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Friday, October 14, 2005

Advent Devotional Update

Final editorial touches are being done by reverendmother and Mary Beth -- the cover is almost finalized. The book will wholesale for less than $10.00, is listed for retail at $12.99 or so and Amazon will probably list it for less than that. Final prices have not been calculated yet, so don't quote me on that. When it is published, there is some code that each of us can put on our website to promote the book. The book also will be available for download from Lulu for $2.50 and Crystal (some of you may know her) is desiging a companion website www.alightblazes.org. (Still working on getting the URL registered...)

I'm in conversation with Abington, St. Barthelemy's Press and a couple of others about a next book -- "Ordinary Time." If you are interested in editing a portion of that, let me know. 182 devotionals from June 1 to Nov 29 based on the RCL for year B.


Here's the copy for the cover:

A Light Blazes in the Darkness:
Advent Reflections from an Intentional Online Community
Based on Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary

Written by members of the RevGalBlogPals Webring
Edited by Theresa Coleman and Mary Beth Butler
Foreword by Gordon Atkinson, RealLivePreacher.com

The back:

The RevGalBlogPals webring homepage is found at http://revgalblogpals.blogspot.com. The webring is an Open Table -- anyone can join but it is especially for clergywomen who maintain a weblog and their friends and acquaintances who blog as well. We represent a diverse group of people -- women ministers, with or without children, discerning women, other clergypersons -- and our friends. The main webpage forms us as an intentional community. We laugh, pray and grow together as clergy, as Christians and as women.

“The RevGalBlogPals have created the advent booklet we all wish for: inspiring, funny, poignant, and thought-provoking. A truly ecumenical offering, the stories and prayers are a gift to help anyone who wants to ‘go deep’ this advent.”
-- Rev. Sean Parker Dennison, minister, South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society, Salt Lake City, Utah

"In this Advent time of waiting, here is a collection of voices that has been waiting to be heard. You will want to take time to ponder and listen to these thoughtful advent melodies playing just beneath the surface of the rush toward Christmas."
-- Rev. Dr. Phil Schroeder, Senior Pastor Grayson United Methodist Church, Grayson, Georgia

“Historically, Christians have used the Church seasons of Advent and Lent as special times of devotion and spiritual discipline. Print resources have guided the work of these periods. A Light Blazes in the Darkness joins those resources as a worthy companion. This well written and passionate devotional guide will add immeasurably to the joy and growth of the season.”
-- Rev. Dr. Pete Paulson, Past Synod Executive, Synod of the Mid-Atlantics, Reformed Church in America, currently Director of Communications at Candler School of Theology.

“This is brilliant!"
-- Dave Warnock, the self acclaimed most junior probationary minister in the Methodist church of the UK, who blogs at http://42.blogs.warnock.me.uk/.

“Devotional practice and blogging are wonderfully complimentary. Both are about stopping to reflect on our busy lives. Devotional practice helps us to reflect internally, and blogging allows us to share those reflections. This book brings together the best of both worlds as this group, which I'm thrilled to be a part of, truly demonstrates the creative energy of a community gathered in His name.”
-- Helen Thompson (Gallycat), journalist with the Philadelphia City Paper.

The proceeds from this book will go for hurricane relief efforts along the American Gulf coast, especially Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Editors
Theresa Coleman blogs, writes and posts her photography at reverend mommy's random thoughts at http://reverendmommy.blogspot.com/. She is a student at Candler School of Theology, a local pastor in the United Methodist church and the Minister of Christian Education at Grayson United Methodist Church just outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

Mary Beth Butler's blog home is at Terrapin Station, http://www.marybethbutler.typepad.com. With academic background in English language and literature, she is an international education professional in Denton, Texas, an Episcopal laywoman, and a member of the Order of the Daughters of the King.

15 comments:

  1. bless you both for all your hard work. This sounds wonderful.

    I'm more than happy to write again for the ordinary time one :)

    this really is worth doing - and brings us revgals and friends closer together.

    Good news about the download too. That might be good here for uni students. :)

    blessings and love
    PS wordpress and or my pc and me are having a tough time. grrrrrrrrrrrr

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  2. Looks good. I'd be willing to work on some of the editing for the next volume.

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  3. I will also be willing to edit as well as contribute. Many, many thanks for your efforts and for letting me have the opportunity to contribute. It is such a privilege!

    I'd also like to report that my local presbytery (regional PCUSA governing body) has a bi-monthly newsletter. One of the presbytery staff that reads my blog asked me to send an article to the newsletter for the Nov/Dec issue about the devotional book and how to get it. I just finished emailing Reverend Mommy to get all the info we have at this time for the article and sent it off. That will be some nice publicity for us, since it goes to all session members and ministers in a large area of southeast Texas.

    So if you are comfortable doing something similar for your local or regional newsletter, I encourage you to do so.

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  4. Excellent! I'm looking forward to this.

    One thing I noticed: "complimentary" should be "complementary" in Gallycat's quote.

    Cheers!

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  5. I'd be up for the ordinary time devotional, both writing and editing!

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  6. Hi, willing to write/edit, whatever, for the next round. Sounds great!

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  7. This looks awesome. thanks so much to both of you for all your hard work!!

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  8. Thanks so much for all your work....realistically, not a hope of my doing any editing for our next opus, but happy to contribute. Good discipline, and discipline of any kind is sadly lacking in the goodinparts household!

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  9. I'm unfortunately in the same boat as Kathryn - too swamped to edit, but I'll sign on to contribute. Thanks so much for all you've done for this project. I'm feeling so honored to be a part of it.

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  10. So very cool!

    Thank you Reverend Mommy, et al.

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  11. This is very exciting! I am so be looking forward to seeing this come out.

    I am up for coming back in ordinary time as well-- editing and/or writing.

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  12. Oh, this is so exciting! [big grin]

    Two thumbs up on the Ordinary Time book as well...count me in. It's so easy to lose our devotional focus during the long "green and growing season."

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  13. Thank you so much for all your hard work on this! It's wonderful!

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  14. Everything looks so great - thanks for all your work! I'm in for contributing and/or editing for ordinary time.

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  15. a question

    will the advent alightblazes be available via christianbook dot com

    only they have a great looking Christmas page that is up already :)

    re ordinary time.
    Can you give an estimate when you would need the work to be ready?

    I'd been happy to proof read (cannot do layout or pics - too poor skills for that) but I have to be in Tallinn in both January and then again at the end of March (makes it the shortest term and the same /similar amount of work) so have to be careful what I commit to.

    I agree with Lutheran chick that the LONG green growth period (kingdomtide) is when many of us Christians falter so a devotional full of encouragement would be really great to do.

    But it is long so we'd each need to write an extra entry or two - but the ring is growing and I'm all for asking christian friends who are bloggers to contribute too, even if they aren't part of the ring. Adds to the great variety, diversity and colour :)

    be blessed :)

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