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Anthems of Zion #3
The Harvest Raise
The third and final book in the Anthems of Zion series!
It's summer break in Bradbury - and that means cookouts, cornfields, and county fairs! But at Zion Lutheran Church, the changes and chances of life don't take a vacation. Pastor Fletcher must learn to share the parsonage bathroom. Mrs. Scheinberg must face the fact that not every problem can be solved by pie. And when a beloved member makes a life-altering announcement, the entire congregation must trust more than their crops to the Lord of the harvest.
It's summer break in Bradbury - and that means cookouts, cornfields, and county fairs! But at Zion Lutheran Church, the changes and chances of life don't take a vacation. Pastor Fletcher must learn to share the parsonage bathroom. Mrs. Scheinberg must face the fact that not every problem can be solved by pie. And when a beloved member makes a life-altering announcement, the entire congregation must trust more than their crops to the Lord of the harvest.
352 pages, Paperback
Published June 13, 2017
About the author
Katie Schuermann
10 books203 followersKatie Schuermann is "a first-class storyteller” (Cameron MacKenzie, 2023) whose “earthy and joyful” (Mark A. Miller, 2014) voice is as refreshing and invigorating as the Midwestern sunshine in which she was raised. Writing in vignettes which so perfectly suit the charm of small-town life, Schuermann's stories call to mind the warmth and realism of Montgomery's Avonlea as well as the grounded sense of place and community of Berry’s Port William.
When not writing, Schuermann can be found singing, gardening, cooking, holding babies, or trying to climb the nearest tree.
When not writing, Schuermann can be found singing, gardening, cooking, holding babies, or trying to climb the nearest tree.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
May 13, 2017
HEART OVERFLOWING. The Harvest Raise is the perfect bittersweet ending to a series that brought laughter, heartache, and joy into my life. This book explores what it means to live out our vocations faithfully, in the forthright yet gentle way we've come to expect from Katie's masterful prose. What I love most about this final book in the series is the way it touches on so many timely subjects that everyone in the Church deals with at some point. Our favorite Bradburians encourage us to live faithfully through their own examples, to serve our neighbor especially when it makes us uncomfortable, and that there's nothing wrong with eating some humble pie- accompanied by a side of real pie, of course.
And although this book is certainly relatable and proper for all members of the congregation, The Harvest Raise, to me, is really encouraging for pastors' wives. So many times, Katie was able to convey what I wish I could about my challenging vocation as pastor's wife. This peek into the parsonage is both cathartic and encouraging, and I pray that others will consider how they build up their pastor and his wife.
Thank you, Katie, for the Anthems of Zion series. Thank you for taking us to Bradbury, for allowing us to sit at the kitchen tables of those who have become friends and family. This series is such a gift to the Church-- and to me.
And although this book is certainly relatable and proper for all members of the congregation, The Harvest Raise, to me, is really encouraging for pastors' wives. So many times, Katie was able to convey what I wish I could about my challenging vocation as pastor's wife. This peek into the parsonage is both cathartic and encouraging, and I pray that others will consider how they build up their pastor and his wife.
Thank you, Katie, for the Anthems of Zion series. Thank you for taking us to Bradbury, for allowing us to sit at the kitchen tables of those who have become friends and family. This series is such a gift to the Church-- and to me.
June 23, 2024
Another fantastic book from the amazing story teller Katie Shuermann!
This book was a rollercoaster, always going up and down.
There were many trials in this book and it focused on various heavy topics, such as abortion. But throughout all the trials the people of Bradbury found comfort in Christ. During all the topics Mrs. Shuermann kept a positive attitude and pointed the readers to Christ.
What a wonderful way to confess her faith! God help us to look towards Christ and remain faithful throughout the trials Mrs. Shuermann addressed in this book.
Thank you for another wonderful read!
This book was a rollercoaster, always going up and down.
There were many trials in this book and it focused on various heavy topics, such as abortion. But throughout all the trials the people of Bradbury found comfort in Christ. During all the topics Mrs. Shuermann kept a positive attitude and pointed the readers to Christ.
What a wonderful way to confess her faith! God help us to look towards Christ and remain faithful throughout the trials Mrs. Shuermann addressed in this book.
Thank you for another wonderful read!
April 12, 2017
It's always bittersweet to end a good series, but The Harvest Raise is the certainly the icing on a very delicious cake. Bringing the reader back to rural Bradbury, with all of its small town charms, Katie Scheurmann gracefully takes us through the ups and downs of small town life. With lessons on forgiveness, serving, and loving our neighbors, The Harvest Raise sets a great example for readers of all vocations, while keeping us thoroughly entertained and laughing out loud!
