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Pink and Blue - Baby Loss Awareness Week 2018
Loss is painful, lonely, and can cause deeper grief than we ever imagine.
Jane Clamp has worked tirelessly to open the conversation surrounding baby loss. It’s hard to talk about. That’s why it needs to be spoken ...
- 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 ...
Jessie Faerber's hopes and dreams for 2019
Jessie Faerber published More Than Just Pretty this year. We caught up with her about writing and future ...
- Laura Barry
- 26 Jun 2025
John Lennox: Apologetics and Christ’s Return
Renowned Oxford mathematician and Christian apologist John Lennox will speak at the Cambridge Apologetics Conference 2025 on how Christ’s return and the renewal of creation shape Christian witness ...
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? ...
#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 ...
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 ...
- 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
- 22 Jul 2019
16 and a Half Ways to Upgrade Your Faith
We’ve all been there. One minute we’re sky-high in our relationship with God, and the next we’re questioning whether he’s listening to us at all. But what if there was a way to get past the ups and downs? Youth Pastor Bob Wallington suggests ways to help us maintain a relationship with God in his book 16 and a Half ...
- authise authise
- 1 Aug 2019
A Day of Hope: Empowering Teenage Girls and Youth Leaders
On 31st August we will be holding A Day of Hope: Empowering Teenage Girls and Youth Leaders. This event will empower and equip teenage girls to face all the challenges of life with faith in themselves and faith in God. With speakers including Meg Cannon, Jessie Faeber, Rachael Newham and more, this is an event not to be missed! Find out more in ...
- 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
- 1 Nov 2019
Saints known and unknown
All Saints' Day is celebrated in honour of all saints, known and unknown. In Every Tribe we learn about saints from a wide range of backgrounds. Pauli Murray is one of them. She was canonized by the Episcopal Church in 2012. In this extract poet and teacher Rachel Laurence reflects on the legacy of this ...
- 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
- 25 Aug 2020
Enemies can be our best spiritual friends - a reflection from Fr Laurence Freeman
'The crisis has exposed fundamental flaws in our view of the world, our environment and social structures. We are all in the same storm, rich and poor, north and south. But we are clearly not in the same boat'. Fr Laurence Freeman reflects on the effects of Covid-19. This reflection was originally published in the WCCM newsletter and has been ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- authise authise
- 12 Aug 2019
Mark Oakley on Greenbelt Festival and the Poet George Herbert
We catch up with Mark Oakley to find out more about his appearance at Greenbelt Festival. We also hear about his admiration for two great poets, one of which he reflects upon in his upcoming book, My Sour-Sweet ...
- 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
- 11 May 2023
SPCK Authors at Big Church Festival: Storytelling and Crafting Tent!
Join us and our amazing authors at our Storytelling Tent at Big Church Day Out on the 27th & 28th of May! Crafting space, chill out library and live readings from all your favourite children's authors, and ...
- authise authise
- 7 May 2019
SPCK's Diffusion Project
All of us face personal struggles in our lives.
Most us have the privilege of a stable upbringing, shelter, security and the safety that comes with ...
- authise authise
- 4 Sept 2019
Launching A Better Ambition by Tim Farron
Much was going on in the House of Commons on Tuesday 3rd September. In the evening of an eventful day in parliament the press launch for Tim Farron's autobiography, A Better Ambition was taking ...
- 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
- 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 ...
4 Key Ingredients for Success
Does your organisation have the right ingredients for success? Primavera Quantrill writes about our recent 1698 Club ...
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 ...
- Emma Collins
- 19 Nov 2020
Gifts with Strings Attached
Receiving a generous gift is often much harder than giving. We can feel obligated or humbled, depending on who is doing the giving. It’s a real challenge to daily accept and believe God’s grace as the ultimate loving gift with no strings ...
- authise authise
- 3 Nov 2020
Utterly Brilliant! Timmy Mallett in Conversation with Tony Prince
Join Timmy Mallett in conversation with Tony Prince on 18th November at 7:30pm on Zoom. Timmy will be talking about his amazing solo cycle ride across Europe on the ancient pilgrimage route - the Camino de Santiago - and capturing the adventure in paintings as he travelled. Register here to avoid ...
- Laura Barry
- 30 Jan 2024
Our Bestselling Lent & Easter Books for Children
Explore our bestselling Lent and Easter books for children. Add our favourite Easter books to your basket - perfect for entertaining little ones this Easter! ...
