Please note that with effect from 7th September 2008 this website will not be hosted and discontinued on the instructions of Rev Robert Davies
Church in the Market Place Publications was and is the idea of the Rev Robert Davies to give talented but often new writers an opportunity to demonstrate their talents.
The range of books published and available is wide and our catalogue contains both recent publications and books where the number held in stock is small and prices have been reduced accordingly.
The following books are recent publications- Updated June 2008.The list of books where we hold limited stock can be found at the "Reduced Price" link above.
TEARING HEAVEN DOWN (£5.00) DAVID COPLEY
This is David's second collection of meditations and poems. As before in "The Way of the Gift," he finds his inspiration in the world about him. The starting points for his work are newspapers, news bulletins, relationships and the world of nature.
David uses metaphors and stories to explore his uneasy tension between, seeking to discover heaven on earth and feeling that heaven should keep its distance, while he protests loudly to it for being so helpless.
The book is dedicated to Margaret Hassan (1945 - 2004) who was a close friend of David and Margaret Copley and their family. In the autumn of 2004 Margaret Hassan, Director of Care International in Iraq, was kidnapped in Baghdad and her body has never been found.
The Rev David Copley is a Methodist Minister. He is Superintendent Minister of the Manchester Circuit. The proceeds from the sale of this book will go to support the social and community work of the Methodist Church in Greater Manchester.
SONGS IN THE NIGHT (£4.95) Poems of wonder, story and Reflection of the Darkness. GWEN BLANDFORD
Gwen's first book "GLIMPSE THE MYSTERY" was published in 2004 and only a few copies remain unsold. Now we have the eagerly awaited sequel. In the foreword the Rev Donald Eadie writes: - "Gwen reclaims the darkness as a time for potential richness, fertility, growth and transformation. She retells loved stories from the Bible. She reflects on those who keep watch in the dark hours. She writes with life, wisdom, compassion, humour and hope. Gwen draws us to the one who works wonders in the darkness".
After teaching music for many years Gwen Blandford offered for the Methodist Ministry in 1979 and was trained at the Queen's College in Birmingham. She was ordained in 1983 and served two circuits in the Birmingham District. Gwen retired in 1995 and now lives in Stratford-upon-Avon.
LAND OF DREAMS (£9.99) Missionary Adventures in Nigeria in the Late 1950s ENID M JOHNSON NOW INTO A SECOND EDITION
How come that, newly married, aged 29, a lad from Billingham and a lass from Middlesborough were in Nigeria, West Africa? Read "Land of Dreams" and find out. This is the first book about their experiences when they believed that God had called them to His service abroad. In the early 1950s it was to be in Igede, a very remote rural area. The experience was so different from life in England that nothing could prepare them for the joys and disasters of daily living with no electricity or gas and every drop of drinking water had to be boiled and filtered. This tale is told in a simple yet inspiring style that draws us into a whole new world of rural Africa.
The sales of the first edition have helped to pay for a new bore hole to provide the remote village of Igede with clean, fresh water. The bore hole is especially beneficial to a local health clinic which serves around 50,000 people. It is hoped that from sales of the second edition, enough money can be raised to provide this rural clinic with a reliable electricity source.
Enid now lives in Stockton-on-Tees and is currently writing a sequel. This will continue the story of life in West Africa with their family, Peter and Chris, and share experiences of working with Red Cross Teams during the Nigeria/Biafra War.
BORN IN SONG (£.9.95) Methodist Worship in Britain DAVID M CHAPMAN
Methodist worship is rooted historically, theologically and liturgically in the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England. Yet Methodists have also been prodigious borrowers from other traditions, Puritan and Moravian sources being particularly influential in the development of Methodist worship. More recently, the Liturgical movement has inspired wholesale reforms in Methodism with potentially far-reaching implications for ecumenical relations.
This comprehensive and highly readable study of Methodist worship in Britain traces its origins and development from John Wesley's Sunday Service of Methodists to the present day. Besides dealing with the principal forms of Methodist worship, space is also given to occasional festivals (including love-feast, Covenant service and watch-night) as well as sacred space and time in Methodism. In discerning past and present trends, David Chapman sheds fresh light on the most challenging issues facing Methodist worship in the first decade of the 21st century.
David M Chapman is a Methodist minister and author of In search of the catholic spirit: Methodists and Roman Catholics in dialogue (Epworth Press, 2004).