January 20, 2024
Katie Schuermann has done it again! In the final book of the Anthems of Zion, we meet up again with our beloved friends in Bradbury. The book sheds light on both the pleasant and difficult aspects of life in a church. You will see the characters learn to love and forgive their neighbors. It's a bittersweet finish to a cherished series. You won't want to put it down!
August 2, 2018
I've liked this trilogy more and more with each book! All the characters I got to know during the first book, I love by now. Be they irascible, sweet, scatter-brained, quirky, solemn, or conflicted, they're my fictional friends now. I love the resolution so many characters get in this book, Arlene Scheinberg in particular. I actually disliked her back in "House of Living Stones," became grudgingly fond of her in "The Choir Immortal," and now admire and cherish her. That's a good character arc, folks.
This book takes place several years after the previous two. Pastor and Emily Duke have children now, and Emily is learning that being a pastor's wife is not easy. My own dad just retired from the ministry this summer, and a lot of the things Emily Duke encounters during this story reminded me of my mom's life. Many members of the congregation love and support her, but there are some who think they're entitled to know everything about the pastor's private life, to tell them how many kids they should have, and to try to tell them how to manage their household. Some mean well, some don't, and... that's exactly what a pastor's family deals with. All the time.
From the first book, I've loved Blaine, the punk-looking pianist and college student who struggled with anger and self-worth because his dad divorced his mom and entered a homosexual relationship. I love the direction Blaine's life is taking by this book, though I won't spoil what that is, just in case someone here hasn't read this series yet, or at least this book. But I do want to talk about how interesting I found it that he's asexual. Although asexual characters have been cropping up in fiction lately, I've never encountered one in Christian fiction before. I really liked how Schuermann tied Blaine's non-interest in romantic or sexual relationships to the Biblical teachings that encourage and applaud celibate lifestyles for those who are not inclined to marry. Schuermann handled it beautifully, showing it to be a blessing just as valid and God-pleasing as marriage. In our sex-obsessed society, we need more books with characters who reflect the men and women throughout history who have not felt led to marry because they do not burn with physical passion.
Overall, I'm sad that this series has ended because I would like more adventures with the people of Bradbury, but I also love the way that it ended, so I'm content. After all, I can reread these three books whenever I want to hang out with all of my fictional friends there again :-)
This book takes place several years after the previous two. Pastor and Emily Duke have children now, and Emily is learning that being a pastor's wife is not easy. My own dad just retired from the ministry this summer, and a lot of the things Emily Duke encounters during this story reminded me of my mom's life. Many members of the congregation love and support her, but there are some who think they're entitled to know everything about the pastor's private life, to tell them how many kids they should have, and to try to tell them how to manage their household. Some mean well, some don't, and... that's exactly what a pastor's family deals with. All the time.
From the first book, I've loved Blaine, the punk-looking pianist and college student who struggled with anger and self-worth because his dad divorced his mom and entered a homosexual relationship. I love the direction Blaine's life is taking by this book, though I won't spoil what that is, just in case someone here hasn't read this series yet, or at least this book. But I do want to talk about how interesting I found it that he's asexual. Although asexual characters have been cropping up in fiction lately, I've never encountered one in Christian fiction before. I really liked how Schuermann tied Blaine's non-interest in romantic or sexual relationships to the Biblical teachings that encourage and applaud celibate lifestyles for those who are not inclined to marry. Schuermann handled it beautifully, showing it to be a blessing just as valid and God-pleasing as marriage. In our sex-obsessed society, we need more books with characters who reflect the men and women throughout history who have not felt led to marry because they do not burn with physical passion.
Overall, I'm sad that this series has ended because I would like more adventures with the people of Bradbury, but I also love the way that it ended, so I'm content. After all, I can reread these three books whenever I want to hang out with all of my fictional friends there again :-)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2017
Novels of small town life are patchwork quilts, piecing together the lives of the many colorful, disparate characters. And like patchwork quilts, such books range from the haphazardly pieced together to the carefully designed. Each book in the Anthems of Zion trilogy has shown the increased skill and maturity of Katie Shuermann. In comparison to the crazy-quilt antics of the first volume, this conclusion to the series bears a more intricate, tasteful design. It's still a quilt--not a refined brocade--but grandeur is not what this series aims for, and this is a book for those who are longing for salt-of-the-earth hominess.
