Books by Patricia Ramsden

I wrote these poems by a running stream in the Great Smoky Mountains with beauty all around and a heaviness in my heart.  I wrote them on long walks through familiar byways.  I wrote them morning, noon, and deep within the night.  They are reflections on how the various participants of Holy Week might have felt during their part of the saga and of how I reflected upon the incidents of the week in my own life as well. While the high holy days are an integral part of the text, much attention is given to the teachings of Jesus during the days of Holy Week.  May this book be the same source of unease for you as it has been for me as we each make our own journey through these most holy days.          Patricia Ramsden

Many of the stories of women in the Bible have been sadly neglected. These imaginative interpretations of just a few of these remarkable characters give even familiar stories a fresh perspective and allows the listener to enter into their reality in a different way, bringing them to life once more. They allow us to capture the emotions of these very different women as we rediscover the eternal truths of faith and love, betrayal and grief, victories and defeats.Chancel drama need not be intimidating. It can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. These narratives have been performed as one woman playlets complete with costuming to sermons delivered from the pulpit while wearing just a simple scarf as a headdress.The sermons can also be used as the springboard for a group Bible study or a discussion on the roles of the characters in their own time as well as similarities and differences with our lives and times. Such groups do not need to be limited by gender as these narratives will touch the hearts and minds of both men and women with a deeper understand of their lives and the role they played in God's story of love and grace.Enjoy!