Let Us Keep the Feast
Jessica Snell, editor
Doulos Resources, 2014
Our favorite topic to write about here at Aslan’s Library, right after theological kidlit and reading with children, is celebrating the church year. So I’m incredibly excited to share a new resource for you: Let Us Keep the Feast: Living the Church Year at Home. If you have any interest at all in learning about the celebrations of the church calendar and if you want to create a deeper sense of seasonal liturgy in your home, this is the book for you!
Let Us Keep the Feast, published by Doulos Resources, was actually written in four installments that were made available last year. This newest edition contains each of those shorter books and has information about each season of the year from Advent (the first season of the Christian calendar) to Christ the King (the last Sunday in the Christian year). The sections are well researched and written by a variety of people, but each contains similar components. An introduction gives background about the season, both historic and theological. Old, new, and global traditions for the season and any special days within the season are discussed. Traditions involving food, children, crafting, and community engagement are all shared – and thankfully, the suggestions manage to be thorough without feeling burdensome. Lastly, the resources section lists ideas for Scripture readings, songs, prayers, and other readings that correlate with the season.
I own the kindle versions of a couple of the season-specific Let Us Keep the Feast editions and if you’re short on cash or just not sure if this book is up your alley that format is a good option. However, I think this book is one that probably presents itself better in print, so if you’re not a die hard kindle user then I’d encourage purchasing the paper copy. Best of all, if you do buy the print copy you can actually get the kindle version for free – a nice win-win solution to my own ongoing debate about ebook vs old fashioned paper.
Advent is a time when, after a long season of Ordinary Time, many of us gear up for a long stretch of intentionally incorporating the church year into our family life. I have a number of books that I reference in my quest to bring the Christian seasons to life in my home, but this is my new favorite. Run out to get your own copy today and you’ll be ready for an end-of-year Christ the King celebration in a few weeks just before launching into Advent!
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