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What's New in the Library?

Jeanne Robson

Updated: Sep 22, 2023

Three new books are being added to the Daniel Library. Please stop in and look. Books are signed out by use of a clip board and there is no time limit on returning them. Books are arranged under a system designed for church libraries. On the shelves, the code and its explanation are found where a particular type of book begins.


There is also a green binder that lists the books by Title, by Author and by Subject. Most people just look at the titles. Returning a book is easy, just leave it on the windowsill. The library is also full of memorabilia, some of which is explained on an informational sheet on the inside of the entry doors.


Here are the three new books.


God is Here: Reimagining the Divine by Toba Spitzer

Traditional religion does not always answer all of our questions. Rabbi Spitzer believes that it is often the traditional; ideas of God that get in the way of that understanding. In her book, she argues that whether we believe in God or not, it is not God that we have a problem with. The problem is the metaphor of a Big, Powerful Person that limits our understanding and our spiritual lives. In the chapter titled The God – Cloud, are two short stories.

“A few years ago, I heard a New Year’s Resolution from someone who said her hope was to “look up” every day. She felt she spent too much time narrowly focused on the mundane aspects of life – home, work, family, related worries, issues, plans, etc. She decided that she would spend time looking up to the sky, noticing clouds. She put a beautiful photo of clouds on her phone screen so she would see it anytime she picked up her phone. I tried this and noticed that it changed my mindset pretty quickly. I can’t describe it exactly but for some reason, just looking up at the sky helped me change my perspective. Maybe it seemed like my problems suddenly seemed less drastic, smaller.”

“From his window facing the marketplace, Rebbe Nachman spotted one of his followers rushing by. “Have you looked up at the sky this morning?” the Rebbe asked. “No, Rebbe, I haven’t had the time.” “Believe me, in fifty years everything you see here today will be gone. There will be another fair – with other horses, other wagons, different people. I won’t be here then and neither will you. So what’s so important that you don’t have time to look at the sky?”

This book can be found in the Religion section (REL)


Hearts of Fire – Eight Women in the Underground Church and Their Stories of Costly Faith produced by VOM

VOM stands for The Voice of the Martyrs, a non-profit, interdenominational mission organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. The stories are hard to read but they remind us that our beliefs are not always accepted. The freedom we have here in America has possibly dulled us to what goes on in the larger world. As you read the stories that remind you of the time after the crucifixion, yet are happening today somewhere, ask yourself if your belief would survive?

This book can be found in the Biography section (BIOG).


The Way of Peace: Readings for a Harmonious Life edited by Michael Leach, et. al.

This book is easy to read because of the subject. The short articles, prose and poems, stay with you. The people whose writings you read are interesting and their words resonate. Here are words from two of my favorites.

The Eternal Law of Live by Mohandas Gandhi

“Jesus lived and died in vain if he did not teach us to regulate the whole of life by the eternal Law of Love.”

Ain’t I a Woman? By Sojourner Truth

“Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back and get it right side up again!

This book can be found in the Prayers, Meditations and Sermons section (PMS).

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