What we are
We are a social ministry group of Faith Lutheran Church, 2726 W. Market St., Fairlawn, Ohio. Our first year was 2008-09 when we read The Year of Fog (Michelle Richmond), Three Cups of Tea (Greg Mortenson), Plain Truth (Jody Picoult), The Killer Angels (Michael Shaara), The Zookeeper’s Wife (Diane Ackerman), Snow Falling on Cedars (David Guterson), and All the Way Home (David Giffels). Copies of these books and their study guides can be found on the FLC Book Club shelf in the church library. Feel free to “take, read, enjoy, and return”!
In 2009-10, we will meet September, October, and November, and then again in the winter/spring months of January through May. We don’t meet in December, but we will sponsor a book sale for the congregation and friends in late November and December, providing folks an opportunity to buy wholesome books for Christmas presents—for both kids and adults. We don’t meet during the summer months.
Our meetings are in the library at Faith Church and begin at 7:00 pm. We are usually over by 8:30 pm (see 2009-10 schedule below). If bad weather requires cancellation and if you are on our phone/email list, we will contact you.
Members and friends of members are welcome to join! We read an in-common book ahead of the meeting date. For some sessions, the books come to us free of charge from the Akron Public Library’s “Books to Go” program. Other times, we purchase copies of a title from Amazon.com and make them available to members on a cost basis. Securing copies from public libraries, bookstores or other locations is a third option. Come and enjoy the fun…….join in on the discussion as much or as little as you wish…..we want you to feel comfortable!
Co-leaders
Co-leaders are Faith members Karen Mallison and Steve Thompson. Karen is a former middle school librarian and Steve is a former English teacher. Reach Karen at (330) 836-5979 and Steve at (330) 666-5065. Members are invited to lead the monthly discussion groups when they are inclined to do so, but that is not required!
Our hopes
We meet because we all like to read and share our responses to what we’ve read. We think that happens best when there is a warm and accepting welcome for everyone’s point of view. Hearing and considering multiple “takes” on a book enriches everyone. However, just coming, sitting, and listening is ok, too. Above all, we want everyone to leave a book discussion feeling that they’ve had a good time with friends!
Our further hope is that our choice of in-common books is based on these factors: that a book inspires our better natures….that it uplifts our spirits. That doesn’t mean that a book has to have a happy ending! But rather that it puts us in touch with characters and events that gives us hope and encourages us to lead grace-filled lives. Books thus chosen are likely to be well written: the dialogue sounds like the conversations we hear real people have; the characters are multi-dimensional; the plots are usually linear in time and are not multi-layered; the descriptions amaze our senses; and we don’t have to worry about unbecoming language and situations! Overall, there’s a truthfulness and authenticity in the narrative, which, although hard to quantify, is discerned by heart and mind. These factors can be found in fiction and non-fiction alike.
Schedule for 2009-2010
Hello Readers!
Welcome to another year of book club discussions. As co-leaders of this ministry, Karen and I look forward to a series of eight get-togethers at Faith Church during 2009-2010. Below you’ll see the dates (all Tuesdays, in the church choir room, staring at 7:00 pm) and the titles of the books we’ll read together….well, as precise as we can make it right now (see note below). The book club is for all Faith members AND their friends! Please feel free to invite a neighbor or associate with you. The more the merrier!
NOTES These titles were chosen by our group, meeting together, in June 2009. Updated information about the book club, this schedule, and reading guides for most of the titles will later be on the FLC website (
http://www.faithlutheranchurch.org/), Ed Rich, webmaster. On the schedule below, you’ll see “amazon.com” next to some of the books. That means that, if you wish, we’ll order the book—usually paperback—for you, and you can pay us when the book comes in. Also on the schedule below, three sets of books are
labeled “books to go.” That means we’ll get the books under free loan from the Akron Public Library. Leaders: please think about volunteering to lead a book discussion, either by yourself or with a partner; talk to us and we’ll help you make the arrangements!
BOOKS TO GO Depending on their availability, we will read two titles
from each of the three sets of books that follow. The Kabul Beauty School and
Red Azalea; 72 Hour Hold, Self-Storage, and Then We Came to the End; and
The Traveler, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and The Love.
Always feel free to offer your comments, questions, and suggestions to us about titles, procedures, etc. The FLC book club belongs to all readers, and we are grateful for your input.
Co-leaders,
Karen Mallison (330.836.5979)
Steve Thompson (330.666.5065)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The book club year begins with two titles from one of the sets of “books to go,” described above. We’ll be contacting you in August at which time you can make a choice of title and pick up your free-loan copy. We’ll also be asking you….in August, to tell us if you want us to order the October book for you from amazon.com. Alternatives to buying from us via amazon.com: buy the book at a book store or borrow from your local lending library.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky (about $4 from amazon.com)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham (about $18 from amazon.com)
NO MEETING IN DECEMBER 2009: As an outreach and service project, the book club will sponsor an Advent Book Sale during Sundays and other days in December. Books for all ages will be on sale for Christmas and birthday gifts for family and friends.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (about $14 from amazon.com)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
This is the second “books to go” meeting. Copies of two titles will be made available during the January meeting.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Father Joe: The Man Who Saved My Soul by Tony Hendra (about $4 from amazon.com)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
This is the third “books to go” meeting. Copies of two titles will be made available during the March meeting.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
This meeting, the last of the book club year, will be “Personal Picks” night. A similar event in 2009 proved to be successful so we’re doing it again in 2010. Each reader gives a brief summary of a book he or she has individually read and personally enjoyed. Later, everyone receives a written copy of “personal picks”…..a resource list for summer reading!