The Harvest Raise may not at first fulfill readers' expectations. We've skipped over the Double Wedding Ring period and see our hero and heroine four years into married life. Yet, despite the initial disappointment of those wanting all the wedding details, the story can delve much deeper because it avoids the honeymoon period of our characters' lives. It is deeper in characterization but also deeper in theological questions. Although The Choir Immortal addressed many hard crosses of Christian life, The Harvest Raise addresses the even harder crosses of Christian life together. This book shows in all its terrible truth that the Church is a place for sinners, but it also shows how Christians repent and forgive, even while plainly admitting that some will still harbor their grudges and refuse to be reconciled, even to the bitter end.
This is a fitting conclusion to the trilogy, and yet it is not a neat one. There are more loose ends than not as we close the final pages, but that is because Mrs. Shuermann has so dedicated herself to showing us life in the Church on earth, where nothing is finally complete until Christ comes again. Zion Lutheran in Bradbury is every congregation with its joys and sorrows and losses and pains and the everlasting promises of a good and gracious God to keep it until He does come again. How delightful it is to see in the pages of a book ourselves, with all our quirks and sins, learning to live together as the body of Christ.
The Harvest Raise may not at first fulfill readers' expectations. We've skipped over the Double Wedding Ring period and see our hero and heroine four years into married life. Yet, despite the initial disappointment of those wanting all the wedding details, the story can delve much deeper because it avoids the honeymoon period of our characters' lives. It is deeper in characterization but also deeper in theological questions. Although The Choir Immortal addressed many hard crosses of Christian life, The Harvest Raise addresses the even harder crosses of Christian life together. This book shows in all its terrible truth that the Church is a place for sinners, but it also shows how Christians repent and forgive, even while plainly admitting that some will still harbor their grudges and refuse to be reconciled, even to the bitter end.
This is a fitting conclusion to the trilogy, and yet it is not a neat one. There are more loose ends than not as we close the final pages, but that is because Mrs. Shuermann has so dedicated herself to showing us life in the Church on earth, where nothing is finally complete until Christ comes again. Zion Lutheran in Bradbury is every congregation with its joys and sorrows and losses and pains and the everlasting promises of a good and gracious God to keep it until He does come again. How delightful it is to see in the pages of a book ourselves, with all our quirks and sins, learning to live together as the body of Christ.
December 29, 2021
What does it mean to love your neighbour as yourself? In this volume of Schuermann's Anthems of Zion series, various characters in the book learn this lesson through the various ups and downs of everyday life. I found this book very moving, personally. I enjoyed it even more than I expected to!
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Re-read this just now (April-May 2020) and it is still a wonderful read. I don't suppose there is any way to convince Katie S to go back to Bradbury one more time...?
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Re-read this just now (April-May 2020) and it is still a wonderful read. I don't suppose there is any way to convince Katie S to go back to Bradbury one more time...?
December 21, 2019
This review may prove impossible for me to compose since I am in complete denial that my time in Bradbury has reached its conclusion. Katie tackles the hard subjects, the delicate ones, the emotionally charged ones, the ones we don't really know how to approach, head on but with grace, humor, compassion, and honesty. This book -- the entire trilogy, really -- is like a conversation with a trusted friend, exploring, questioning, seeking truth and guidance for the navigation of the blessings and challenges of everyday life in this broken world.
What I liked about The Harvest Raise:
The depiction of marriage - The ups and downs, the sweet moments and those we'd rather forget, the encouragement and the failures.
How the passage of time was handled - I was initially sad to have lost years and events with these precious residents of Bradbury. However, well-placed flashbacks eased any disappointment at the years missed.
The insights provided into the parsonage - Somehow, we seem to think that pastors and their families could not possibly be the same as us. We elevate them as "better" or somehow immune to being human, as if they don't carry the same burden of sin as every other human who has walked this earth. It felt like an important reminder that pastors and their families require our prayers and compassion, not any sort of "church celebrity status." This goes to the other end of the spectrum as well as they get blamed or criticized for things that are not in their control or even their responsibility. There was a lot to chew on and I have been grateful to do so.
