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Five non-fiction books – International Book Giving Day
With international book giving day taking place today, this entirely volunteer-based initiative is aimed at giving awareness and sharing the love of books. Originating in the UK, volunteers and book lovers alike join in on the yearly celebration worldwide by giving the gift of books to others with the hope of instilling in them an affinity and ...
- 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 ...
Five Questions about Paul with Tom Wright
Ahead of the release of Paul: The Biography, we sat down with Tom Wright and asked him some questions about his latest book - engaging with what he's really trying to do in this new study of the life of the Apostle ...
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 ...
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 ...
Be present in your life
Many of us practice mindfulness in our daily lives – during our commute, before a stressful meeting, on our lunch breaks, and at the end of a busy day. It can help us to manage stress and anxiety.
There are many similarities between mindfulness and the beliefs held in Christian spirituality. Tim Stead wrote the book about how we can ...
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 ...
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 ...
5 Questions for Tim Stead
After the phenomenal success of his book Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality, Tim Stead follows up with See Love Be. We chatted to him about his new ...
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 ...
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 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 ...
5 Questions for Paul Hattaway
On 19 July, we will publish Guizhou by Paul Hattaway, the second in a series of books about the exponential growth of Christianity in China.
Here, we caught up with him about writing and his plans for the ...
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 ...
Our Evening With Terry Waite
Terry Waite stands six foot seven inches tall. He has white hair, a white beard, and kind brown eyes. His handshake is gentle and he is deeply humble and considerate.
The SPCK team hosted Terry Waite at Westminster Abbey’s Cloisters on 19 July. He read from Out of the Silence, his collection of poetry and reflections, and Solitude, his ...
Why does God allow suffering?
Robin Gill is Emeritus Professor of Applied Theology at the University of Kent and Acting Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Gibraltar. Among his many books are A Textbook of Christian Ethics (4th edition 2014) and Moral Passion and Christian Ethics (2018). Here, he chats with us about his book Why Does God Allow Suffering? and his personal ...
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 SPCK Book Club has arrived!
We’ve officially launched the SPCK Book Club – please join in the discussion with the hashtag #SPCKBookClub!
We’ve picked Falling Upward by Richard Rohr for July. This short and thoughtful book can be read in an evening, but it’s one to return to again and again. Full of wisdom from many years leading congregations, ...
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 ...
- Naomi Shakespeare
- 14 Aug 2018
Christianity and poetry – how they often go together
We are all familiar with poetry of some kind. Most likely even studied an anthology or two at school. Maybe you know a poem by heart. But how much do we really know about poetry in the Bible?
Believe it or not, at least one third of the Christian Bible (and three quarters of the Hebrew Bible) is poetry. The majority of the Old Testament was ...
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 ...
Living a Heroic Life
Summer is often the time we wish for throughout the year and, if especially if you have kids, can’t wait to get away for some rest and relaxation. How do you spend your summers? Do you use it to jet off to the beach? Maybe you spend time at home with family and a barbeque. Maybe you take your children on an adventure. Before the summer comes ...
- 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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Replay and Regret? Responding to Shame
Our #SPCKBookClub pick for October is I Thought There Would Be Cake by Katharine Welby-Roberts.
Rachael Newham, author of Learning to Breathe, shares her thoughts on this honest ...
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 ...
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 ...
National Doodle Day - A Chat with Thea Baker
On National Doodle Day, we chat with Thea Baker, who illustrated The Shepherd Who Couldn’t Sing by Alan Barker, about her work as an ...
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 ...
Diffusion: using books to make a difference in the lives of prisoners
We caught up with our Commercial Director Alexandra McDonald about the work she does with our Diffusion programme. Diffusion works with prisoners to improve their literacy skills. This helps with self confidence and independence, which are essential when re-integrating into the community upon release from ...
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 ...
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 ...
SPCK Assemblies are perfect for teachers on World Teachers' Day
SPCK Assemblies are a great resource for teachers to use with their students.
We chatted with Rebecca Parkinson about the assemblies she's been working on.
Happy ...
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 ...
