Dear St. Paul’s Family,
It’s that time of year again. While summertime continues to be a busy season for ministry at St. Paul’s, I would invite all of us to find some time to recharge, renew, and kick back with a good book or two. Once again, here is my summer reading list, which I hope to tackle between now and the end of August:
Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson: This has been on my wish list to read for a while, first introduced to me at my writing workshop with Eugene Peterson in 2009. Recently, Rev. Ethan Sayler at the Memorial Presbyterian Church invited me to read it along with him, and though I am only about twenty pages into it, it is some of the finest writing I have read in years. It is written from the perspective of Rev. John Ames, a retired minister living in Gilead, Iowa, who is writing a letter to one of his sons, including reflections on fatherhood, faith, friendship, and the hidden beauties of life.
The Collective by Don Lee: My “fun” read for the summer, about a group of young Asian American writers and painters who join together to form a club advancing their art in the community. Their story explores issues of racial identity, artistry, love, and friendship, with vivid prose and humorous insights into what it means to be an Asian American.
Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology, by Udo Schnelle: I am planning a sermon series on the life and ministry of Paul towards the end of this summer, which will include background information on his missionary journeys and overviews of each of his epistles. This book by Udo Schnelle is considered by many scholars to be a definitive work on Paul and his writings, and given that it is 700-pages long, I can believe it.
Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies by Ben MacIntyre. I’m am already about fifty pages into reading this supremely engaging story about the cunning work of a group of Allied spies who successfully misdirected the Nazis into believing that the D-Day invasion was taking place on a different beach head from Normandy. It is so well written that it reads better than any fictional spy novel I have read in recent years.
I am a Follower by Leonard Sweet. I am reading this as part of a Facebook discussion group of about fifty church colleagues led by my friend Dr. Steve Harper of Asbury Theological Seminary. Sweet’s latest book explores how one’s leadership should emanate from a passionate commitment to Jesus Christ. The idea to use the “Sasquatch Man” video clip at last month’s Trinity Sunday / Graduation Sunday sermon came from the introduction to this book.
So, that’s my stack of books for the next few months. It’s a mixture of works for fun, intellectual stimulation, and professional development. I’d love to know what’s on your reading list for the summer.
Happy Reading!
The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955
Email: mdevega@sp-umc.org
FLOOD RECOVERY UPDATE
The end is now in sight! Over the past three weeks, St. Paul’s UMC has spearheaded ten organized volunteer days, with around 75 different individuals contributing about 600 total hours of service to the community. We have been able to address dozens of homes in Cherokee, and with enough volunteers this Saturday, we will be able to cross off all of our remaining homes from City Hall. We will not have an organized day this Friday, so consider coming to help this Saturday at 9:30 at the church. Thanks to all of you have so diligently helped put God’s love into action over the last three weeks. People in this community appreciate you!
REMEMBER ST. PAUL’S THIS SUMMER
Amid the travel and leisure time this summer for you and your family, please continue to remember your vows of membership to support St. Paul’s with your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Help us avoid our usual “summer slump” by joining us for worship and being faithful in funding the various ministries of this church with your financial support. If you would like more information on setting up automatic withdrawals from your checking count, contact our Financial Secretary Sarah Cook.
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