Sue Groom, Vicar of St Matthew's, Yiewsley, suggests some Advent Reading to help us make the most of those long winter evenings...

David Winter
ISBN 1841012580
BRF, 2003
£6.99

If you're anything like me, you dread the run up to Christmas, there is so much to do and I invariably seem to end up doing things at the very last minute. That is why I really appreciate the BRF Advent Books which help me to remember the real meaning of Christmas. This year's Advent Book is entitled Hope in the Wilderness, which sounds more like a Lent Book. But as the author David Winter reminds us, "'Advent' means 'coming', a time of year when Christians prepare to celebrate the first coming of Jesus and look forward to his return. This book is about one of the great departures and arrivals of history, culminating in the 'coming' into the promised land of the people of Israel."

It takes you through the Book of Exodus with a biblical passage to be read each day, some comments on the text and a reflection. The reflections help us to see how the story of the Exodus is relevant to our lives today. As David Winter writes, "This is a story with profound meaning for many people at the personal level. I began this book while my wife was ill in hospital and completed it in the first year of a painful bereavement. For me it became the story of a slow and arduous journey through a barren and desolate landscape towards a place of distant promise."

I heartily recommend it.

Robert Harrison
ISBN 1859997864
Scripture Union, 2003
£6.99

If you prefer a more leisurely read which still feeds you spiritually, then look no further than Robert Harrison's latest book, Oriel's Travels. This tells the story of Paul's life from when he first appears in the Book of Acts as the great persecutor of the Christians to when he is safely ensconced in Rome awaiting trial.

Or, as the blurb on the cover says, "From fanatical destroyer of the followers of Jesus to fearless gospel pioneer – the incredible story of the man central to the formation of the Church!" The whole journey is related from the perspective of Archangel Oriel.

This book is an easy read and will remind you of those parts of the New Testament you have forgotten, or maybe it will even encourage you to go and read them for the first time! If you don't get around to reading it during Advent, then add it to your Christmas list.

Mother Mary Agnes SOLI
ISBN 0281055599
SPCK, 2003
£7.99

For an altogether different perspective on the Christian life, take a look at For Love Alone by Mother Mary Agnes SOLI. This is the fourth book relating the story of the Society of Our Lady of the Isles, the religious community in Shetland to which my sister belongs. In the past Mother Mary Agnes has been accused of being almost too positive, too enthusiastic, too joyful about their way of life. In this volume she relates honestly the ups and downs, the joys and pains, the challenges which face all those who live the religious life.

The prevailing theme of this moving story is that of love – our journey towards the place of love, our growth into love and, essentially, our growth into God who is Love. In this volume Mother Mary Agnes reflects more deeply on the core of the religious life as she seeks to explain her vision for SOLI: SOLI DEO, for God Alone, for Love Alone.

This fascinating book can be read by itself or after the earlier volumes: A Tide that Sings, The Song of the Lark and Island Song.

Rev'd Sue Groom is the Vicar of St Matthew's, Yiewsley. She is the author of Linguistic Analysis of Biblical Hebrew (Paternoster Press, 2003). Amongst other things she is also Secretary to the Willesden Area (Diocese of London) Liturgy Group and Theological Advisor (Old Testament) to SGM (Scripture Gift Mission).