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, Dec. 1, 2024 at 11 a.m. All welcome in Hewett Centre after Sunday service to check out some books and to have coffee and conversation.
VanU library books related to this Sunday’s sermon:
1. Emerson As Spiritual Guide: A Companion to Emerson’s Essays for Personal Reflection and Group Discussion, by Barry M. Andrews, 2003, 814.3 AND [From LibraryThing: “Though we may debate whether Ralph Waldo Emerson is primarily a poet, an essayist or a philosopher, for Barry Andrews, he is above all a spiritual teacher. His fiery genius ignited not only Thoreau but also Whitman, Fuller and many others. Andrews’ commentary shows a new generation of Americans how Emerson’s spiritual journey joined an open heart with a critical mind. This will appeal to readers who consider themselves spiritual though not necessarily religious. Andrews guides readers through the spiritual writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Includes an introduction to the life and thought of Emerson, as well as questions and resources for further study and reflection. “I believe Emerson is best understood as a spiritual guide and a spokesperson for an alternative American spiritual tradition. I have tried to make his message accessible and relevant to contemporary religious seekers.” –Barry M. Andrews”].
2. Reflections at Walden: Selected Writings of Henry David Thoreau, by Henry David Thoreau, 1968, 818.4 THO.
3. Thoreau as Spiritual Guide: A Companion to Walden for Personal Reflection and Discussion, by Barry M. Andrews, 2000, 200 AND [From LibraryThing: “Walden, one of America’s classic works on non-fiction, gets a fresh examination from a faith-based, and meditative perspective. Thoreau and the Trancendentalists tried to achieve a balance in their lives between work and leisure, nature and civilization, society and solitude, spiritual aspirations and moral behavior. This guide helps one “walk” through Walden again and find its soul while expanding your own.”].
4. Further Along the Road Less Traveled: The Unending Journey Toward Spiritual Growth, by M. Scott Peck, 1994, 158.1 PEC [From LibraryThing: “Further Along the Road Less Traveled takes the lectures of Dr. Peck and presents his profound insights into the issues that confront and challenge all of us today: spirituality, forgiveness, relationships, and growing up. In this aid for living less simplistically, you will learn not to look for the easy answers but to think multidimensionally. You will learn to reach for the “ultimate step,” which brings you face to face with your personal spirituality. It will be this that helps you appreciate the complexity that is life. Continue the journey of personal and spiritual growth with this wise and insightful book.”].
5. The blessings of imperfection: Reflections on the mystery of everyday life, by G. Peter Fleck, 1987, 248.4 FLE [Published by Beacon Press. From LibraryThing: “”A beautifully crafted series of meditations on how to live. . . . Stimulating and comforting.” –Susan Allen Toth”].
6. The Seasoned Soul: Reflections on Growing Older, by Eliza Blanchard, 2012, 204.4 BLA [Published by Skinner House Books. From LibraryThing: “Youth is a gift of nature. Aging is a work of art. No matter where we are on the path, growing older is a journey we all share. These eighty-seven elegant essays reflect on aging, using wise and inspiring quotations from many cultures and religious traditions. They will help you tap into your own resources, lightening your spirit and the spirits of those around you. Throughout, they provide guidance and encouragement, for navigating life changes, dealing with fear, retaining dignity and passion, and living a life of meaning. The Seasoned Soul will help all of us face the joys and challenges of aging with insight and grace.”].
7. Stations of the Spirit (Reflections, Essays and Addresses), by Victor H. Carpenter, 1990, 248.4 CAR [Gift of Louise Nikolaieff].
8. In Stillness, Renewal: Meditations, by Jacob Trapp, 1983, 242 TRA [Gift of Petrt Aaloe and Ann Rieger].
9. Random Recollections and Reflections, by Harold Douglas Brown, 2003, 921 BRO [From Dorothy Goresky: A long and well-live church life: “… She also instigated the project to get the “Random Recollections and Reflections” book by and about Harold Douglas Brown done (2003) …”].
10. Writing in the Sand: Jesus and the Soul of the Gospels, by Thomas Moore, 2009, 232 MOO [From LibraryThing: “In his latest book, Writing in the Sand, Thomas Moore finds striking new meaning in the rich stories and imagery of the Gospels, recasting Jesus not as a teacher of morals and beliefs but as a spiritual visionary with a radical vision for humanity. This highly original take on the Gospels offers a fresh, new way of imagining human life and society. It presents Jesus not as the founder of a religion but as a world reformer offering a spiritual path to everyone, from every background. It offers a personal spirituality fit for the twenty-first century, where the individual bears responsibility for meaning and for a creative, convivial way of life.
In his examination of the original Greek texts, Moore dismisses the cautionary voice of tradition and explores the deeper significance of language, stressing the origins of words and the many levels of meaning in stories and imagery. Through his study, Moore shows that the teachings of Jesus are challenging in a far different way than the moralism often associated with them. Based on being open to life, deepening your understanding, and giving up all defensiveness around your convictions, the Gospels can be the source of a new kind of certainty and stability that cannot be codified and enshrined in a list of rules. Writing in the Sand presents the essence of Jesus teachings and offers a way of understanding them intelligently and devotedly in the twenty-first century.”].