Search results for: 'says s'
Use more than just words - take positive action
Words affect us in so many ways. They can hurt us, help us, and alter our perspective. Jessie Faerber writes about the next step beyond words: taking ...
Independent Bookshop Week - a chat with The Christian Bookshop in Birkenhead
As part of Independent Bookshop Week, we are featuring interviews with, well, independent bookshops!
We chatted with The Christian Bookshop in Birkenhead about reviews, social media, comfy shoes, and – of course – books!
The Christian Bookshop, 14 Grange Road West, Birkenhead, Wirral CH41 4DATel: 0151 647 ...
A chat with Sharon Moughtin-Mumby of Diddy Disciples
We chatted with Sharon Moughtin-Mumby about the principles of Diddy Disciples, her programme for younger children that grounds them in faith and encourages curiosity, compassion for others, personal expression, and ...
International Friendship Day - A Chat with Alexa Tewkesbury
Alexa is an author, editor and proofreader who has been writing extensively for children since 2002. Three picture books for SPCK Publishing, Noah and his Ark, Daniel in the Lions’ Den and Jonah and the Whale, were released in 2017. As well as children’s books, Alexa has also written the screenplays for the animation, It’s A Boy!, ...
The Poetry Of Terry Waite
On 19 July, we held an event with Terry Waite, where he spoke about his books Out of the Silence and Solitude. He spoke with great humility, kindness, and compassion. Many in attendance were young when he was captured and detained. They prayed for his release.
On our blog today, Terry has chosen some of his favourite poems from Out of the Silence, ...
God values who we are
Liz Carter, author of the forthcoming Catching Contentment, shares her thoughts on our book club pick I Thought There Would Be Cake by Katharine ...
Tim Stead on mindfulness
Tim Stead is on our blog today, chatting about mindfulness practices.
He’ll be in Oxford on 14 November in conversation with Michael Mosley.
Book your ticket ...
Joseph and the Bully Boys
Fiona Veitch Smith is on our blog for Anti Bullying Week. Why do people bully and what can be done to address it? ...
Prayer as a form of self-care
Gemma Simmonds, author of The Way of Ignatius, is on our blog for self care week, discussing how prayer is as essential to self-care as healthy eating, good sleep, regular exercise, and time with friends and ...
The expression of faith through art
‘Pictures can reach parts of the theological imagination that words cannot.’ Jane Williams considers the representation of faith through ...
You Didn’t Tell Me I Had To Do Something!
Sean Stillman, author of God’s Biker, shares his thoughts for Human Rights ...
Books change the way we look at life
Sarah Meyrick shares her thoughts about writing her upcoming novel The Restless ...
Q&A with John Goldingay
John Goldingay and Tom Wright recently published The Bible For Everyone. We chat with John about the skills a good translator needs and the importance of providing an updated ...
Building resilience: boundaries not barriers
How can we become more resilient? Justine Allain Chapman considers the importance of establishing and maintaining healthy ...
Do love. Don't judge.
We ran a poll on Twitter asking what our readers wanted to see more of on our blog. The overwhelming majority asked for content based around our memoirs and biographies. Sean Stillman, author of God’s Biker, was the perfect person to ask to ...
Ruining the Moment
James Cary, author of The Sacred Art of Joking, blogs for us during Storytelling ...
- authise authise
- 8 Mar 2019
I'm a bit like a mosquito
On International Women's Day, Hope Rising 365 author Meg Cannon is on the blog to talk about the women whose wisdom and wonder inspire Meg ...
- authise authise
- 13 Mar 2019
How to recognise abuse
Our author and Gender Justice Specialist Natalie Collins explores ways to recognise signs of abuse, and what we can do to better understand the ...
- authise authise
- 20 Mar 2019
Give the gift of story this Mother's Day
As Mothering Sunday approaches, give Mum a story that will touch her heart in a way no other gift ...
- authise authise
- 5 Apr 2019
Prayer Experiment Activity
What do you think of when you think of prayer? For a lot of people, it brings up images of being told to sit still and close their eyes while someone else ‘says a prayer’; or of reciting words from a page.
Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, author of The Prayer Experiment series, teaches a fun prayer experiment to try with your ...
- authise authise
- 7 May 2019
Remembering Jean Vanier, 1928-2019
On the passing of Jean Vanier this morning, we would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends at L’Arche and around the ...
- authise authise
- 20 May 2019
Dementia from the Inside
Louise Morse discusses her book with Dr Jennifer Bute, Dementia from the Inside, for Dementia Action ...
- authise authise
- 21 May 2019
United We Stand, Divided We Fall
Debra Green, author of Mountain Moving Prayer, is the National Director and founder of ROC which aims to work alongside the church in ways that demonstrate the Christian faith-in-action. She chats about how encouring faith to live out in ...
- authise authise
- 31 May 2019
I can’t read or write at all: Diffusion reading group at HMP Downview
Did you know that SPCK provides free easy-to-read books to prison reading groups? Our Diffusion books are specially written to help prisoners who need to improve their reading confidence so that they are better able to find employment on release. We also work to change, attitudes, thinking and behaviour so that prisoners can build more positive ...
- authise authise
- 5 Aug 2019
The Man I'll Pray You'll Be
Author and mum Rachael Newham hopes for many things for her little boy, many of which are reflected in Martin Saunders' new book The Man You're Made to ...
- authise authise
- 13 Aug 2019
Why life with dementia can be fulfilling and positive
Living with dementia is often accompanied with a negative stigma. Jennifer Bute's story proves that it is still possible to live positively with dementia, and there is much that can be done when living with this ...
