Dear Friends,
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood! When I first started thinking about the theme of “Neighbor” for 2024, my mind immediately went to Fred Rogers. I grew up watching Daniel Tiger and Lady Aberlin on “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” and nothing says “neighbor” to me quite like the friendly man in a cardigan and sneakers. Many people don’t realize that Fred Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian Minister and that his faith guided much of the content of the show. That faith and genuine human decency cut across dividing lines and made Rogers a unifying figure of his day.
This summer, I want to invite you to join us for some discussion about the neighborhood. We have selected two books that illustrate how Fred Rogers was able to connect with men and women of varying experiences and beliefs. Whether you were young or old, rich or poor, black or white, conservative or liberal, a person of faith or not, Rogers modeled a way of treating you as a neighbor and honoring you as a human being created in God’s image.
For each gathering, we are asking that you read the book ahead of time. We will share a covered dish dinner and discuss the book for about 60-90 minutes. Each participant will be responsible for obtaining a copy of the book (print, digital, or audio) and reading it prior to the gathering times. You may follow the links below to purchase these online (or locate them at your preferred bookseller). We look forward to some good conversations this summer as we seek to follow Jesus and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
— Pastor Steven
Click on the image to visit an online bookseller.
The June Book Club will meet in the Cheatham Room at 5:00 p.m. on June 19th and will be facilitated by Bobby Adams.
Click on the image to visit an online bookseller.
The July Book Club will meet in the Cheatham Room at 5:00 p.m. on July 17th and will be facilitated by Bob and Linda Long.