January Library Update

Dear CLC Members,

There were many great additions to the Church Library to close out the year — especially thanks to a surprise donation which I’m excited to share more about before I reveal the grand total for 2020.

If you open up the December issue of the Lutheran Witness magazine and turn to the North Wisconsin District insert in the middle, you’ll see a picture of our own library! Back in October, I wrote about the changes made to the library in 2020 for possible inclusion in the insert, which is sent to 217 churches in our district. You can view the PDF version here. 

I hadn’t heard if the article was accepted or not until December, when Pastor Andrew forwarded an email from the marketing manager at Concordia Publishing House, our Synod’s publisher in St. Louis and the source for many of the new books. CPH had read the article about the library and was excited by the project, even offering to send over some free books!

A few weeks later a much bigger box than expected arrived at the church office. CPH hadn’t just included a few books, but a giant stack of them!! There were books on hymns, Christian education, Bible studies, Reformation figures, and some really nice children’s books, not to mention pencils and coloring bookmarks!

The books definitely filled some gaps in our selection and, not counting duplicates, added a whopping 18 new books to our shelves!!

Thanks to the donation, the church library capped the year with….*dramatic drumroll*

…..178 new books and materials!!

There are many fantastic titles now on the shelves, so be sure to check them out (for up to 2 months) by filling out the card in the back of the book with the date of checkout and your name. The library is located past the Fellowship Hall by the Sunday school office. Browse the catalogue of new additions with descriptions at this link, and be sure to stop by the library and grab a bookmark.

Happy Reading,

Kaylin
Church Librarian

Library Announcements:

NEWEST BOOKS:

Being Lutheran
Flowing From the Cross: Six Facets of Forgiveness (This is just released and was a great read!)
Not-so-Nice Bible Stories: Gory Deaths (YA)
On Being a Theologian of the Cross
Ruth: More than a Love Story
Behold the Lamb: An Introduction to the Signs and Symbols of the Church (Children’s section)
Ordering our Days in His Peace: An Introduction to the Church Year (Children’s section)
Blessed Be His Name: Revealing the Sacred Names of God (Just released!)
A Biblical Response to Abortion (Browse-only booklet: Some are available by the Narthex to take home. Also see the Simple Explanation series on the New Books bookshelf)
The God of All Comfort: 8 Lessons About Hope in Christ
\Affirming God’s Image: Addressing the Transgender Question with Science and Scripture
Connected to Christ: Overcoming Isolation Through Community

Donated from CPH:
Meant for More: In, with, and Under the Ordinary
Grace, Faith, Scripture: Portrait of a Lutheran
Waiting in Wonder for Easter
The Growing in Faith Bible Storybook
The Work of His Hands, for Kids
O Sing of Christ: The Hymns of Steven P. Starke
Marvel at the Mercy: The Hymns of Steven P. Starke
Loving Isaac (Fiction)
Praise and Honor: Hymn-Inspired Devotions
Nikolaus Von Amsdorf
John Frederick, The Magnanimous
Phillipp of Hesse: Unlikely Hero of the Reformation
Man Up! The Quest for Masculinity
Wherever Love May Lead: Your Place in God’s Plan
The Vine Speaks
Timeless Truth: AnEssential Guide for Teaching the Faith
Prep Talks: Tales of Challenges and Opportunities in Christian Education
Lutheran Education: From Wittenberg to the Future

OTHER NEWS:

Book Sale:
There’s still time to purchase books in the book sale in the Fellowship Hall! Of special note, there are extra copies from CPH of the children’s book The Work of His Hands, for Kids which includes photos from Colonel Jeffrey N. Williams’ time on the International Space Station. Proceeds from the book sale go toward the Library Fund.

Donations:
If you are interested in making a monetary donation to the church library, please get in touch with the Office. Funds help purchase new books (especially new releases from CPH). New materials are supported entirely through donations.

2021 GOALS

In 2020, my goal after taking on the library responsibilities was to weed out the bookshelves of outdated nonfiction books, spruce up the kid’s area with new bookshelves and a bulletin board, and add a variety of modern materials that would be a helpful resource for the congregation. With these goals accomplished, my focus this year will be to continue adding new books, and there are some great ones coming out!

We already have a fantastic children’s section, so I’d love to bulk up the new Young Adult section and have a few good titles in mind to serve our younger members including a handy new devotional written for youth. This covers a number of relevant issues from anxiety to phones to tolerance, and will be released in February. If your teen has any suggestions of what they’d like to see more of, please get in touch. I’d also encourage them to take a look through the catalogue as many of our “adult” books are quite accessible reads! The Young Adult section is now on its own bookshelf opposite the children’s books.