“Church libraries are needed now more than ever.”
Bev League, church library ministry coordinator for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, is ready to explain:
“They supply Christian value-based materials for children and adults, along with uplifting encouragement and resources for parents and grandparents as an incentive to read to their children.
“As it is often said, ‘The lap is better than any app!’”
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League convened a daylong “Books: Inspiring Ideas” gathering of more than 50 church librarians to dig into the question: “Are you ‘due’ for a boost and some encouragement in your library?”
Librarians from Baptist churches in more than a dozen Tennessee cities attended — Nashville, Murfreesboro, Clarksville, Cleveland, Fayetteville, Elizabethton, Seymour, Savannah, Goodlettsville, Maryville, Trenton, Old Hickory and Summertown. One attendee, a Presbyterian, came from Crossville, and another, from an interdenominational church, came from Smyrna.
Several church librarians came from out of state: Decatur and Hamilton, Alabama, and Petal, Mississippi.
More than a dozen workshops were offered Sept. 13 at First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, including:
- “Small Library, Small Budget, Big Results.”
- “Starting or Revitalizing a Library.”
- “Discipling the Next Generation.”
- “Ministering through the Library.”
- “Preserving Your Church History.”
Workshop leaders included Steve Gateley, librarian at the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, and Morlee Maynard, a longtime church library ministry specialist who now leads quarterly librarians’ gatherings for the Nashville Baptist Association and coordinates the Church Librarians Network website.
Two authors also addressed the librarians:
- Carol Ghattas of Murfreesboro, who served 20 years with her late husband Raouf under the International Mission Board in the Middle East and North Africa. Among her 11 books: “A Life Surrendered: Raouf W. Ghattas,” a biography of her husband.
- Robert J. Morgan, associate pastor of World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro and author of more than 35 books.
‘All that and more’
Amy Leimer attended the training while working to revitalize the library at First Baptist Church in Fayetteville with “new life that will hopefully be used for many years to come.”
“Reading opens the door to so many adventures,” Leimer said. “I want a place where parents don’t have to worry about what their children are reading. I am a huge believer in missions and want to be able to pass our mission heritage on to future generations through reading about our past. I want a place where you can have trusted reference books if there is something you read in the Bible that you need more clarification on. I also want a place where if you enjoy getting lost in a novel, you know there won’t be any objectionable subject matter. It can be a trusted place in the church where all generations can come and receive answers, advice, historical information, fun and even check out Veggie Tales videos.
“A church library can be all that and more,” she said.
Kelly Knowles, who attended the training sessions with Janet Walter from Smyrna’s Christ Life Community Church, said they started “brainstorming” about a library after moving to a building shared with another congregation. They had met for many years at the local Boys & Girls Club.
Her husband built two bookcases, mostly from scrap materials, that were initially placed in an open area. The library has since moved to a separate room, painted by a volunteer, with the collection having grown to nearly 300 donated books.
Knowles envisions the church library as “an avenue for members to deepen their walk with Jesus and also be a resource for ministering to others who are looking at their faith, considering faith or working to help their children in their faith journey.”
League thanked the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board for providing publicity and registration support for the training.
‘Bonding experience’
A church library, League noted, “ministers to every other ministry of the church.”
It “pays rich dividends” for teachers, parents and grandparents, she said, as it “provides biblical values … without cost to users both in the church and in the community.”
Particularly for parents who read to their children, “it’s a bonding experience,” League said. “They experience stories together, learn together and grow together.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was originally published by the Baptist and Reflector.
