Bread For The Wilderness Wine For The Journey

In an intensely personal way, John Killinger talks about the deeper meaning of prayer and the inner life. Bread for the Wilderness, Wine for the Journey is a spiritual pilgrimage that enables the reader to delve into the recesses of his or her inner self; to catch a new glimpse of the power of prayer, not only in Jesus's life, but in ours as well; and to help us in our own journey to be more attuned to the things of the spirit, and more open to following the silent whisperings and mystery of God's leading.

Why are so many people drifting away from today's churches? John Killinger suggests that part of the problem is that they have personally outpaced the thinking and understanding of the church so that they no longer find it adequate as a social structure for the celebration of their faith. In their attempts to find Jesus and his teachings relevant within the new culture, they strike out on their own or adhere to para-Christian organizations that retain an allegiance to Jesus without the baggage of the traditional institution. Killinger, a former big-steeple minister and theologian, describes how he himself has been forced essentially to abandon the church in order to remain faithful to the beliefs and ideals that first drew him into it.

Within these pages, we find forty-nine meditations on the Holy Spirit that are born of reflection on a wide variety of Scripture passages from both the Old and New Testament--from Genesis to Revelation. The author's vast pastoral experience permeates his words as he reminds us that the Spirit dwells within each of us. His meaningful and insightful exploration of Scripture gently invites us to meditate on the Word, to realize how the working of the Spirit is intricately woven into the fabric of our everyday lives, and to pray with the Spirit who is ever present to us. Although readers may find this book to be a worthy companion particularly during the seven weeks between Easter and Pentecost, these meditations, insights, and prayers can be used with great benefit at any time--as the Spirit moves. The fruit of the Spirit is offered for all who wish to deepen their spiritual life.

Why worship? In this superb new collection of essays, lay people, clergy, poets, theologians, musicians, novelists, and scholars offer personal, profound, and provocative reflections on their experience of worship in The Episcopal Church. Through their flesh-and-blood stories of longing, loss, and love, we encounter the God who meets us in common prayer. Contributors to the book include: J. Neil Alexander Fred Bahnson Michael Battle Luisa Bonillas Rodney Clapp Kim Edwards Melissa Deckman Fallon Stephen Fowl Paul Fromberg Katherine Greene-McCreight Cameron Dezen Hammon BJ Heyboer Rhonda Mawhood Lee Ian S. Markham Duane Miller Joseph Pagano Amy Peterson Spencer Reece Amy Richter C. K. Robertson Sophfronia Scott Rachel Marie Stone Lauren Winner