Books published by Sacristy Press

Twickenham is chiefly known today as the home of rugby, but its heyday could be said to be in the eighteenth century when first Alexander Pope and then Horace Walpole made it their home and extolled its Arcadian setting.Captain Gray, a naval officer, acquired plots of land close to the river in Twickenham in 1718 on which he built two rows of houses, Sion Row and Montpelier Row, which survive to this day and are much admired.This book tells the story of Sion Row, which was built for Gray by a remarkable local craftsman, Edward Reeves, who had ambition to become an architect. It explains the features of the houses and how they were built. It then follows them through to the present day showing how they were used and what modifications have been made to them and, not least, how they survived.In parallel we learn of the owners and the residents, many of whom have fascinating stories to tell. They are immensely diverse, some international, some purely local, some disreputable, others pillars of respectability.Their lives are put in the context of changes in Twickenham as it evolved from out of town retreat to prosperous commuter suburb. In telling the story of these houses and people, a remarkable social history is revealed.

Discover the story of the English Church from its earliest times to the present day. Having taken root in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, it emerged in the medieval world amidst poverty, pandemics and power struggles, and not free from abuses. We see here its struggles during the Reformation, leading to an English Bible and Prayer Book, and the virtual banishment of Roman Catholicism for three hundred years. We see the spawning of new forms of Protestantism, inimical to the Crown, with the emergence of Quakers, Independents and the Methodists among many others. Following the ending of the Slave Trade in 1807, the Church became a force for both social change and spiritual endeavour in the Victorian period.Patrick Whitworth charts both the contribution and shortcomings of the English Church. An extraordinary story well told, surely this will remain the standard work on the Church in England for many years to come.

Mark's Gospel was written in Rome, the political centre of the ancient world. Its author was a follower of 'the Way' and likely an eyewitness of the ministry of Jesus. The Good News according to Mark relies on the recollections of the apostle Peter and was the pioneering prototype of the New Testament Gospels.In this accessible guide to the shortest and oldest of the Gospels in the New Testament, Patrick Whitworth explores some of the key texts and themes of the Gospel of Mark. From the outset, Marks Gospel proclaims Jesus as the Messiah (Christ) and Son of God and centres on Jesus's announcement of the God's kingdom. It is this kingdom that is at the heart of Jesus's ministry and passion and entrances Mark. Breath-taking in style, vivid in content, powerful in concept, the Gospel of Mark makes known Jesus of Galilee in a way which is ever fresh and ever challenging to the ways of the world and self-centred human life; and calls for a response of repentance, conversion and faith.

For Christian believers, hymns offer an opportunity to bear witness to their faith and lift their voices in praise of God with their fellow worshippers. Hymns, even those dulled by familiarity, far from being trite and complacent, have the power to alert us to grave dangers facing the world today, and even to move us to decisive action. It is tempting to disregard older hymns thinking of them as past their sell-by date, yet for many of the faithful, these traditional texts form the bedrock of worship and liturgy. What can be done if treasured hymns express social attitudes we no longer share, for example with regard to gender or colonialism?Gillian Warson blows the dust off unfashionable texts and argues that they can now be regarded as "e;vintage"e;. She argues that hymn singing can continue as a flourishing tradition with old and new coexisting comfortably alongside each other, and invites us to see that vintage hymn texts are lovingly preserved so that they can be enjoyed for generations to come.

What does it mean to be human and made in the image of God? This collection of essays explores the question from a wide range of theological and philosophical perspectives.

What does the good news of Jesus look like in the North of England? Is there such a thing as a "e;northern gospel"e;?Rooms and Wort analyse what the North actually is, and why we need to study our context if we want to understand more about God and God's ways. They look at the current religious climate in the North where many churches are closing. They explore how their detailed research among northern churches demonstrates a gospel characterized by fragility and freedom, but full of authenticity, community and humour. They describe "e;fuzzy"e; churches where the boundaries of the church and its worship are less fixed and where there is more of a flow between churches and their world. They discover that closing churches might provide the "e;compost"e; for what God is doing next.

For large part of the Church of England, the standard model of an ordained minister is the full-time stipendiary priest, or, alternatively, the chaplain. Yet, there are a growing number of clergy for whom their vocation consists of life in the Church and work in the secular world.Jenny Gage argues that in the twenty-first century, priests in secular work (PSW) are not a new phenomenon. They have a specific vocation, which is not to be subsumed under any church-based model of priestly ministry. She makes the case for understanding priestly ministry in secular work as a distinct vocation, which is as necessary to the life of the institutional Church at a time when secular society is rapidly changing, as it is to those whose vocation it is.Both the sacramental nature of this vocation and the work they do are key to the vocational identity of priests in secular work and to their calling to build God''s kingdom in the world.Beginning with her experience of reflecting her vocation as a maths educator and as a priest, Jenny Gage explores priestly ministry in secular work through a number of theological lenses including the narrative formation of identity, theology of work, and theology of place.

What is pilgrimage? What does it mean to Christians who undertake pilgrimage? Each chapter of this book focuses on a popular place of pilgrimage within Britain and Ireland, offering historical background and exploring why each has become such a powerful magnet for pilgrims over the ages.

