Pew

Finalist for the 2021 Dylan Thomas Prize and the 2021 NYPL Young Lions Fiction Award. Longlisted for the 2021 PEN/Jean Stein Book Award, the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and the Joyce Carol Oates Prize. One of Publishers Weekly's Best Fiction Books of 2020. One of Amazon's 100 Best Books of 2020. “The people of this community are stifling, and generous, cruel, earnest, needy, overconfident, fragile and repressive, which is to say that they are brilliantly rendered by their wise maker, Catherine Lacey.” --Rachel Kushner, author of The Flamethrowers A figure with no discernible identity appears in a small, religious town, throwing its inhabitants into a frenzy In a small, unnamed town in the American South, a church congregation arrives for a service and finds a figure asleep on a pew. The person is genderless and racially ambiguous and refuses to speak. One family takes in the strange visitor and nicknames them Pew. As the town spends the week preparing for a mysterious Forgiveness Festival, Pew is shuttled from one household to the next. The earnest and seemingly well-meaning townspeople see conflicting identities in Pew, and many confess their fears and secrets to them in one-sided conversations. Pew listens and observes while experiencing brief flashes of past lives or clues about their origin. As days pass, the void around Pew’s presence begins to unnerve the community, whose generosity erodes into menace and suspicion. Yet by the time Pew’s story reaches a shattering and unsettling climax at the Forgiveness Festival, the secret of who they really are—a devil or an angel or something else entirely—is dwarfed by even larger truths. Pew, Catherine Lacey’s third novel, is a foreboding, provocative, and amorphous fable about the world today: its contradictions, its flimsy morality, and the limits of judging others based on their appearance. With precision and restraint, one of our most beloved and boundary-pushing writers holds up a mirror to her characters’ true selves, revealing something about forgiveness, perception, and the faulty tools society uses to categorize human complexity.

One of Vogue's Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2020, one of BuzzFeed's Most Anticipated Books of 2020, one of Vulture's Books We Can't Wait to Read in 2020, and one of The Millions Most Anticipated Books of the First Half of 2020 A figure with no discernible identity appears in a small, religious town, throwing its inhabitants into a frenzy In a small unnamed town in the American South, a church congregation arrives to a service and finds a figure asleep on a pew. The person is genderless, racially ambiguous, and refuses to speak. One family takes the strange visitor in and nicknames them Pew. As the town spends the week preparing for a mysterious Forgiveness Festival, Pew is shuttled from one household to the next. The earnest and seemingly well-meaning townspeople see conflicting identities in Pew, and many confess their fears and secrets to them in one-sided conversations. Pew listens and observes while experiencing brief flashes of past lives or clues about their origins. As days pass, the void around Pew’s presence begins to unnerve the community, whose generosity erodes into menace and suspicion. Yet by the time Pew’s story reaches a shattering and unsettling climax at the Forgiveness Festival, the secret of their true nature—as a devil or an angel or something else entirely—is dwarfed by even larger truths. Pew, Catherine Lacey’s third novel, is a foreboding, provocative, and amorphous fable about the world today: its contradictions, its flimsy morality, and the limits of judging others based on their appearance. With precision and restraint, one of our most beloved and boundary-pushing writers holds up a mirror to her characters’ true selves, revealing something about forgiveness, perception, and the faulty tools society uses to categorize human complexity.

Rebecca Nichols Alonzo recounts the events surrounding her father's murder, describing how a church member who refused to give up control when Robert Nichols took over as pastor tormented and threatened her family, until the night that Rebecca's life was shattered forever.

The daughter of Billy Graham has discovered through personal experience that God does his best work in the ruins of our lives--as she tried to make wise choices in the wake of bad ones, she discovered that God is faithful, forgiving, and filled with grace, and she now knows how to offer hope and support to the hurting people she encounters.

