A2U2 friends,

What a joy to be back to church and preparing for another year of shared ministry with you!

I had a wonderful summer vacation and fruitful study leave. It has been wonderful to begin seeing a number of you these past few weeks as I’ve been in and out, and I look forward to seeing many more of you in the weeks to come.

We have a lot coming up this year… much work to do together, goals to accomplish, songs to sing, fun to have! And as I have my sights set on all of that, I’m also relishing these last weeks of August for what they are… a kind of in-between… late summer, a season of its own. As I look back on my summer, one of my favorite parts was the many books I read. I thought I’d share my list with you so you can get a sense of what your minister dives into… what inspires me and my sermons and my ministry. And what I find just generally interesting to learn about.

Non-fiction

Living Resistance: An Indigenous Vision for Seeking Wholeness Every Day by Kaitlin Curtis

Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture by Virginia Sole-Smith

Gender Euphoria ed. By Laura Kate Dale

Good For a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World by Lauren Fleshman

Radical Inclusion by David Moinina Sengeh

A More Perfect Union: A New Vision for Building the Beloved Community by Adam Russell Taylor

Brilliant Imperfection: Grappling with Cure by Eli Clare

The Darkness Divine: A Loving Challenge to my Faith by Kristen L. Harper

Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work or Watch or Weep by Tish Harrison Warren

The Book of Non-Binary Joy by Ben Pechey

I’m Just a Person by Tig Notaro

Holding Change: The Way of Emergent Strategy Facilitation and Mediation by adrienne maree brown

Belonging: A German Reckons with History and Home by Nora Krug

The Stonewall Generation: LGBTQ Elders on Sex, Activism & Ageing ed. Jane Fleishman

Fiction

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (YA)

Dear Mothman by Robin Glow (YA)

And currently reading Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby