a White Denomination, by Mark D. Morrison-Reed, 1994, 289.1 MOR [Published by Skinner House Books. From GoodReads: “Portraits of racism in liberal religion tells the stories of two pioneering black ministers. Includes accounts of some of today’s more integrated UU congregations and biographical notes on past and present black Unitarian, Universalist and UU ministers.”].

10. The Free Church in a Changing World, by Dana McLean Greeley, 1963, 288 UUA [From GoodReads: “Reports of six commissions appointed in 1959 by Dana McLean Greeley (while president of American Unitarian Association) to survey, evaluate, and recommend possible future directions of UU congregations”].

11. Religion among the Unitarian Universalists: Converts in the Stepfathers’ House, by Robert B Tapp, 1973, 288 TAP [Quantitative studies in social relations].

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Rev. Shawn Gauthier, on Sunday, March 23, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Trusting Change: Finding Our Way Through Personal and Global Transformation, by Karen Hering, 2022, 248 HER [From LibraryThing: “… minister and award-winning writer Karen Hering … offers pastoral support and spiritual skills building for individuals on the cusp of personal change within the collective context of a world that is reshaping itself at a faster pace than ever. The book’s ten thresholding skills give readers practical tools for living on the threshold and through change, but this is not a typical “how-to” guide and its beautifully written and evocative language will connect readers with their own deeper consciousness. From the book’s first page, the reader is greeted by a warm storyteller ready to journey with them through uncertainty and change. Hering does not pretend that change is easy but notes its inevitability and some of the ways readers can participate in it, allowing them to trust it more in the future. Sharing wisdom found in nature and in metaphors, the reflections include evocative questions and creative, often embodied exercises that invite the reader into a larger story of change. This book is a conversation with the reader meant to also stir conversations between readers as we learn to live into and through our transformative times together.”].

2. Social Action Heroes: Unitarian Universalists Who Are Changing the World, by Michelle Bates Deakin, 2012, 261 DEA [Published by Skinner House Books. From Amazon: “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.”].

3. An Examined Faith: Social Context and Religious Commitment, by James Luther Adams, 1991, 230.91 ADA [Published by Beacon Press. From GoodReads: “James Luther Adams has been a major force in American social ethics and liberal theology for more than half a century, from his work with anti-Nazi preachers in Germany in the late 1930s through his teaching at the University of Chicago and the Harvard Divinity School. Here is his latest collection of inimitable essays”].

4. Standing Before Us: Unitarian Universalist Women and Social Reform, 1776-1936, edited by Dorothy May Emerson, June Edwards and Helene Knox, 1999, 261.8 EME [Published by Skinner House Books. From LibraryThing: “Letters, essays, stories, speeches & poems by women who were social reformers from 1776 to 1936.”].

5. The Prophethood of All Believers, by James Luther Adams, edited by George K. Beach, 1986, 230.8 ADA [Published by Beacon Press].

6. The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy, by Anand Giridharadas, 2022, 320 GIR [From LibraryThing: “An insider account of activists, politicians, educators, and everyday citizens working to change minds, bridge divisions, and save democracy”].

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Rev. Shawn Gauthier, on Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in with Unexpected Resilience and Creative Power, by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone, 2022, 303 MAC [From LibraryThing: “This revised edition of “Active hope” shows us how to strengthen our capacity to face crises so that we can respond with unexpected resilience and creative power.”].

2. Fear and Other Uninvited Guests: Tackling the Anxiety, Fear, and Shame That Keep Us from Optimal Living and Loving, by Harriet Lerner, 2004, 152.46 LER [Gift of Dawn Stewart. From LibraryThing: “… Often unrecognised, fear and shame drive our choices and attitudes in ways that most of us never figure out. As Lerner explains, fear is not an amorphous unknown to be transcended or overcome but an emotion to be recognized, explored, decoded and embraced. Once we befriend fear, it can actually help us achieve calm, clarity and fundamental peace. Lerner teaches us the best ways to deal with fear: to expect, allow, and accept its presence in our lives, to mindfully observe and attend to how it feels in our bodies and, ultimately to own it. We can become experts on our personal triggers of anxiety, learning when fear signals real danger and when it’s best to plough through it because it comes with the territory of making necessary changes. The very worst thing we can do in the face of fear is to run from it or try to avoid it. Fear is not something to be conquered or eliminated–or even tackled, for that matter. Instead, we need to pay close attention to the message it is trying to convey. Using her wonderfully rich and inviting therapeutic voice along with personal memories and examples drawn from her practice, Lerner gives fear its due. We needn’t let anxiety, fear, and shame silence our authentic voice, close our hearts to the different voices of others, or stop us from acting with dignity, integrity and brio. We need to harness fear and put it in service to our best selves.”].

3. The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety, by Alan W. Watts, 1951, 128.3 WAT [The Julian Fears Library. From LibraryThing, a Los Angeles Times article: “… Alan Watts draws on the wisdom of Eastern philosophy and religion in this timeless and classic guide to living a more fulfilling life. His central insight is more relevant now than ever: when we spend all of our time worrying about the future and lamenting the past, we are unable to enjoy the present moment – the only one we are actually able to inhabit.
Watts offers the liberating message that true certitude and security come only from understanding that impermanence and insecurity are the essence of our existence. He highlights the futility of endlessly chasing moving goalposts, whether they consist of financial success, stability, or escape from pain, and shows that it is only by acknowledging what we do not know that we can learn anything truly worth knowing.
In The Wisdom of Insecurity, Watts explains complex concepts in beautifully simple terms, making this the kind of book you can return to again and again for comfort and insight in challenging times. …”].

4. Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Anxiety, by Britt Wray, 2023, 155 WRA [Donated by John Boyle. From LibraryThing: “An impassioned generational perspective on why climate anxiety is completely natural and necessary, and how we can be stronger for it. Climate and environment-related fears and anxieties are on the rise everywhere, with few resources to address them. As with any type of stress, eco-anxiety can lead to paralysis, burnout and avoidance. In Generation Dread, Britt Wray seamlessly merges scientific knowledge with emotional insight to show how these complicated feelings are a sign of our humanity, and acknowledging and valuing them is key to making it through present and future crises. This isn’t a simple process, and it’s not a level playing field when it comes to our vulnerability, she notes. However, with the worsening situation, we are all on the field–and unlocking deep stores of compassion and care is a crucial step in healing our relationship to the planet and each other. With openness and curiosity, Britt explores her own fears about starting a family when evidence of dangerous environmental shifts creates an especially bleak picture of what lies ahead. …”].

5. The War on Terror: Taking Aim at the Anxiety Disorders: A Primer for Sufferers and Loved Ones, by David Buchanan, 2015, 152.46 BUC [Written by VanU librarian. From LibraryThing: “… is written for a general readership (e.g., sufferers of anxiety disorders and those near and dear to them, and others interested in the topic) and no prior knowledge of the topic is necessary to fully appreciate this book. This book could be used as a text for a psychology or psychiatry course, for instance. In addition, it is the author’s hope that medical and psychological clinicians and researchers will gain a fresh perspective on their fields of expertise after reading this book. Ingrid Söchting, Clinical Assistant Professor at University of British Columbia wrote: “I was impressed by the wealth of information and your ability to clearly and succinctly synthesize it all. A wonderful resource for anyone seeking help with or information on anxiety.””].

6. 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. …, 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.”].

7. In the Simple Morning Light: A Meditation Manual, by Barbara Rohde, 1994, 242 ROH [Published by Skinner House Books. From LibraryThing: “In contemplating illness and recovery, family and church life, Rohde’s personal reflections and wry observations shed new light on life’s unique occurrences.”].

8. Man’s Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy, by Viktor E. Frankl, 1984, 150.19 FRA [The Julian Fears Library. From LibraryThing: “… Between 1942 and 1945 Frankl labored in four different camps, including Auschwitz, while his parents, brother, and pregnant wife perished. Based on his own experience 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. …”].

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring the Partner Church team, on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa, by Dambisa Moyo, 2009, 3338.9 MOY [From LibraryThing: “.. describes the state of postwar development policy in Africa that has channeled billions of dollars in aid but failed to reduce poverty and increase growth. He offers a new, more hopeful vision of how to address the desperate poverty that plagues millions.”].

2. The Patchwork Pilgrimage: How to Create Vibrant Church Decorations with Quilting Techniques, by Jill Liddell, 1993, 746.8 LID [Gift of Elizabeth Murdoch. From LibraryThing, a review by MarthaJeanne: “If you are interested in modern ecclesiastical textiles (Vestments and paraments, but also banners, burses…) you need this book. If you intend to make them yourself, that goes double. This book is very heavy on inspiration, but there is a good section on practical aspects. What it doesn’t have is any readymade patterns to copy.”].

Our library in Hewett Centre is open every Sunday after service during Coffee Hour in Hewett Centre, and our Library Team offers related reading lists based on the topic of Sunday service. Here is their list for the upcoming service featuring Rev. Shawn Gauthier, on Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 11 a.m. All are welcome in Hewett Centre after the Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.

VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:

1. Compassion In Action: Setting Out on the Path of Service, by Ram Dass, 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. Me to We: Turning Self-Help on Its Head, by Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger, 2004, 177.7 KIE [Gift of Jessica Campbell. From LibraryThing: “Imagine waking up every morning believing that your actions can make a significant change in the world. For everyone who has ever yearned for a better life and a better world, Craig and Marc Kielburger share a blueprint for personal and social change that has the power to transform lives one act at a time. Through inspirational contributions from people from all walks of life and moving stories drawn from more than a decade of their experience as international change-makers, the Kielburgers reveal that a more fulfilling path is ours for the taking when we find the courage to reach out. Me to We is an approach to life that leads us to recognize what is truly valuable, make new decisions about the way we want to live, and redefine the goals we set for ourselves and the legacy we want to leave. Above all, it creates new ways of measuring meaning, happiness, and success in our lives, and makes these elusive goals attainable at last. After you’ve absorbed the ideas presented in this book, your life may not end up as you had envisioned. …”].

3. 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.”].

4, Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life, by Karen Armstrong, 2010, 177.7 ARM [From LibraryThing: “Taking as her starting point the teachings of the great world religions, Karen Armstrong demonstrates in twelve practical steps how we can bring compassion to the forefront of our lives. Armstrong argues that compassion is inseparable from humanity, and by transcending the limitations of selfishness on a daily basis we will not only make a difference in the world but also lead happier, more fulfilled, lives.”].

5. Community Organizing: Canadian Experiences, edited by Brian Wharf and Michael Clague, 1997, 361.250971 [Written by a UCV member. From LibraryThing: “Community Organizing: Canadian Experiences 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.”].