Spirituality and Religion -  September 2025
Recent Releases
Give Me a Word : The Promise of an Ancient Practice to Guide Your Year by Christine Valters Paintner
Give Me a Word : The Promise of an Ancient Practice to Guide Your Year
by Christine Valters Paintner

 Drawn from a group of third century AD monastics, is this tradition of asking for a “word” as a spiritual practice to follow in life. Spiritual director, artist, and teacher Christine Valters Paintner lays out 30 contemplative and creative practices, guiding readers to listen and wait to receive a word, leading  them to deep sources of wisdom which will anchor their life for the coming year
As a Jew : reclaiming our story from those who blame, shame, and try to erase us by Sarah Hurwitz
As a Jew : reclaiming our story from those who blame, shame, and try to erase us
by Sarah Hurwitz

In, As a Jew, Hurwitz documents her quest to take back her Jewish identity, how she stripped away the layers of antisemitic lies that made her recoil from her own birthright and unearthed the treasures of Jewish tradition.  With antisemitism raging worldwide, Hurwitz's defiant account of reclaiming the Jewish story and learning to live as a Jew has never been timelier.
The in-between : unforgettable encounters during life's final moments by Hadley Vlahos
The in-between : unforgettable encounters during life's final moments
by Hadley Vlahos

"Passionate advocate for end-of-life care, Hospice Nurse Hadley shares moving stories of joy, wisdom, and redemption from her patients' final moments.  She is changing the conversation around death, showing that end-of-life care can teach us just as much about how to live as it does about how we die. In The In-Between, Vlahos recounts the most impactful stories from the people she's worked with-from the woman struggling with her religious beliefs despite her strict Catholic upbringing, to the older man seeing visions of his late daughter, to the young patient who laments that she spent so much of her short life worrying about what others thought of her-while also sharing her own fascinating journey. With profound insight, humility, and respect, The In-Between is a heart-rending memoir about how caring for others can transform a life, while also offering wisdom and comfort for those dealing with loss and providing inspiration for how to live now"
Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Good...
by John Fugelsang

With biting humor and biblical savvy, John Fugelsang dismantles the weaponization of Christianity by far-right extremists. This bold, irreverent guide is perfect for anyone tired of religion being used to justify hate -- and ready to reclaim faith’s true message of love, mercy, and justice.
What Matters Most : Lessons the Dying Teach Us About Living by Diane Button
What Matters Most : Lessons the Dying Teach Us About Living
by Diane Button

Drawing on nearly 20 years of experience, a death doula shares intimate stories of individuals at the end of life, offering enduring lessons on kindness, joy, connection and meaning, along with practical tools for living with greater clarity and purpose.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
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