Come ... See ... Check it Out!   Our Mission: To provide print, audio, and visual materials to help individuals and families develop their Christian faith and fulfill their personhood as children of God.   Come…See…   General Collection: Come see us in Room 109 – which houses our general adult collection of books, videos, CDs, and DVDs. You will find titles of Christian theology, devotional literature, Christian experience, guides for Christian living, social theology, parenting, worship, church history, marriage and family life, poetry, and history.  We also have a fiction section which includes the entire Mitford series (on the New York Times Bestseller list) and a variety of Christian murder mysteries!   Reference Books: Reference books and books on the Bible, Old Testament, and New Testament are located in Room 111.  Unlike most libraries, reference books are available for check-out.  We want you to use them!    Display Cases: You will find bookcases – with items of special interest—in the hallway outside Rooms 109 and 111.  Please know that these items are also available for check-out.  They are not for display purposes only.   Forms for Donations and Assistance, which can be used to make donations to the library/resource center, request items for purchase, reserve an item, or request assistance, are located in the hallway outside Room 111.You can also access these forms from a link  on this page.   Children and Youth: There are a limited number of children’s books in the adult library for use by children, in the library, while parents or grandparents check out books and tapes.Books, videos, CDs, and DVDs, available for check-out by children, middle school and high school students, are located in the Children and Youth areas on the second floor.   Check It Out…   We are a self-service library, available for your use whenever the church is open.  After you have browsed our collection and decided which items you would like to borrow, sign your name and telephone number on the cards in the book pockets and leave the cards in the library.  We ask that you return borrowed items within three weeks or let us know that you are not yet finished with them.   We are here to help you!  Karen O’Malley is available in the Room 109 on Wednesdays, 1:00 – 6:00 p.m. and Thursdays and Fridays, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. for assistance.   Don’t forget to bring us your Ministry Builder stamps when you shop at Family Book Store!   Angie O’Malley, Librarian Angie1stumclib@aol.com

Help Build our Library/Resouce Center Participate in Ministry Builders Do you shop at Family Christian Stores? Do you know that our library can benefit when you make a purchase at Family Christian Stores? All that you have to do is request Ministry Builders stamps from the cashier at the time of your purchase! You will receive one stamp for every $5.00 purchase. The next time you come to the church, drop by the Library and place your stamps in the receptacle labeled "Ministry Builders" by the computer monitor. Twenty stamps are equivalent to $5.00. The libray team will then be able to exchange stamps for books, tapes, and videos! For more info, contact Angie O'Malley.

LIBRARY FORMS Media Library Request Form Media Selection and Gift Policy Gift Information Sheet

 

Library Selections for Youth Here’s the deal--you are about to do things you never thought you could do. You are not going to live on the edge, you will walk up to the edge and step off! You will push yourself further than you ever thought possible--but you will need encouragement. Read Step Off, the Hardest 30 Days of Your Life by Justin Lookadoo, Courage in the Dark Places by Jan Greenough, Burn--live in the compassion of Jesus-- by Brian Shipman, Jesus Freaks--stories of those who stood for Jesus, the ultimate Jesus freaks, d.c.Talk, and there is more... Stop by and see for yourself!

Recent Additions to the 
Library by First Church Authors 
(click on the author link to purchase book from CBD)

John Wesley on Christian Beliefs: The Standard Sermons in Modern English, Volume 1, 1-20 By: Kenneth Cain Kinghorn This is the first volume of The Standard Sermons of John Wesley, transcribed into today's English. The volumes in this series accurately transcribe Wesley's eighteenth-century language into a form suitable for today's readers. Volume 1, 1-20 contains the first twenty sermons, in which Wesley deals with theology. Appropriate for individual and small-group study.

The Jesus Quest, Paperback By: Ben Witherington In recent years, John Dominic Crossan, Marcus Borg, and Burton Mack have sparked controversy with their conclusions on the historical Jesus. Professor Witherington, in this popular critical review, presents the work of E.P. Sanders, N.T. Wright, and other noted scholars to give a clear, balanced understanding of the debate. 320 pages, softcover from InterVarsity.

Encountering the Book of Genesis: A Survey of Its Content and Issues By: Bill Arnold Unlike most standard commentaries, Encountering the Book of Genesis: A Survey of Its Content and Issues is designed as an interactive textbook. Dr. Bill Arnold introduces the major themes of Genesis without commenting on every verse or passage. You'll read Scripture selections listed at the beginning of each chapter, then continue with the chapter itself to gain a deeper understanding of the first book of the Bible. 352 pages, hardcover, Baker.