A Chat with Alan Mordue for Libraries Week
It’s Libraries Week – our Sales Director Alan Mordue is the perfect person to chat to!
He’s always in the know about books and how to sell them.
We wanted to know how libraries influenced his decision to work in ...
Reflections on the end of the Great War
On Remembrance Sunday, Alan Billings shares his ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Kate Charles on writing
It’s officially #NaNoWriMo and we’re chatting with Kate Charles today about books and ...
5 Questions for Catherine Fox
Continuing on with our #NaNoWriMo theme, we caught up with Catherine Fox and chatted about writing, books, and ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
5 lighthearted books for Christmas
For most people, Christmas is the perfect time of year to unwind, relax and spend precious time with family. With this in mind, SPCK has handpicked five easy lighthearted books for the ...
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 ...
What motivates us to do missionary work?
When you would like to work as a missionary, how do you get started and how can you stay involved?
April Holden, who co-wrote They Called Us Love with Deborah Meroff, writes about her personal missionary experience and offers advice for getting involved with organisations like Operation ...
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, ...
#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 ...
Volunteering activities for the whole family - #IVD2018
How can families volunteer together to help others who are less fortunate than themselves?
Sylvia Green names some great suggestions on International Volunteers ...
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 ...
5 Questions for Stephen Cottrell
Stephen Cottrell, author of The Sleepy Shepherd, chats with us about books, writing, and his plans for ...
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 ...
6 Questions for Kenneth Stevens
We caught up with Kenneth Stevens, author of Winter Tales, about writing and his plans for ...
Ruth Clemence's thoughts for International Migrants' Day
Blogger Ruth Clemence shares a review of They Called Us ...
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 ...
5 Questions for Tim Dowley
We caught up with Tim Dowley about his new book Christian ...
The deeply personal nature of poetry
Terry Waite’s new book Travels with a Primate will publish in February 2019. He’s on our blog to discuss Out of the Silence, his deeply moving and personal collection of poetry and ...
Building resilience: boundaries not barriers
How can we become more resilient? Justine Allain Chapman considers the importance of establishing and maintaining healthy ...
SPCK in Durham for the 1698 Club Dinner
Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel blogs about the 1698 Club Dinner that took place on 11 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Ruining the Moment
James Cary, author of The Sacred Art of Joking, blogs for us during Storytelling ...
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 ...
#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 ...
What is freedom?
What is freedom?
Diffusion workshop at HMP North Sea Camp
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 ...
Struggling to find space? Follow Jesus into the desert.
The desert is a vast and beautiful. The colours of the sky and the sand and the piercing blue against the reds and the yellow, are intense. A few years ago, on an 8 days retreat in the Egyptian desert, three days of which were solitary and fasting, I was struck by the space and sheer beauty of the desert.
It was a struggle to get away, with four ...
- 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
- 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
- 3 Apr 2019
Schools assemblies can be fun!
Do you remember your school assemblies? I do, and how I wish I would forget some of them! We had one teacher, who would insist on taking Monday morning assemblies. Sure, you might think that he should be applauded for stepping up and taking on the task that no one else wanted.
But you would be ...
- 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
- 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
Very Brief Histories Event
The Very Brief History series is a collection of short, accessible introductions on histories, legacies, and movements that have shaped the world written by industry experts. Our event on Saturday features four speakers uncovering the lives of Thomas More, Immanuel Kant, Byzantine Christianity, and Julian of Norwich.
...
- 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 ...
- authise authise
- 16 Apr 2019
Q&A with Simon Barrington
In celebration of World Voice Day, we caught up with Simon Barrington, co-author of Leading - The Millennial Way which is out this Thursday. Pre-order your copy ...
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
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
- 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
- 28 May 2019
World Hunger Day - We're Hungry Too
Sylvia Green chats about her book We’re Hungry Too, World Hunger Day and what you and your family can do to help through a fun ...
- 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
- 7 Jun 2019
Q&A with Debbie Flood
SPCK’s Partnerships Director, Primavera Quantrill, spoke to Olympic Rower Debbie ...
