Dear Rose Park,
Every year Sam and I make a goal to read as many books as we can. Typically the goal is something like 15-20 books each; I know that might sound small to some avid readers, but that’s a pretty hefty goal for each of us. We enjoy reading and we’ve made it a priority to read before we go to bed. Not only does it help us go to sleep, but it also quiets our minds, eliminates the temptation to sit on our phones, and opens us up to a whole new world of conversation and thought.
Reading is so very important. It helps us expand our vocabularies, develops critical thinking skills, improves our memory, improves our analytical and writing skills, broadens our horizons, and helps us to develop emotions. Sam and I have said it multiple times to each other, “I wish we would’ve started reading when we were younger.” The benefits of regular reading have been tangible in my life; they’ve opened my eyes to see relationships, struggles, work life, and the church from a new perspective.
But sometimes the difficulty in reading is either getting or started or doing it alone. Recognizing this issue, I wondered if it might be helpful to put out a Summer 2021 Reading List. By doing so, perhaps it’s an encouragement to someone to pick up a book but also a bridge for a relationship to occur. You can find this list electronically on our church website (www.roseparkreformed.org) under the ‘resources’ tab or there are printed copies available in the narthex.
You’ll find a wide-variety of books on this list. Some are theologically heavy and others are interviews with high-profile athletes. Some embrace the pain and anxiety of death while others are an intimate look at life through diaries and journals. There are stories of a determined musician, a pastor and his family, and the heartfelt letter of a father to a son. Eugene Peterson writes, “reading is a gift, but only if the words are taken into the soul - eaten, chewed, gnawed, received in unhurried delight.” Don’t feel the need to read all of them, instead take your time chewing on these words so that they might find a way into your soul.
Whether it’s Cara Wall’s The Dearly Beloved, Charles Martin’s Long Way Gone, Paul’s letter to the Romans, or even Luke’s Gospel it’s my encouragement that you’ll take some time to open your eyes, minds, and hearts to the Word written, the Word made flesh, and the printed word of books.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark