This summer in worship we have been, and will continue to be, reflecting on family stories from the book of Genesis: stories about husbands and wives, barren women and babies, fathers and sons, brothers and their rivalries, travelers and their dreams, and wrestling matches with God. For our July book discussion, I invite you to read a book that similarly explores difficult topics in family and community life. The book is Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. It’s written in the form of a letter from a father to his son. It challenges us to look at our world through the eyes of someone whose experience, and interpretation of that experience, may be different from our own…and/or who can help us see and understand our experience in new ways.
Michelle Alexander’s New York Times book review describes the author this way: “Coates’s voice stands nearly alone — a black man raised in the streets of Baltimore who narrowly escaped the violence that lurked around every corner and dodged the clutches of the prisons and jails that were built for him, and who now speaks unpopular, unconventional and sometimes even radical truths in his own voice, unfiltered.” What Coates himself remembers about his childhood is, “I was a capable boy, intelligent, well-liked, but powerfully afraid.” As a devoted father, Coates wants for his teenaged son the ability to live freely and fully in the world. The book attempts to outline the obstacles which need to be overcome in order for such a dream to be realized. Between the World and Me was published in July of 2015 and won the National Book Award for Nonfiction. Our discussion will take place on Monday, July 24, at 7 pm in the choir room. All readers welcome!
Other summer opportunities for learning and growing in faith include:
“The Gift of Light in Photography and Scripture” (with Bob Chamberlin, Pulitzer Prize winning photographer
and photo editor) final session on Thursday, July 6, at 7 pm in the Aldersgate Room.
“Drop in Drawing” (with artist Curtis Green) on Saturday, August 5, at 10 am in the Aldersgate Room. August Book Discussion of Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance, Monday, August 28, at 7 pm in the choir room.
It’s a joy to explore life stories, holy scripture, and creative pursuits with all of you. May your summer be rich and rewarding,
