So many
books, so little time
Host of
writers featured at General Assembly book-signings
by Jerry L. Van Marter,
Presbyterian News
Service
[5-30-08]
LOUISVILLE —May 27, 2008 —
For five days in June, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly
will become one of the most auspicious celebrity book fairs in the country.
The Presbyterian Publishing
Corporation — the PC(USA)’s official publisher — is sponsoring a series of
book signings during the 218th General Assembly, June 21-28 in San Jose, CA.
Authors who will be present range from Hollywood stars to some of the
world’s great theologians and from the church’s most gifted storytellers to
cultural icons.
Some of those who will be
present to sign their books:
• Mike
Farrell, who starred as B.J. Hunnicutt in the hit TV show M*A*S*H*,
signing his memoir Just Call Me Mike (June 22).
• Robert
Short, author of the blockbuster The Gospel According to Peanuts,
signing that book and his newer one, The Parables of Dr. Seuss (June
22, 23, 24).
• Marj
Carpenter, former General Assembly moderator and winner of the
Presbyterian Writers Guild’s 2007 Distinguished Writer Award, signing her
two books of global mission stories, To the Ends of the Earth: Mission
Stories from Around the Word and And a Little Bit Farther: More
Stories of Mission (June 25).
• Sara
Covin Juengst, winner of the Committee on Theological Education’s
2008 Excellence in Theological Education Award, signing Like A Garden: A
Biblical Spirituality of Growth, The Road Home: Images for the
Spiritual Journey and others (June 24).
• Isaiah
Jones, Presbyterian minister and former Hollywood recording artist,
signing God Has Smiled on Me: An Isaiah Jones Songbook (June 25).
• Melva
Costen, renowned hymnologist and expert on African-American worship
and song, signing In Spirit and In Truth: the Music of African American
Worship and African American Christian Worship; Celebrating Our Call
(June 22).
• John
Buchanan, former General Assembly moderator and pastor of Fourth
Presbyterian Church, Chicago, signing A New Church for a New World
(June 23).
• Rita
Nakashima Brock, renowned feminist theologian, signing Saving
Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of This World for Crucifixion and
Empire, Proverbs of Ashes: Violence, Redemptive Suffering, and
the Search for What Saves Us and others (June 24).
• W.
Eugene March, famed Old Testament scholar, signing God’s Land On
Loan: Israel, Palestine and the World, Great Themes of the Bible
and others (June 22).
• Deborah
Bruce, co-author of the groundbreaking research series on U.S.
congregations, signing Places of Promise: Finding Strength in Your
Congregation’s Location, A Field Guide to U.S. Congregations: Whose
Going Where and Why and others (June 22).
• Don
McKim, a prolific writer on Presbyterian and Reformed theology,
signing Presbyterian Questions, Presbyterian Answers, Introducing the
Reformed Faith and others (June 22, 25).
• Mary
Frances Chupick Bennett, winner of the Presbyterian Writers Guild’s
2007 James Angell Award for best first book by a Presbyterian writer,
signing Invitation to Cat Spring: From European Tyranny to Freedom to
Civil War (June 25).
• Brett
Webb-Mitchell, signing School of the Pilgrim: An Alternative Path
to Christian Growth, On Being a Gay Parent: Making a Future Together
and others (June 21, 22, 24).
• Cynthia
Campbell, president of McCormick Theological Seminary, signing A
Multitude of Blessings: A Christian Approach to Religious Diversity
(June 25).
• Michael
Lindvall, pastor of Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City,
signing his best-seller The Good News from North Haven and A
Geography of God: Exploring the Christian Journey (June 22).
• Darrell
Guder, renowned missiologist, signing The Exhibition of the
Kingdom of Heaven to the World (June 23).
• Elizabeth
Hinson-Hasty, a Presbyterian minister and educator, signing
Prayers for the New Social Awakening: Inspired by the New Social Creed
and To Do Justice: A Guide for Progressive Christians (June 23).
• Timothy
Cargal, a Presbyterian pastor and cultural commentator, signing
Hearing a Film, Seeing a Sermon: Preaching and Popular Movies (June 22).
• Kathy
Bostrom, a Presbyterian pastor and former president of the
Presbyterian Writers Guild, signing Finding Calm in the Chaos: Christian
Devotions for Busy Women, Green Plagues and Lamb and others (June
24, 25).
Other writers signing their
books include the Rev. Charles Rassieur,
I Have a Plan: A Pastor’s Guide to Counseling Troubled Marriages (June
22); the Rev. Thomas Currie, The
Joy of Ministry and others (June 23); the Rev.
James G. Emerson Jr., Forgiveness:
Key to the Creative Life, Suffering: Its Meaning and Ministry and
others (June 23); the Rev. Christian Iosso,
Prayers for the New Social Awakening: Inspired by the New Social Creed
(June 23); Mike Yankoski,
Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America and
My 30 Days Under the Overpass: Not Your Ordinary Devotional (June 23).
Also:
Mary Hunt, Fierce Tenderness: A
Feminist Theology of Friendship and Good Sex: Feminist Perspective
from the World's Religions (June 23);
Anne Eggebroten, Abortion: My Choice, God's Grace:
Christian Women Tell Their Stories (June 23);
Margaret Towne, Honest to Genesis:
A Biblical and Scientific Challenge to Creationism (June 24);
Mary D. Williams, A Second Chance
and Blood Done Sign My Name (June 24);
Elliott West, The Contested
Plains: Indians, Goldseekers, & the Rush to Colorado and The Way to
the West: Essays on the Central Plains (June 24); the Rev.
Deborah Mullen, Shaping Beloved
Community: Multicultural Theological Education (June 25); and the Rev.
David Sawyer, Hope in Conflict:
Discovering Wisdom in Congregational Turmoil (June 25).
For specific places and
times, consult the General Assembly program book or the
PPC Web site.
The General
Assembly Schedule is online, but does not seem to
include many of these book signings.
