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Only Children: A Novel (Abacus Bks.)
by Alison LurieA novel of childlike wonder and adult discord during the Great Depression—by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Nowhere City. Dozing in the back seat of her father&’s car, Mary Ann Hubbard is the happiest eight-year-old in the country. It&’s 1935, and she and her parents are going to spend Fourth of July weekend at her headmistress&’s farm in upstate New York. Joining them are the Zimmerns, whose daughter Lolly is Mary Ann&’s best friend from school. While the two little girls frolic in the attic, endowing the rambling old house with wonder, creativity, and imagination, their parents are downstairs, mired in all the pleasure, pain, and occasional childishness of adulthood. As an affair threatens to tear the two families apart, Lolly and Mary Ann retreat farther into playtime. By the end of the weekend, the girls begin to realize that becoming an adult and growing up can be two very different things. The National Book Award–shortlisted author of Foreign Affairs gives a joyous glimpse into the innocence and irony of childhood during the Great Depression. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Alison Lurie including rare images from the author&’s collection.
Foreign Affairs: A Novel
by Alison LurieTwo unexpected romances in London unfold in this Pulitzer Prize–winning novel from &“one of this country&’s most able and witty novelists&” (The New York Times). In her early fifties, Vinnie Miner is the sort of woman no one ever notices, despite her career as an Ivy League professor. Then, alone on a flight to London for a research trip, she sits next to a man she would never have viewed as a potential romantic partner. In a Western-cut suit and a rawhide tie, he is a sanitary engineer from Tulsa, Oklahoma, on a group tour. He&’s the very opposite of her type, but before Vinnie knows it, she&’s spending more and more time with him. Also in London is Vinnie&’s colleague, a young, handsome English professor whose marriage and self-esteem are both on the rocks. But Fred Turner is also about to find consolation—in the arms of the most beautiful actress in England. Stylish and highborn, she introduces Fred to a glamorous, yet eccentric, London scene that he never expected to encounter. The course of these two relationships makes up the story of Foreign Affairs—a finalist for the National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle Award as well as a Pulitzer Prize winner.This ebook features an illustrated biography of Alison Lurie, including rare images from the author&’s personal collection. &“If you manage to read only a few good novels a year, make this one of them.&” —USA Today &“An ingenious, touching book.&” —Newsweek &“A flawless jewel.&” —The Philadelphia Inquirer &“A brilliant novel . . . Witty, acerbic, and sometimes fiendishly clever.&” —London Evening Standard
The 7th Victim: A Novel (The Karen Vail Novels #1)
by Alan JacobsonIntroducing FBI profiler Karen Vail, who crosses paths with a Virginia serial killer in the first in the bestselling series. Special Agent Karen Vail &“is a knockout, tough and brilliant&” (Tess Gerritsen). As lead profiler for the FBI, Vail is spearheading the task force investigation into a serial killer known as &“Dead Eyes,&” who&’s been terrorizing Fairfax County, Virginia. What separates this psychopath from the others is a peculiar savagery, and an intimate knowledge of the FBI&’s detailed strategy of pursuit. What separates Vail from her peers is a life that has made her hard and uncompromising. Recently divorced from an abusive husband, and in the throes of an ugly custody battle, she&’s also helpless against her mother&’s struggle with Alzheimer&’s. But little by little, as Vail&’s personal baggage begins to consume her, the investigation threatens to derail. Now she&’s weighing her last hope on a controversial profile. It suggests that the one key to solving the case lies with the seventh victim. But that key will also unlock secrets that could destroy Vail&’s career, and expose a truth that even she might not be strong enough to survive. In compiling his research for The 7th Victim, Alan Jacobson was allowed wide-ranging access to the FBI&’s behavioral profiling unit over several years. Named one of the top five books of the year by Library Journal, it&’s &“a quantum leap in terror and suspense . . . A masterpiece&” (New York Times–bestselling author James Rollins).
