Just as Ann Barry was always searching, reading about and exploring her faith and spirituality, our lending library is adding new books to our collection to broaden and deepen our faith journey. Last week our church hosted Bobby Jo Valentine, an engaging, creative and talented 38 year old man who shared with us original songs and poetry that have helped him deal with life’s challenges coming out as a gay man at 23 years old and now sharing his life struggles, joy, and God’s love by performing in churches around the country in a mission to help others. In celebration of PRIDE and being an Open and Affirming Church, his book, Your True Name, Poems, Songs, and Stories to find your way to you, that includes autobiographical information, music lyrics and poems is touching and insightful.  Understanding the pain that is carried, often unseen or felt by others, is an important reason to share the gift of love that flows from God to us as we celebrate and respect each other, empower everyone’s voice, and better the world.

Our lending library in the parlor of Pilgrim House is available each weekday from 9am-noon, as well as Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons until 5pm, and Sundays before and immediately after worship.  You can select from a variety of books and we ask that you use the notebook to check out those books that are of interest to you and return them to the collection when your reading is finished.

(Click on the images to see an enlarged version)

Often short, but full of insights and wisdom and, sometimes, eliciting more questions, these are the books that may deepen your faith.  Enjoy the opportunity to explore yourself, your faith and God.  What a memorable summer it could be!