The lack of resolution - Wait...what? This from the girl who deplores not knowing how it all turns out? Yes, I know. But in this case, it felt real. We don't know what will become of these characters as the days play out. Babies will be born. Saints will be laid to rest. Couples will fall in love. Kids will grow up and move away. New friendships will be formed. Lutherans will host potluck dinners (hopefully without tofu frosting!). And despite those who fall away, the Lord will continue to grow His church as He wills. I take comfort in knowing that "life goes on" for Bradbury, because Lord knows I already miss them.
What I didn't care for:
Just one thing - It's over. I wasn't ever going to be ready for it to be over.
This series has changed me. It convicted me. It comforted me. It made me think and consider and grow. It provided an opportunity to deepen a friendship as we read the books together, questioning and discussing. This series has been a blessing to me beyond anything I could have anticipated. Thank you, Katie, for sharing your gift with us and for bringing Arlene, Emily, Pastor, Alice, and all the rest to life for us. Bradbury now lives in my very soul and I will carry it with me always.
What I liked about The Harvest Raise:
The depiction of marriage - The ups and downs, the sweet moments and those we'd rather forget, the encouragement and the failures.
How the passage of time was handled - I was initially sad to have lost years and events with these precious residents of Bradbury. However, well-placed flashbacks eased any disappointment at the years missed.
The insights provided into the parsonage - Somehow, we seem to think that pastors and their families could not possibly be the same as us. We elevate them as "better" or somehow immune to being human, as if they don't carry the same burden of sin as every other human who has walked this earth. It felt like an important reminder that pastors and their families require our prayers and compassion, not any sort of "church celebrity status." This goes to the other end of the spectrum as well as they get blamed or criticized for things that are not in their control or even their responsibility. There was a lot to chew on and I have been grateful to do so.
The lack of resolution - Wait...what? This from the girl who deplores not knowing how it all turns out? Yes, I know. But in this case, it felt real. We don't know what will become of these characters as the days play out. Babies will be born. Saints will be laid to rest. Couples will fall in love. Kids will grow up and move away. New friendships will be formed. Lutherans will host potluck dinners (hopefully without tofu frosting!). And despite those who fall away, the Lord will continue to grow His church as He wills. I take comfort in knowing that "life goes on" for Bradbury, because Lord knows I already miss them.
What I didn't care for:
Just one thing - It's over. I wasn't ever going to be ready for it to be over.
This series has changed me. It convicted me. It comforted me. It made me think and consider and grow. It provided an opportunity to deepen a friendship as we read the books together, questioning and discussing. This series has been a blessing to me beyond anything I could have anticipated. Thank you, Katie, for sharing your gift with us and for bringing Arlene, Emily, Pastor, Alice, and all the rest to life for us. Bradbury now lives in my very soul and I will carry it with me always.
June 4, 2019
I loved this series!
This is Book 3 of a 3 part series...read the other 2 first!
I cried, giggled, and saw myself in many of the members of Zion Lutheran Church!
Lord help me be like Alice and Esther, because you know I can't sing like Emily!
Note to the wise--don't drive and listen to a hard part in the book, you'll cry and your blotchy face will worry your hubby when you walk through the door!
This is Book 3 of a 3 part series...read the other 2 first!
I cried, giggled, and saw myself in many of the members of Zion Lutheran Church!
Lord help me be like Alice and Esther, because you know I can't sing like Emily!
Note to the wise--don't drive and listen to a hard part in the book, you'll cry and your blotchy face will worry your hubby when you walk through the door!
July 12, 2017
I finished this at three o'clock in the morning! Love this book and series so much. Thank you Katie Schuermann for this wonderful series =-) I love how Christ-centered these books are. I've learned a lot from them.
January 28, 2021
Jan 26, 2021 * 4 stars
Sorry to have to say goodbye to the fictional town of Bradbury and the people/characters of Zion Lutheran Church because I really enjoyed this series.
Sorry to have to say goodbye to the fictional town of Bradbury and the people/characters of Zion Lutheran Church because I really enjoyed this series.
June 4, 2019
Katie calls her book a tale of the holy ordinary and thus it is, the joys and sorrows of life in plain days and small acts that make a world come alive. Through her characters and writing I have laughed and I have cried with the people of Bradbury. Life in Christ in this broken sin filled world is full to the brim with the holy ordinary of our vocation of caring for neighbor and Katie has brought that into view in a fullness that no other book has done. I eagerly wait to see what she is writing next!
July 11, 2019
It’s always a challenge to write a review for a 3 star book (liked it/won’t reread). However, surely I am not the only reader who finds the less than glowing reviews to be more helpful in choosing my next read!
Throughout the series, many of the characters have continued to be a delight to get to know—especially Mrs. Scheinberg. Having lived most of my life in small Midwestern towns (including Illinois) and having been a pastor’s wife for 23 years, I found many “familiar” faces (Church Stress, in particular). But moreso in this final book, their stories often take a back seat to the theological explanations, which is the main reason why I seldom read Christian fiction.
Throughout the series, many of the characters have continued to be a delight to get to know—especially Mrs. Scheinberg. Having lived most of my life in small Midwestern towns (including Illinois) and having been a pastor’s wife for 23 years, I found many “familiar” faces (Church Stress, in particular). But moreso in this final book, their stories often take a back seat to the theological explanations, which is the main reason why I seldom read Christian fiction.
April 18, 2018
I thought the final book of this three-book series was the best. I can't imagine not having grown to love these people by the end of these books, so I'm sad to be leaving them behind. It's also enjoyable to read a book that is written about "my world." When you work in the church, and your entire life is centered around it, few books feel like home. I also think that the writing was stronger in this final book. (That may be purely a matter of taste, but it was my impression.)
May 13, 2024
A satisfying conclusion to an excellent trilogy. The fictional "Bradbury, Illinois" of Katie Schuermann's "Anthems of Zion" series is a Lutheran "Mayberry RFD," and everything about it -- the setting, the story, the congregation and its life, its members and their relationships -- rings realistic and believable throughout. With the right balance of poignancy and gentle humor, candid in its treatment of difficult and sensitive topics, the entire series (this third and final book in particular) demonstrates wise theological insight and godly encouragement in the face of the various challenges that confront Christians under the Cross. That being said, these books aren't "preachy," nor syrupy sweet and artificial, but simple, straightforward, honest, and heartfelt. My wife and I are truly going to miss our Bradbury friends, having grown to know and love them well in reading the series aloud to each other over these past few weeks. What I love best about these books is they way they so beautifully portray the extraordinary theological significance of the down-to-earth ordinary lives of God's people, as they bear the Cross and bear with one another in love, and as they are cared for and carried by Christ Jesus through the pastoral ministry of His Word and Holy Spirit.
May 19, 2018
Another wonderful book in the series. I am sad that my final trip to Bradbury is finished. I really enjoyed this series of books.
This story takes place a few years after book 2. At first that frustrated me, but then I realized that the time jump was necessary to keep the story line moving.
I was really happy that there was closure for all of the individual characters, not so closed that there isn’t room for a sequel, but enough that the reader can imagine what the future holds for the characters.
I hope the author continues to write fiction books. I am going to give her nonfiction books a try because I like the way she writes.
This story takes place a few years after book 2. At first that frustrated me, but then I realized that the time jump was necessary to keep the story line moving.
I was really happy that there was closure for all of the individual characters, not so closed that there isn’t room for a sequel, but enough that the reader can imagine what the future holds for the characters.
I hope the author continues to write fiction books. I am going to give her nonfiction books a try because I like the way she writes.
August 23, 2017
Gahhhhhhhhhh this book was SO GOOD. The entire trilogy was amazing. I don't even typically like fiction of this particular type, the whole small-town ordinariness being something I get bored with. But the Anthems of Zion trilogy? Oh man. I can't. I loved it so much. I'm gushing over these to anyone who will listen.
July 6, 2017
Another delightful trip through Bradbury, where the characters feel like real friends, and definitely like real people. Reading a story that is more real to life doesn't always provide the most exciting of plot lines, but then again, tornadoes, retirement parties, domestic violence, and pregnancy woes certainly provide excitement to an otherwise quiet and normal life.
Katie Schuermann loves similies, but they are almost always humorous and witty descriptions. While I cannot relate to every aspect of being the pastor's family in Bradbury, I can relate to being a pastor's wife, which is a unique vocation and experience. It is a joy and a sorrow, a blessing and a curse. Thank you, Katie, for putting our life as pastors' wives out for all to see (read).
Katie Schuermann loves similies, but they are almost always humorous and witty descriptions. While I cannot relate to every aspect of being the pastor's family in Bradbury, I can relate to being a pastor's wife, which is a unique vocation and experience. It is a joy and a sorrow, a blessing and a curse. Thank you, Katie, for putting our life as pastors' wives out for all to see (read).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2019
I LOVE this series. Mitford meets the Lutheran church.
September 23, 2020
Loved this series!
