A Summer Reading List

June 22, 2010

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Read any good books lately?

Publishers would have us believe that this is the season for curling up with a good book for long stretches of time, at a lakeside cabin or a beachside cottage. But as I enter my fourth summer in Iowa, I’ve discovered that I’m much more likely to polish off a good tale during the winter, when it’s single digits outside and there’s a warm fire inside.

Nevertheless, it is always good practice to carve out time for family and rest, and I am making a concerted effort to do so this summer. My wife and I will be spending some time together (without the kids!) for four days this weekend to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary, and then we’ll be spending about four days at her family’s cabin in Minnesota in July. And then, we’ll have about five days in August to visit family in Florida. This means that I’ll be suspending the writing of the Mid-Week Message until July 13, to give myself a bit of a break. And hopefully, this will afford me lots of time to put even a small dent in the tall stack of books that have been calling my name.

In case your wondering, here’s my personal summer reading list, and maybe you’ll find an interest in picking one of these up for yourself.

Humble Leadership: Being Radically Open to God’s Guidance and Grace by N. Graham Standish. Discovering one’s personal leadership style is like searching for a suit that fits just right. Of the many styles I have tried on, I think the one that is most natural and satisfying for me is one that balances personal humility with a commitment to the church’s goals. It is a concept I first learned about in Jim Collins’ Good to Great, but this book fleshes it out more fully and grounds it in Christian practice.

The Passage by Justin Cronin. What would summer be without an epic-length work of fiction? This story of a post-apocalyptic world filled deadly viruses and hungry vampires has been getting good reviews, and hopefully it will satisfy my “thirst” for a vicarious summer thrill.

The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors for Awakening the Sacred Masculine by Matthew Fox. I first discovered Fox in seminary, and he completely changed my perspectives on humanity, sin, grace, and our relationship to the earth. He is an Episcopal priest and a foremost voice on feminist and creation spirituality. In this book Fox turns his attention to redeeming images of masculinity from its cultural deprivations, teaching men what it means to be masculine without being abusive, violent, and mongering.

Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson. Chicago is my absolute favorite megatropolis in the country, and Jessica has been encouraging me to read this for quite sometime. It is a true account of two intriguing men: a serial killer named H. H. Holmes, and Daniel H. Burnham, chief architect of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. From what everyone has told me, this tale is too engrossing and too well-written to pass up.

Preaching from Memory to Hope by Thomas G. Long. When I grow up, I want to preach and write like Tom Long. His latest book focuses on the practice of Christian funerals, which has been a significant part of my ministry here at St. Paul’s. Dr. Long balances sound, rigorous theology with practical applications for ministry, and I’m always looking for ways to improve what I do.

Of course, if you come across a book that you have thoroughly enjoyed, pass me the title! I’m always looking for a good read, and I hope you find your fair share this summer!

Grace and Peace,

Magrey

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955
http://www.cherokeespumc.org




WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY
We are delighted to have Krista Taylor as our guest preacher this Sunday. She is the daughter of former pastor Ray Hampton and his wife Rhonda, and is going to be working as a missionary with Africa Inland Mission and serving the Rift Valley Academy in Kijabe, Kenya. You will have the opportunity to hear more about her upcoming trip and support her with a special offering. Come this Sunday and put God’s love into action around the world.

KIDS AGAINST HUNGER
What a great week we shared with the children at last week’s Vacation Bible School! The children came through with a strong offering to this year’s VBS missions project, Kids Against Hunger. Their contributions totaled $491.00, and we challenged you to match them dollar for dollar. Well, you came through, contributing $548.00, for a total of $1,039.00 That’s enough to feed a nutritious meal to over 4,400 hungry children throughout the world. Great job!