Easter Books

Oh my god! This is the best book you can imagine, it tells a true story of bravery and courage. Its about a young girl named Easter who runs away with her friend Obi, after leaving Jason behind, she vows to go back and get him. When she first meets him, he says he's gonna tell the mistress that Easter is back, but after, he willingly goes along. To find out what happens, read Out From this Place, the best book ever!

Have you ever wanted to learn how hard it is to be a black slave in the 1860s? Well you need to read, Out From This Place. Easter (the main character) escapes from the Confederate soldiers to the Phillips plantation. There she finds Rose (bestfriend) who then takes her in. The next night they gather a whole bunch of slaves including Ray (the "leader") and Jason (Easters "son" who she has taken care of since he was a baby) to the Yankee Islands where they can be free. When they get to the islands they are transported to the Williams plantation to work. Their cabins are a mess but they make good money (a silver dollar a week thats good for a slave) and get to keep the land that they work on after the war. Ray teaches Rose and Easter how to read and write. Soon after that a teacher comes to the plantation and asks if Easter would like to go to an all black school in Philadelphia. To find out what happens next you have to read the book. I really liked this book a lot because it gave me a lot of insight on how it was to cope with being free and not being treated fairly. I really enjoyed this book and I hope you will to.

I can not recommend this book too highly! This book consists of six Lenten meditations preached by the author, an eloquent speaker and profound thinker, on the subject of the pain of Christ along with a paper he wrote later that developed some of the themes touched on during the course of the meditations. Having personally distributed more than 15 copies of this book to university students and clergy and having discussed it with them I have found that its clairity, depth of spiritual insight and willingness to deal with important subjects in a forthright manner have born much fruit in the lives of those who take up and read this small book. The book, unfortunatly, is rather short; however, this makes it easier for students, or others who are busy to use it.

Vann is definetly my favorite Catholic Author. I've read this book straight through probably around 6 times and everytime I'm amazed at his writing. The theology is awesome. Please check it out.

This is an illuminating investigation of the nature of Messianic Judaism. It is written by an ethnologist who probes the boundaries between Judaism and Christianity. For all those interested in this important development on the religious scene, this study is of paramount significance

This book is a rarity today: an objective view of a movement by someone who doesn't agree with the position. If only republicans and democrats could learn something ...

Anyway, Shoshana Feher did an interesting study in that she is a Jewish lady who applied sociological analysis to a Messianic congregation in Southern California. Although not Messianic herself, she attended the congregation regularly and conducted detailed interviews for 3 years and has recorded her observations in this book. The book works because the author isn't interested in building up or tearing down the theology of Messianic Judaism. She is there as an imbedded reporter, as it were.

It was very interesting to see how the author described how Messianic Judaism doesn't fit in very well with modern Judaism. The Jewish leaders she interviewed, for example, all felt that Messianic Judaism wasn't really Jewish, or just some "Christian stunt" for force conversions. The sociological implications of this make for fascinating reading. And having been involved with Messianic congregations for several years, I can attest to her observations, but they are more interesting coming from a non-Messianic Jew.

Perhaps the most detailed and interesting chapter has to be the one on the role of women ("Bringing home the bacon"). Perhaps the reason for this is that this type of question lends it self very well to sociological analysis, but this is definitely one of the brightest spots of the book. I especially liked how she studied Jewish, Christian, and Messianic views of the role of women. She found, interestingly, that Messianic are more concerned in this area about influences from the secular world, and not so much with being Jewish or Christian.

One minor trouble with the book was that some generalizations were made. The author cites many other older studies that have attempted to analyze Messianic people etc, which I found very helpful. But in several places she seems to translate her experiences at this congregation to how Messianic believers behave everywhere. For example, she cited that one of the main reasons people like the Messianic movement is identification with an ethnic origin. In her study, many gentiles apparently desired to be Jewish and wanted to "get in" on God's chosen people. Now I have definitely met Gentiles who feel this way, that somehow they have "missed out" because they aren't Jewish etc ... but we don't really have any of those at our congregation.

From what I could tell I believe that the author has given a fair assessment of her experiences at this Messianic Congregation. She doesn't try to tear it down because she has theological disagreements, nor does she sugar coat some issues that arose. She seems to like the fellowship expressed there, and people's sincerity, but she was a bit troubled by "open proselytizing." Note to Messianic people; you can present the gospel without a full fontal assault. I can confirm the author's feelings; when non-believing (i.e. non Messianic) Jews attend our congregation; they don't like being bombarded with the gospel either. Gospel discussions are not out of the question, but full-forced pushes to accept the Messiah are generally not well received.

In summary, this was a book that needed to be written, and Messianic Congregational leaders should really take note of her observations.

Peter's First Easter lends itself to being read aloud. There is so much emotion. Last year, I had friends over for a Lent get-together. I read this aloud to the kids and my *adult friends* actually cried at the rendering. Peter's point-of-view in the story makes it fresh. And his guilt and desire to be forgiven are so human.

