We keep adding books to our small but very good and useful library. Please visit Room 302 to find your next book, be it an inspirational volume, a work of Christian fiction or a scholarly text. Here is some information about the newest additions to the library to inspire you to stop by!

Matthew C. Harrison, Christ Have Mercy: How to Put Your Faith in Action. Pastor Matthew C. Harrison is the president of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. He was previously Executive Director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care and has served parishes in Iowa and Indiana. In addition to his frequent contributions to periodicals, he has previously published translations of Hermann Sasse and Johann Gerhard with Concordia.

This is an unprecedented time of opportunity for the church, and mercy is the key to seizing the moment. This book is written with the conviction that mercy—the mercy of Christ to and for us—and our demonstration of mercy to those within and outside the body of Christ is the key to the future of the Church.

Martin Luther, A Simple Way to Pray—For Peter, the Master Barber. When Luther's barber and good friend, Peter Beskendorf, asked for some practical guidance on how to prepare oneself for prayer, Luther responded by writing this brief treatise, first published in the spring of 1535. Pastor Matthew C. Harrison prepared this fresh, modern translation of Luther’s practical instruction to a friend.

Martin Luther, Reading the Psalms with Luther. Martin Luther loved the Psalter. It was his daily prayer book as a monk, the topic of his initial lectures as a professor and an important part of his piety. This collection of summaries demonstrate his twofold approach to the psalms. First, he classifies each as a psalm of prophecy, instruction, comfort, prayer or thanks—or as some combination of these classifications. Secondly, Luther assigns each psalm to one of the Ten Commandments and to one of the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer.

You can check out these and many other books in Room 301. Just note your name, phone number and the date on the checkout sheet.

And remember that you can help our little library grow! Drop your gently-used Christian-themed books off at the church office. We will review them and select the items most appropriate for our collection. Please indicate when you donate whether you’d like any books we are unable to use returned to you or donated to another organization.

Finally, if you’re looking for some reading and not finding anything that strikes your fancy in our current collection, please check out the suggested-reading list at online retailer Amazon. These are books that we’d love to review for use in the library, but don’t have the resources to purchase. If you find a book you’re interested in there, consider purchasing it, reading it and then donating it to Saint John’s. We’d appreciate your take on the book, too—they are all books that we’ve heard about “through the grapevine” that may or may not reinforce Lutheran theology. (Take that as a little “reader beware”!)

Joyce Hart volunteers every Wednesday in the church office and has been cataloging and managing the church library.