- authise authise
- 10 Jul 2019
The Light Keeper - blog post from Cole Moreton
Find out more about Cole Moreton's upcoming book The Light Keeper and how to win a night's stay at the Belle Tout ...
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 19 Aug 2019
Storytelling at Greenbelt by Murray Watts
Storytelling has always been a big part of Murray Watts' life. It started with his mother reading him the works of Hans Andersen and Grimms' Fairy Tales, which later led to his live broadcasts of monologues and parables on Radio Merseyside in 1971. It's now come full circle to the publication of 'Yours Truly', a collection of 18 brilliant and ...
- authise authise
- 22 Aug 2019
Christianity and Humour by James Cary
In the run-up to Greenbelt Festival comedy writer James Cary talks jokes, humour and ...
- 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 ...
- Emma Collins
- 30 Sept 2019
National Poetry Day with Janet Morley
In the lead up to National Poetry Day we speak to Janet Morley about her latest anthology Love Set You Going: Poems of the ...
- Emma Collins
- 9 Oct 2019
Black History Month and Extraordinary Saints
Black History Month allows us to take time to consider the individuals who have been relegated not just to the side-lines of history but forgotten through the ages. Sharon Prentis, Intercultural Mission Enabler and Dean of BAME Affairs for the Church of England in Birmingham tells us that whilst there has been a marked improvement in acknowledging ...
- Emma Collins
- 14 Oct 2019
Why you should read this book... Q&A with Tricia Goyer, author of Twice Rescued Child
We catch up with Tricia Goyer, author of Twice Rescued Child. She tells us what inspired her to write the book and what we as readers can take away from the ...
- Emma Collins
- 21 Oct 2019
How we can work together to create a truly inclusive church community
As we approach the end of Black History Month we're sharing an adapted extract from Ben Lindsay's book, We Need To Talk About Race. In this extract Ben explores the ways in which we can create an inclusive Church community effectively. He also discusses why inclusivity means much more than just having a diverse congregation, which, on its own, ...
- 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 ...
An Inspiring Story of Courage and Strength
As we approach Christmas and the end of 2019 it's the ideal time to reflect and prepare for the new year ahead. Whilst we reflect on our lives, there will be many things we are grateful for, as well as those we take for granted. Putting yourself in someone else's shoes is not always easy to do but when we immerse ourselves in a story, especially a ...
- Emma Collins
- 15 Nov 2019
How many of Sister Wendy's favourite paintings have you seen?
How many of Sister Wendy's favourite paintings have you seen in real life? Many paintings from the recently published Sister Wendy's 100 Best-loved Paintings are hanging up inside the National Gallery. We decided to visit the gallery to see how many we could ...
- Emma Collins
- 12 Dec 2019
Top 10 Gifts for Him
Whether he's a fan of sport or an avid reader of suspense novels our ‘Top 10 Gifts for Him’ will inspire you to find that perfect book to gift this Christmas. Make sure you place your order before 19 December 2019 for pre-Christmas ...
- 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
- 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
- 13 Feb 2020
The Real Life of a Ministry Mum
Here's part two of our Q&A with Jules Middleton, a ministry mum whose upcoming book Breaking the Mould seeks to challenge the ‘shoulds’ and stereotypes that surround both roles. In this second part of our Q&A Jules tells us who inspires her and what advice she would give to parents with a call to ...
- Emma Collins
- 14 Feb 2020
Revd Dr Thomas Bray, a man of humble origins
Today we're celebrating Bray Day, a day when SPCK and USPG come together for a church service and time of thanksgiving in remembrance of our co-founder the Revd Dr Thomas Bray. In this blog post, Duncan Dormor,Chief Executive of our sister society USPG, shares the history of our co-founder and the legacy he left ...
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 19 May 2020
He is Our Anchor of Hope, an extract from Broken by Fear, Anchored in Hope
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and we're sharing an extract from Rob Merchant's upcoming book: Broken by Fear, Anchored in Hope. Drawing on his own experience, Rob shows how healing starts when we acknowledge and accept our vulnerability. Knowing our place before God and surrendering wholly to Christ, we can discover forgiveness and ...