Work that we're called to do
Barbara Fox chats with us about the genesis of her new book Midwife of Borneo, in which she tells the story of the life and work of Wendy Grey ...
- Emma Collins
- 14 Feb 2020
Your Own Call Less Ordinary
What next after university? In this extract from Rich Wilson's A Call Less Ordinary he shares his experience of coming to the end of his time at university and how it was around this time that he became aware of God's ...
- authise authise
- 12 Oct 2020
Lessons from Loss
Baby Loss Awareness Week takes place 9th - 15th October and is an opportunity for the bereaved to unite with others across the world to commemorate their babies’ lives. In this extract from Still Standing, Tola Doll Fisher reflects on the feelings she experienced after losing her daughter ...
- Laura Barry
- 29 Jul 2025
Join Katie Piper for the Magical Launch of Your Greatest Gift – 19th August at Waterstones
Join Katie Piper OBE for the joyful launch of her new children’s book Your Greatest Gift on 19th August at Waterstones Trafalgar Square, an inspiring family event sponsored by NSPCC and ...
- Laura Barry
- 16 May 2023
The Company of Heaven Catherine Fox Blog Tour
Join Catherine Fox, author of Company of Heaven - the fifth book in the beloved Lindchester Chronicles series, on her fabulous blog tour taking place on the 18th- 26th of ...
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 ...
The Wisdom of Dr Dawn Harper on Fitness Day
Dr Dawn Harper is on our blog for Fitness Day, sharing her wisdom about the benefits of regular exercise. We all have to find the fitness that works well with us and makes us feel motivated. When we find what we enjoy, we look forward to our ...
- 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 ...
- Emma Collins
- 7 May 2020
Publishing in a Pandemic - How is Ready to Rise helping to empower readers during this time
Jo Saxton's book Ready to Rise is hitting the shelves and virtual shelves at an unprecedented time of global crisis. Naturally, Jo didn't have a global pandemic in mind when she put pen to paper, but readers have told her that they feel this book is empowering them for this moment. We catch up with Jo in this Q&A and find out her ...
Andy Frost's plans for 2019
We caught up with Andy Frost about how the last year has been, especially since the publication of his book Long Story ...
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!, ...
- authise authise
- 15 Apr 2019
Spanning the Decades
Sarah Meyrick introduces our new blog series where she takes you through the decades of her new novel, The Restless Wave, as well as inspiring stories from her own family ...
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 ...
- Laura Barry
- 4 Aug 2023
SPCK Authors at Satellites
Join Gemma Hunt, author of See! Let's Be A Good Friend and See! Let's Be Me, and Lauren Windle, author of Notes on Love and Notes on Feminism at ...
- Laura Barry
- 25 Nov 2024
Guest Post: SPCK Author Natalie Collins
SPCK Author Natalie Collins writes about the importance of ending men's violence against women on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against ...
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 ...
- 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 ...
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 ...
- 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
- 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
- 27 Jun 2025
John Lennox Speaking on the Book of Daniel at Teach the Word 2025
Renowned Oxford mathematician and Christian apologist John Lennox explores the compelling relevance of the Book of Daniel at Teach the Word 2025 in Oxford, in a family-friendly conference designed to inspire and ...
- Laura Barry
- 20 Mar 2025
Bible Sales Surge Among Gen Z: SPCK's Role In The Growing Demand
Gen Z is driving a surge in Bible sales, seeking meaning, mental well-being, and faith through Scripture like never ...
- 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 ...
- authise authise
- 6 Nov 2020
‘Welcome’ is so much more than a word on the church noticeboard or weekly notice sheet
With the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) resources approaching publication, we are sharing an extract from David Runcorn's book Love Means Love. Love Means Love published in June this year coinciding with the original publication date for the LLF resources. In this extract David reflects on the experiences of Christians who have struggled '...or are ...
- Laura Barry
- 23 Oct 2025
Join Us for the Book Trade Christmas Carol Service
Join SPCK Group and the Book Trade Charity for a joyful evening of carols, reflection, and community to celebrate the true spirit of ...
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
- 30 Apr 2018
Grenfell Hope: Stories from the Community
The Grenfell Tower fire broke out on 14th June 2017 in North Kensington. Over 150 homes were destroyed and there were more than 70 ...
- 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 ...
A chat with Peter Graystone
Our author Peter Graystone is on our blog today as part of our month-long exploration of More Ways To Read The Bible. We’ll be looking at books that consider different ways you can engage with ...
5 Questions for Andy Frost
We recently caught up with Andy Frost, author of Long Story Short. He had lots to say about writing, narratives, and looking at a bigger picture beyond our own ...
