Recent books that have come to our desk

Public Reading of Scripture: A Handbook Clayton J. Schmit. Abingdon Press, 2002. 111 pages.

In some of the church settings I’ve been in, Scripture reading is considered the part of the worship service that anyone can do – and at a moment’s notice too. Clayton Schmit would be horrified at such a casual attitude. He takes the public reading of Scripture very seriously. His aim in this small but thorough volume is to assist laypeople become effective readers in their congregations. He discusses the high calling of “proclaiming” God’s Word (“Scripture read aloud is nothing less than the Word of God presented as if in God’s voice.”), the importance of the act of public reading, the study and oral interpretation of the text, and practical techniques and tips for delivery.

“We do not attempt to read the Scripture well in worship merely to honor the Word,” says Schmit. “We attend to these things carefully because people’s faith is at stake.” Nor will innate ability to read be enough. The reader’s qualifications include a sense of call, a deep commitment of faith, a mandate from the faith community, and the willingness to study and grow in the role.

The book is designed for individual or group use, with questions for discussion and practice exercises; it is highly recommended.

—Dora Dueck

Building on the Past: Mennonite Architecture, Landscape and Settlements in Russian/Ukraine Rudy P. Friesen with Edith Elisabeth Friesen. Raduga Publications, 2004. 752 pages.

This beautifully produced volume will appeal to anyone interested in the story of the Mennonites in Russia. The author is an architect who has researched and lectured extensively on the buildings Mennonites constructed during their sojourn in Ukraine. He has also been involved in recent restoration projects of several buildings in the former Mennonite colonies. The book includes and significantly expands on material found in an earlier work, Into the Past: Buildings of the Mennonite Commonwealth, with additional information, photos, a list of all former Mennonite settlements, and discussion of the buildings and landscape on estates, urban centres and in forestry camps. Friesen hones his analysis of Mennonite architecture by tracing its evolution through five phases (settlement 1789–1835, progress 1835–1880, flowering 1880–1914, disintegration 1914–1999, and recovery 1999 on.)

People travelling to the site of their ancestral homes in Ukraine will find a wealth of help here. The inescapable reality of such travel is that much of what was once a home or a monument to progress has disappeared or decayed. For the armchair traveller, however, many of the buildings still stand – in these pages.

—Dora Dueck

Innings: A True Story of Adoption, Reunion and Roots Dennis Penner with Elsie Loewen. Self-published 2004. Available from Innings, P.O. Box 248, Linden, Alta. T0M 1J0.

Dennis Penner was adopted into a loving Christian family as an infant. The family was part of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, or Holdemann Church. He was an irrepressible, active, unintentionally mischievous young boy. At an early age, he began questioning why, if he was chosen by this family, had he been “unchosen” by his birth family. This feeling of not being wanted by someone led to a search for his birth parents and family in later years. He excelled in sports, and later in business, but could not still the restlessness until at last he was able to find family members. The last section of the book includes descriptions on and reflections by his found family. Illustrated with family photos. Penner is part of the Linden (Alta.) MB Church. The book would be an encouragement to other adoptees in their own search. Well written and a good read.

—Susan Brandt