Books for Special Study
	Were You There? Finding Ourselves at the Foot of the Cross." Noting that "in their stories I readily see my own," author Erik Kolbell identifies with the woman who anointed Jesus' feet, the slave who was attacked and then healed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Caiphas, Peter, Judas, the mob calling for the execution of Jesus, Simone of Cyrene, the good thief, Jesus' mother Mary, the centurion, the women of the cross, Joseph of Arimathea, Cleopas, and Thomas.
	What Jesus Meant: The Beatitudes and a Meaningful Life by Erik Kolbell Here, in What Jesus Meant, Erik Kolbell demonstrates how the eight pillars of the Beatitudes—meekness, empathy, righteousness, peace, persecution, purity, poverty, and simplicity—remain valuable codes of conduct for our busy, anxious lives. With engaging writing, he masterfully shows the timeless value in these poetic and paradoxical words from Jesus and how they offer relief and direction in our all too-confusing world.
	For an individual or a parish small group that wants to think together about our common life since September 11, 2001: MASS IN TIME OF WAR by Barbara Cawthorne Crafton. Barbara Harris wrote "In this disturbing prophetic volume, Barbara Crafton speaks hard truth to power and to all of us in the continuing aftermath of September 11... She does so in contemporary parlance, but with the fiery intensity of an ancient Isaiah, Jeremiah or Amos...." +
	LIVING LENT: MEDITATIONS FOR THESE FORTY DAYS by Barbara Cawthorne Crafton For centuries the words and poetry of our hymns have spoken to us of God. Many people, in fact, find that what is heard in poetry and music sinks more deeply into the soul than anything else. And so it is to the beautiful seasonal hymns that this book turns for inspiration for daily meditations during this great devotional season of the church year. "I hope that you find yourself humming familiar tunes to yourself as you read, and that this condition persists for the rest of the day," writes Crafton. Those who have known the hymns forever as well as those who are new to these verses will find them, and Crafton's meditations on faith, prayer, forgiveness, healing and more, an excellent companion for these important seasons of the year. +
	"I hope that the ancient texts upon which these reflections are based will come alive for you in a new way," writes Barbara Crafton in Meditations on the Book of Psalms. The Psalms, written by ordinary people, are filled with all the same emotions and issues that challenge, comfort, and confound us today. Their complaints, joys, celebrations, envy, doubting, fear, and hope are ours as well. In this book of meditations for each day of the year, best-selling author Barbara Crafton combines reflection on these ancient texts with contemporary stories to help us explore the spiritual nature of our lives. From the desire to start anew in January, to time management and remembering to lighten up in December, Crafton's meditations are the perfect daily companion for anyone who finds nourishment in biblically based devotional reading.
	KEEPING SILENCE: CHRISTIAN PRACTICES FOR ENTERING STILLNESS by C.W. McPherson  People often have trouble with silence -- finding it, keeping it, plumbing its hidden riches. Fr. McPherson guides us through concrete, easy to use practices to enhance our appreciation and use of silence in prayer and meditation. Desmond Tutu has written of this book "How I wish I had had something like this when I started out on my spiritual pilgrimage." +
	For pastoral care teams, hospital chaplains and those who live with chronic illness and pain: BROKEN BODY, HEALING SPIRIT: LECTIO DIVINA AND LIVING WITH ILLNESS by Mary C Earle A gifted spiritual director and priest, Mary Earle has written a remarkable book about drawing strength from ancient spiritual practices in the midst of physical weakness and pain. Margaret Guenther writes "..one who had 'been there,' Mary Earle offers compassionate and practical guidance to those suffering from serious chronic and terminal illness..." +
	For women's groups, a remarkable joining of knitting with prayer and community: KNITTING INTO THE MYSTERY by Susan S. Jorgensen and Susan S. Izard Knitters - there are 38 million of them in the United States alone - are part of a long and quiet tradition that's both plainly practical and deeply spiritual. With needles clicking, they weave together not just garments to warm the body but also comfort and companionship to nurture the soul. This tradition is flowering today through knitting ministries, a worldwide ecumenical movement of small groups of women who gather to pray and knit for those in need. As they create shawls for people burdened with illness and sorrow, their handiwork becomes an expression, not only of their love and concern, but also of the loving care of the God who works through them. In this beautifully illustrated book, the authors - a United Church of Christ minister and a Roman Catholic laywoman - share stories of how the knitting ministry has touched lives and hearts around the world. They offer directions for knitting the shawls and for starting a parish or community knitting ministry. The book also provides a selection of prayers, written from many faith traditions, to offer along with each completed shawl. +