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 ...
The story you need to tell
“Only a smile, only a word, only a kindness done.A brief exchange, a little light from one to one.”
- John McLeod, Appreciation Poems
As Too Soon, a mother’s journey through miscarriage, is published today, I wanted to share my motivation for writing the book and my hopes for it. When I endured the horror of four consecutive ...
A Chat with Anthony Kenny
Anthony Kenny is on our blog today discussing his new book Brief Encounters. He will be at Church House Bookshop on 17 October with Richard Harries. Details ...
How would you like to be remembered?
It’s Remember a Charity in Your Will Week.
Leaving a legacy, however large or small, is a generous and effective way of making sure your loved ones, and the causes you care about, receive the financial support you intend when you are ...
Helping the Helper
10 September is World Suicide Prevention Day.
When one person intervenes and saves another from suicide, the support can go to the person who wanted to end their life. More care and attention must go to the helper. Here, Tim Cantopher blogs about helping someone who has prevented another person’s ...
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 ...
A Revolution in Your Head? How social prescribing could change the world
Emma Drew, author of The Whole Person Recovery Handbook, is on our blog for World Cerebral Palsy Day.
The language we use to talk about diagnoses and conditions has a profound effect on the treatment of it.
How can social prescribing help result in better outcomes, ones that look at health in a way that’s more ...
Restricted Diet? Mindfulness Lends a Helping Hand
Catherine G Lucas is the author of four books on the holistic approach to mental health. Her latest in the Sheldon Press Mindful Way series is out now: Life Crisis: the Mindful Way. In her writing, Catherine draws on both her personal and professional experience, as a mindfulness trainer. Her one-day retreat on Kindfulness & Nutrition: ...
Catching up with Alexa Tewkesbury
Alexa Tewkesbury chats with us for #WorldAnimalDay about children’s books, her love of animals, and the things we can do to protect ...
Catching Up With Cole Moreton for Libraries Week
Cole Moreton is on our blog for Libraries Week.
His new book The Light Keeper publishes in May of next ...
Reflections on the end of the Great War
On Remembrance Sunday, Alan Billings shares his ...
Sylvia Green's Tips for Reducing Food Waste
Sylvia Green has been a children’s author for many years. Her books include several ‘Christmas animal’ books published by Scholastic. We’re Hungry Too is her first picture book for SPCK. It is a full colour picture book with a fun story that encourages children to learn about caring for the natural world and ...
What can compel us to write nonfiction?
What makes a good biography?
Barbara Fox reflects on her work in journalism and how it led to the writing of Midwife of Borneo. Though she’d planned to write fiction if she ever wrote a book, her editing and journalistic skills helped her to write nonfiction. While we can often plan to write one book initially, we can sometimes end up ...
Different Kinds of Kindness
Andrew Adam, author of Thomas Cochrane and the Dragon Throne, is on our blog today for World Kindness Day. Thomas Cochrane showed extraordinary kindness during his work has a doctor in China. How can we show similar kindness to ourselves and ...
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 ...
How can we prevent slavery?
Ben Cooley, CEO of anti-trafficking charity Hope for Justice, has a vision to live in a world free from slavery. Since it was founded 10 years ago, Hope for Justice has grown to become one of the world’s leading NGOs in this sector, active across four continent. Thanks to a team of former senior police investigators and detectives, lawyers, ...
- Vita Tocilovska
- 3 Dec 2018
3 biography recommendations from SPCK for Christmas
We read biographies to understand the world around us, to learn more about other people, and to see ourselves in others’ experiences. We don’t need to be a celebrity or a public figure to write a moving story. Books about ordinary people can be just as compelling as the biography of a famous painter or guitarist, if not more.
For our ...
A Very Brief History of SPCK’s Charitable Work
Our Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel reflects on the values that led to the creation of SPCK, and how those values are still what drive us today. ...
Is my gift enough?
SPCK’s Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel blogs about generosity. It benefits everyone ...
Ruth Clemence's thoughts for International Migrants' Day
Blogger Ruth Clemence shares a review of They Called Us ...
Life-affirming memoirs make perfect Christmas gifts
Everything Happens For A Reason (And Other Lies I've Loved) by Kate Bowler was picked as one of Bill Gates's top reads this past summer.
It was a great book to read in your hammock on the beach, and it's still fabulous to read cuddled up by the fire with a cup of cocoa.
Life-affirming memoirs resonate with us all year ...
