Sundays in America: A Yearlong Road Trip in Search of Christian Faith

I received a hardcover copy of this book as a gift from a minister friend who lives not far from the author in Massachusetts. When I finally got around to reading it, I was sorry I waited so long! I enjoyed it so much, I shared my copy with my Sunday School teacher,Tom. He liked it so much he suggested that we use it as a textbook in our adult Sunday School class. The class bought ten copies of the trade paper and began to use it as our textbook about three weeks ago. We've Class comments are "I like the way she writes" and "I never thought about that". The author brings each church to life in a nonjudgmental way. She uses the same criteria for each visit which enables us to use the same type of information each week. She discusses the setting, the sermon, the music, her reception, the bulletin, and gives a short synopsis of the history and theology of the church. The only downside? It looks like we won't get finished this summer - or maybe even this fall! But that's okay because everyone seems to be getting something out of the study. While it may take us 52 Sundays to finish the book, it's an educational and uplifting spiritual journey. I highly recommend Sundays in America.

Suzanne Strempek Shea is a master storyteller whose non-fiction is as creative and imaginative as her novels. I was eagerly looking forward to reading this book and it lived up to my expectations. The idea of visiting one church a week for a year is daunting, considering the preparation and travel involved. However, the author walked into every one with an open mind and a photographer's eye, gifting us with minute descriptions of everything from the church's building and decor, demographic profile and attire of the congregation, scripture readings, liturgy, music, sermons, bulletins, the weather, and the intangible --- without wasting a word. Each chapter is prefaced with a brief history of the particular denomination, in itself very educational. There is humor and introspection throughout. Politicization of religion, both on the right AND the left, has probably alienated enough Americans to explain why church attendance is down. Even so, several of Suzanne's spotlighted houses of worship were inviting. SUNDAYS IN AMERICA is both thought-provoking and entertaining. Amen.

Mormons and mennonites; Quakers and Shakers; Baptists and Spiritualists. A Fifty-two week journey featuring a different religion every Sunday. This was quite a task to undertake, but Suzanne Strempek Shea stays right on course and takes the reader on a yearlong journey across the country as she seeks to understand both the similarities and differences between the ways Christians worship. Attending both megachurches and places of worship where most of the congregation consists of ghostly presences, lapsed-Catholic Strempek Shea also rediscovers what is important to her in a spiritual sense. The book is witty and passionate, and Strempek Shea doesn't shy away from what turns her off and why, and what fills her with the spirit. It took me a bit of time to read this book, as too many religions in one sitting is a bit overwhelming, but each chapter contains both personal and public observations that clue the reader in to what the author was feeling on the day she walked into each church. I like this writer's energy and commitment to her task. I've never read anything quite like it, and I enjoyed it very much.

This was a book I had to keep reminding myself to slow down and savor - it's so engaging and so delicious - yet I kept wanting to read on and discover more. After all, this could not be a more timely topic. At a point in history when we are surrounded by spiritual starvation - people leaving churches in droves - and faced again and again with religious fundamentalism at home and abroad, Suzanne Strempek Shea's response is a personal one - she goes out and actively samples church services around the country, experiencing what they have to offer and asking herself if this is what it is all about, truly. By the end of this book I felt I had not only traveled roads to outlandish and inspiring places, but I also felt I had reached a personal revelation of what spirituality could be, whether or not it was tied to a religion, a creed, or a parcel of dogma. As I read I was amused, astonished, and sometimes shocked by the types of worship she observed, and ultimately I had to admit I was profoundly moved by what she showed me about faith and belief. For when we witness others' faith, we allow our own to grow. I cannot think of a book that is more relevant to spirituality today in the USA. I shall be giving copies to those friends I know who are sampling churches and chapels, looking for something that feels genuine. We should be profoundly thankful for this book. Allan Hunter Author of "Stories We Need To Know: Reading Your Life Path in Literature' www.allanhunter.net

"Sundays in America" is not only a wonderful book, it is a soulful pilgrimage that lifts you up, causes you reflect, makes you laugh, moves you to tears, even leads you to pray. In the end, I felt as though my life was transformed in the same way Suzanne Shea's was as she traveled the country in search of heartfelt faith. Treat yourself and those you love to a heartwarming journey that will change your life and bring joy to your world. Buy this book.