- 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
- 10 Jun 2020
What is Resilience? And Why Now is the Time to Practise It
Several years ago when Meg Warner began writing the drafts for Joseph: A Story of Resilience Brexit was only a 'pipe dream'. Later, in the editing stages Brexit had become the greatest challenge to have struck the UK for many decades. In March 2020, the book entered the final stages of publishing and the coronavirus pandemic had threatened to ...
- Emma Collins
- 24 Jun 2020
SPCK wins £1,000 Movement for Good award
Thank you to those of you who nominated SPCK for a Movement for Good award. We're delighted to announce that SPCK's Diffusion prison literacy project has won the £1000 Movement for Good award! Find out more in the following press ...
- 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
- 4 Aug 2020
Black theology as a resource for transformative ministry
Is God Colour-Blind? by Anthony G. Reddie has been recently revised and updated for 2020. This new edition contains a new afterword on why Black Lives Matter. In this blog post you will find a extract taken from the introduction of the book. It is here that Anthony explains how this book can be used by Christian ministers and those in lay ...
- Emma Collins
- 7 Aug 2020
The Medical Clergyman
Who do you go to when you’ve got a fever or broken limb? Your local vicar probably wouldn’t be the first person you would think of. Before the year 1858, medicine could be practised by a wide variety of people. A scientifically minded clergyman was one of them. In this extract from Caves, Coprolites, and Catastrophes, historian Allan ...
- 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
- 15 Sept 2020
From the quiet science lab to the macho police college
'Leaving the quiet, sterile environment of science research for the macho, militaristic culture of Hendon was a massive culture shock. You could smell the testosterone in the air the moment you passed through the gates into the campus'. In this extract from Closing Ranks: My Life as a Cop, Leroy Logan tells us about his first night at Hendon Police ...
- Emma Collins
- 29 Sept 2020
'... a springboard for future sustainable change' - Black History Month 2020
As we celebrate Black History Month this October, we ask retired superintendent Dr Leroy Logan, MBE what Black History Month means to ...
- 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 ...
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- 10 Oct 2020
World Mental Health Day 2020: Greater Investment – Greater Access
The World Health Organisation recognises World Mental Health Day on 10th October every year. With the current worldwide pandemic, an already dire mental health landscape has seen mental health conditions rise across the globe. Mental health is a topic that many Christians struggle to talk about. In Broken by Fear: Anchored in Hope, author Rob ...
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- 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 ...
- 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
- 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 ...
- 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
- 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
- 19 Jan 2021
Smile while you shop
It has been scientifically proven that altruism is good for us. Not just that warm fuzzy feeling of doing a nice thing but an act of kindness - thinking of someone or a cause and intentionally doing something which takes us outside of ourselves to benefit ...
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- 2 Feb 2021
Miss, What Does Unprecedented Mean?
The pandemic has doubled if not tripled the workload and the angst for teachers. Some colleagues I know are physically in the classroom, teaching surprisingly-large numbers of pupils while streaming those lessons live to pupils at home. Fran Hill, author of Miss, What Does Incomprehensible Mean? tells us what teaching in a pandemic ...
- Emma Collins
- 24 Mar 2021
We're launching a new imprint!
Launching in July 2021, Form will publish books that help busy readers to cultivate spiritual rhythms and practices in everyday ...
- 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
- 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
- 4 Aug 2021
Just Leadership Book Launch
The Just Leadership book launch is taking place both online and in-person on 16th September 2021. Find out how you can attend in the following blog ...
- 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
- 18 Oct 2021
Celebrating being Publisher of the Year
The Christian Resources Together (CRT) awards are a wonderful opportunity for everyone involved in Christian retail in the UK to reconnect and celebrate the very best in publishing, music, media, gifts and cards.
Meeting in person for the first time since the pandemic struck, retailers and suppliers gathered on Thursday 14th October at the ...
- Laura Barry
- 21 Jan 2022
Through the Year with SPCK Group
Explore our wide selection of inspirational and enlightening daily devotionals and 365 Children's Bibles to connect with God each ...