Readings from the Ancient Near East: Primary Sources for Old Testament Study By: Bill T. Arnold & Bryan Beyer Biblical events did not occur in a vacuum, but amidst the context of a multicultural landscape. Readings from the Ancient Near East opens a window onto the crowded world of the Old Testament. Providing primary source materials such as Sumerian creation accounts, Mesopotamian epics, Egyptian cultic rituals, and Syrian prophetic texts, editors Bill Arnold and Bryan Beyer shed light on the history, politics, and theology of the ancient Hebrews' neighbors. 256 pages, soft cover, Baker.

The Grand Sweep: 365 Days from Genesis Through Revelation By: J. Ellsworth Kalas A Bible Study for individuals and groups which assigns Scripture readings for each day of the year, enabling the user to read the entire Bible in one year. Each daily entry includes the Scripture reference, a brief commentary, and a short prayer for guidance.

Parables of Jesus By: Ellsworth Kalas Written by noted biblical scholar J. Ellsworth Kalas, Parables of Jesus provides new insight to some of your most troubling or most beloved parables: The House on the Rock: Matthew 7:24-27, The Sower: Mark 4:1-20, The Father and His Two Sons: Luke 15:11-32, The Mustard Seed: Matthew 13:31-32, The Good Samaritan: Luke 10:25-37, The Widow and the Unjust Judge: Luke 18:1-8, The Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids: Matthew 25:1-13, The Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Luke 18:9-14, The Nobleman and the Pounds: Luke 19:11-26. Scripture references are based on the New Revised Standard Version. Each session is self-contained and includes study helps and questions for reflection that are all you need to lead a group or pursue the study on your own.

If Experience Is Such Good Tea By: Ellsworth Kalas "From the Publisher:" Important lessons and encouragement from 12 "teachers" in the school of experience.

Through Suffering to Hope: Job (Student) By: J. Ellsworth Kalas This four-session study of JOB focuses on the search for an answer to the question of why suffering in its many forms seems to be an inevitable part of human life. Lessons explore the nature of the testing and trials of life, how to help others in their time of need, the affirmation that God is with us even when we feel God has not treated us fairly, and how the experience of suffering can produce a new revelation of God and a deeper faith.

Seven Words To The Cross By: J. Ellsworth Kalas This is the seventh year for a thematic Lenten study offering. It includes seven sessions, one for each Sunday in Lent, including Easter. Each session features a Scripture reference, a personal reading, questions for reflection or discussion, a brief prayer, and a focus for the coming week.

The Thirteen Apostles By: J. Ellsworth Kalas In this book, an entire chapter is devoted to each of Jesus' apostles, including Matthias, successor to Judas Iscariot. J. Ellsworth Kalas draws from Scripture as well as historical writings and tradition to paint a portrait of each apostle as a servant in ministry, a human being, and an individual. Chapter titles include Andrew, a Brother; Peter: Man of Action; James: Unfulfilled Leader; Philip, the Deliberate; James, the Less; Simon, the Zealot; Thaddaeus, the Questioner; Judas: The Value of a Dollar; John: Love and Thunder; and Matthias: Holy Substitute. Each chapter features a key passage of Scripture. At the end of the book is a 16-page study guide.

Shaped by the Word: The Power of Scripture in Spiritual Formation By: Robert Mulholland This book explores the role that scripture plays in spiritual formation. Mulholland examines obstacles often encountered in spiritual reading and introduces a new approach to reading that will enliven the scriptures. He also compares informational reading (reading to be informed) with formational reading (reading to be spiritually formed). Readers are released to God's initiative, allowing the scripture to form a spiritual life inside themselves.

Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation By: M. Robert Mulholland In Invitation to a Journey, Mulholland carefully unpacks his definition of spiritual formation. He helps Christians new or old to understand that we become like Christ gradually, not instantly. Encouragingly, he shows how different personalities call for different forms of piety.

Jesus the Seer: The Progress of Prophecy By: Ben Witherington Scholars have long acknowledged that prophetic expressions were central to ancient Mediterranean religions, including Judaism. In this intriguing study spanning the time of Christ through the first three centuries of the Christian era, Witherington examines the cross-cultural nature of prophecy, showing how Judaism---and ultimately the prophetic role of Jesus---was influenced by other traditions. 460 pages, hardcover from Hendrickson.

The Christology of Jesus By: Ben Witherington How did Jesus understand himself? Ben Witherington III, is a Professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky, a member of the Society for the Study of New Testament, and author of "Jesus the Sage" and "The Jesus Quest"