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 ...
- 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
- 27 Mar 2019
Terry Waite at Southwark Cathedral
Ahead of his event on Friday, 29 March at Southwark Cathedral, find out an introduction to his extraordinary ...
- authise authise
- 10 May 2019
Spanning the Decades: 2010s
Sarah Meyrick's fifth Spanning the Decades post for her new book The Restless Wave, available for pre-order ...
- 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
- 17 May 2019
Prayer Experiment - Minecraft Church
Looking to engage your family in new creative ways of prayer?
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 Minecraft Church activity from Miranda Threlfall-Holmes' The Prayer Experiment ...
- authise authise
- 7 Jun 2019
Q&A with Debbie Flood
SPCK’s Partnerships Director, Primavera Quantrill, spoke to Olympic Rower Debbie ...
- authise authise
- 17 Jun 2019
Loneliness Awareness Week
Today marks the start of Loneliness Awareness Week, started three years ago by Marmalade Trust to change the way we think and acknowledge ...
- authise authise
- 27 Jun 2019
Working with Richard Rohr
In his decades as a globally recognized teacher and Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr has helped millions understand and engage with matters of faith and spirituality. Alison Barr, Commissioning Editor and Publisher at SPCK tells us what it's like working with such an internationally renowned ...
- 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
- 4 Jul 2019
Coffee with Sarah Meyrick
Sarah Meyrick recently published her second novel, The Restless Wave. Set across three generations, the book emcompasses themes such as love, family, faith and history, with some of her inspiration coming from her own family history. We managed to find a quiet few minutes to catch up with Sarah and talk about all things ...
- authise authise
- 20 Jul 2019
Why would a young man choose to follow Jesus in 2019?
With a million demands on their time and a million suitors for their attention, why would a young man follow Jesus? Martin Saunders, author of The Man You're Made To Be reflects on present-day masculinity, the challenges that young men are facing, and why young men need strong role models to ...
- 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
- 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
- 30 Aug 2019
Measuring success in the Church - do the numbers count?
How do we measure success in the Church? Should we even be using the word 'success'? Are churches failing if they're not growing? And do numbers really count? Vicars are often faced with questions such as these and long-standing minister Alan Bartlett knows all about these challenges. Alan has been an Anglican priest for 25 years and is now working ...
- Emma Collins
- 10 Oct 2019
How true friendship breaks down the stigma of mental illness
Thursday 10th October is World Mental Health Day, a day to help raise awareness and encourage open conversation. This year's theme is suicide prevention. Rachael Newman was aged just six when she had her first suicidal thought. In her book Learning to Breathe she shares her journey into and out of the darkness of depression. In this extract from ...
- Emma Collins
- 30 Oct 2019
Hope unleashed from a firefighter
With news of the official report into the Grenfell Tower fire being released today Gaby Doherty, author of Grenfell Hope reflects on the courage shown by the firefighters as well as the criticism they faced for the policies they operated ...
- 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
- 2 Jan 2020
New Year, New You
Happy New Year! It's the start of a new year and a new decade and many of us will looking at the year ahead with the motivation to become better versions of ourselves. Whether you want to make sure that this year you take more time out to reflect and meditate, or you want to grow your faith in 2020, let us help you on this journey with these ...
- 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
- 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 ...
- 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
- 24 Jun 2020
Vocation isn't just about ordained ministry
What do you think of when you hear the word 'vocation'? Many think of routes into ordination or authorized lay ministry. Vocation is much more than that as John Pritchard explains here in this adapted extract from his new book Handbook of Christian ...
- 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
- 23 Jul 2020
Lesson 90: Be Nice
Tola Doll Fisher reflects on Ephesians 4.31, and how it can be used to remind us to not engage in behaviour that can negatively impact another's mental health. This extract from her book Still Standing is Lesson 90: Be ...
- 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
- 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
- 30 Sept 2020
National Poetry Day 2020 - Hope by George Herbert
National Poetry Day is celebrated every year on the first Thursday of October, and encourages everyone to enjoy, discover and share poetry. With this in mind, we are sharing a poem by George Herbert called Hope, with a commentary from Mark Oakley. This is an extract from Mark Oakley's volume My Sour-Sweet Days: George Herbert and the Journey of the ...
- 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
- 24 Nov 2020
Thoughtful Gifts for Her
If you’re unsure what to buy your wife, girlfriend, sister, mother, or daughter, then look no further as we suggest some gift ideas to help you find that perfect ...