- 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 ...
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- 1 Jun 2022
The Queen and SPCK
Over the past 70 years of her reign, Queen Elizabeth’s support for SPCK and its mission has remained steadfast, a continuation of the centuries of royal patronage we have enjoyed since our charity was founded by Thomas Bray in ...
- Laura Barry
- 26 Oct 2022
God In Number 10 - Book Launch
Tonight is the book launch of our timely release, God in Number 10 by Mark Vickers, which sheds new light on the relevance of the personal beliefs, approaches and faith - or lack of it - of those leading the country from Number ...
- Laura Barry
- 8 Nov 2022
Remembrance Sunday
To mark Remembrance Day, taking place this Sunday, we've created a free Remembrance Day Service to use at home or at ...
- Emma Collins
- 30 Nov 2022
Our charity has been promoting Christian knowledge for over 300 years – now Christians are in the minority
As a charity who has spent the last 300 years promoting Christianity, we see in the rejection of nominal Christianity (people identifying themselves as Christian out of routine or family tradition, rather than necessarily practicing the faith), an opportunity born out of ...
- 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
- 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
- 23 Mar 2023
SPCK Authors at Spring Harvest 2023
Spring Harvest is back on April 10th to April 14th, and we're thrilled to be publishing Flipped, the official theme book, and The Beatitudes, the official workbook. To celebrate, we're offering 20% OFF books from all attending ...
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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! ...
- 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
- 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
- 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 ...
- Laura Barry
- 22 Aug 2024
Explore Enduring Wisdom: Read Extract
Read an extract from our beautiful new gift book - Enduring Wisdom: Words of Hope By Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ...
- 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
- 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 ...
- Laura Barry
- 22 Jan 2025
Trailblazer Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin Launches Inspiring Autobiography at Waterstones Piccadilly
Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin’s autobiography, The Girl from Montego Bay, was launched at Waterstones Piccadilly, celebrating her inspiring journey as Britain’s first black woman ...
- 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
- 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
- 26 Mar 2025
Stories She’ll Love: Meaningful Books to Gift This Mother’s Day
Celebrate Mother’s Day with meaningful, faith-filled books for every woman who’s shaped your story — from mums and mentors to daughters and ...
- 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
- 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 ...
- 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
- 13 Jan 2026
UK Bible Sales Are Up 134% Since 2019
Discover why more people, especially younger readers, are returning to the Bible and how Scripture continues to speak into everyday ...
- Laura Barry
- 4 Mar 2026
My Creator Calling: A Poem from Hope Rising 365 by Meg Cannon
An encouraging poem from Meg Cannon’s Hope Rising 365 explores how God meets us in our weakness and calls us from darkness into hope and new ...
- 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 ...
- Laura Barry
- 20 Apr 2026
The Story Behind You: A Special Gift
Discover You: A Special Gift, a warm and uplifting picture book by Deborah Lock about identity, faith, and the light each child ...
- Laura Barry
- 29 Apr 2026
Our Royal Patron in Congress
Following King Charles III’s address to Congress, SPCK reflects on faith, friendship and a 300-year story of Christian books carrying hope across the ...
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- 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.
...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
Believe in the power of prayer
Debra Green OBE is the National Director and Founder of Redeeming Our Communities (ROC), founded in 2004; a registered charity and Limited company. She is frequently asked to speak at events and conferences. She also speaks at conferences organised by statutory authorities and public services.
Debra has 25 years of experience in bringing ...
Brave New Year
Andrew Adam, author of Thomas Cochrane and the Dragon Throne, blogs for us about the Chinese New ...
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- 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?
...
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- 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 ...
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- 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 ...
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- 24 Jun 2019
Evangelism across the Cultures
Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy, BAME Mission and Ministry Enabler for the Diocese of Leicester writes about Evangelism across cultures in new book Anglican Evangelists. In this blog post will find an excerpt from this ...
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- 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 ...
