Church Explorers Handbook

A fully illustrated pocket guide to UK churches and their contents.

If ever a theologian required a guidebook, it would be Karl Barth. David Guretzki has gathered numerous hints and notes throughout decades of study for how best to explore the writings of the Swiss theologian. This handy, accessible guide offers a brief snapshot of the key texts, terms, and ideas that any new reader of Barth's work need to know.

"The pages of church history are full of amazing stories of men and women of faith who changed the course of history and influenced the world through church planting. Regardless of whether you are in a city, in a rural community, or on an island, this book will outline general principles that will help you develop a unique church-planting process that fits your context."--Publisher.

This practical and comprehensive guide offers essential and expert advice on every aspect of caring for churches. A money-saving handbook for all who care for and maintain church buildings, it provides expert advice from a leading church architect and an experienced heritage buildings specialist. Drawn from extensive experience of working with local churches, they also show how church buildings can be tools for contemporary mission, packed with potential for effective engagement with the whole community. They cover a wide range of practical issues that affect church buildings, from caring for medieval masonry to installing multimedia electronic systems, and offer essential information and easy-to-follow advice on: • heating, lighting and energy efficiency • installing a kitchen or toilets • dealing with damp • treating timber decay • making your building accessible • what to do about bats • health and safety • seating options • fonts and baptisteries and much more. In addition, this handbook offers a step-by-step guide to planning and implementing an extension or a reordering project, including advice on public consultation, dealing with diocesan committees and fundraising. An annual calendar of basic church care is included, plus a church health checklist and a basic church buildings audit.

Here at last is a book that attends both to the call for more inclusive language in worship and to the traditional claims of Trinitarian theology. The authors insist that the Trinity must remain at the heart of Christian worship. But this need not confine us to a single formula or a narrow range of images; indeed, new forms of language are essential if we are properly to praise the unnamed, all-named, triune God. This book is brimming with liturgical resources, including prayers, hymn texts, and sample sermons.

A concise, full-colour visitor’s guide to dozens of historical churches scattered throughout Vancouver Island, from humble country chapels to soaring urban cathedrals. For many European settlers who arrived on Vancouver Island in the late nineteenth century, building a church was as important as establishing a homestead or erecting a school. The church was the heart of the community. Today, although demographics have shifted and church attendance has waned, many of those early structures are still standing. Pioneer Churches of Vancouver Island and the Salish Sea features more than forty surviving churches whose construction dates back to the 1800s. It explores the architecture; the local history of the area; and the stories of the builders, worshippers, clergy members, those who are buried in the adjoining graveyards. Divided into geographical sections—Victoria, Esquimalt and the Saanich Peninsula, the Cowichan Valley, Salt Spring Island, Central Vancouver Island, and the North Island—this book is a beautifully photographed, easy-to-follow guide for anyone interested in exploring these architectural treasures and learning more about the history surrounding them.

Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love is truly an astounding work: an inspiring example of Christian mysticism, a unique contribution to Christian theology, the first book in English known to have been written by a woman. Veronica Mary Rolf guides us as we read, examining its fourteenth-century context and illuminating our understanding of this enduring work.

Now available in a fully-revised and updated new edition, this popular textbook by one of the world's leading theologians offers a lively, jargon-free introduction to Christianity. Features a wealth of new material on global Christianity, American Christianity, the Orthodox Church, current theological debates, and Christianity in relation to other world religions Includes enhanced and expanded student-friendly features, including numerous illustrations, suggestions for further reading, a glossary of Christian terms, and brief readings from primary Christian sources Written in an accessible and engaging style that assumes no prior knowledge of Christian beliefs or practices, making it an invaluable resource for beginners to the subject as well as those looking for a refresher Incorporates coverage of Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Evangelicalism, and Pentecostalism A glossary, related websites, and other resources from Dr. McGrath are available online at www.alistermcgrathwiley.com

A getting started handbook that provides ground rules for interpreting God's Word and helps for applying its principles.

Known for its beauty and bounty, the Chesapeake Bay stretches nearly 200 miles from the mouth of the Susquehanna River to the ocean capes of the Atlantic, its tidal waters enriching the vibrant coastal communities of both Maryland and Virginia. Chesapeake Bay Explorer’s Guide is the perfect reference for visitors who want to know more about the things they see in their visit to the famous estuary, whether they are relaxing on a beach, paddling through a saltmarsh, or watching workboats duck beneath a drawbridge. Explore more than 14,415 miles of shoreline, myriad hiking trails, and scores of wildlife preserves nestled between resort towns and other attractions. This guide provides a concise history of how the Bay was formed, and brief entries with full-color images and easy-to-read descriptions of the flora, fauna, and man-made artifacts found in and around the Bay.

In this careful study of John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion, Reformed theologian Yudha Thianto sets Calvin's writings in their historical context and outlines the significant aspects of his theology for those who would know more about Calvin's works and through it, the God who inspired them.

Fascinating facts, enlightening lists and random observations on our rich, historic and extraordinary faith

Taking you through the year day by day, The Ipswich Book of Days contains quirky, eccentric, amusing and important events and facts from different periods in the history of one of England’s oldest towns. Ideal for dipping into, this addictive little book will keep you entertained and informed. Featuring hundreds of snippets of information gleaned from the vaults of Ipswich’s archives and covering the social, criminal, political, religious, industrial, military and sporting history of the town, it will delight residents and visitors alike.