For churches who prefer the beauty and accuracy of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, inexpensive but high-quality editions have been difficult to find. Until now. Hendrickson's new "NRSV Pew Bible" combines thoughtfully designed features with a surprisingly affordable price. Boasting better-grade paper, clear and readable type, three pages of updated color maps, and a presentation page, this is a beautifully crafted Bible as well as the most affordable one on the market. - Superior quality at an unbeatable price - Three classic colors--burgundy, black, and blue--complement any sanctuary interior. - Hardcover, 912 pages, 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" - Color maps and presentation page This pew Bible's attractive and sturdy binding will give years of dependable service. It's also designed to lie flatter when opened--so it's more comfortable to hold, won't spring shut like a cheaper binding. This is the choice for churches who require good looks, durability, and outstanding value.

The America of the near future will look nothing like the America of the recent past. America is in the throes of a demographic overhaul. Huge generation gaps have opened up in our political and social values, our economic well-being, our family structure, our racial and ethnic identity, our gender norms, our religious affiliation, and our technology use. Today's Millennials -- well-educated, tech savvy, underemployed twenty-somethings -- are at risk of becoming the first generation in American history to have a lower standard of living than their parents. Meantime, more than 10,000 Baby Boomers are retiring every single day, most of them not as well prepared financially as they'd hoped. This graying of our population has helped polarize our politics, put stresses on our social safety net, and presented our elected leaders with a daunting challenge: How to keep faith with the old without bankrupting the young and starving the future. Every aspect of our demography is being fundamentally transformed. By mid-century, the population of the United States will be majority non-white and our median age will edge above 40 -- both unprecedented milestones. But other rapidly-aging economic powers like China, Germany, and Japan will have populations that are much older. With our heavy immigration flows, the US is poised to remain relatively young. If we can get our spending priorities and generational equities in order, we can keep our economy second to none. But doing so means we have to rebalance the social compact that binds young and old. In tomorrow's world, yesterday's math will not add up. Drawing on Pew Research Center's extensive archive of public opinion surveys and demographic data, The Next America is a rich portrait of where we are as a nation and where we're headed -- toward a future marked by the most striking social, racial, and economic shifts the country has seen in a century.

Every woman in the pew has a story of God's faithfulness, and women love nothing better than to revel in one another's experiences and celebrate the sisterhood of believers. Pew Sisters helps get that celebration started. Devotional in both tone and form, this twelve-session study tells what God is doing in the lives of real women today. From depression to grief to cancer, women from all over the Church share their stories here for the consolation and encouragement of their sisters in faith.

"Daddy, I'd like you to meet my children." That's Robbie Castleman's attitude about taking her children to church. She believes that Sunday morning isn't a success if she has only managed to keep the kids quiet. And she knows there's more to church for kids than trying out their new coloring books. Children are at church for the same reason as their parents: for the privilege of worshiping God. Worship, Castleman writes, is "the most important thing you can ever train your child to do." So with infectious passion, nitty-gritty advice and a touch of humor, she shows you how to help your children (from toddlers to teenagers) enter into worship. In this significantly revised and updated edition Castleman includes a new preface and two new appendices that provide new perspectives on children's sermon and intergenerational community. She also provides a study guide for personal reflection or group discussion. More than ever, Parenting in the Pew is essential reading for parents and worship leaders who want to help children make joyful noises unto the Lord.

The CSB Pew Bible is perfect for any style of church or worship center, and includes a durable hard cover to withstand years of congregational use. The CSB Pew Biblefeatures the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the Bible's original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture's life-transforming message and to share it with others.

This pew Bible's attractive and sturdy bindings will give years of dependable service.