TSEDEQH AND OTHER SERMONS (£5.00) JOHN R FARLEY
TSEDEQH was the last sermon to be constructed and preached by John before he died in the spring of 2006. At two chapels in the Derbyshire Peak circuit he preached the sermon while others led the worship. His frailty was obvious, yet the effect of the sermon was powerful, leading to requests for the manuscript and for copies of other sermons John had preached. Fortunately, he then selected these thirteen sermons himself for publication. They are offered as a tribute to John and his ministry.
In the foreword to the book the Rev Dr Colin Morris writes:- "There are sermons here I would love to have preached, had I been able to. I've written books on preaching and lectured on the subject. I have shelves and shelves groaning with volumes of sermons by all the acknowledged masters. This volume will take its place amongst them, and I tell you, it will not be overshadowed."
John Robert Farley (19120-2006) was a Methodist Minister. After graduating from Cambridge University and training for the ministry at Wesley House, he was appointed Assistant Tutor at Hartley Victoria College in Manchester. Circuit appointments followed in Rochdale, Nigeria, Sheffield, Leicester, Derbyshire (Peak) and Jersey. In 1988 John and his wife Jane retired to Hathersage in the Peak District.
THE HISTORIAN AS PREACHER (£9.95) JOHN MUNSEY TURNER
Here are some sermons from a master in the art of preaching. Faith, reason, wisdom and experience combine to enliven each theme.
The Revd John Munsey Turner was born in Wolverhampton. He read History at St Catharine's College, Cambridge and trained for the Methodist ministry at Didsbury College and Bristol University. Circuit appointments followed in Colchester, Burton-upon-Trent, Sheffield and Leeds, where he was University Chaplain. From 1970-1981 he was a tutor in Church History at Queen's College, Birmingham before becoming Superintendent Minister at Halifax (1981-1989) and Bolton (1989-1994). From 1994-2005 he was a part-time lecturer at Hartley Victoria College, Manchester. He is the author of several books including:
Conflict and Reconciliation, Studies in Methodism and Ecumenism in England 1740-1982John Wesley: the Evangelical Revival and The Rise of Methodism in England.
He now lives in Horwich, near Bolton, and continues to exercise his gifts as a writer and preacher.
GOD'S GREAT MYSTERY TRIP (£9.95) (From Atheist to Chaplain in fourteen days) Scott Fellows
This is the story of fourteen different days in the life of one man over a 50 year period. Each of the days taught him something new and valuable about life, and, although he didn't know it at the time, how God used each event and circumstance to build him up.
Much to his surprise he ended up as a Chaplain in a large FE college in Manchester. His 50 year journey is told through the sometimes hilarious, sometimes heart breaking experience of the fourteen days in his life that he can now identify with the benefit of that marvellous thing … hindsight.
Scott Fellows spent nearly 30 years teaching, both abroad and in the UK. He became a Christian in 1983 and started a music ministry "Freedom" which has performed and led worship all over the north of England. After working for 10 years as an OFSTED Inspector and an LEA Adviser he semi retired in 2004 and took a part time post as Chaplain at Manchester College of Arts and Technology where he now works. Scott has two grown children Carl and Adele and lives with his wife Pam and border terrier Isa in Stockport, Cheshire.
CHRISTIANITY IN THIRTY DAYS (£5.99) ALLAN J BOWERS
Take the plunge and explore some of the ideas set out here in the meaning of Christianity. Do this for real giving just ten minutes or so each day to the subject matter. There is no guarantee that reading this little book will turn you into a committed Christian but it may make you stop and look closely at your own life and in doing so discover a meaning that you had not found before, indeed it could be the means to starting upon a new way of life full of new surprises. Each short chapter looks at an important aspect of Christianity and seeks to show its truth. The suggested list of books will expand your reading on the subject and you will see by further reading that "Christianity in Thirty Days" is only the tip of the iceberg. Give serious thought to this book on Christianity. If it brings you to believe in God, see God in the world, know the transforming friendship of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, then it will not have been written in vain.
Allan Bowers has been a Methodist Minister for over sixty years. He was an army Chaplain in Hong Kong and Korea and has served Methodist circuits in Grantham, Sheffield, Bebington, Wolverhampton and Sidmouth.
TEN BIBLE VERSES (£5.00) (to go through life with) SCOTT FELLOWS
Have you ever wondered what verses you would pick from the Bible if somebody asked you for your "top ten"? We all have our favourite verses, the ones that mean something special to us. In this little book we are presented with a selection that is at once entertaining and inspiring.
