Synopsis: They started out seeking a pastor. But what they found was each other.
When a small-town southern church throws a hodgepodge of wildly different personalities together in a van and sends them out to look for a new pastor, the dust gets kicked up in more ways than one. There’s Travis, a young husband whose ambiguity about becoming a father is threatening his marriage. Dot, a middle-aged busybody whose strong opinions set everyone’s teeth on edge. Susie, an attractive single mom coping with a troubled teenage son. Bill, an older man who centers his entire life on caring for his fragile wife. Joyce, a transplanted Yankee who feels like an outsider. Matt, highly educated but socially awkward. And Frankie, who just tries to keep the peace. Jostling along bumpy back roads, they squabble about practically everything, from which pastoral candidates show promise to where to stop for lunch. They don't agree on much other than the stops at Hardee's for coffee and a biscuit. But they stick to the call, trying to slip undetected into worship services across the Southeast—all in hopes of stealing a preacher for their congregation. But gradually the facades fall away, revealing seven lonely souls drawn together in a search for healing and grace.
Each member is wrestling to balance their own busy life and personal struggles. And they're trying to keep their issues to themselves. Forced to spend countless hours together, these very different personalities from different generations begin to bond. And their lives are profoundly changed as they love and support each other through the difficulties in each of their lives
Review: Anyone who has been in a small Southern church, no matter the denomination, will recognize the characters in this book, and the search for a new pastor! The inside jokes about different faiths were funny and appropriate for the book. Each chapter starts with a section from the Presbyterian prayer book, and it is appropriate to the chapter at hand.
i found myself racing ahead to when the committee would be visiting at different churches, to read the different sermons. It was interesting to see how Owens handled different preaching styles. the background on the committee members was helpful in learning how they reacted to one another. The intertwining stories all were based on faith, and ow the characters approached and handled theirs. In the end, the committee find their pastor where they didn't look, like a lot of us do when we have problems!
This was an enjoyable read, and perfect for a lazy day of reading and theological musing!
i found myself racing ahead to when the committee would be visiting at different churches, to read the different sermons. It was interesting to see how Owens handled different preaching styles. the background on the committee members was helpful in learning how they reacted to one another. The intertwining stories all were based on faith, and ow the characters approached and handled theirs. In the end, the committee find their pastor where they didn't look, like a lot of us do when we have problems!
This was an enjoyable read, and perfect for a lazy day of reading and theological musing!
About the Author: Tim Owens grew up in eastern North Carolina and now lives in Summerville, South Carolina with his wife, Ruth, and four children. He is an environmental engineer, and, in addition to writing, enjoys working on his old Ford tractor at his farm near Ehrhardt, South Carolina. Once the backsliding son of a Southern Baptist preacher, his wife led him gently into the Presbyterian Church (where he is now an elder). This is his first novel.
Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook free of charge, from Tyndale press, as a blogger program bonus, for review purposes. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it.
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