It’s a Grow Christians Giveaway!

Happy Giving Tuesday! No, it isn’t a feast on the church’s liturgical calendar, but we’re pretty sure you’ve heard of it. Today on Grow Christians, we’re offering gifts to you, our beloved readers.

There are great gifts in here… both to give away, and for yourself! All are meant to grow Christians from generation to generation. Read through to learn about what is being offered and how you can enter to win the stack pictured above. (This time we aren’t using Facebook and we aren’t limited to the United States.)

This giveaway includes one copy of each of the books and resources below.

For the planners and activity-devisers…

Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home, by Traci Smith

This book by Presbyterian pastor Traci Smith is chock-full of ideas for activities, traditions and practices that build faith at home. The author writes, “Faith is learned as it is woven seamlessly into the fabric of daily life… This book offers practical ways for families to live their faith together through a variety of ceremonies, traditions, and spiritual practices. These ideas can be practiced from any Christian perspective.”

 

Faithful Celebrations: Making Time for God from Mardi Gras through Pentecost, by Sharon Ely Pearson

This book, edited by longtime Episcopal faith formation leader Sharon Ely Pearson, provides plans for intergenerational activities keyed to the celebrations of the Christian year. The editor writes, “In a small way, this book’s intention is to help the Body of Christ grow in understanding and ‘build itself up through love’ at church or home.” Each chapter is focused on a different observance. All read as if a very competent brainstormer were sitting with you, imagining how you could truly mark the feasts and seasons as an intergenerational community or family. Instructions are clear and recipes are included. Worship, crafts and food mingle together in these pages. This is the first of a series of three forthcoming books, each focused on a different season.

 

For the Beauty of the Earth wall calendar

How will you know when these feasts and seasons take place? Why, with your liturgical wall calendar of course! This calendar, new from Forward Movement, mingles the beauty of Kathrin Burleson‘s watercolors with the feasts and seasons of the church year. This thirteen month calendar follows Lesser Feasts and Fasts, the official liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church.

 

The Good Book Club Bookmark

Episcopalians around the world will read the Gospel according to Luke during Lent and the Book of Acts during Eastertide in 2018. Our giveaway includes an official Good Book Club bookmark to help you plan ahead for readings. (The readings are also available here as a free PDF.) Here’s the Presiding Bishop’s invitation to participate in this churchwide read.

For younger generations…

Meet the Saints Family Storybook

 

This family storybook includes the tales of our holy ancestors, from Mary Magdalene and Peter & Paul to Samuel Seabury and Frances Perkins. A recent Grow Christians post about this book included a memorable mental image:

The day after we read about Samuel Seabury, I found my son in his room sitting inside a cardboard boat sailing across the Atlantic Ocean in search of bishops who might ordain him.

Suitable for both classrooms and bedtimes, Meet the Saints will expand your sense of family among Christians across all time.

The King Jesus StoryBible

 

This unique book by Grow Christians author Ben Irwin encapsulates the great story of Holy Scripture in a single narrative suitable for children ages 4 through 8. Beautiful illustrations accompany the compelling story, and Ben has included a short letter to parents at the back. “Use this book as a launching point to explore the Bible together,” he writes. “Show them–with your life and words–that this is your story, and it can be theirs too.”

 

Can You Find Saints? Introducing Your Child to Holy Men and Women

This unique search-and-find book introduces young people to saints through a “Where’s Waldo”-type method. The author and illustrator write, “To help introduce your child to the lives of the saints, we have created a picture journey populated by many favorite and some less well-known saints. When young children explore the pictures in this book, the saints will come alive for them…” There’s a Parent’s Guide for each picture and a glossary as well.

 

For anyone seeking spiritual growth…

For the Beauty of the Earth: Daily Devotions Exploring Creation

This could be a wonderful gift for a teenager, for a grandparent, or for anyone desiring deeper grounding in the beauty of God’s Creation. Kathrin Burleson’s arrestingly beautiful watercolors are accompanied by devotions for each day of the year. This book includes Scripture, reflections, and inspiration for every age. This book is destined to be a favorite year after year.

 

The Rules

It’s been a long time since we’ve done a Reader Survey. As we look toward 2018, we want to learn more about who you are and what’s on your mind. So, this time, to enter the giveaway, just click here and fill out our survey, including your email address at the end so we can notify you if you win.

Anyone is eligible to enter this giveaway. A winner will be selected at random on December 11, 2017 and be contacted by email to provide a USPS address. The winner must provide an address within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen; this will occur until a final winner is announced. So if you enter to win, watch your email on Monday, December 11! The giveaway items will be mailed via USPS the week of the 11th.

Here’s that link to enter again! But please note: only enter once. Thank you!

 

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Which book is most intriguing to you and why?