The Darkness of Evil (The Karen Vail Novels #7)
by Alan JacobsonFBI profiler Karen Vail is on the hunt for an escaped serial killer in the latest jaw-dropping thriller from USA Today–bestselling author Alan Jacobson. Jasmine Marcks was a teenager when she discovered her father was a killer. First, there was the strip of bloody duct tape; then, the bloodstain on his shirt; and finally, the long nights away from home that always coincided with gruesome deaths. Roscoe Lee Marcks killed fourteen people before he was finally put behind bars. But as renowned FBI agent Karen Vail soon learns, Marcks&’s reign of terror isn&’t over yet. After writing a book about growing up as the child of a serial killer, Jasmine receives a letter—a single sheet of paper mailed from the maximum-security prison Marcks now calls home. The page hides a threatening message from a father who wants vengeance against the daughter who turned him in to the police. So when Marcks breaks out of prison, Agent Vail calls on a legendary retired profiler to help her find the escaped convict—and keep him from making Jasmine his fifteenth victim. Alan Jacobson created Karen Vail—one of the most compelling heroes in suspense fiction, earning acclaim from James Patterson, Nelson DeMille, and Michael Connelly—after seven years of working with two senior profilers at the Federal Bureau of Investigation&’s legendary Behavioral Analysis Unit. Over the years, Vail has tangled with the worst serial killers America has to offer. But none compares to Roscoe Lee Marcks.
Red Death (The Karen Vail Novels #8)
by Alan JacobsonIn Hawaii, FBI agent Karen Vail pursues a killer without a profile, in this thriller by the USA Today–bestselling author of The Darkness of Evil. When Det. Adam Russell of the Honolulu PD encounters the body of a woman in her sixties—the second in recent days to inexplicably die of what seem like natural causes—he reaches out to Karen Vail, the renowned FBI profiler, who hops on the next plane. But even for someone as fluent in the language of murder as Vail, this case is hard to read. How were these women asphyxiated with no signs of trauma? How can she gather clues or collect evidence when the killer seems to strike during the briefest casual encounters? Is this the behavior of a male or a female perpetrator? And perhaps most terrifying of all, if the deaths appear so natural at first glance, how many victims have already been overlooked? Now, as something cold and dark lurks under the sunny warmth of this island paradise, Vail must stop a serial killer as elusive as the breeze . . . &“Karen Vail is one tough character.&” —Kathy Reichs, New York Times–bestselling author &“Jacobson should be mandatory reading for the James Patterson crowd.&” —Library Journal &“A unique and imaginative plot filled with witty dialogue and page-turning intrigue.&” —Catherine Coulter, New York Times–bestselling author
Inmate 1577: A Karen Vail Novel (The Karen Vail Novels #4)
by Alan JacobsonFBI profiler Karen Vail tracks a killer through San Francisco in this &“powerful thriller, brilliantly conceived and written&” by a USA Today–bestselling author (Clive Cussler). When an elderly woman is found raped and brutally murdered in San Francisco, Vail heads west to team up with SFPD Inspector Lance Burden and her former task force colleague Detective Roxxann Dixon. As Vail, Burden, and Dixon follow the killer&’s trail in and around San Francisco, the offender continues his rampage, leaving behind clues that ultimately lead them to the most unlikely of places: a mysterious island ripped from city lore whose long-buried, decades-old secrets hold the key to their case. Alcatraz. The Rock. It&’s a case that has more twists and turns than the famed Lombard Street . . . and a novel that Clive Cussler calls &“a powerful thriller, brilliantly conceived and written.&”
Crush and Velocity: Two Karen Vail Novels (The Karen Vail Novels)
by Alan JacobsonThis thriller duology featuring FBI profiler Karen Vail &“sizzles with nonstop action&” (Publishers Weekly). In FBI profiler Karen Vail&’s second adventure after the standout bestseller The 7th Victim, Vail finds herself in the Napa Valley, where a serial killer has been crushing his victims&’ windpipes and leaving their bodies in caves and vineyards. But when the Crush Killer learns that an FBI profiler has joined the Major Crimes Task Force, the newfound attention emboldens him, and he engages Vail in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Although a sudden break in the case helps her zero in on the identity of the killer, she senses that something isn&’t right. Will she figure it out before it&’s too late? In a rousing climax that has left readers breathless (and that Publishers Weekly termed &“a shockeroo&”), Vail must pick up the pieces—and the carnage left behind by the Crush Killer.Velocity begins the moment Crush ends, with Vail having lost something dear to her and possessing a single-minded fixation on finding who was responsible—and making them pay. As the task force, reeling from their loss, attempts to regroup, Vail discovers that they had made vital mistakes on the Crush Killer case—errors that have had dire consequences. After being ordered to return to Washington, Vail enlists the services of a covert &“black&” government operative, Hector DeSantos, to assist her in tracking down those behind the evil she and her task force have been grappling with. But what Vail and DeSantos learn places her in the crosshairs of criminals more dangerous than any she has ever faced. And along the way, startling revelations emerge that will forever change Karen Vail—as well as those close to her. Researched meticulously with over three dozen experts in multiple disciplines and with government access that required clearance from a congressional subcommittee, Crush and Velocity take you behind closed doors into a world most people do not know exists. Both Crush and Velocity were optioned by Hollywood, and Velocity was named one of the &“Top 5 Best Books of the Year&” by Library Journal.