A celebration of the conversation and friendship between members of various Christian traditions (Roman Catholic, Methodist, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Anglican) and a substantial contribution to a theological understanding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in dialogue with other Christian churches.

In the many worshipping communities, music leaders perform a vital function. They help to build Christlike, inclusive communities - what St Paul described as the "e;body of Christ"e;. However, resources can be in short supply.In this insightful and practical guide, an experienced church musician describes how, according to Paul, individuals and communities are transformed into the body of Christ, and how music-making enables this process, even when resources are in short supply.This valuable book encourages music leaders to step-up and persevere in low-resource contexts, and challenges all those who lead music in worship to focus not just on producing musical results but on building Christlike communities. It is essential reading for music leaders and those who train, oversee and nurture them, such as clergy, elders, worship committees and educators.

Celtic Christianity is the key not only for the future of the Church but of the whole planet, argues Ray Simpson, Founding Guardian of the Community of Aidan and Hilda.

Move beyond the conventional pattern of a twenty-first century Christian, into a rich and fruitful faith adventure. Adventure Awaits meets us wherever we are currently at in our faith journey and guides us through practical steps, supported by biblical illustrations and personal testimonies, equipping us with the tools to boldly step into the fullness of life that God promises in His Word.

What does it mean for human society, and for us individually, if we really want heaven on earth? The Christian hope is often thought of simply as a hope for the life to come, but if we are true to Jesus' prayer, then our hope cannot be limited to the life to come, but is also for the life here and now.Light in the Darkness explores the Christian hope for today. Taking to heart the petition in the Lord's Prayer that the Kingdom shall come on earth as it is in heaven.The book explores seven basic hopes: for truth, justice, freedom, a new beginning, enlightenment, peace and love. These hopes are beautifully expressed in the Advent Antiphons, the ancient praises of Jesus that mark the seven days before Christmas Eve; Brought together with the I Am sayings  from John's Gospel and the Book of Revelation the author shows how, with each of the seven hopes, Christian faith offers a deeper and more insightful understanding than secular approaches. The fulfilment of hope requires a change of heart, a new spirit, and this is explored through some challenging issues, particularly about the way economic ideas, our individualistic culture, and the legacy of the Enlightenment shape hope in the modern world.

As the church focuses more and more on growth in urban areas, this book shows how small rural parishes can respond with confidence to the opportunities and challenges for mission and ministry, and that flourishing exists throughout the church, and particularly in small and rural contexts.God’s Tent Pitched Among Us provides a worked example of a thriving rural mission project in Northumberland. It is a handbook for those who would like to develop their own expression of God’s Tent, providing practical encouragement and easy-to-follow outline sessions. It also offers an extended reflection on the powerful image of the tent-pitching God in the book of Exodus and who biblical writers continue to draw on through the book of Revelation, and more notably in the prologue to John’s Gospel. 

Christianity and Marxism are often thought to be irreconcilable. This book argues that this is not the case. It looks at four central focuses of the alleged conflict—atheism, materialism, revolution, and ethics—and shows that in each case tensions can be dissolved. Not only that, but working through the alleged difficulties sheds new light on both Christianity and Marxism and demonstrates that each has something to say to the contemporary world.

The Church of England now supports more retired clergy than there are clergy engaged in active stipendiary ministry. Evidence suggests that in some areas it is retired clergy who are keeping ministry afloat (especially in some rural dioceses), while others feel their experience and expertise is no longer valued by a changing Church.In this stimulating (and at times disturbing) book, the editors have published for the first time the findings of a survey conducted among 784 religiously-engaged retired clergy. Then, against this background, they have drawn together the voices of fourteen retired clergy from across the breadth of the Church of England.Here are unique windows into who religiously-engaged retired clergy really are, how much they engage in the life of the Church, what they believe, and how they feel about the churches and congregations to which they continue to relate. 

A collection of sermons that explore how we can learn to hear the voice of God in prayer, in the life of Jesus and in the human voice.

A new appraisal of the life and work of Juliana Horatia Ewing (1841-1885) as a writer of fiction and poetry for both children and adults.

Reflecting on the key places in Jesus' life, ministry and death, Following Jesus in the Holy Land is a study course on Christian discipleship that can be used by individuals and groups during the seasons of Advent and Lent. Each chapter considers one of the main locations of the Gospel story, including Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Judaean desert, Mount Tabor and the Sea of Galilee, and invites readers to reflect on the meaning of discipleship today. Each chapter includes questions for reflection, Bible readings and suggestions for worship as well as ideas for "things to do" as a disciple of Christ.

The first comprehensive study of the Jesus Prayer, and its origins and use, providing an overview of this ancient mystical prayer practice from the Christian East which is now also widely used in the Western Church.

A challenging and thoughtful reflection about the question of how a merciful God can allow evil.

A letter from a bishop to his newly-ordained son, revised for today's audience and with an epilogue by the original recipient (who is now Dean of Chelmsford) reflecting on ministry today.