Here you will find fresh insight into some of the best known and not so well known verses in the Bible… written in a modern down to earth style which will encourage you to return to it again and again.
Scott Fellows spent nearly 30 years teaching both abroad and in the UK. He became a Christian in 1983 and started a ministry which has formed and led worship all over the country.
His first book "God's Great Mystery Trip… from atheist to Chaplain in fourteen days" was selected by Premier Christian Radio as a favourite read. Scott has most recently been keynote speaker and led workshops for the Association of Christian teachers. He currently works part time as a chaplain at an FE college in Manchester.
OLD TESTAMENT TALES (£6.00) PAUL BEATTY
This new collection of poems covers characters and stories from the early part of the Old Testament including The Creation, Noah's Ark, the Tower of Babel, Joseph, Abraham and Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Samson.
The aim of the collection is to pose questions about how we relate the faith stories of the Bible characters to our own experience. They are intended for personal use and should appeal to a wide range of ages.
They are also appropriate for use in worship and have been used in Paul's own services, providing material for all age worship. Notes are provided on how they can be adapted for dramatic reading.
The collection of all the poems is also provided on CD. More poems by Paul can be found at www.paulbeattypoetry.co.uk
Paul Beatty is a Methodist Local Preacher. His poetry has been published regularly in magazines including The Poetry Church, Areopagus and Quaker Monthly. This is his second collection of poems. His first, The Holy Week Monologues, was published in 2006. He "road tests" his own work in his services and sees his work as being suitable for public worship as well as for personal devotion.
THIRTY CHRISTMAS CAROLS (£5.95) Words and Music JANET I EDWARDS
The carols were written over a number of years, some during a period of teaching in Shetland schools and some during ministry in various circuits. A good number have been well used and appreciated. They are carols for the King and it is hoped that they will be used for His Glory.
"Janet Edwards writes words that trip readily off the tongue to melodies that stick easily in the mind, and the twin qualities of singability and accessibility make this a book well worth exploring." (From the foreword by Rev. Brian Hoare, former President of the Methodist Conference, Hymn Writer and Composer)
Janet was born in South Derbyshire and found her spiritual home in the Methodist village chapel. There she came to personal faith in Jesus Christ and this was to shape the rest of her life. She studied music as her main subject in Derby Teacher Training Collage. After three years' teaching she offered for the Wesley Deaconess Order and was accepted. After training she served on Caravan Missions and in circuit work. Always an evangelist at heart she loved the work and was thrilled to see many respond to the call of Christ. Piano, guitar, trumpet and piano-accordion were all used in her ministry and song writing seemed to be second nature.
TO BE PUBLISHED IN 2008 *
TOUCHED BY GRACE (£5.99) WARREN BARDSLEY SECOND EDITION TO BE PUBLISHED IN APRIL 2008
Following his wife Joan's sudden death early in 2004, Warren kept a diary in which he recorded his feelings day by day. In this book he describes his journey through the dark days of devastation and doubt to a place of hope and new beginnings. It is also a reflection on the realities of death and birth and how both are bound together in the mystery of God's gift of life.
This second edition includes a Foreword by Lady Grace Sheppard in which she writes: - "Warren Bardsley has been generous enough to share his experience of losing his beloved wife with a refreshing openness and courage and a remarkable dignity. To walk with him in this treasure of a book is indeed to be touched by grace. This book is a little book, easy to handle, easy to read and easy to digest. But it is also a great book and one which I found such a help in my own journey of bereavement. An old friend who knew me well gave me a copy. Everyone should have a spare copy in the house to pass to a friend when the time feels right, having read it first."
Warren Bardsley is a Methodist Minister who has served in Sierra Leone and a number of English circuits.
A SINGLE EYE (£9.99) IAN W MUTTON
This is a book that once opened will be very difficult to put down. It obviously held the attention and caught the imagination of the Rev. Dr. Keith Davies who says in the Foreword: - "Ian writes in an engaging manner. His articles are shot through with pastoral sensitivity and spiritual discernment. They are rich and inspiring and this will be a book that readers will find to be inspirational and informative in equal measure."
