52 Original Wisdom Stories: Ideal for churches and groups

By Penelope Wilcock

Fifty-two stories about the large themes of life, nature and faith. Positive and life-affirming, 52 Original Wisdom Stories follows the liturgical year and is an ideal resource for public worship. Sid and Rosie are an older married couple, with several children and grandchildren. Through a series of short, engaging narratives, we learn about their faith, their feelings for one another, their hopes and dreams, and their perception of how God speaks to them through the events of their lives. Each story stands on its own; their sequence follows the rhythm of the church's year from Advent through Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, and Harvest Thanksgiving. With an open tone of wonder and reflection, author Penelope Wilcock explores the ordinary and extraordinary topics of daily life: falling in love, marriage, birth, education, illness, woodlands, farming, meeting adversity, hospitality, home-making, work. This beautiful hardback is ideal for personal reflection and growth and as a refreshing resource for church and small group discussions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Monarch Books
• Release date: Aug 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9780857216038

Penelope Wilcock

Pen Wilcock is the author of The Hawk and the Dove series and many other books such as In Celebration of Simplicity and 100 Stand-Alone Bible Studies. She has many years of experience as a Methodist minister and has worked as a hospice and school chaplain. She has five adult daughters and lives in Hastings, East Sussex. She writes a successful blog: Kindred of the Quiet Way.

Reviews for 52 Original Wisdom Stories

[mizroady · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I love devotional books so I was looking forward to reading this one. I am always interested in anything on the book of Proverbs which is what I connect the word “wisdom” with. I therefore assumed this was also a Christian book. This paperback was none of these things.The stories had practically no biblical foundation but instead were a very large mix of Eastern religion, New Age, and many others that are not a part of the Christian faith. There are a few paragraphs where scriptural truth is shared, but that is it. I found it difficult to read as it was extremely confusing. The book is about a couple of senior citizens that have been married before. One is Quaker and one, Catholic. They both have pretty much abandoned attending church. This I found odd as I presumed the basis of the book was applying the Bible to one’s life.I hate to give a bad review on a book, but I promised an honest one. I was very disappointed in this book.I received a copy of this book free from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[tea58 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sid and Rosie, a married couple, share their beliefs in 52 Original Wisdom Stories by Penelope Wilcock shares these religious discussions between each other. These questions awakened within me excitement. I wanted to know the answers given to simple religious questions of mine. For example, I've seen people walk about with ashes on their foreheads and had no idea what those ashes meant. I only knew the name of the Holy time, Ash Wednesday. I discovered so much information in this nonfiction book.Also, there are far more important questions addressed. Sid and Rosie discuss euthanasia and suicide. It is interesting to learn Sid's views because he is a Quaker. Rosie seems to have more of a questioning spirit. She is open to new and different viewpoints about their religion. Sid says, Rosie is definitely not "shallow." I suppose this means her questions make him think. Penelope Wilcock does not steer us into shallow waters. There are prayers at the end of the chapters. These prayers are listed under the topic "Into the Mystery." While reading these prayers, I had the chance to feel closer to God. Some prayers are very poetic. "Our small ship sails with such fragility on this huge and fathomless sea. Be our guiding star, be the wind in our sails."Throughout 52 Original Wisdom Stories, Sid and Rosie cook and taste different foods. There are definitely not too many chefs in their kitchen. Here is a culinary quote. "The spices mustn't fry too long or they burn. Sid turns down the heat and adds the onions and garlic, moving them around, watching over them". At the end of the chapters are questions and comments. These topics are titled For sharing and wondering. To show the importance of the everyday ritual of meals, the reader is asked to "describe one of your favourite meals." At the end of the book, Penelope Wilcock adds Sid's recipe for lemon cheesecake. One day I hope to give this recipe a try. When experiencing a good meal, the art of conversation is priceless. kregel.com/ministry/52-original-wisdom-stories/