Mary's First Christmas is similar in emotion and read-aloud-ability. My kids laugh when the Child Jesus says, "Elefunk."

Both of these are must-reads for Lent and Advent. Kids love them from preschool to ... well ... to 100!

I just read this book last night. It tells the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus through the eyes of Peter. It opens at the last supper (he didn't know it was the last) and draws the reader into the events at a gut-level but appropriate way for children. I've told my children the easter story before, but the emotion and drama here make it clearer. The outstanding illustrations illuminate the story even more fully. I encourage you to buy it and make it an easter tradition at your house.

This adorable story was enjoyed by the entire family! We laughed out loud when we first saw the book and we laughed out loud when we shared it with the children. It is clever and beautifully presented. Smiles lingered long after the story was over. Everything is marvelous: the title, the message, the text, and the illustrations. It has quickly become a favorite at our house and we were inspired to try out many of the dances, expecially the Conga Line. This book made a charming addition to our home library. In the Fall, Lily will be taking another trip...to my elementary school classroom! Applause, Applause for PRANCING DANCING LILY!!!

"Prancing, Dancing Lily" is bound to become a picture book classic. A perfect marriage between Marsha Arnold's charming text (complete with rhymed messages from her unsinkable cow heroine) and John Mander's laugh-out-loud illustrations, this book will have children prancing and dancing right along with Lily. And they'll even pick up a little geography along the way!

Lent and Easter are not times when very many pastors preach from the Hebrew Scriptures, so Rob Elder has done us preachers a real service in providing such a fine example of how the Old Testament can be fertile ground for Christian proclamation. Sensitive to the meaning of the texts in their original context, he applies them in a very contemporary way. Illustrations are as likely to be from current television as from the likes of Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw. His language is contemporary, and flows smoothly in the rhythms of speech.

This is a great book for any preacher's library, or for the layperson interested in pursuing a deepened spiritual journey during Lent and Easter.

This is the kind of preaching that nourishes the church! In this volume, Rob Elder serves up a full meal of appetizing stories, hearty reflections on scripture, serious theological convictions, and delicious good humor. Rob's passion for the Bread of Life is matched only by his quick wit and engaging style. Don't miss this great collection of sermons by a fine preacher!

This story is truly moving and intense. The story of a Roman soldier, recently assigned to the execution detail, and coming to terms with what he witnessed. Thought provoking and truly amazing. After viewing, if you were that Roman soldier, what would you do?

Love Max Lucado's work. He can always bring things to life and draw you into the story. This book is no different. Easy to read and on you just can't lay down. It's short but the story,and how it's told,is powerful! Good for any Christian to read or share with the family.

This is a collection of Holy Week sermons from the Anglican Bishop of Durham, Tom Wright. There are nine sermons in all. The reflections start on Palm Sunday as Tom Wright deals with Matthew 21:33-46. Wright spends the next three sermons working his way through the parables and disputes found in Matthew 22 and wraps up with his sermons on Matthew by expounding Matthew 23:1-12. There are many interesting things that could be pointed out, but his handling of paying tribute to Ceasar was eye opening. For the Thursday night sermon (there were two sermons on Thursday) he switches from Matthew to John and betrayal, passover, and footwashing found in John 13:21-33. His Good Friday sermon comes from John 19 where Jesus is before Pilate being inspected. This is arguably, the best sermon of the week. He concludes with an Easter Vigil and Easter morning sermon. This book is brief, only 84 pages in length and some of that is title pages. It does not take very long to read straight through. It is worth the price however. If you have never read Tom Wright, you do not know what you are missing. This book is for everyone.

I am continually amazed by this author's insight and passion. Not to mention his fresh style and masterful handling of the New Testament. This book brought me an intense and dazzling new perspective on some of the parables of Jesus and several of the events of his passion. Highly Recommended. +Aaron Kunce

Took this small unimposing book with me on retreat. It set the frame of mind for the entire weekend. Twenty years after his death Fulton Sheen is still the best spiritual advisor for the Roman Catholic in America.

It truly takes a master both of the spirit and of the pen to take the deep mysteries of faith and present them in such a way as to make them accessible to most people. This is what Sheen has done in this book. Taking each of the seven last words of Christ, he has drawn out of them a meditation, expounding on their deep significance, not only then, but moreso now, in our own lives.

It's a very short book, useful for a retreat, or perhaps as I did, for meditation during Good Friday.

This is an I CAN READ book, Level 1, so a child in first grade can probably read it herself. It makes a great Easter gift. Our kids loved getting this book.

From the name, this masterpiece of poetic songs may seem childish. What a deception! I may be a bit old for kiddy books, (I'm 47), but I cried the first time I read this book. I was so shocked when it went out of print. I am organizing a strike against those naughty publishers. SILLY TILLY live forever!