There are ordinary pew Bibles at ho-hum prices. And then there's Hendrickson's new King James Version Pew Bible. Packed with extras and designed with care, this quality pew Bible is surprisingly low-priced. SPECIAL FEATURES - Bible Promises - Harmony of the Gospels - Miracles of the Old Testament - Miracles of the New Testament - Parables of the Old Testament - Old Testament Prophecies of the Passion - Parables of the New Testament - Four color maps - One-year daily Bible readings DESIGN FEATURES - Attractive gold-stamped hardcover binding is available in three tasteful colors to complement every sanctuary decor - Quality white Bible paper--not cheap newsprint--stands up to years of handling - Crisp typesetting makes the black-letter text easy to read - Presentation page is expressly designed for memorials and dedications - Comfortable-to-hold size fits neatly in pew racks

THE MILLIONAIRE IN THE PEW presents a new and unique approach to funding ministry and mission. Russell Wilson asserts that there is untapped wealth in the Church that could be harvested. He believes that clergy and religious leaders possess many of the qualities of highly successful professional fundraisers. He also believes that if they can overcome the “taboo” of dealing with money and fundraising, they can raise millions of dollars for the Church. The Millionaire in the Pew argues that fundraising is a very spiritual practice. Two phenomena are converging that make THE MILLIONAIRE IN THE PEW timely and critical. One is the current crisis in funding churches. The other is the so-called “Trillion-Dollar Transfer.” In the next decade or so, the Baby Boomers will be passing their assets in the billions onto their offspring. The “Trillion-Dollar Transfer” presents a huge opportunity for the Church. Clergy and religious leaders are in a unique position to take this unique opportunity to advance their churches. THE MILLIONAIRE IN THE PEW will: • change your attitudes toward money, wealth and wealthy people • teach you how to identify wealthy individuals • teach you how to educate and cultivate prospects • show you how to prepare effective verbal and written proposals • instruct you on how to make successful solicitation calls • increase your skills of persuasion to raise major gifts • introduce you to the mega potential for deferred gifts • empower you to harvest major and deferred gifts “Russ Wilson has given us a splendid gift in THE MILLIONAIRE IN THE PEW.... Russ presents both the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of funding ministry today. You will be inspired to make major gift solicitations after reading the chapters that tell how to do it. If nothing else you will find outstanding source material in this volume. This book is a gem!” —Dr. Wayne Barrett, Director, United Methodist Foundation of Michigan “I believe THE MILLIONAIRE IN THE PEW will make a significant contribution to the church by empowering pastors, denominational leaders, and church leaders to provide critical financial resources to continue and expand its ministries and missions.” —Bishop Julius Calvin Trimble, Resident Bishop, Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church “THE MILLIONAIRE IN THE PEW will be a gift to clergy and congregations as they search for wisdom in fundraising amidst challenging economic times. This is a practical book outlining best practices for those faith-based institutions committed to pursuing a new level of excellence in stewardship. Russ Wilson brings together the wisdom gleaned from his years of experience for the benefit of pastors and lay leaders.” —Dr. Bill Enright, Director, The Lake Institute of Faith & Giving, Indiana University

This highly praised book uniquely looks at the act of preaching from the perspective of those in the pews. Drawing on many years of pulpit experience, Roger Van Harn guides pastors back to the heart of the preacher's task -- sound, biblical proclamation. Back in print in paperback.

Men in the pulpit, women in the pew? Addressing gender inequality in Africa is that rarest of gems ? a work that takes a fresh look at familiar biblical teachings, and cause us to question what we have been accepting as a matter of course for so long.

This version of the Revised Common Lectionary contains the Collects and Post-Communion Prayers. It also includes the psalm for each Sunday or feast, with response, and variations for the Church of England.

The NET Pew Bible is sturdy and attractive, perfect for placement in sanctuaries and chapels. This Bible's durable black hardcover complements the gilded page edges and the black placemarker ribbon. The premium Smyth-sewn binding will insure this Bible will wear well, and give your congregation many years of service. Over 7,000 detailed translator's notes, b/w maps of the Holy Land, and a compact concordance with over 10,000 entries will aid your study. The NET Bible is an entirely new translation of the Bible that achieves a balance of accuracy, readability, and elegance. Completed by more than 25 scholars working directly from the best available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts, this translation is the most accessible ever due to the unparalleled detailing in the notes and up-to-date language. Width - 5 7/8" Length - 8 1/2" Thickness - 1 1/4"

The NIV Value Pew and Worship Bible is a quality, all-purpose black hardcover Bible ideal for any church or classroom available at a great low price. This Bible includes the full-text of the accurate, readable, and clear New International Version with subject headings and translators' footnotes, easy-to-read 8.5-point font and double-column format, in a durable hardcover binding.

