The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Book for Lent 2020. A book about the environment written by Ruth Valerio of Tear Fund.
In ‘Saying Yes to Life’ Ruth Valerio imaginatively draws on the seven days of creation (Genesis 1) as she uses the themes of light, water, land, the seasons, human kind and creatures to help us consider the Christian obligation to the planet. There are six chapters, each with topics to reflect on and a prayer, as well as practical ideas.
A Lent Book with the Archbishop of York designate as one of the co-authors. A book co-written by Stephen Cottrell, currently Bishop of Chelmsford, Philip North, the Bishop of Burnley, and Paula Gooder, a writer and lecturer in Biblical studies and an Anglican lay reader.
‘Walking the Way of the Cross’ is similar in intent to the traditional Stations of the Cross. It focuses wholly on the biblical narrative of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Fifteen meditations are offered, including opening and concluding prayers. Each is accompanied by three short reflections from the different perspectives of the scriptural narratives, personal discipleship and the challenge to mission and witness.
The Winner of the Michael Ramsay Prize. A book guiding us through 40 poems written by George Herbert. The author is Mark Oakley, Dean of St John’s College, Cambridge and one of the church’s most able readers of poetry.
‘My Sour-Sweet Days’ On the premise that poetry can lead its readers to places other forms of writing rarely touch, Mark Oakley chooses a wide range of George Herbert’s poems to gently take us on a journey of the soul.
The Bloomsbury 2020 Lent Book. A book which invites readers to follow the monastic journey of Lenten prayer. It is written by Mark Barrett OSB, who is a monk at Worth Abbey in Sussex which follows the Benedictine tradition.
‘The Wind, the Fountain and the Fire’ is written in five chapters using the psalms to explore the question ‘Where do we discover the wind of the Spirit, the fountain of living water and the fire from which God speaks?’. It reveals how the language of the Bible, the New Testament in particular, is ‘shot through’ with the psalms.
A Lent Book commended by Jo Wells, the Bishop of Dorking. A book which invites readers to move with the writer, Magdelen Smith, from a wilderness experience to investigate the ways in which God often meets us most abundantly in places of doubt, strain and fear.
‘The Grace-filled Wilderness’ provides a scripture verse, a quote from a writer and a few pages of reflection for each day of Lent and through to after Easter. We are encouraged to reflect on how, as followers of Jesus, modern dilemmas are double-edged – they can bring us life or, if we handle them in the wrong way, drain life from us.
A Lent Book by an artist-poet pointing to the mystery of God. A book by the leading contemporary artist, Roger Wagner, which invites readers to have their eyes opened and to see in a new way by having their habits and assumptions challenged.
‘The Nearer You Stand’ provides a series of poems and images where modern scenes are re-imagined as alive with biblical resonance and biblical scenes are brought into new relevance and focus.
A Lent Book based on the Bible readings set for each day from Ash Wednesday to Easter Saturday. A book co-written by Steven Croft, the Bishop of Oxford, Christopher Herbert, at one-time Archdeacon of Dorking and then Bishop of St Albans, John Pritchard, formerly Bishop of Oxford, and Lucy Winkett, the canon precentor at St Paul’s Cathedral from 2003 to 2010 and currently Rector of St James Church, Picadilly.
‘Reflections for Lent 2020’ covers Monday to Saturday each week offering reflections written by some of today’s leading spiritual and theological writers on Bible readings from the Common Worship Lectionary. Each day includes full lectionary details for Morning Prayer, a reflection on one of the Bible readings and a Collect for the day.
To order any of these books contact Sue Ayling on 020 8337 6347 or assistantpriest@stmarysewell.com