The Rev. Ian Wesley Mutton was born at Sutton, Surrey and brought up during World War II at Northwood in Middlesex. Educated at the Lower School of John Lyon, Harrow, he worked in Barclays Bank before going to South Africa as a Lay Pastor. He candidated for the Methodist ministry, trained at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, Cape, being ordained by the first black President of the South African Methodist Conference, the Rev. Seth Mokitimi. Following ordination, Ian did a course in journalism. He has written many articles for the secular and religious press. After ministering at several Methodist Churches in South Africa, Ian returned to England serving churches at Priory Place, Doncaster; Frodsham and St Andrews, Doncaster, before retiring to Manchester in 1997. He is married to Gwyneth and has a married daughter.
ISAIAH'S OPEN BOOK: A BOOK FOR THE CHURCH (£9.99) MICHAEL E W THOMPSON
This book is intended to help the general reader to appreciate, understand and find a way through one of the major and most significant parts of the Old Testament, the Book of Isaiah. The author's concern is that for many Christians today in Britain the book of Isaiah, along with much else in the Old Testament remains largely a 'closed book'. Borrowing an expression from Martin Luther the author here 'opens' the book of Isaiah, so that Christians may find meaning and help for their lives.
After the introductory Prelude, in Part One the author works through the Isaiah book helping the reader to see the different parts and sections of the book, and the way in which they join together so that the completed whole we have in our Bibles can be seen to display a real, satisfying and logical structure.
Then after the Intermezzo: The Book Completed and Ready to be Opened, there follows Part Two: The Open Book which has three studies which at various times the author has presented in Church settings - 'The King is Dead, Long Live the Servant', 'Isaiah and the Spiritual Search', and 'The Holy City: Jerusalem in the Book of Isaiah'. The work closes with a Sermon on a text from Isaiah, a Select Bibliography and Indexes.
Michael E W Thompson is a Methodist minister, now retired in Nottinghamshire, where he hopes to write further about the Old Testament and its use in the Church today. He is part-time Tutor in Old Testament with East Midlands Ministry Training Course, and author of I Have Heard Your Prayer: the Old Testament and Prayer, and the Epworth Commentary on Isaiah 40-66, both published by Epworth Press. Now in this book he makes available for individual Christian people and the Church today some of the fruits of his scholarly study of the book of Isaiah.
THE EMPTY CHAIR (£5.00) (Hugh Martyn Mansel Roberts LLB)
Martyn Roberts was an extraordinary man who lived an ordinary life. Aged fourteen months he became one of the last children in Britain to contract Polio, with penicillin almost certainly saving his life. According to doctors he was one of the more severe cases of Polio to survive - they said he wouldn't live to be ten years old, and yet he died aged 56 having achieved a successful career in local government law. He was also happily married and father to three boys. Though famed for his sharp wit and powers of organisation, Martyn was a humble man who may well have recoiled in horror at the thought of a book being written about him. However, the story of such an inspirational life must be worth sharing and may encourage others to respond to God's call and to discover a purpose in life whatever their circumstances may be.
The story of Martyn's life is told through memories shared by his wife, Rosalind, family and friends.
FAIR CITY (£9.99) WARREN BARDSLEY
Fairtrade Towns is one of the fastest growing movements in the United Kingdom today. Since Garstang became the first Fairtrade Town in 2000, three hundred communities of varying sizes have already been awarded this status by the Fairtrade Foundation and there are over two hundred applications in the pipeline. This book tells the story of one community's campaign to become a Fairtrade city. But every text has (at least one!) context; the background to the Fairtrade Town movement is the pioneering work of Traidcraft beginning in the late 1970s and involving hundreds of churches across the country. There are striking comparisons with the campaign to abolish slavery in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, which alongside the inspired and persistent leadership of men like Wilberforce and Clarkson, engaged thousands of ordinary people in mass petitions and trade boycotts. The book argues that those involved in the campaign for trade justice are in effect, the new abolitionists and that in a world where 2 billion people live on less than two dollars a day, we all have a responsibility - and the power - to make a difference.
Warren Bardsley served as a Methodist minister in the West African State of Sierra Leone between 1964 and 1973. He has been involved in justice and world development issues in Britain for over thirty years. A member of the Fairtrade City Campaign Group, he is retired and lives in Lichfield.
* Forthcoming Publications
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If you have comments or questions or would like to order, please contact Rev Robert Davies, 93 Lockerbie Close,Cinnamon Brow,Warrington, Cheshire, WA2.0LT TEL: 01925 825948