Crush: Karen Vail Novel #2 (The Karen Vail Novels #2)
by Alan JacobsonIn the USA Today–bestselling author&’s &“addictive second Karen Vail thriller,&” the FBI profiler tracks a serial killer through California wine country (Publishers Weekly). In this follow-up to the standout bestseller The 7th Victim, Karen Vail ventures to Napa Valley, where a serial killer has been crushing his victims&’ windpipes and leaving their bodies in caves. But when the Crush Killer learns that an FBI profiler has joined the Major Crimes Task Force, the newfound attention emboldens him, and he sets in motion a plan that wreaks havoc on the town—as well as the task force. Although a sudden break in the case helps Vail zero in on the identity of the killer, she senses that something isn&’t right. If she doesn&’t figure it out in time, the consequences will be dire. In a rousing climax that leaves readers breathless, and which Publishers Weekly termed a &“shockeroo ending,&” Vail must pick up the pieces—and clean up the carnage left behind by the Crush Killer. Meticulously researched during years of work with the FBI&’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, this high-velocity thriller from national bestselling author Alan Jacobson features the kind of edge-of-your-seat ending that inspired Nelson DeMille to call Jacobson &“a hell of a writer.&” Crush is the first installment of a two-part story that concludes with Velocity, book three in the Karen Vail Series.
No Way Out: A Karen Vail Novel (The Karen Vail Novels #5)
by Alan JacobsonThe FBI profiler teams up with Scotland Yard in this &“outstanding thriller&” by the USA Today–bestselling author of The 7th Victim (Library Journal, starred review). When a potent firebomb destroys part of an art gallery in an exclusive London district, FBI profiler Karen Vail is dispatched to England to work with Scotland Yard on drafting a threat assessment to head off future attacks. But Vail soon discovers that at the heart of the bombing lies a four-hundred-forty-year-old manuscript that holds clues to England&’s past—with dramatic political and social implications. The manuscript&’s content is so explosive that a group of political radicals is bent on destroying it at all costs. Or is it the work of someone else? The trail leads Vail to a notorious fugitive who has escaped law enforcement for decades, and who appears to be planning a major attack on London and the United States. When Hector DeSantos, banished from the US Department of Defense and now a rogue covert operative, turns up in England and takes actions that threaten Vail&’s life, she finds herself on the run from the British security service, Scotland Yard, and a group of internationally trained assassins—all determined to silence her . . . all tightening the net to ensure that she&’s got no way out. With his trademark spirited dialogue, page-turning scenes, and well-drawn characters, national bestselling author Alan Jacobson (&“My kind of writer,&” says Michael Connelly) has once again crafted an intelligent, twisting thriller destined to be talked about long after the last page has been turned.