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- 30 Jul 2019
What challenges will humanity face? - as explored in The Human Odyssey
Stephen Green's upcoming book The Human Odyssey raises important questions about the future of humanity. Will we all live in cities by the end of the century? Will conflict be unavoidable? Will we be on a journey towards self-centred individualism? In this blog post Stephen gives us an idea of what of to expect in his upcoming ...
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- 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' ...
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- 12 Sept 2019
New for September 2019
6 New books for September 2019. From autobiographies to anthologies there's something for everyone, so grab a hot drink and embrace the benefits of hygge with a new read for Autumn ...
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- 6 Sept 2019
SPCK works to improve adult literacy
Did you know 1 in 6 adults in England have very poor literacy skills? Rebecca Law, Project Manager of SPCK's Diffusion Books tells us about the work that the project does to help prisoners, ex-offenders and homeless people improve their reading skills so they can find work and build a more hopeful future for ...
- 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
- 17 Oct 2019
Why storytelling is a vital skill for everyone in ministry
Paula Gooder and Bob Hartman tell us about their latest book The Tell-It-Together Gospel: Mark, and why storytelling is a vital skill for everyone in ...
- 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
- 6 Nov 2019
New for November 2019
With the clocks going back an hour and the weather getting a lot colder there's no matter time to treat yourself to a new book or two to see you through the Winter months. November sees the publication of a great selection of books. New books include the biography on cricketer and bishop David Sheppard and Rupert Shortt's rebuttal on Richard ...
- Emma Collins
- 20 Nov 2019
Does Richard Dawkins even agree with himself?
In his latest book Outgrowing God, Richard Dawkins tries to show that all religious belief is intellectually nonsensical and thus highly damaging in practice. In this extract from Rupert Shortt's rebuttal, Outgrowing Dawkins, Rupert presents his argument for why he thinks Dawkins's focus has not always been on ...
- 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
- 16 Dec 2019
What can I buy an Ordinand this Christmas?
Whether it's a book that celebrates the tradition of ordained pastoral ministry or a resource to help them communicate church in our ever-changing digital culture, there's sure to be a thoughtful and meaningful gift in our hand-picked selection of Christmas gifts for those training in ministry. Make sure you place your order before 19th December ...
- 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 ...
A Statement Regarding Jean Vanier
Like many around the world, we were deeply shocked and distressed to learn on Saturday 22 February of the results of an inquiry, initiated by L’Arche International, into allegations of abuse perpetrated by its founder, Jean ...
- 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
- 14 Apr 2020
Mindful Walking
With many of you going out for daily exercise, how many times would you say that you were mindful of your surroundings? Graham User writes that he has two approaches to walking, one that focuses on the amount of steps and time it takes him, and the other to pay attention to his surroundings such as patterns in the sky, birdsong or sounds 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 ...
- 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
- 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
- 1 Nov 2020
The Legend of St George, an extract for All Saints' Day
On All Saints' Day we remember all saints and martyrs, known and unknown. Little is known about St George, patron saint of England. With the story of his slaying of a dragon recorded 1,000 years after his death, Catherine Pepinster explains here how he '...grew in popularity as he was invoked by Christians caught up in battles.' This is an ...
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- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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
- 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
- 24 May 2021
Robots, AI and human uniqueness: learning what not to fear
In the run-up to tonight’s Panorama episode on artificial intelligence, we’re sharing an extract from The Robot Will See You ...
- 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
- 12 Jul 2021
Australian Christian Book Of The Year
Jesus Through Muslim Eyes by Richard Shumack has been shortlisted for the 2021 Australian Christian Book of the Year Award! Find out more in this blog ...
- 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 ...
- Laura Barry
- 14 Jul 2025
5 Inspiring Books for Your Faith Journey
Explore 5 inspiring books to help you grow in faith, build spiritual habits, and navigate life’s big questions with ...
- Laura Barry
- 6 Mar 2026
What Is the True Mark of Christian Discipleship?
Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, reflects on the Emmaus story and why sharing the good news of Jesus lies at the heart of authentic Christian ...
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God, AI and the End of History
Understanding the Book of Revelation in an Age of Intelligent Machines
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