February 18, 2019
I have an exciting announcement below. But first, this:
Just over a year ago, I used this space to announce the pending re-release of a pamphlet, The Shalom of God, by Howard Macy. There was a challenge in that pamphlet that still rings true today: “Many of us understand peace too narrowly and as having too small a realm.... Second, we may imagine peace on too large a scale, telling ourselves that the challenge is too large or imposing for us to make any difference.”
In spite of this sense, “We are called to be makers of shalom, to be agents of God’s reconciliation.” Howard continues, “Our efforts at making peace often seem futile.... [But] our small efforts may be more powerful than they seem.”
Howard's study, which is available in our bookstore, centers on the Hebrew word and concept of shalom. “That vision of shalom can deepen our thinking and shape our living for peace because the Bible speaks to our despair. It gives us some goals for peace and a basis to hope that peace will be achieved. The hope we see in the Bible does not come from the idea that humans are terrific. Instead, peace will come because God is good, trustworthy, and free and faithful to act.”
Some of you may also remember that at this time last year, I had been tasked with raising $25,000 in order to keep Barclay Press from having to close its doors. You helped us raise that money, and as a result, we were able to keep both Fruit of the Vine quarterly reader and Illuminate Bible study curriculum in print while also chipping away at our debt, and releasing more new books than at any other time in our history.
What Howard writes about our efforts at peace is true for all of our work. Our efforts often seem futile, but together, they may be more powerful than they seem.
This is where I make the announcement I promised at the start of this letter: Over this next year, I’m tasked with raising $56,000 to sustain the work of Barclay Press. That’s about $4,600 each month. To help build momentum, four private donors have joined together in order to match every donation that comes in over the next four weeks, up to $3,000.
If you can join in supporting the continuing work of Barclay Press as a publisher of truth for many years to come and would like to see your donated dollars doubled, now is the time to make a one-time or monthly donation. Just click on DONATE at barclaypress.com, or mail a check to Barclay Press, 211 N Meridian St #101, Newberg OR 97132.
Thank you,
Eric Muhr
|
