Helen-Ann Hartley

Reflections for Daily Prayer continues to be one of the most popular and highly valued daily Bible reading companions. The 2022-23 line-up of writers continues its tradition of excellence. Regular favourites and new contributors offer insightful, informed and inspiring reflections on the scripture readings of the day, based on the Common Worship Lectionary for Morning Prayer. In addition, Paula Gooder, one of the most outstanding biblical scholars writing today, provides the meditations for Holy Week. New voices this year include Sharon Prentis, Dean of Ministry at St Mellitus College and previously Dean of Black and Minority Ethnic Affairs for the Church of England in Birmingham, and Luigi Gioia, director of formation at St Paul’s Knightsbridge, whose book The Wisdom of St Benedict recently won first prize in the spiritualty category of the 2021 CMA book awards. For every day (excluding Sundays) of the 2022-23 church year, there are full references and a quotation from the day’s set of Scripture readings, a concise and challenging commentary on one of the readings, and a collect. Also included is a simple order for Morning and Night Prayer, and additional helps for nurturing a habit of regular daily prayer.

Covering the liturgical year outside Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter, this collection of reflections, readings, poems and prayers focuses on the life and ministry of Jesus – the rich subject matter of the lectionary readings during Ordinary Time. In addition it includes meditations by Rowan Williams and others for the major feasts of Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity, Transfiguration, Holy Cross Day and other special occasions in the calendar. This richly varied resource will be welcomed by all seeking fresh inspiration for preaching, leading worship – formal or informal, conducting retreats or quiet days. Containing around a hundred short and extended items by the very best of today’s theological and spiritual writers, it also provides rich fare for personal devotional reading.

David Winter offers a wise and lucid guide to reading and understanding the Bible. Areas covered include: the 'story' told by the Bible; how to distinguish between the different writings in the Bible e.g. What is history What is poetry What is allegory what it means when Christians claim that the Bible is inspired; how to begin reading the Bible; questions raised by modern scholarship

As the church focuses more and more on growth in urban areas, this book shows how small rural parishes can respond with confidence to the opportunities and challenges for mission and ministry, and that flourishing exists throughout the church, and particularly in small and rural contexts. God's Tent Pitched Among Us provides a worked example of a thriving rural mission project in Northumberland. It is a handbook for those who would like to develop their own expression of God's Tent, providing practical encouragement and easy-to-follow outline sessions. It also offers an extended reflection on the powerful image of the tent-pitching God in the book of Exodus and who biblical writers continue to draw on through the book of Revelation, and more notably in the prologue to John's Gospel.

A challenging and thoughtful reflection about the question of how a merciful God can allow evil. Inspired by the Book of Job, Out of the Whirlwind is a reflection on the challenge posed to the existence of a good and powerful God by the issue of innocent suffering. It takes the form of the author's reflections as he sits in a children's ward by the bedside of his disabled son, who is dangerously ill and may be about to die. The reflections include personal reminiscence, a consideration of some traditional theodicies along with objections to them, and a couple of dream sequences, at the end of which, like Job himself in the biblical tale, the narrator receives God's answer "out of the whirlwind".

Reflections on the Psalms provides insightful commentary on each of the Psalms from the same experienced team of writers that have made Reflections for Daily Prayer so popular. It offers inspiring and undated reflections on all 150 psalms, with longer psalms split into parts in accordance with the Lectionary. Each reflection is accompanied by its corresponding Psalm refrain and prayer from the Common Worship Psalter, making this a valuable resource for personal or devotional use. Specially written introductions by Paula Gooder and Steven Croft explore the Psalms and the Bible and the Psalms in the life of the Church.

One of a series of 6 small books dealing in a short and accessible way with the key concerns for Christians. How can reading the Bible make a difference to our lives? How can we put questions to the Bible? Is everything equally important? Are some things suited to another culture than our own? What about the passages which show God as competitive and vengeful? Where are the women?