Inmate 1577 and No Way Out: Two Karen Vail Novels (The Karen Vail Novels)
by Alan JacobsonFrom the USA Today–bestselling author of The 7th Victim, books 4 and 5 in the FBI thriller series featuring &“one of thrillerdom&’s feistiest heroines&” (Joseph Finder, New York Times–bestselling author of The Switch). The survivor of abusive marriage, Special Agent Karen Vail has become hard and uncompromising in her work as the FBI&’s lead profiler. Follow her now as she trails brutal killers across the country and then across the pond . . . Inmate 1577: When an elderly woman is found raped and murdered in San Francisco, Vail heads west to team up with SFPD inspector Lance Burden and her former task force colleague Det. Roxxann Dixon. As they chase the killer around the city, his rampage continues, leaving behind clues that lead them to Alcatraz Island, whose long-buried, decades-old secrets hold the key to their case . . . &“A powerful thriller, brilliantly conceived and written.&” —Clive Cussler, New York Times–bestselling author of Havana Storm No Way Out: After a massive bombing in London, Karen Vail is dispatched to England to work with the Scotland Yard on drafting a threat assessment to head off future attacks. Only, their work uncovers a trail leading to a centuries-old manuscript, the radicals bent on destroying it, and a rogue covert operative with explosive plans. Soon both assassins and British authorities are chasing the beleaguered FBI agent in a race for her life, and there&’s no telling who will come out on top . . . &“Jacobson knows how to throw in plot twists that are shocking but logical.&” —Library Journal Praise for Alan Jacobson &“Karen Vail is as compelling a character as any created by Patricia Cornwell, or yours truly.&” —James Patterson, New York Times–bestselling author
Velocity: Karen Vail Novel #3 (The Karen Vail Novels #3)
by Alan JacobsonFrom a USA Today–bestselling author: FBI profiler Karen Vail&’s hunt for a serial killer leads her into a dangerous criminal web—&“relentless as a bullet&” (Michael Connelly). After a colleague connects Vail with covert Department of Defense operative Hector DeSantos, who has a knack for uncovering difficult-to-locate information, the pair pries loose long-buried secrets and deceptions that reveal a much-larger criminal enterprise at work. As Vail squares off against foes more dangerous than any she has yet encountered, shocking personal and professional truths emerge—truths that may be more than she can handle. In keeping with Alan Jacobson&’s page-turning style, Velocity is a high-octane thriller, a memorable work rich in believable characters and an intricately plotted story that&’s well-researched and ripped from today&’s headlines. Velocity was named one of the Strand Magazine&’s top ten books for 2010, Suspense Magazine&’s top five thrillers of 2010, Library Journal&’s top five thrillers of the year, and the Los Angeles Times&’ top picks of the year. Velocity is the second installment of a two-part story that begins with Crush, book two of the Karen Vail Series.
Spectrum (The Karen Vail Novels #6)
by Alan JacobsonFBI profiler Karen Vail is haunted by a serial killer from her rookie days in a &“pulse-pounding&” thriller by a USA Today bestselling author (Providence Journal). New York City: home to world-renowned museums, theater, restaurants, iconic sports franchises. Central Park. Wall Street. And an infamous serial killer who&’s terrorized the Big Apple for decades. The year is 1995 and the NYPD has just graduated a promising new patrol officer named Karen Vail. The rookie&’s first day on the job is anything but easy when she finds herself at the crime scene of a young woman murdered in an unusual manner. Vail is unsure of what she&’s looking at or what it means—but it&’s a case that will weigh on her mind for nearly twenty years. As the years pass, Vail&’s career takes unexpected twists and turns—as does the case that&’s come to be known as Hades. Now a skilled FBI profiler, will Vail be in a better position to catch the killer? Or will Hades prove to be Karen Vail&’s hell on earth? The character who has captivated readers worldwide—and who won the praise of literary giants Michael Connelly, James Patterson, and Nelson DeMille—returns in a story that captures the experiences that shaped the revered profiler and made her the top cop she is today.
The Third Day: Living the Resurrection
by Tom Berlin Mark A. MillerOn the third day, he rose again.In The Third Day: Living the Resurrection, Tom Berlin uses his gifts of storytelling and understanding the Scriptures to connect the reader to the experiences of several individuals around Jesus in his final days, focusing on new life and redemption rather than loss.Join Peter, Mary Magdalene, and Thomas as they feel the despair of losing Jesus and the surprise and joy that awaits them in the resurrection. This study traces events around these characters, along with Paul and the disciples at Emmaus, and how the resurrection transforms their lives.The book can be read alone or used for a six-week group study and church-wide Lenten program. Components include a comprehensive Leader Guide and video teaching sessions featuring Tom (with closed captioning).
