Messiah Book Club

July 10, 2023 – led by Beth Ford On Juneteenth (Annette Gordon-Reed). The history of the Juneteenth holiday, and its true importance to American history.  The Messiah Lutheran Church book group, Diversity and Justice task force, and the community will discuss On Juneteenth by Harvard professor Annette Gordon-Reed who writes from both the points of view as a historian and as a native Texan. The book’s essays explore numerous situations that have informed the reality of Black Texans in the 156 years since the June 19, 1865, announcement of the end of slavery.  The panel includes the Honorable Robin Gunn, a juvenile court magistrate, and Devin DeVore, an attorney in private practice.  (Copies of the book are available at Knox County's Public Library, and it is a very quick read.)

September 18, 2023 – led by Valerie Biberdorf The Last Green Valley (Mark Sullivan). A novel of a Ukrainian family’s courage in facing difficult choices at the end of WW2.

November 13, 2023 – led by Connie Cole The Universal Christ (Richard Rohr). Re-discovering the story of how Jesus came to be called “Christ,” and what it means for us today.

January 15, 2024 – led by Roy Biberdorf Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy (Jamie Raskin). Congressman Raskin’s story of leading the investigation of the January 6 insurrection, while simultaneously navigating a devastating family tragedy.

March 18, 2024 – led by Mike Driskill No Name in the Street (James Baldwin). The landmark civil rights writer’s classic take on several historical figures and the tumultuous political events of the early 1960’s.

May 20, 2024 – led by Illy Wood Traces (Patricia L Hudson). A novel recounting Daniel Boone’s life as seen through his wife Rebecca’s eyes, based on detailed historical research.

July 15, 2024 – a poetry reading led by all! Call Us What We Carry (Amanda Gorman). Exploring history, language, identity, and erasure through an imaginative collage of poetry.