- authise authise
- 21 Sept 2019
Busting the Myths of Dementia
Alzheimer's Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness, provide support and demystify dementia. The impact of Alzheimer's Day is increasing but there is still lack of information surrounding dementia. Louise Morse, co-author of Dementia from the Inside writes about the common myths of dementia and explains how the biggest hope is to ...
- authise authise
- 19 Sept 2019
How to write a Communications Strategy
Hear the author of So Everyone Can Hear Mark Crosby speak with Elizabeth Neep on the importance and the simplicity of creating a church communication ...
- Emma Collins
- 10 Jan 2020
Taking Action to Save Water
Water is a key theme throughout Saying Yes to Life: The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book 2020. Whilst Ruth Valerio reflects on light and water in relation to the Days of Creation (Genesis 1), she also relates this back to the environmental, ethical and social concern that we face today with Climate Change. In this extract from the book ...
- Emma Collins
- 8 Mar 2020
‘Don’t just pretend to love others – really love them’
Today is International Women's Day, a global event that celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. To tie in with this awareness day we're sharing an extract from Helen Roberts' new book The Comparison Trap. In this extract Helen reflects on a passage from Romans 12:9-15 (NLT) and explores Paul's letter ...
- Emma Collins
- 16 Mar 2020
Our Lady of Vladimir
Ahead of Mothering Sunday we're sharing an extract from Love Set You Going by Janet Morley. In this extract the poem Our Lady of Vladimir by Rowan Williams is featured alongside a reflection by ...
- Emma Collins
- 11 May 2020
SPCK’s chance to win £1,000
Here at SPCK we are encouraging supporters, authors and partners to nominate us for a chance to win £1,000 as part of specialist insurer Ecclesiastical's “Movement for Good” awards.
It’s quick and easy to nominate SPCK online. Nominations are open from Wednesday 6 May to Sunday 24 May and you can vote for SPCK online at ...
- Emma Collins
- 16 Jun 2020
Q&A with Faith in Later Life
We chat to Carl Knightly, CEO of Faith in Later Life about upcoming book Finishing Well: A God's-eye view of ...
- Emma Collins
- 18 Jun 2020
Mental Health and Wellbeing during a Time of Uncertainty
In this time of uncertainty, it is even more important to pay attention to our mental health and wellbeing, checking our blind spots and being honest with ourselves and others. It is this honesty that make Rob Merchant’s Broken By Fear, Anchored In Hope such an important book for this season. Here, Rachael Bell and Simon Ponsonby ...
- Emma Collins
- 10 Jul 2020
Love Means Love: Same-sex Relationships and the Bible
Last month saw the publication of Love Means Love by David Runcorn. Prior to publication we sent out review copies of the book to a number of individuals who we thought would be interested in reading it. In this blog post you will find a review from Emma, a supporter of the Campaign for Equal Marriage in the Church of England. She tells us what it ...
- Emma Collins
- 30 Jun 2020
How Talk Can Transform Us
'The idea of talking to someone for eight hours might have been daunting for some people, but this is what Rowan and I have been doing for more than a decade'. Greg Garrett tells us about the many conversations he had with Rowan Williams, and how these conversations became a book, giving readers the chance to be a 'fly on the ...
- Emma Collins
- 1 Sept 2020
First day back, so teacher training.
'First day back, so teacher training. Classes arrive tomorrow. A tedious day, but we could wear jeans, drink our coffee hot and go to the toilet when we chose'.
A familiar scene for many who work in education. In this extract from Miss, What Does Incomprehensible Mean? We learn what the first two days of term are like for ...
- Emma Collins
- 5 Nov 2020
Who doesn’t like making top-ten lists?
In this extract from We are Satellites by Martin Saunders, we learn how lists of favourite films, books, music or games all have one thing in common, and that is: the creative arts. With creative arts having the same common root of human creativity, where does that creativity come ...
- Emma Collins
- 7 Jul 2021
Q&A with Ruth Valerio & Paul Kerensa
We chat to Ruth Valerio and Paul Kerensa about their new book Planet Protectors: 52 Ways to Look After God's ...
- Emma Collins
- 22 Jul 2021
Re-imagining how we worship
Now that we can gather together again, Nick and Becky Drake share their thoughts on returning to the church building and how we can re-imagine how we worship ...
- Emma Collins
- 6 Aug 2021
The New Rules of Social Media
When used correctly, social media can be a helpful tool for youth leaders. There is of course a dark side to social media. In this extract from Leadership 101, Tim Alford, National Director of Limitless provides 5 top tips for using social media ...
- Emma Collins
- 21 Sept 2021
Fake News and Clickbait
How many times have you clicked on an online article, only to find it has no relevance to the title it was given? In this extract from Communicate for Change, Genelle Aldred explores the rise of clickbait, and the effect that negative stories can have on our opinions of groups of ...
- Laura Barry
- 1 Nov 2022
Join SPCK author John-Paul Flintoff on an Online Pilgrimage
Join John-Paul Flintoff, author of Psalms for the City, on an online pilgrimage as he etches exquisite and quirky illustrations on to the streets of ...
- Laura Barry
- 16 Jan 2023
Guest Post: Lily-Jo's Blue Monday Tips for Talking to Children About Mental Health
Lily-Jo, a children’s mental health expert and author of Talking to Children About Mental Health, shares with us her top tips for helping you AND your child through the January ...
- Laura Barry
- 26 Jan 2023
Joshua Luke Smith Hosts Stories & Psalms - Free Event
Joshua Luke Smith, author of Something You Once Knew, is hosting Stories & Psalms at Kings X Church on January 30th at 7:30 pm. Find out more here. ...
