A book is born!

Hello followers and welcome to newcomers

It’s been a while, first a burst in 2013 then another at the beginning of lockdown in 2020. Then lockdown lethargy set in ….

Now I have another reason for reviving the blog. A trilogy of books is in the publishing pipeline. The first print book will be launched in Fairfield Community Hall, Dunedin, NZ on Thursday 16th December 2021. All three books will shortly be available in print and e versions.

Book Launch 16 December 2021

Why write a book (or 3?) When I finished active ministry at St Andrew’s on The Terrace at the end of 2019, I felt my work was unfinished. I hadn’t completely pulled together, I thought, my ideas on how the way we needed to change how we approached the Christian spiritual journey. Once I got started on that book, I thought the same about laying out the pros and cons for the debate over sexual orientation in the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand. (PCANZ). So a second book got started….

The cover for the second book in the trilogy, due out 2022

Then I realised my conversation partners in the first two books were Hope and Charity, so I had to have a conversation with Faith! Faith and I discuss the Feminine, the place of women and women in biblical texts for the contemporary scene.

Book 3 of the trilogy, also due out 2022

Before the trilogy took shape I’d been collecting hymns I’d written to familiar hymn tunes and some liturgy I’d been writing as a minister. Also, one hymn is to a very pretty original melody composed by Vivien Chiu who was musical director at St Andrew’s when I was there. These hymns and liturgy aim to be up to the minute. One even mentions twitter! This collection will also come out in 2022. This is what that book will look like.

So life has been unexpectedly full and active. It’s a welcome luxury having time to lay out ideas and explain things in detail without the limits of a 3 minute General Assembly speaking block or the 15-20 minutes a congregation can stand!

I am aiming for this blog to keep you up to date with publication dates and ways to order books. I will also use it however, to talk about the ideas behind the books – and all the other ideas I have not yet written down. So hit subscribe to get the news automatically. A facebook page focused on the books will appear soon but I need the help of a younger generation for that.

In the meantime, if you want to attend the launch and are in the vicinity and I haven’t sent you an invitation, please get in touch so we can add you to the numbers for catering. Anyone can order a “Wherever you are, You are on the Journey” book from me at jones.rs@xtra.co.nz for the launch price $18 plus p & p (in NZ) of $5.50 up until 16 December. E-books and print-on-demand through Amazon will be active soon. I can let you know when they’re available. (Cheaper for overseas people rather than shipping from NZ here at the top of the world.)

It is good to be in touch again. I hope you all are well and finding whatever restrictions you might be under for covid purposes not too irksome. remember, wherever you are, you are on the journey.

Susan