- Emma Collins
- 1 Dec 2020
Christmas Gift Ideas for Him
If you're in need of some inspiration for a book to gift him this Christmas, let us help you find that perfect read with our Christmas Gift Ideas for ...
- Emma Collins
- 23 Dec 2020
How to keep yourself busy this Christmas
If you're facing Christmas alone, or need some inspiration for keeping busy this Christmas we hope that this list of activities will help to put your mind at ...
- Emma Collins
- 13 Aug 2021
Just Leadership TV Series
This Autumn join Simon Barrington and Justin Humphreys as they host the Just Leadership TV Series on ...
- Laura Barry
- 9 Nov 2021
SPCK Group Press Release 9 November 2021
The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) and the York Courses Limited today announce SPCK's acquisition of the publishing rights to York Courses. ...
- Laura Barry
- 14 Apr 2022
Easter Reading For All The Family
Celebrate Easter this weekend with a selection of reflections, meditations, and Bible story books that the whole family can ...
- Laura Barry
- 30 May 2022
SPCK Authors at Wildfires
Wildfires is this week and we're thrilled that many of our talented SPCK authors are participating at events throughout the week. To celebrate we're offering 20% off books from authors speaking at ...
- Emma Collins
- 14 Dec 2022
Book reading by the Archbishop of York
Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, will be in York Minster’s Lady Chapel from 10.30am on Saturday 17 December to give a reading from his children’s book, The Sleepy Shepherd.
...
- 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
- 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
- 19 Jun 2023
SPCK Author Sir Terry Waite appointed Knight Commander
We're thrilled to congratulate SPCK author Sir Terry Waite on his appointment as Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) for his services to ...
- Laura Barry
- 10 Oct 2023
Patrick Regan OBE Brighter Days Tour
Join Patrick Regan OBE on his Brighter Days tour across the UK! Read on for dates and book launch locations. ...
- 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
- 21 Feb 2024
Explore Our February New Releases
Discover our amazing new releases this month! From the perfect baptism, christening and dedication gifts to our multimillion bestselling children's Bible - The Children's Bible in 365 Stories, there is sure to be something for every child this ...
- 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 ...
- Laura Barry
- 14 Jan 2025
Understanding the Bible: 10 Essential Books to Deepen Your Christian Faith
Discover 10 essential SPCK books that make understanding the Bible easier, deepen your Christian faith, and help you connect with the teachings of the Bible in a meaningful way. ...
- Laura Barry
- 18 Mar 2025
Discover Our Latest Releases: Inspiring Reads for March 2025
Discover our newest releases, featuring inspiring stories, insightful theology, and fresh Bible editions designed to deepen faith and spark ...
- Laura Barry
- 13 Mar 2026
Stories of the Saints: Inspiring Saints Every Child Should Know
Discover inspiring saint stories for children as Margaret McAllister shares the remarkable lives of Christian heroes featured in Stories of the ...
- authise authise
- 16 Jun 2018
My Day on the Shop Floor
16 – 23 June is Independent Bookshop Week – and we’re participating!
Over the course of this week, we’ll be sharing content about our favourite independent bookshops.
To start off the week, our Commercial Director Alexandra McDonald blogs about the one – one! – shift she worked in a bookshop.
...
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 ...
Be kind to yourself
We all struggle. We all hurt. We all fail. We all make mistakes.
What matters is how we respond when we face difficulty and ...
When doodles become designs -- illustrations for Out of the Silence by Terry Waite
Terry Waite’s Out of the Silence was illustrated by his friend Jenny Coles. One simple drawing led to her drawing all of the pictures in his book. Here, she discusses how that evolved and what the process was ...
There’s a heatwave. Is it Christmas yet?
We’ll be promoting children’s titles over the months of July and August. Summer holidays are always a fun time to go to the library or bookshop and pick favourite books to read. We all have fond memories of reading on holiday, by the pool, on the beach, at the cabin, and even at summer camp. Summer is the time when we get to read the ...
Why do books resonate with us?
‘Books aren’t luxuries. They’re lifelines.’ – Matt Haig
When we read a book, we want to relate it to ourselves. We’d like it to resonate with us. When we’re shy, it’s nice to see a shy character in a story. If we like to make people laugh, we might enjoy characters who are more boisterous and ...
Simple Comforts
Jane Clamp’s Too Soon will be released mid-August. Here, she writes about finding comfort in the face of pain and ...
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, ...