- Laura Barry
- 24 Apr 2023
Cathy Madavan and Why Less Means More
Cathy Madavan, author of Irrepressible, has a new book out this month - Why Less Means More. Learn how you can leave fear and franticness behind and discover that less can really lead to more. Save £2 OFF this month with our coupon code. ...
- Laura Barry
- 3 Aug 2023
SPCK Authors at Creation Fest!
Join SPCK Authors Sarah Yardley and Hope Virgo at Creation Fest on the 3rd to the 6th of ...
- Laura Barry
- 24 May 2024
SPCK Authors Speaking at Big Church Day Out!
SPCK Authors Speaking at The Big Church Festival are Joshua Luke Smith, Paul Kerensa, Dai Woolridge, Sarah Yardley and Cath ...
- Laura Barry
- 29 Jul 2024
SPCK Authors Speaking at Satellites 2024
Three of our incredible authors will be speaking at Satellites 2024 -an inspirational youth event helping young people to put God at the centre of their lives : Martin Saunders, Lauren Windle, and Justin ...
- Laura Barry
- 24 Jul 2024
SPCK Authors Speaking at Creation Fest 2024!
Discover the amazing SPCK authors speaking at Creation Fest this year - Lauren Windle, Shell Perris, and Natalie ...
- Laura Barry
- 12 Jun 2024
King Charles: Royal Patron of SPCK
SPCK Group is delighted to confirm that His Majesty King Charles has agreed to become the charity’s royal ...
- Laura Barry
- 20 Nov 2024
Rachel Mann Do Not Be Afraid Advent Videos
Watch Free Advent Weekly Videos to accompany the bestselling Advent book - Do Not Be ...
- Laura Barry
- 26 Feb 2025
World Book Day 2025: Costume Inspiration for Kids & Parents
Struggling to find the perfect World Book Day 2025 costume? Discover creative, easy, and fun book character costume ideas to bring your favourite stories to ...
- Laura Barry
- 12 Jan 2026
Guest Post: Why Belovedness Matters More Than Resolutions This New Year
In her heartfelt guest post, Rachael Newham, author of Beloved is Where We Begin, invites readers to embrace gentleness and God’s love in the New Year instead of chasing unrealistic ...
- Laura Barry
- 2 Mar 2026
Why People Still Come to Church: Voices from Southern Africa
The Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba shares reflections from Southern Africa on why people still come to church—highlighting worship, community, resilience and faith in the midst of ...
The SPCK February 2018 Releases
As well as two exciting new hardback books with their own publication dates, our latest batch of releases include two brand new children's books by comedian Paul Kerensa, two thoughtful new books from some of Christianity's most creative thinkers, and the paperback edition of Richard Harries' latest ...
- Aaron Lambley
- 19 Jan 2018
New Year, New Website
With the New Year comes a new look - one that, I hope, is a breath of fresh air for returning readers and those new to our books, ...
How was your journey?
Sean Stillman's memoir God's Biker will be published on 20 September. Here, he chats with us about a different way to frame travel ...
Q&A with Janet Morley
Janet Morley, author of Haphazard by Starlight, is on our blog today chatting writing and Christmas ...
- Emma Collins
- 25 Oct 2021
Saying Yes to Life: 2 Years On
Ahead of COP26, we're sharing the impact of Saying Yes to Life in helping people get involved with the climate crisis all around the ...
- Emma Collins
- 3 Nov 2021
Jesus, the Earth, and Environmental Justice (an extract from Justice for Christ's Sake)
Twenty years before Greta Thunberg arrived on the scene, Bishop James Jones asked young people how worried they were about the future of the world. In an assembly of 250 young people, all of them raised their hand to show concern. In this extract from his memoir, Justice for Christ's Sake, James reflects on this time and how it led him explore what ...
- Emma Collins
- 16 Jun 2022
Loneliness Awareness Week 2022: what can faith teach us about isolation and despair?
For Loneliness Awareness Week 2022, we’re highlighting some of our books that speak profoundly to mental illness, and how to pursue faith amid loneliness and ...
- Emma Collins
- 25 Aug 2022
SPCK and Lexham Press announce UK partnership
SPCK is pleased to announce that it will become the sole sales and distribution partner for Lexham Press in the UK and the European Union (EU). Lexham Press titles will be available from Wiley Distribution Services from 15th January ...
- Laura Barry
- 6 Apr 2023
Amy Scott Robinson Discusses her Adventuring Girls series
Amy Scott Robinson, author of the Adventuring Girls series, discusses traditional fairytales, fierce heroines, and what she hoped to achieve with her Adventuring Girls series. ...
- Laura Barry
- 25 Apr 2023
The Promise and Peril of AI: An interview with Stephen N. Williams
Delve into the fascinating and complex world of Artificial Intelligence with Stephen N. Williams, co-editor of The Robot Will See You Now. Learn about the potential benefits and ethical considerations associated with AI, and explore the ongoing debate on whether AI research is moving too fast. Don't miss our 20% OFF Discount Code! ...
- Laura Barry
- 2 May 2023
Coronation Sale: Enjoy 20% OFF the entire website!
Celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty The King Charles III this Saturday, the 6th of May, with 20% OFF our entire website until May ...
- Laura Barry
- 1 Jun 2023
SPCK Authors at New Wine United 23 26-30 July
Join SPCK Authors Cathy Madavan, John McGinley, Malcolm MacDonald, Bishop Emma Ineson, and Paul Harcourt at New Wine United 23.
...