On Purpose: Finding God's Voice in Your Passion
by Magrey deVega Sam McGlothlin Jevon Caldwell-Gross Susan RobbBe part of something more.We are hungry for a sense of purpose, direction, and calling in our lives. That’s as basic an ingredient to the human experience as they come. We want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We want to participate in something that has eternal merit and lasting impact. We do not want to live a shallow, hollow existence. We yearn for deeper meaning, for deeper purpose within our lives. We want to be more than we are.In On Purpose: Finding God’s Voice in Your Passion, authors Magrey deVega, Sam McGlothlin, Jevon Caldwell-Gross, and Susan Robb help us see God's purpose for our lives, how to open ourselves to God's voice, and how to take the first or next step to follow God's call. Reading this book and exploring life choices alongside others, individuals will learn how to channel their passions, hear God’s voice, and live the life they were meant to live.To support reading in a group, resources including a full leader’s guide and DVD with four teaching sessions are also available.
Bible Stories for Grown-Ups Leader Guide: Reading Scripture with New Eyes
by Josh ScottRead the Bible for the first time – again. In Bible Stories for Grown-Ups: Reading Scripture with New Eyes pastor Josh Scott looks at familiar Bible stories and reveals new details and interpretations for an adult audience. This six-week Bible study will consider stories many read as children including Noah's Ark, the binding of Isaac, Jonah and the big fish, Jesus and Zacchaeus, Jesus healing a blind man, and the parable of the talents. Scott reimagines these stories and opens new visions for readers to understand well known pieces of Scripture in our current cultural environment.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options. Additional components include the book, Bible Stories for Grown-Up, and video teaching sessions featuring Josch Scott, making this perfect as a group study throughout the year.
The Gospel of John Leader Guide: A Beginner’s Guide to the Way, the Truth, and the Life
by Amy-Jill LevineUnlock the hidden depths of John’s Gospel.The leader guide contains discussion questions and session plans for a six-week study of The Gospel of John, by Amy-Jill Levine. It includes opening and closing prayers, optional activities, and session goals for each week and is designed to be used with the book and DVD.John’s Gospel offers readers a new language—of being born anew, of living water, of wind and spirit, of the “I am”—that enhances how we understand the divine, how we experience the world, and how we participate in the mystery of faith.With her characteristic wit and charm, Amy-Jill Levine introduces readers to the world of the Gospel of John by unpacking the stories in their original context, along with examining how the text is read today. This book considers the Gospel of John in its entirety, moving through the Gospel and exploring the prologue, the wedding at Cana, the Samaritan woman at the well and the woman caught in adultery, the healing of the man at the pool and the man born blind, foot washing, Mary Magdalene and Doubting Thomas, and the Lamb of God.
More Messy People Women's Bible Study Leader Guide: Life Lessons from Imperfect Biblical Heroes
by Jennifer CowartGod can use imperfect people to do incredible things.The More Messy People Leader Guide outlines six small group sessions, complete with prayers, summaries, and discussion questions. It is designed to be used with the Participant Workbook and DVD and will support group leaders of all experience levels in creating strong learning communities.Jen Cowart continues her study of the very messy lives of biblical heroes—people who, like us, made mistakes but found God was able to use them in powerful ways. They all play a significant role in the biblical narrative, but their stories are far from perfect.Through the lives of rival sisters like Leah and Rachel, or sisters with very different personalities like Martha and Mary, we see God chooses to use people who don’t have it all together. Through the lives of great, but imperfect, biblical heroes like Moses, Elijah, Peter, and Paul, we see God meets us in our troubles and chooses us even if we seem unqualified.
The Right Questions for Church Leaders
by Lovett H. Weems JR.Creativity and innovation in your ministry begin with asking the right questions.Unlock the power of wise questioning with this essential guide for church leaders. Esteemed advisor Lovett H. Weems, Jr., compiled lists of leadership questions over many years, testing and analyzing them in local churches and other ministry settings. This book is the culmination of that careful work. It provides clusters of questions to help readers address their most perplexing ministry challenges.The questions are organized into 14 categories including Personnel, Expanding Reach and Impact, Management Skills, and Decision Making. Each set of questions is accompanied by guidance on when and how to use them effectively. The questions and other content are easy to grasp quickly, so you and your teams will see immediate benefit. And the questions apply in any denominational setting. Whether your congregation is large or small, these questions will steer you through critical issues with precision and insight. Elevate your leadership skills, spark creativity in your ministry, and find the answers you need to succeed. Begin by asking the right questions.