In The Uncomfortable Pew Bruce Douville explores the relationship between Christianity and the New Left in English Canada from 1959 to 1975. Focusing primarily on Toronto, he examines the impact that left-wing student radicalism had on Canada's largest Christian denominations, and the role that Christianity played in shaping Canada's New Left. Based on extensive archival research and oral interviews, this study reconstructs the social and intellectual worlds of young radicals who saw themselves as part of both the church and the revolution. Douville looks at major communities of faith and action, including the Student Christian Movement, Kairos, and the Latin American Working Group, and explains what made these and other groups effective incubators for left-wing student activism. He also sheds light on Canada's Roman Catholic, Anglican, and United churches and the ways that progressive older Christians engaged with radical youth and the issues that concerned them, including the Vietnam War, anti-imperialism around the globe, women's liberation, and gay liberation. Challenging the idea that the New Left was atheistic and secular, The Uncomfortable Pew reveals that many young activists began their careers in student Christian organizations, and these religious and social movements deeply influenced each other. While the era was one of crisis and decline for leading Canadian churches, Douville shows how Christianity retained an important measure of influence during a period of radical social change.

One of The Wall Street Journal's Best Short Story Collections of 2018. Named a Summer Read by Vanity Fair, The Guardian, Nylon, Bustle and Literary Hub. One of Financial Times and TLS's Best Books of 2018. One of Granta’s Best Young American novelists, Catherine Lacey, the Whiting Award-winning author of The Answers, showcases her literary style in short fiction with Certain American States, a collection of stories about ordinary people seeking—and failing to find—the extraordinary in their lives. Catherine Lacey brings her narrative mastery to Certain American States, her first collection of short stories. As with her acclaimed novels Nobody Is Ever Missing and The Answers, she gives life to a group of subtly complex, instantly memorable characters whose searches for love, struggles with grief, and tentative journeys into the minutiae of the human condition are simultaneously gripping and devastating. The characters in Certain American States are continually coming to terms with their place in the world, and how to adapt to that place, before change inevitably returns. A woman leaves her dead husband’s clothing on the street, only for it to reappear on the body of a stranger; a man reads his ex-wife’s short story and neurotically contemplates whether it is about him; a young woman whose Texan mother insists on moving to New York City with her has her daily attempts to get over a family tragedy interrupted by a mute stranger showing her incoherent messages on his phone. These are stories of breakups, abandonment, and strained family ties; dead brothers and distant surrogate fathers; loneliness, happenstance, starting over, and learning to let go. Lacey’s elegiac and inspired prose is at its full power in this collection, further establishing her as one of the singular literary voices of her generation.

Are you curious about the Bible, but don’t know where to begin? Are you spiritual but not religious and so are looking for an introduction to the Bible that is user-friendly and that is not going to cram religion down your throat? The Bible Out of the Pew: An Empowering Guide for the Spiritual But Not Religious provides just such an introduction designed for you, the spiritual but not religious, while also being respectful of Christianity. In forty-five short chapters tailored for a general readership, The Bible Out of the Pew offers an introduction that covers everything from Adam to Zion. Along the way, the book reflects biblical messages through the sharing of inspiring stories about everyone from Harriet Tubman to Nobel-laureate Nadia Murad, and even adds a dash of humor. While the Christian reader will also find much of value in The Bible Out of the Pew, for those who are spiritual but not religious, this introduction is perfect. The book is also ideal for undergraduate courses on the Bible and book clubs. Join me as I explore the Bible for forty-five days in a way that is welcoming to all!