- Laura Barry
- 29 Jan 2024
The Best Self-Help Books to Brighten Your January
Looking for best self-care books to support your mental health? Here, we round up our top ten books about mental health, anxiety, depression, stress, and personal growth. ...
- Laura Barry
- 7 Mar 2024
Share Your Love of Reading this World Book Day!
Share your love of reading this World Book Day! With over half of children saying they don't enjoying reading, it's more important than ever to support children in learning how to love reading. We've compiled some of our bestselling children's books we know children and young readers will ...
- Laura Barry
- 30 May 2024
SPCK Authors At St Andrews Literature Festival
St Andrews Bookshop will be hosting their first ever annual Christian literature festival! We're thrilled that several of our authors will be speaking at the ...
- Laura Barry
- 5 Jun 2024
17 Books We Can't Wait To Read This Summer!
Explore seventeen wonderful books that we can't wait to read this ...
5 minutes with Kate Bowler
We stole 5 minutes of Kate Bowler's time to find out more about the story behind her new book Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've ...
- Catherine Reynolds
- 8 Jun 2018
Long Story Short: Why We're Living
Happiness. Safety. Significance. Three things society tells us we’re living for, but what do they all ...
5 Minutes With Gaby Doherty
We will publish Grenfell Hope by Gaby Doherty on 14 June. Ahead of the book’s release, she chatted with us about ...
6 Questions for Alan Mordue
Continuing on with Independent Bookshop Week, we chatted with our sales director Alan Mordue about unexpectedly successful books, sales conferences, and his favourite part of being a sales ...
Independent Bookshops: more than just tea and cake
We spoke with Ali, Team Leader at Quench Christian Bookshop Wokingham, and Head of Retail for both the Wokingham and Maidenhead shops, about her experience with running a ...
What story is your life telling?
By Leila Jennings
‘Narrative is the central function … of the human mind. We turn everything into a story in order to make sense of life.’ - James Bryan Smith
Andy Frost’s new book, Long Story Short, provides insight into the narratives that we use to define our path in life. Many of us see life as the pursuit of ...
A different way to engage with the Bible
Philip Law is Publishing Director at SPCK. His previous books include A Time to Pray (Lion, 2002), The Story of the Christ (Continuum, 2006) and The SPCK Book of Christian Prayer (SPCK, 2009). Here, he discusses The One Hour Bible, our new book that he compiled and edited ...
Simple Comforts
Jane Clamp’s Too Soon will be released mid-August. Here, she writes about finding comfort in the face of pain and ...
A Hero in God’s Eyes
We're into the #SPCKBookClub!
Mankind has reinvented its heroes of old slaying dragons into superheroes facing alien invasions. We often have our own versions of a hero we look up to. Maybe it’s your favourite celebrity or social activist. Maybe even your mum or dad. And as Christians, we often have Biblical heroes we admire like Queen ...
A Chat with Stephen Cottrell
1 August is Play Day, which encourages the value of play and imagination.
Our author Stephen Cottrell has always told stories to his children. Now, he has written a children’s story too. Read about the origins of his new book The Sleepy ...
6 Questions for Rachael Newham
We will publish Learning to Breathe by Rachael Newham this week. Here, we chat with her about writing, hobbies, and taking photos for ...
A Chat with Cole Moreton
Today is National Maritime Day. Cole Moreton’s forthcoming book The Light Keeper is set in London and The South Downs. Here, he chats with us about his writing and the setting of his new ...
SPCK's work for International Day of Charity
Today is the International Day of Charity.
Charities have received a bad press in recent years: the safeguarding scandal at Oxfam, the collapse of Kids Company and the hassling of the poppy seller Olive Cooke are but three examples. Sadly, the UK’s 165,000 small charities are suffering because of the cynicism created by the actions of a few ...
SPCK works to improve prisoners’ literacy skills
Rebecca Mulhearn is the project manager for Diffusion. She previously worked as a commissioning editor for SPCK and lives in Bedfordshire with her husband, two daughters and cat. In honour of International Literacy Day, she blogs about her work with Diffusion, a programme designed to help prisoners improve their literacy ...
5 Questions for Sarah Meyrick
Sarah Meyrick studied Classics at Cambridge and Social Anthropology at Oxford, which gave her a fascination for the stories people tell and the worlds they inhabit. She has worked variously as a journalist, editor and PR professional. She is the Director of the Bloxham Festival of Faith and Literature which is a small literary festival that takes ...
What Not To Say To People Who Have Depression
We all wish we could help our friends and family who are hurting. Sometimes, the things we say to try to comfort them can actually do more harm than good. Rachael Newham, author of Learning To Breathe, considers what we should and shouldn’t say when speaking to someone who has ...
A Chat with Jessie Faerber
We’ve picked I Thought There Would Be Cake as our book club read this month.
Jessie Faerber, author of More Than Just Pretty, had lots of thoughts to share about this powerful ...
International Day of Peace - Sean Stillman finds peace on the road
For International Day of Peace, Sean Stillman ...
I thought there would be cake too!
Tim Gough is the author of Rebooted, which looks to the Bible to reframe how youth ministry works for our generation. We gave him a copy of I Thought There Would Be Cake, our book club read for this month, and he had lots to ...
Funny Man Paul Kerensa’s 5 Tips for Comedy
On 19 October, we’ll be at The Museum of Comedy for Three Funny Men, an event featuring Simon Jenkins, James Cary, and Paul Kerensa. Tickets are available here.
Paul shares his wisdom about comedy events with ...
