September 17th, 2021CommonWord presents Tongue-Tied for Fall 2021 Common Read title
Sara Wenger Shenk’s new book encourages us to talk about our faith
The Common Read title for Fall 2021 is Tongue-Tied: Learning the Lost Art of Talking About Faith by Sara Wenger Shenk.
CommonWord, Mennonite Church USA and Herald Press began partnering in September 2020 to encourage Mennonites to engage in a “common read,” a shared reading experience focused on specific books written to nurture Christian faith in this cultural moment.
Many Christians easily talk about movies, sports, politics, jobs and emotions, but struggle when it comes to talking about faith. In Tongue-Tied, Sara Wenger Shenk investigates the reasons that people who claim the name of Christ are so reluctant to talk about him.
“One of our greatest gifts to the next generations, including our children and grandchildren, will be learning to talk more freely about what we’ve discovered of God’s ways in the world, how we’ve found ways to follow Jesus in daily life, and how we anchor our lives in the love of God amid all manner of disappointments, tragedies, and hard times,” Wenger Shenk says.
The book is structured in two parts: “Losing Fluency: Why Is It So Hard For Many of Us to Talk about Our Christian Faith?” and “Learning Fluency—Step by Step: How Can We Discover freedom, Honesty, and Resolve when Talking about Faith?”
“Tongue-Tied is the urgent nudge we need to communicate how we see, hear and feel God’s love in our lives,” says Doug Klassen, executive minister of Mennonite Church Canada. “Sara brings us back to the basics of faith and reminds us why we truly have something important to share with the world.”
Common Read continues September 2021 through December 2021. Copies of Tongue-Tied can be ordered through CommonWord and a free, downloadable study guide is also available. A bulk discount is available for small groups when purchasing five or more copies.
Participants can also join Sara Wenger Shenk in a live Zoom event on Tuesday, October 19, at 7 p.m. EDT. Registration for the event will be available here.
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Media contacts:
Arlyn Friesen Epp
To schedule an interview with Sara Wenger Shenk, contact LeAnn Hamby at 540‑908‑3941 or LeAnnH@mennomedia.org.