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The St. James Library
The purpose of St. James library is to offer to
parishioners, both clergy and lay, a resource with reading and viewing
materials that will support and expand our spiritual journey. Our collection includes over a thousand
titles on topics such as prayer, the Church, theology, Bible Studies,
spirituality, and more. There is an
expanding children's and youth section, and an extensive collection of Bibles
and Biblical reference books.
The library is open whenever the church is, with a volunteer
librarian in residence on Tuesday mornings. All are warmly invited to browse and borrow materials."
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Lines From Our Library
Our library is a rich source of help and encouragement in our prayer life. There is an entire, six-shelf section (third on the right from the rector portraits) on Prayer and Devotion, and any or all would be worthy of spending some of your valuable time with. The books listed here will be on display for you to check out, on the table by the window. As one sage put it: Life is fragile; handle with prayer.
Here are a few of the best:
The Practice of Prayer, by Margaret Guenther. #4 in the Church’s New Teaching Series, this book is a down-to-earth explanation of the essentials of prayer. How to we learn to listen to God in prayer? How to we develop a life of prayer in the midst of our busy, active lives? The author is an Episcopal priest, spiritual director, and retreat leader.
Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, by Richard J. Foster. The author, a Quaker, “takes us into the huge forest of prayer and names each tree.” He is an expert and courteous guide in all manner and kinds of prayer.
Organic Prayer: Cultivating Your Relationship with God, by Nancy Roth. I chose this one because it’s Spring. The author, an Episcopal priest, likens our prayer life to a garden, and thus to God’s Creation as a whole. Each chapter’s meditation helps us to plant, cultivate, enrich, and understand more deeply our relationship with God, our neighbors, and ourselves. If you like to garden, you’ll love this one!
Also:
Praying in Color : Drawing a New Path to God, by Sybil MacBeth
The Word Is Very Near You: A Guide to Praying with Scripture, by Martin L. Smith
Meditations With Julian of Norwich, by Brendan Doyle.
Invitation to Love: The Way of Christian Contemplation, by Thomas Keating.
In other library news: the Children’s section is now near the closet, where Reference used to be. The shelves there are deeper, and should be easier to browse now. Take a look—check something out!
5/18/2010
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