A Chat with Stephen Tyers
Today is #EuropeanDayofLanguages. In the lead up to Frankfurt Book Fair, we chatted with our Rights Executive Stephen Tyres about his work handling rights with our partner publishers in other countries. SPCK has international partners in Turkey, Spain, France, Finland, Poland, Hungary, and Germany, among many ...
Catching up with Andrew Gant
Andrew Gant will be at Southwark Cathedral on 2 October in conversation with Professor Jane Glover. Here, he chats with us about his work as a composer. Is writing music similar to writing a ...
The work we're called to do
Has anyone ever said to you, ‘Maybe acupuncture is your calling?’
Perhaps you’ve you thought to yourself, ‘Medicine is my calling.’
What difference does work take on when we feel it’s something we’ve been called to do?
April Holden explores this theme in her new book They Called Us Love, which publishes ...
The Benefits of SPCK Membership
Our Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel is on the blog today, chatting about our members' only event at The Tower of London that took place on 3 ...
Music to our ears - new additions to the SPCK Assemblies programme
This month, we’ll publish a biography of Johann Sebastian Bach by composer and author Andrew Gant.
He is writing a music assembly for the SPCK Assembly programme.
We caught up with Rebecca Parkinson about the addition of music assemblies to the ...
Wave of Light - Baby Loss Awareness Week
It was only two years ago that I found the Wave of Light on Facebook. Now in its sixteenth year, on the 15th of October women who have miscarried are encouraged to light a candle to commemorate their lost ones, posting their photos on social media with the hashtag #WaveofLight. I joined in, lighting a single stubby candle in honour of my four, ...
What Not To Say When Someone Has Experienced A Miscarriage
It's World Mental Health Day today.
The loss of a baby can cause unimaginable pain and grief.
We might think we can understand what someone else is going through, but we don’t know.
Jane Clamp considers what to say and what not to say when someone has lost a baby in early ...
How can I help my child to open up?
Dr Sarah Vohra, author of Mental Health in Children and Young People, blogs for us on World Mental Health Day.
It can be a real struggle to open up to others about our concerns and problems, and there’s no worse feeling than not being able to help when you know someone is struggling.
Dr Vohra provides practical advice to help ...
6 Questions for John Bowker
We chatted with John Bowker recently about his new book Religion Hurts, which publishes 18 ...
The Importance of Good Mentorship
Christopher Dines is on our blog for Mentoring Day.
Recovery from addiction takes an incredible amount of personal strength and resilience, but it also requires tremendous support from friends, family, and professionals. Having a mentor can make all the difference when healing from an ...
Where do writers get their ideas?
In keeping with our #NaNoWriMo theme, we interviewed Sarah Meyrick, author of The Restless Wave, about her idea for her new novel.
How do you begin with an idea and turn it into a ...
How to be a Dementia-friendly Church
Dr Trevor Adams is Director of Passionate Dementia Care, which offers training and consultancy to churches and Christian organisations in supporting people living with dementia. Trevor is a nurse and specialises in dementia care. He holds a doctorate in dementia care, has written widely and spoken at dementia conferences and universities in the UK, ...
How We Use Our Profits
SPCK has been publishing Christian books for over three hundred years – in fact, it’s the third oldest publishing house still operating in the UK! So it won’t be too surprising if you’ve come across our books before, or only know us as a ...
Alexa Tewkesbury's 3 wishes for all children
Alexa Tewkesbury has written several children’s books for us. It seems only fitting that she’d be on our blog for World Children’s Day, sharing her wishes for today’s ...
Ruth Clemence's Top 5 SPCK Reads of 2018
Blogger and book reviewer Ruth Clemence has read many of our books over the last year. We’ve asked her to pick her ...
#IDPWD2018: how can we make life and church more inclusive for people with disabilities?
3 December is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Roy McCloughry, author of The Enabled Life, blogs for us about how we can be inclusive of people with ...
Stories and salad bars: catching up with Paul Kerensa
Paul Kerensa is a busy comedian and author. We caught up with him about his plans for ...
Connection and Compassion at Christmastime
The holidays can be particularly hard for people who are in recovery from addiction. Christopher Dines considers ways that we can help ourselves and others during the holiday season, especially when we look to prevent ...
6 Questions for Stephen Cherry
Stephen Cherry chatted with us about his book Barefoot Ways and his plans for ...
The peace that passes all understanding
Has your therapist or acupuncturist ever encouraged you to develop a mindfulness practice? Do you sit in front of YouTube tutorials and wonder if you’re doing it right? Do you feel frustrated because you’re afraid that you’ve done it wrong?
You’re not alone.
Christopher Dines talks us through mindfulness. There is no right ...
SPCK in Durham for the 1698 Club Dinner
Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel blogs about the 1698 Club Dinner that took place on 11 ...
Gemma Simmonds on things she'd tell her younger self
Gemma Simmonds is a religious sister of the Congregation of Jesus. She began her ministry teaching at secondary level in the UK and went on from there to missionary work among women and street children in Brazil. She trained in Christian spirituality at the Ignatian spirituality centre in Wernersville, USA and this led to work as a retreat giver ...
What Not To Say To Someone Who Has Been Subjected To Abuse
4 – 10 February is Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week.
Natalie Collins, author of Out of Control, shares what to not say to someone who has been subjected to ...
Brave New Year
Andrew Adam, author of Thomas Cochrane and the Dragon Throne, blogs for us about the Chinese New ...
#ReclaimSocial – Post Positive in 2019!
Social media has so much potential to be a force for good. We can re-connect with old friends easier than ever before, share important news articles and keep distant family up to date with changes in our lives. Social media has also been central to campaigns and protests, as demonstrated by the viral #metoo campaign.
But it is impossible to deny ...