The Christ of the Indian Road
by E. Stanley JonesFor those searching for truth and a map to help lead them down the path of The Way.With over 1 million copies sold, this favorite from E. Stanley Jones has been translated into 30 languages!In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the book being in print, Rev. Jones’s granddaughter, Dr. Anne Mathews-Younes, along with Dr. Mathew Thattamanil Thomas, worked with contributors on this new expanded edition!For more than one hundred years, E. Stanley Jones has led the way in evangelism by contextualizing Christ in the existing culture, wherever that may be. In The Christ of the Indian Road, he recounts his experiences in India, where he arrived as a young and presumptuous missionary who later matured into a veteran who attempted to contextualize Jesus Christ within the Indian culture. Jones names the mistakes many Christians make in trying to impose their culture on the existing culture. Instead, he makes the case that we learn from other cultures, respect the truth found there, and let Christ and the existing culture do the rest.In his book Ordinary Man, Extraordinary Mission, Stephen Graham, a biographer of Jones, wrote:"The Christ of the Indian Road was a frontal assault on the cultural prejudices of most European and American Christian missionaries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jones was one of the first Western Christians to realize that the Christian gospel was often betrayed in Asia, Africa, and Latin America by being enmeshed with Western nations’ economic and political self-aggrandizement. In so doing, Jones declared his moral and intellectual independence from Western political and religious imperialism."Introduced with a foreword by Leonard Sweet, this expanded edition includes essays by church leaders reflecting on the impact of Jones’s revolutionary approach to discovering the Jesus already present in each culture and what those learnings mean for the church today. Contributors include: Most Rev. Dr. Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan, Dr. Sathianathan Clarke, Rev. Dr. John Thatamanil, Very Rev. Abraham O. Kadavil Corepiscopos, Rev. Dr. Shivraj Mahendra.
The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer
by Matt MiofskyDaily prayer the Wesleyan wayPrayer is a spiritual practice, and daily prayer uses the repetition of forms and words to cultivate a deep, meaningful ritual, drawing the individual into an ever-closer relationship with God. This book is organized by liturgical season, but is undated, so the individual is free to begin using it at any point during the year. The book is concise and easy to use and includes the words of scripture and other necessary text. It is a simple, frictionless tool for spiritual health. The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer provides complete texts for Morning Prayers and Evening Prayers, with a new set of texts for each week of the year. Each week is anchored in its liturgical season: Advent, Christmastide, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Eastertide, Pentecost, Sow & Rest (Ordinary Time), and Harvest & Create (Ordinary Time).Each set of prayers centers on a scripture passage, with an emphasis on the Psalms. The prayers draw from familiar historic, classic, and ancient Christian texts, and from Methodism’s rich hymnody. They also feature fresh, original words from new writers. This book facilitates deep daily connection with God--a method for spiritual sustenance.
Pursued - Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook: Gods Relentless Love for YOU (Pursued)
by Jennifer CowartDiscover how God is pursuing you.We all want to be loved. We long to be desired, pursued—whether by a special someone, our friends, or others in our lives. This longing for love and acceptance is the underlying story of many of our lives, and it's the overarching story we see throughout the Scriptures. Although the Bible tells many stories, the main theme is God’s relentless love for us.In Pursued, a six-week Bible study by Jennifer Cowart, we will explore God’s great love for us from Genesis to Revelation. We will see that God passionately pursues people who do not deserve His love, and we are those people! Like Cain, Abraham, Sarah, Rebekah, David, the woman caught in adultery, Peter, and so many others, we are the ones who have broken relationship with God. But He runs after us anyway to bring us home. In this study, we will explore God’s love as evidenced in the stories of creation, the patriarchs, the judges and prophets, Jesus, and the early church. Together we will dive into a great love story and discover that it is our story!Through this study women will:- See the big picture of God’s love for them throughout the Scriptures- Discover that God wants a personal relationship with them- Experience God’s relentless love for them individually- Realize that God never stops pursuing themComponents for this six-week Bible study, each available separately, include a Participant Workbook, a Leader Guide, and video sessions with six 25-minute segments (with closed captioning).
