Does your small group take a break over the summer? Why not meet together in a book club format? You could schedule a more social meeting where you discuss one of these great summer reads.
If you are already part of a book club or looking to start one, consider one of these titles to generate thought-provoking discussion about important topics of faith and culture.
For people interested in:
- Storytelling as spiritual exploration
- Encountering the larger story of God
Spoken Into Being: Divine Encounters Through Story by Michael E. Williams uses poetry, personal narrative, and retellings of biblical stories to lead us to a deeper knowledge of the power of narrative.
For people interested in:
- Women in the Bible
- Social justice advocacy
Women Rise Up: Sacred Stories of Resistance for Today’s Revolution by Katey Zeh brings an activist sensibility to the reading of biblical stories to inspire modern women and their allies to rise up in the face of injustices near and far.
For people interested in:
- Race relations and immigration
- Coming together across differences
All the Colors We Will See: Reflections on Barriers, Brokenness, and Finding Our Way by Patrice Gopo seamlessly moves across borders of space and time to create vivid portraits of how the reality of being different affects the quest to belong.
For people interested in:
- The opioid crisis and addiction
- Father-son relationships
On Pills and Needles: The Relentless Fight to Save My Son from Opioid Addiction by Rick Van Warner is one family’s story, but it is also a wake-up call and crash course in opioid addiction.
For people interested in:
- Immigration
- World poverty
Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario tells of an epic journey from Honduras to North Carolina, one thousands of children make each year to find their mothers in the United States. Recommended by the NC Conference Connectional Table.
For people interested in:
- Israel and Palestine
- Cross-cultural friendships
The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan brings the Israeli-Palestinian conflict down to its most human level, demonstrating that even amid the bleakest political realities there exist stories of hope and transformation.
For people interested in:
- Racial justice
- The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove traces the author’s journey from the religion of the slaveholder to the Christianity of Christ.
For people interested in:
- UMC history
- Church leadership
Women Bishops of The United Methodist Church: Extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit by Sharon Zimmerman Rader and Margaret Ann Crain shares inspirational stories and pivotal moments that illustrate how these women managed the complexities of family, faith, and authority.
For people interested in:
- Christian fiction
- The faith of St. Francis
Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale by Ian Morgan Cron joins Pastor Chase Falcon on his life-changing journey to Italy where he struggles to resolve his crisis of faith by retracing the footsteps of Francis of Assisi, a saint whose simple way of loving Jesus changed the history of the world.
For people interested in:
- Interfaith friendships
- Judaism and Islam
The Faith Club: A Muslim, a Christian, a Jew — Three Women Search for Understanding by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner traces how three American women of different faiths worked together to understand one another while identifying the connections and divisions between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Request These Resources
These resources can be borrowed for free by anyone involved with a United Methodist church in the North Carolina Conference. We can even mail them to you! All you need to do is fill out the Resource Request Form.