- authise authise
- 19 Mar 2019
Terry Waite on prison reform and rehabilitation - part 1
Terry Waite is an Anglican humanitarian and author. In the 1980s, he worked as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s special envoy, travelling to the Middle East and negotiating the release of hostages, when he himself was taken as a hostage. Since his release from captivity he has worked extensively with prisoners and is a supporter of SPCK’s ...
- authise authise
- 26 Mar 2019
Terry Waite on prison reform and rehabilitation - part 2
Terry Waite is an Anglican humanitarian and author. In the 1980s, he worked as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s special envoy, travelling to the Middle East and negotiating the release of hostages, when he himself was taken as a hostage. Since his release from captivity he has worked extensively with prisoners and is a supporter of SPCK’s ...
- authise authise
- 11 Apr 2019
Michael Cassidy - My Life and Times: Part 2
This is part 2/2 of this blog post. Part 1 can be found here.
We are very committed, like SPCK, to reach people and disciple them by books and Christian literature.
...
- authise authise
- 12 Apr 2019
News from the Independent Publishing Guild Awards
I am delighted to announce that we have been nominated for the Digital Publishing Award, and Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year (having received this two years in a row)!
Learn more about how our school assemblies website is helping teachers grab the attention and engage young people.
Today, millions of young people are facing pressures ...
- authise authise
- 19 Apr 2019
Spanning the Decades: 1920s
Sarah Meyrick's second installment of Spanning the Decades showcasing her own family hertiage alongside characters within her new book The Restless Wave, available for pre-order ...
- authise authise
- 1 May 2019
Natural Holy Places: Britain's Top 10
Nick Mayhew-Smith, author of The Naked Hermit, rounds up a five-year journey into the wild sacred spaces of Britain with a top 10 list of the most enchanting holy ...
- authise authise
- 16 May 2019
Spanning the Decades: The Restless Wave
Sarah Meyrick's final post for our Spanning the Decades series is all about families and how to survive them. Order her new book, The Restless Wave, available ...
- authise authise
- 21 May 2019
Prayer Experiment - Thank You Jar
With our partner publisher Baker Books, we've paired these two titles to help you find creative ways to pray for your whole family! Like this Thank You Jar activity from Miranda Threlfall-Holmes' The Prayer Experiment ...
- authise authise
- 8 Jun 2019
God is Great Collage - Children's Art Week 2019
To celebrate Children's Art Week 2019, we're sharing this great activity from The Prayer Experiment Notebook on creating a 'God is Great' collage. Tweet your child's finished collage to us at @SPCKPublishing for your chance to win a stack of our children's ...
- authise authise
- 7 Jun 2019
Q&A with Debbie Flood
SPCK’s Partnerships Director, Primavera Quantrill, spoke to Olympic Rower Debbie ...
- authise authise
- 1 Jul 2019
Converting to Orthodoxy
Martin Dudley was a prominent Anglican priest at St Bartholomew's in the heart of the City of London. In March 2018 he was received into the Orthodox Church. Martin's upcoming book Being Orthodox is an accessible guide for those who seek to become or live as Orthodox Christians. In this blog post you will find out when and why he made the move to ...
- authise authise
- 12 Jul 2019
How literacy reduces reoffending - the impact of Diffusion books
In an evening spent with Olympic rower Debbie Flood we find out how reading in prisons can help reduce reoffending. Debbie Flood experienced this impact first-hand in her role as prison ...
- authise authise
- 9 Aug 2019
Book Launch on the Thames with Cole Moreton
Join Cole Moreton aboard the Tamesis for the London launch of his book The Light Keeper. If you're situated on the South Coast there's a few other events to keep in your diary too. Find out more in this blog post taken from Cole's latest ...
- authise authise
- 16 Aug 2019
Why do jokes go wrong?
It may have been an established tried-and-tested joke but for one reason or another it wasn't well received, and it's now obvious that people haven't found it funny. Why does this happen? In this extract from The Sacred Art of Joking James Cary talks us through the many reasons why jokes can sometimes ...
- authise authise
- 28 Aug 2019
Augustine’s Confessions, the story of his journey to adult Christian faith
On 28th August we celebrate the feast of St Augustine of Hippo. Saint Augustine of Hippo was a Roman African, early Christian theologian and philosopher from Numidia. Saint Augustine of Hippo is just one of twenty Christians that Rowan Williams reflects upon in his new book Luminaries. In this extract we learn about 'Augustine's Confessions' ...
- authise authise
- 5 Sept 2019
Church Communications and the 'four Ms'
What are church communications? and why is it important that churches adapt their communications to their own culture and context? In this extract from Mark Crosby's So Everyone Can Hear he explains the importance of the communication process and why the 'four Ms' provide the basis for the 'what' and 'why' of church ...
- authise authise
- 16 Sept 2019
Who were the Mayflower Pilgrims?
16th September is Mayflower Day. Mayflower Day commemorates the day the ship set sail from Plymouth, England in 1620. The story of the first New England settlers has been told many times but not much has been told about what motivated these pilgrims to face the hazards of the transatlantic crossing. Historian Derek Wilson addresses this in his new ...
- authise authise
- 19 Sept 2019
The Hoity Toity Angel - from Musical to Story Book
Published in 2002, The Hoity Toity Angel is one of Grumpy Sheep Music's all time favourite Christmas musicals for primary school children. This month sees the popular musical being published as an illustrated story book. Children's songwriter and founder of Grumpy Sheep Music, Caroline Hoile tells us what motivated her to write the ...