- Naomi Shakespeare
- 17 Aug 2018
6 Ways to Help Families Who Are Less Fortunate
‘We’ve been so busy feeding everybody else that we’ve forgotten about ourselves!’ said Aunt Miranda. ‘I didn’t think of that,’ said Ellie.
Sylvia Green’s delightful and heart-warming picture book, We’re Hungry Too, helps adults and children alike to think about caring for creation, ...
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 ...
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 ...
World Quality Day: what makes a good business?
SPCK Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel reflects on the values of SPCK as a company. On World Quality Day, she considers the core beliefs and principles of a good ...
Rev Dr Mark Davidson's reflections on Remembrance Sunday
Rev Dr Mark Davidson, author of War Cries, is on our blog today for Remembrance ...
Andrew Adam on the inspiration behind his new book
Andrew Adam, author of Thomas Cochrane and the Dragon Throne, chats with us about his inspiration for writing his new book, which publishes 15 ...
Caring for yourself whilst you care for others
Dr Jennifer Bute, author of the new book Dementia From The Inside, was once a missionary doctor in Africa, and later a GP and educator for 25 years until she developed dementia. Jennifer had to resign from her work but realised understanding dementia from the inside was a ‘glorious opportunity’. Now Jennifer is much in demand as 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, ...
Jonathan Sandys: The Man Who Could Call Churchill ‘Great-Grandpapa’
Jonathan Sandys, co-author of God and Churchill, passed away of chronic lung disease on 29 December 2018.
His co-author Wallace Henley had some very kind words to ...
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 ...
- authise authise
- 22 Mar 2019
How can Christians make a difference?
Today, we're reflecting on an extract from Rowan Williams' Being Disciples: Essentials of the Christian life.
How can Christians make a difference and how can we work together for the 'common good' in society?
...
- 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
The Road to 'The Meaning of Life'
Alister McGrath chats with us about his new book Richard Dawkins, C.S. Lewis and the Meaning of ...
- authise authise
- 24 May 2019
Inspiring hope: SPCK’s ministry to prisoners
Did you know that SPCK uses its skills as a publisher to help prisoners improve their reading skills? As a Christian charity we consider our work with prisoners to be a direct response to Jesus’ commandment to minister to those in prison (Matthew 25:36).
SPCK’s Diffusion books are specially written to help adults who need to improve ...
- 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
- 24 Sept 2019
An Introduction to Twice-Rescued Child
Nearly 80 years after the Second World War the horror and sorrow still grips our hearts. There are countless stories of the families torn apart, yet so many individual lives, individual stories, are lost in the pages of time. Twice-Rescued Child follows the real-life story of Thomas Graumann, who at 8 years old excitedly boarded a ...
- Emma Collins
- 12 Nov 2019
Meaningful Gifts for Christmas
Our Christmas store has arrived! and it's complete with gift guides to help you find that perfect present. Whether it's the latest children's book from comedian Paul Kerensa or a new journal inspired by the popular listography books, there's something for everyone, all available on our Christmas store ...
- Emma Collins
- 27 Jan 2020
10 individuals who risked their lives in the Holocaust
'When the Nazis started to destroy the European Jews, the millions of non-Jews in Europe had to decide their stance: would they help the Nazis, help the Jews, or do nothing. A very small percentage resisted or helped. The great majority did nothing. More than 16,000 rescuers have been recognized officially by Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, yet no one ...
- Emma Collins
- 24 Apr 2020
Oh God, help - an extract from Godbothering
Why bother with God? Do you know what matters in life? What are the limits of kindness? Why doesn’t God intervene? What are you worth? For twenty years, bestselling novelist Rhidian Brook has pondered such questions on Radio 4's Thought for the Day. 100 of his thoughts have been recently published in his book Godbothering. We're sharing ...
- 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
- 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 ...
- Laura Barry
- 15 Dec 2022
John C. Lennox Speaks at IFES Revive Europe
John C. Lennox, SPCK author of Cosmic Chemistry, will be speaking at IFES Revive Europe 2022.
...
- Laura Barry
- 22 Apr 2024
Celebrate Earth Day With 7 Earth-Friendly Reads For Kids
Today is Earth Day! Celebrate Earth Day with your child or grandchild with 7 inspiring fiction and nonfiction books all about the Earth and the environment. These captivating books will inspire kids to make god's world a cleaner and more beautiful place to ...
- Laura Barry
- 15 May 2024
SPCK Authors Rowan Williams & John Lennox Speaking at The Hay Festival
SPCK Authors Rowan Williams and John Lennox will be speaking at The Hay Festival: How The Light Gets ...
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