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Word of Mouth: Using the remembered Bible for building community by Janet Lees. Published by Wild Goose Publications, pp151 ISBN: 9781905010332 £10.99
This book is zesty! It’s about our relationship with the Bible, how we relate to it, remember and retell its treasures together in liberating and life-changing ways. It will also challenge and change those who choose to take up the methods on offer. It breathes new hope into tired ways of doing things with the Bible by building community through ‘using the remembered bible’ where people in groups tell their version of a bible story together instead of referring to a written-down version. Be warned that to try out these ways may ruffle feathers in some! In our church in Wythenshawe we have tried some of the methods in worship with 35 people aged from 7-96. Some get into the drama of a character, others want to retell the whole story of the usual text version, some dominate, some shrink away amongst the many voices and some flourish. All seem to be liberated even when there has been anger or chaos. It has enlivened us in relation to the Bible and the bible within us. It’s a book to be tried out and will bring us closer to God and to God’s world. Boundaries are crossed in the methodology of chaotic spirituality which the author, Janet Lees, a URC Minister in Sheffield, advocates for 21st century living. Those of age, class, gender, upbringing and accent can be crossed when using a remembered version in groups. This gives opportunities for the silent to speak or to listen for God underneath what is spoken. What’s not remembered is just as vital as what is. The book is rich with resources of liturgies and prayers from remembered bibles which encourage us enough to think that we could try this – and we can! The ‘how-to’ notes about the different kinds of approaches to community-building through remembered bibles are excellent. This is not something only ‘for the children’. It is for worship leaders of all denominations, training officers, mission enablers, community workers – and anyone interested in communicating the hope that is within us! This is one of the most hopeful resources for our churches that I have read.
Kate Gray
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