- authise authise
- 4 Oct 2019
What can we learn from our animal friends? Meet Danny, the Irish Setter
All over the world, everywhere, humans and animals form great bonds that give them both another kind of gift of life. This is one of the reasons why Joan Chittister wrote the book, Two Dogs and a Parrot. For World Animal Day we're sharing an extract from the book where we meet Danny, the unruly Irish ...
- Emma Collins
- 7 Oct 2019
"I have no tendency to be a saint" (John Henry Newman)
On 13th October 2019 Blessed John Henry Newman will be canonised a Saint by Pope Francis. Historian Eamon Duffy describes Newman's intellectual journey as one of the most remarkable of the nineteenth century. In John Henry Newman: A Very Brief History Eamon provides an engaging and judicious introduction on the life and legacy of this ...
- Emma Collins
- 28 Oct 2019
Religion and GM Technology
In this extract from Has Science Killed God? Professor John Bryant discusses GM technology and the religious attitudes towards this ...
- Emma Collins
- 4 Nov 2019
10 ways to improve your church's physical presence
Have you ever looked at your church's physical presence through the eyes of a visitor? Ensuring that your church is easy to find, has clear signage, and is accessible are just some of the things that need to be considered when mapping your visitor's journey. In this blog post Mark Crosby, author of So Everyone Can Hear lists 10 steps for improving ...
- Emma Collins
- 8 Nov 2019
The most unlikely art critic in the history of TV
SPCK’s Publishing Director, Philip Law, tells us about what it was like working with the late Sr Wendy Beckett. Not long before she died she agreed to compile a list of her all-time favourite paintings, the result is recently published Sister Wendy's 100 Best-loved Paintings. Sample pages from this exciting new art book are available to view ...
- Emma Collins
- 3 Dec 2019
SPCK's AGM and Inaugural Annual Lecture
SPCK supporters ponder the mysteries of the Middle East with Terry Waite and Andrew White at SPCK’s inaugural Annual ...
- Emma Collins
- 4 Dec 2019
New for December 2019
December sees the publication of a great selection of titles for Lent 2020. So if you've started your Lenten preparations early make sure to keep an eye out for these new books. Highlights include Saying Yes to Life: The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book 2020 and The Glory of the Cross by Cardinal Vincent ...
- Emma Collins
- 27 Dec 2019
The Evangelist as a Companion
Today on the Feast Day of John, Apostle and Evangelist, we are sharing an extract from Anglican Evangelists: Identifying and Training a New Generation. In this extract editor Martyn Snow writes about his own experiences of his vocation to ministry and how to be a 'true evangelist' we must accompany people on their own journey rather than ...
- Emma Collins
- 8 Jan 2020
Is there such a thing as ‘women’s spirituality’?
Do women write differently from men? Is there such a thing as ‘women’s spirituality’? Liz Hoare asks these questions and more in her introduction to Twelve Great Spiritual Writers. In this short extract from the introduction Liz reflects on the history of women as writers and explains why she has chosen to write about these twelve ...
- Emma Collins
- 19 Feb 2020
An Irrepressible Journey
‘I sometimes feel we are sold a myth that we somehow download our purpose in our twenties and then work on that until we “achieve our dreams”,’ speaker, writer and coach Cathy Madavan shares with SPCK ahead of the launch of her new book, Irrepressible: 12 principles for a courageous, resilient and fulfilling ...
- Emma Collins
- 3 Mar 2020
Why the title 'Irrepressible'?
"These twelve principles mean a lot to me and have formed so much of my thinking over recent years. I hope they will give other people some practical handholds and a good dollop of hope". Cathy Madavan, speaker and author of Irrepressible: 12 principles for a courageous, resilient and fulfilling life tells us why she wrote the book, why ...
- Emma Collins
- 20 Mar 2020
10 Ways to Combat Jealousy
To tie in with the publication of The Comparison Trap, author Helen Roberts suggests 10 ways that we can combat ...
- authise authise
- 23 Mar 2020
Uplifting books for you and others
In this blog post you will find a copy of our enewsletter that went out to subscribers last week. In this you will find a sample chapter from Terry Waite's book Out of the Silence, and some recommendations for uplifting books to read. Those books with eBook editions currently have 50% off (ends 25th ...
- Emma Collins
- 26 Mar 2020
Keeping up-to-date with SPCK authors
In this blog post you will find a list of author-led online events, radio interviews, Facebook LIVE events, Twitter takeovers and much ...
- Emma Collins
- 27 Mar 2020
Digital Platforms for Churches During Coronavirus
How do you meet and connect with your church in place of gathered environments, small groups and pastoral conversations? Mark Crosby, author of So Everyone Can Hear explains the many digital platforms that are available and when best to use ...
- Emma Collins
- 22 Apr 2020
Breaking the Patriarchal Mould | The Story of Joanna
In her book Women in a Patriarchal World Elaine Storkey focuses on the stories of women who faced a range of challenges and life-changing decisions. In this extract from the book we learn about Joanna, a woman who broke tradition by spending little time at home on the duties prescribed for wives at the ...
- Emma Collins
- 30 Apr 2020
Q&A with David Wilbourne, Author of Just John
David Wilbourne has been a 'John Habgood observer' for 37 years. Just John: The Authorized Biography of John Habgood has been a long time in the making, as we learn in this Q&A with David it took four years to complete just one chapter. Find out in this first part of our Q&A what it was like to write this biography and whether David, ...
- Emma Collins
- 28 May 2020
Tears, Locked Doors and Doubt - an extract from God and the Pandemic
Today sees the publication of Tom Wright's new book God and the Pandemic: A Christian Reflection on the Coronavirus and its Aftermath. In this extract from the book Tom Wright draws parallels between the tears, locked doors and doubt that are present in the Gospel of John with the tears, locked doors and doubt that we are experiencing ...
