Recent books that have come to our desk

Fiction for children

Tall Pine Mystery. Mississauga: OMF International. 2002. 94 pp.
Nan Doerksen

Written by Canadian Nan Doerksen, the story recounts missionary adventures from a children’s perspective. The family are missionaries with OMF International in Thailand. The children go to a boarding school, but get to come home for Christmas. They learn about the geography and the people of the country.

The King’s Book. Scottdale, Penn./Waterloo, Ont: Herald Press, 1980. 128 pp. Reprint.
Louise A. Vernon

Vernon has written a number of biographies of heroes of history, including Menno Simons, Erasmus, Johann Gutenberg, John Wesley and William Tyndale. This one is about the translation of the Bible into English. Nat Culver’s father is one of the translators and Nat becomes involved in the intrigue of catching the enemy of the translation.

Elisabeth and the Windmill. Scottdale, Penn./Waterloo, Ont.: Herald Press, 2003.
Esther Bender

Lemon Tree Series 3. This story continues the saga of Elisabeth who has come to America from Germany. The family has become established in the community and Elisabeth wants to learn to read. She is also of marriageable age, so when both Milo and Hannes show interest, Elisabeth must choose.

Reprints

More-with-Less Cookbook. Scottdale, Penn.Waterloo,/Ont.: Herald Press, 328 pp.
Doris Janzen Longacre

First printed in 1976, the cookbook has been reprinted in a 25th anniversary edition.

Biblical Faith: Doctrines Every Christian Should Know. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2003.
Clarence H. Benson

This is one in a series entitled Biblical Essentials, originally published by Evangelical Training Association, 1982. It discusses some of the basic doctrines of Christianity, such as “Creation and Fall of Man,” “Faith and Regeneration” and “Resurrection and Judgment.”

Evidence and Truth: Foundations for Christian Truth. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2003.
Robert J. Morgan

This is one in a series entitled Biblical Essentials, originally published by Evangelical Training Association, 1997. Written to give historical and physical evidence supporting the claims of Christianity.

Biography/mission

The Work is Thine, O Christ. In honor of Erland Waltner. Elkhart, Ind.: Institute of Mennonite Studies. 2002. 148 pp.
Edited by June Alliman Yoder

Various authors recount facets of Waltner’s life from the earliest beginnings to his ministry as president of Mennonite Biblical Seminary, president of Mennonite World Conference, executive secretary of Mennonite Medical Association and his retirement. The middle section contains some of Waltner’s writings and the Festschrift concludes with sermons by persons influenced by Waltner over the years.

Fifty Years, Fifty Stories: The Mennonite Mission in Somalia, 1953–2003. Telford, Penn.: Cascadia Publishing House. 2003.
Omar Eby

A former Eastern Mennonite Missions missionary to Somalia recalls the many people who served in that country over the years in short vignettes. Well illustrated.

Writing Peace: The Unheard Voices of Great War Mennonite Objectors. Telford, Penn.: Cascadia Publishing House. 2003, 346 pp.
Melanie Springer Mock

These stories are from the diaries and letters of American conscientious objectors during the First World War. They give an insight into the hardships endured by these men, many of whom were imprisoned for their stance.

Reading the Anabaptist Bible: Reflections for Every Day of the Year. Kitchener, Ont.: Pandora Press, 2002.
Edited by C. Arnold Snyder and Galen A. Peters.

There are 365 readings, each one composed of a Bible passage, a few lines of explanatory text, and an Anabaptist testimony reflecting upon the biblical words or the topic in question. The topics and scripture selections are based on a 16th century book, Concordance, collected by unknown Anabaptists of that time. It was a collection of what these believers considered to be the “most important” biblical texts.

Walking with Hope and Thoughts Along the Way. Abbotsford, B.C.: Jacob and Hilda Born, 2002.
Hilda Born

Hilda Born writes short vignettes of her family’s life under the headings of Christmas, Family, Farm, Belief, Lessons Learned, Deeper Understanding and Reflections. Illustrated by pictures of her family.

How to Keep the Pastor You Love. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press. 2002. 190 pp.
Jane Rubietta

“Rubietta explores the ‘flip side’ of pastoral care – caring for your pastor. She breaks down the largely unexamined myth of the superhuman pastor. And she provides everything you need to know to build healthy, caring, mutually sustaining relationships among your church and its leaders” (Back cover). Each chapter is interspersed with questions to help pastors see where they need care. Helpful appendices conclude the book.