This year during Lent, we are not providing Lenten booklets or small groups, but rather we are recommending good reading/listening resources to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Easter. Here are suggestions submitted by members of the NWPC family:
Children’s Books found in the NWPC Library, available to check out:
- “Benjamin’s Box, The Story of the Resurrection Eggs” written by Melody Carlson and illustrated by Jack Stockman
- “The Easter Story” retold and illustrated by Carol Heyer. Publisher‘s Weekly describes it as “a creditable catalyst for family discussions about the true meaning behind this important celebration.”
- “Journey to the Cross by Helen Haidle, illustrated by father and son, David Haidle and Paul Haidle, a book for older elementary students that recounts the last week of Jesus’ life to help children understand who Jesus is and what He has done for them.
Family and Children
- “Love Letters from God” by Glenys Nellist. This book guides children through Holy Week. After each story a letter from God that elaborates on the story and a Bible verse, helps to build the excitement of “letter opening” for the child. The family then could write a letter in response to the thoughts God shared. This book was recommended by Todd Cole, and can be purchased through Amazon.
- “Make Room, A Child’s Guide to Lent and Easter” by Laura Alary and illustrated by Ann Boyajian. This unique book teaches children to experience Lent with all their senses and to see it as a special time for creating a welcoming space for God. This book is also recommended by Todd Cole and available through Amazon.
- “The Book, The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross” by Carl Laferton is found on Amazon and was recommended to us by one of Dar and Sally Huey’s daughters, Rachel Huey Marx. A good book for elementary school aged children. An activity book by the same title is also available.
- “The Tale of the Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale” by author Angela Elwell Hunt and illustrator Tim Jonke, is available in hardback and paperback and suggested for very young children. A simplified version is available as a board book. All can be found on Amazon. It is recommended by Bethany Huey Smith, Dar and Sally’s other daughter, who also suggests using just the Resurrection Eggs, mentioned above.
Young Adult Titles
- “Learning for the Love of God: A Student’s Guide to Academic Faithfulness” by Donald Opitz and Derek Melleby, available from Amazon as a paperback or free Kindle download.
- “Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life” by Tish Harrison Warren. This is Christianity Today’s 2018 Book of the Year and is available in Kindle, audio book, or paperback formats.
- “Garden City: Work, Rest, and the Art of Being Human” by John Mark Comer. It is described as practical and theologically rich – a book that helps answer why we are here and what we should do about it. Available in Kindle, audio book, audio CD, hardback or paperback formats.
All are suggested by Emily Wilson, currently a student at Westminster College.
Adult Titles
- “In Constant Prayer” by Robert Benson. This little book explains the history and value of the Daily Office as a prayer discipline. It is available for Kindle or in paperback from Amazon, and recommended by our pastor Matt Camlin.
- “Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter,” is a wonderful collection of devotions from Christian writers spanning 20 centuries. From Dorothy Day to C.S. Lewis, to Saint Augustine, to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, to Simone Weil, this is a thoughtfully curated companion and guide for the journey through Lent and Easter. This book is recommended by Brad Walters and can be obtained through Amazon or other booksellers.
- “Walk with Jesus: Stations of the Cross,” by Henri Nouwen is recommended by Denise Scuito and her Frontier Fellowship co-worker Tara as a Lenten devotional. Click here to access the book discussion for Lent 2019. It is a timely reflection on issues of poverty, immigration, marginalization, human suffering and compassion.
- Denise Scuito also suggests praying for the 31 Unreached Peoples Group. Learn more by clicking here.
- “014: Richard Rohr, Finally Getting Over Your “Self”; with the Enneagram, Pt. 1,” is a podcast episode recommended by Nicole Hunter that she says is a cool description of the enneagram personality types in line with our God-given gifts. Click here to listen.
- “Is This Your First Accident” an episode of the Any RobCast podcast by Rob Bell, provides authentic context to faith, hope and love. It is recommended by both Nicole Hunter and Katanya Cathcart. Click here to listen.
- “Six Hours One Friday” with Max Lucado is an online Bible study. Laurie McClure says, “Easter is a season of beautiful things. New beginnings … spring is springing. But you and I know life is not always sunny, is it? What is a believer in Jesus to do in the face of waves of disappointment, harsh winds of futility, the deafening thud of failure? One Friday changed everything for those who believe. The victory Jesus claimed on the Cross is bigger than … life.” The online study starts March 18 and continues until Easter Sunday. Register by clicking here. All you need is the book, which includes your study guide in it, and the four companion teaching videos with Max that are available for free with no expiration—you can watch them anytime throughout the study. This information was sent to and shared with us by Linda Black.
Lenten Study for Women
- “He Is Alive,” by Becky Kiser is a book that Sara Arblaster is reading for a women’s study for Lent and she is interested in having those reading it meeting once a week. She has copies to share but you can also click here to purchase the book. Contact Sara if you are interested in participating at 724.290.0580 or sarblaster@zoominternet.net.
Here’s a description from Sara: “Women are becoming known for our Easter dresses and meals more than our focus on and celebration of Jesus — that He lived an amazing life, died on the Cross and ROSE from the dead! His story is wild… but most of us have grown a little numb to the story. Or we want to focus on it but we are too busy or too distracted or too ________. Not this time. Not this year. Lent… this is our faith story: the resurrection of Jesus and how we choose to respond to it. He Is Alive: we’ll study through the whole book of John. It is structured to train us to study God’s Word and follow its teaching, while guiding us through traditions of Lent like prayer, repentance, fasting, Lenten candles and Sabbath.”