Abingdon Worship Annual 2026
by Mary Scifres B.J. BeuThe go-to worship planning resource for all who plan weekly worship.The Abingdon Worship Annual 2026 is a practical, lectionary-based resource for leaders responsible for planning worship. This thoughtful sourcebook offers a weekly theme with meaningful prayers and fresh litanies following a traditional order of Christian worship: Invitation and Gathering Proclamation and Response Thanksgiving and Communion Sending Forth Liturgies and prayers are also included for special days, including New Year’s Day, Ascension Day, All Saints Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Eve.The Annual includes helpful reminders for Christian-year planning—including liturgical colors—and a scripture index. The authors also provide in-depth guidance and practical ideas for this new age of worship, helping readers understand and weigh their options for worshiping in digital spaces and unconventional places.The Abingdon Worship Annual 2026 is a must-have sourcebook offering countless opportunities for planning meaningful and insightful worship.
The Jazz of Preaching, 20th Anniversary Edition: How to Preach with Great Freedom and Joy
by Kirk Byron JonesLearn to preach from your soul!What if preachers were as contagiously joyful in their preaching as Louis Armstrong was in his playing and singing? As rich in their sermonic renderings as Sarah Vaughn was in her virtuosic vocals? As honest about heartache as Billie Holiday every time she sang the blues? As alluringly clear as the voice of Ella Fitzgerald? As tenaciously uninhibited in the action of creating as Duke Ellington?This may be too much ask, even of persons who are "called by God." However, as Kirk Byron Jones demonstrates, preaching can be enhanced by an understanding of the inner dynamics of jazz. The forms, rules, and styles of jazz can inform one's practice of preaching, and its simultaneous structure and spontaneity can help preachers better understand their own art.In his classic text for students and practitioners, Jones explains how preaching is dramatically improved with the application of key elements of jazz, including innovation, improvisation, rhythm, call and response, honesty about heartache, and delight. This 20th Anniversary Edition includes a new element—preaching from your genuine soul. Chapters include instruction and exercises for applying the jazz elements to preaching preparation and performance. This edition also includes an Introduction, in which the author sets the context for the new material and articulates his conviction that this approach to preaching is needed now more than ever.The Jazz of Preaching 20th Anniversary Edition introduces the rich and rewarding possibilities that arise when preachers tap into their own creativity—and their own soul--when constructing and delivering the sermon.
Gardens in the Desert: How the Adaptive Church Can Lead a Whole New Life
by Michael Adam Beck Kenneth H. Carter Jr.Your church can thrive in this strange new world!Many church people and leaders feel like exiles in their own land. We are facing tremendous challenges. And, just as for those who came before us, the challenges are also opportunities. If we adapt to our new environment, as people and as the body of Christ. Gardens in the Desert offers local and denominational church leaders a practical, inspired, scripture-rooted vision for how we can do this—how we can become God’s church now for God’s intended future. Michael Adam Beck and Ken Carter draw from Jeremiah 29 to provide wise guidance for leaders and churches seeking to adapt and thrive. Jeremiah’s imperatives resonate deeply today, compelling us to experiment, cultivate new relationships, prioritize faith-sharing with people of all ages, interact with others in humility, to “seek the wellbeing of the other,” and to move forward with confidence. The chapters are brief and packed with practical ideas and instruction. The authors include ideas from leaders inside and outside the Church, offering multiple ways for leaders to see and understand what it means to be an adaptive leader and how to shape an adaptive church. The book is rich with lists, diagrams, illustrations, clarifying questions, and frameworks, making the material easy to grasp. It is an excellent resource to share with leadership teams at every level of the local church and in denominational settings. Gardens in the Desert is for laity, leaders, and clergy who have been feeling lost, immobilized, powerless—as exiles—and who are ready to do something new.
An Unlikely Advent Leader Guide: Extraordinary People of the Christmas Story
by Rachel BillupsExpect the unexpected this Christmas.This four-week Advent study focuses on the experiences of four sets of often overlooked characters in the Nativity story. During this Advent season, Rachel Billups guides readers through the themes of hope, love, joy, and peace by sharing the stories of Elizabeth and Zechariah, Herod, the Magi, and the shepherds. Each set of unexpected characters has something to teach about living faithfully on the journey to Christmas.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the four-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options. Additional components for the four-week small group study include the book and DVD/Video Sessions featuring Rachel Billups.