Powhatan Mennonite Church

P.O. Box 220, 3540 Old Buckingham Rd. 

  Powhatan, Virginia  23139-0220


 

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Library Nook                         

“SAILING ACTS” by Linford Stutzman

 

 Ray and Shirley Jones, dairy farmers in Nottoway and Dinwiddie Counties, forwarded a series of long and detailed email messages from their granddaughter Coley (a third generation dairy farmer and third generation graduate of Virginia Tech [Full disclosure: I am a Tech fan]) as she traveled around the world in about six months.  She wrote from Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and Australia as well as many other places.

Though I do not know Coley, I read many of the messages with a great deal of interest – not so much because they were exceptionally well-written or full of informative content – but because I knew who Coley was and who her parents and grandparents were.  The facts that she worked on a polo horse farm or served as a waitress in this or that restaurant became interesting through the family tie.

  I go through all that preamble by way of introducing “SAILING ACTS” by Linford Stutzman.  This 323 page book is essentially a personal journal written by Linford as he and his wife Janet, for two years, sailed, drove, and walked the journeys of the Apostle Paul.  Linford is a professor in cross-cultural missions at Eastern Mennonite University and was able to undertake the journey with a good perspective for his visits to Turkey, Greece, Rome, Syria, and Israel.

 They visited 94 biblical sites, fought big storms at sea, met many pagans, Muslims, Jews, and Christians as they visited the sites.  They battled some very difficult storms at sea, made many repairs on their mature (read that “old”) sail boat.

 It was fascinating to read about their stops and to think about such an undertaking.  I was disappointed at the small number of reflections Linford wrote in his book.  I don’t think that the book sheds very much light on the narratives of Acts or the personality of the people in the regions Paul and the Stutzmans visited.

But – to get back to my introduction – “SAILING ACTS” was interesting because I know the Stutzmans.  They spoke in our fellowship last fall concerning their journey.  That made it possible to see acquaintances in the recorded adventures.  So the book  interested me in the same way Coley’s email messages interested me.  I think any we PMCers will enjoy the book because we know the Stutzmans because of their visit with us and Paul because we have read his letters so often.

Check the book out of our library and read about our friends’ visit to the land of Paul.  You will enjoy it.

By Pres Nowlin

Library New Additions

Due to the winter thaw, some of us should have more time to find that book that we promised ourselves we wanted to read.  Titles added to our library in recent months for our middle school crowd include:

 By Jerry Jenkins:

  •  Haunted Waters

  • Crash at Cannibal Valley

  • Terror in Branco Grande

  • Disaster in the Yukon

 DVDs added include:  

  • Home Beyond the Sun,** by Garden City Pictures, an inspiring film reminding us again of God’s faithful timing  and how he works things out for our ultimate good.

  •  Billy Graham, God’s Ambassador, by Gaither Films

  • Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Samson’s Hairbrush, by Big Idea Films-Veggie Tales, Facing the Giants,**  by Sherwood Pictures, a wonderful film with a tremendous message.

  • My Truth, Your Truth, Whose Truth, by Focus on the Family

  • Mind Over Media: The Power of Making Sound Entertainment Choices, by Focus on the Family

For Adults, we have added:

  • Addictions: Banquet in the Grave,** by Edward Welch, a timely and necessary book for those who wish to understand the power of physical addictions and be of help to those in bond age to them.

  • The Harpist: A Soulful Journey,** by Eduard Klassen, the autobiography and testimony of Eduard Klassen, the harpist who visited our church last year.

  • Sailing Acts, by Linford Stutzman,  critiqued by Preston Nowlin (see page 4).

  • Mount Pleasant Mennonite Church: Celebrating 100 years, 1905-2005

  • Why The Nativity? By David Jeremiah

  •  Battle Plan For Spiritual Warfare, by Joe Wasmond

  •  Priority Parenting, by Steve Ganger

Take the time to read a good book before Spring weather carries you off!

By Janet Habel, Librarian

 

 

 

 

 

For questions or comments you may email the pastor at timbev2@yahoo.com or the webmaster at hffinc@i-c.net