- Emma Collins
- 13 Aug 2020
But Where Are You Really From?
‘Where are you from?’ I’m asked.‘The UK,’ I reply. ‘I mean where are you really from?’ ‘Zambia,’ I reply.
In this blog post you will find a short video of Amanda Khozi Mukwashi reading from the opening chapter of her book But Where Are You Really From? The extract is also ...
- Emma Collins
- 17 Aug 2020
The cure is in the illness - a reflection from Fr Laurence Freeman
'If one had to be confined anywhere, Bonnevaux is a beautiful prison and the community I was incarcerated with did not riot or make unreasonable demands'. Fr Laurence Freeman reflects on his time in lockdown. This reflection was originally published in the WCCM newsletter and has been re-shared with ...
- Emma Collins
- 8 Sept 2020
Our first response needs to be silence - a reflection from Fr Laurence Freeman
'The pandemic has reminded us of our inherent solidarity as a human family. It has also exposed the forces at work – like bad government, greedy money-makers and the obscene gulf between rich and poor - that demand correction or punishment'. Fr Laurence Freeman reflects on the effects of Covid-19. This reflection was originally ...
- Emma Collins
- 2 Nov 2020
The Art of Remembering, an extract for All Souls' Day 2020
With outdoor services, prayer walks, and light displays, All Souls' Day will look very different this year. Commemorating the faithfully departed can be an emotional time for many. Young people in particular can have a difficult time with bereavement. Whether they have lost a family member or friend, there are often little reminders of their lost ...
- Emma Collins
- 17 Nov 2020
What to buy your minister this Christmas
In this blog post you will find a selection of gift ideas for vicars, pastors, and those training in ministry. Whether they are expanding their church’s online presence, are involved with the Living in Love and Faith developments, or looking for ways that their church can be fully inclusive, these books will nourish leaders and help them to ...
- Emma Collins
- 1 Dec 2020
SPCK’s AGM – An Annual Gathering in Exceptional Times
On 19th November 2020, our AGM took place via Zoom. Find out more about the event in this blog ...
- authise authise
- 22 Dec 2020
Our Need for Renewal - Reflecting back on SPCK’s 2020 Annual Lecture
SPCK’s well-received AGM and annual lecture on 19 November gave us all, “much to ponder and act on.” as one attendee told us. The virtual event was hosted by broadcast journalist, Genelle Aldred in conversation with four esteemed SPCK authors who shared their understanding of ‘renewal’ and responded to questions from ...
- Emma Collins
- 14 Jan 2021
A Reminder by Sarah Bessey
You don’t have to be productive and you don’t have to change the world. You’re already so loved. You don’t have to be smart. You don’t have to be simple. You don’t have to read all the right books by the right people. You’re already so loved. An extract from A Rhythm of Prayer edited by Sarah ...
- Emma Collins
- 12 Feb 2021
Celebrating the launch of homegroups.org.uk
Today we're launching Home Groups! The largest source of free, high quality, curated small group material on the Internet. Find out more about this exciting new website in this blog ...
- Emma Collins
- 16 Feb 2021
Are UK churches doing enough to fight climate change?
Just 1 in 10 young people believe their church is doing enough to respond to the climate crisis. What can the Church do to combat this concern among young ...
- Emma Collins
- 4 Mar 2021
'A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change'
#ChoosetoChallenge is this year's theme for International Women's Day. With this mind, we are sharing an extract from Josephine Butler: A Very Brief History. Josephine challenged social attitudes to women and campaigned for women's rights. In this extract, author Jane Robinson tells us about Josephine's far-reaching influence, and how one of her ...
- Emma Collins
- 18 Mar 2021
Q&A with Rebecca Parkinson, author of Goodnight World
In this blog post we catch up with Rebecca Parkinson, and find out more about her latest book Goodnight ...
- Emma Collins
- 13 Apr 2021
Remembering Answered Prayers
Why is it important to remember our answered prayers? How might remembering these prayers help us in a pandemic? Find out in this Q&A with Richard Gamble, author of ...
- Emma Collins
- 12 May 2021
What would the Ascension look like in a sitcom?
It’s a strange thing to consider, but what would the Ascension look like if it was portrayed in a ...
- Emma Collins
- 10 Jun 2021
What makes all-age worship so difficult?
In this adapted extract from Worship for Everyone, Nick and Becky Drake address the challenges of all-age worship, and suggest practical steps to help overcome ...
- Emma Collins
- 25 Jun 2021
The Case for Christianity, as told by a lawyer
'Lawyers are meant to be interested in proof. What’s the proof for Christianity?'. A question often presented to Simon Edwards, the subject of ‘proof’ brings with it much debate. Christianity cannot be demonstrated as true in the same way that a mathematical equation can be, so how can it be ...
- Emma Collins
- 8 Jul 2021
SPCK Authors at United Breaks Out 2021
Find out which SPCK authors are taking part in United Breaks Out ...
- Laura Barry
- 12 May 2025
SPCK Wins Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year at the Independent Publishing Awards 2025
SPCK has been recognised for publishing excellence, winning Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year and the Virtusales Metadata Award at the 2025 Independent Publishing ...
- Laura Barry
- 3 Nov 2025
Who Am I? Rediscovering Our True Identity This Advent
In Who Am I?, Bishop Nick Baines invites us this Advent to pause, reflect, and rediscover our true identity in Christ—the God who seeks us out with love, grace, and surprising ...








