The Arvada United Methodist Church in Arvada, CO, is putting The Book of the World to good use during the Lenten season. This “contemporary scripture,” which I prepared for publication a couple of years ago, was created and offered to the world by an unknown author. It is a collection of 3000 quotes from 1200 people, some of them living, some long dead, hailing from every continent but Antarctica. The quotes are woven together into a continuous exploration of the themes of human life.
Intending to use the book as a Lenten study, and also reading selections of it during worship, Arvada UMC originally ordered 25 copies. Since then, it has placed two additional orders, for a total of 70 books. Apparently the book has struck a chord in the congregation!
The church’s website says, “Our study will be merely a peek at the book. It is far too rich to read in three weeks…. Our three weeks of conversation will simply be introductory, looking at a few of the rich passages and asking what they spark for us.”
If you, too, might be interested in digging into The Book of the World as spring approaches and signs of new life emerge all around us, please visit www.phylliscoledai.com to learn more about this unique text. You can read excerpts of it (visit my “publications” page), and if you’re so inclined, you can purchase a printed copy on the “books” page in my store, or even download it for free.