November 29, 2023
Have thoroughly enjoyed the series, & I think The Harvest Raise provides loads of fun scenarios for a sequel!
February 5, 2022
Wonderful Book!!
A great fictional book about life in the church. The Lutheran church. That is. LCMS Lutheran church, of which I am a member. I felt I knew these dear Christians and their community, built on the Word of God, tho sometimes acting as the world. The hymns, the prayers, the Divine Service and the daily lives of the congregation reminded me how blessed I am to be such a member of my own church, Christ Lutheran Church in Jackson Mississippi where so am taught and fed the pure Word of God every week.
Loved this series and it's sweet spirit of truth.
A great fictional book about life in the church. The Lutheran church. That is. LCMS Lutheran church, of which I am a member. I felt I knew these dear Christians and their community, built on the Word of God, tho sometimes acting as the world. The hymns, the prayers, the Divine Service and the daily lives of the congregation reminded me how blessed I am to be such a member of my own church, Christ Lutheran Church in Jackson Mississippi where so am taught and fed the pure Word of God every week.
Loved this series and it's sweet spirit of truth.
July 25, 2020
I loved this book so much! Such an accurate picture of the life of a church, sinful people and all. It was an eye-opening glimpse into the life of a pastor’s wife and the loneliness that can be being a pastor. I also learned much about Lutheran theology. So much of the Christian fiction out there is syrupy sweet and unrealistic. This trilogy is not like that at all—the characters are Christian, yet with faults, just like the rest of us. Highly recommend!
November 9, 2017
Through the love,laughs, and tears of these Bradburians, it reminds us of our hope in Christ, no matter what our vocation may be.
August 13, 2020
After loving the first two books in the series, I had soaring expectations for this book and it somehow managed to exceed them. First off, it is riotously hilarious. From capturing the charm and innocence of little children to the good-natured (or, at times, biting and passive aggressive) snark of adults, this book was constantly making me laugh. At the same time, it was not shy in taking on and speaking plainly about the serious side of life including the stresses in the lives of church workers and their families, loss, loneliness, and pain caused by sin. Everything in the book rings true with no hint of pretense. The characters may be fictional, but I recognize them clearly in myself and others I know.
In a closing letter to her readers, the author says she wrote the series to dwell on the "holy ordinary in the Christian life." She was wildly successful in her endeavor to capture this "holy ordinary" in her writing, and it is why I love the books so much.
In a closing letter to her readers, the author says she wrote the series to dwell on the "holy ordinary in the Christian life." She was wildly successful in her endeavor to capture this "holy ordinary" in her writing, and it is why I love the books so much.
November 3, 2018
This book is so fun to read! The characters are relatable, and the dialogue is realistic. I loved getting to know so many complex characters. The many main characters in this story do lots of normal everyday things, but the author makes them come to life. I debated in my head whether or not to give this book five stars because I am not Lutheran, and this book (more than the previous two) is heavy in Lutheran doctrine, but I was encouraged, inspired, and challenged by the areas where our denominations intersect, and where they were different I was able to learn more about Lutheran beliefs and the rationale for them (though I still disagree). This book is a great example of Christian fiction that emphasizes faith and the gospel. I have so many thoughts about this book that it's impossible for me to write a review that accurately reflects them, so [highly recommended, 100%, would read again].
July 20, 2023
Great Christian fiction doesn’t skate over the serious, broken side of life. Not all heartbreaks and tragedies and broken relationships get wrapped up in a shiny red bow. Sin leaves messes, sometimes ones we can’t ever see resolutions or “fixes” for, especially in this life. Schuermann is true to all of those things while never losing a sense of wit, cheer, and humor. And I LOVED having a distinctively Lutheran (and LCMS!) setting! I never realized how much a breath of fresh air that would be!
March 16, 2022
"Now, I don't know what God has in store for you or for Blaine or for any of us, but I can tell you this. Sitting in that chair, taking care of Pastor and looking after all of these dreadful, wonderful people... it's a good life. Okay? If God gives you nothing more than this all of your days, it'll be a good life." She kissed Mary sweetly on the cheek. "It'll be a blessed life."
Then, Mrs. Scheinberg turned and walked out the church door, leaving Mary behind with wide, seeing eyes.
Then, Mrs. Scheinberg turned and walked out the church door, leaving Mary behind with wide, seeing eyes.
June 24, 2017
I love this series and am sad that this is the last one. Katie writes that reflects how we speak today. It is always fun to read what the women of Bradbury are up to. This one also reflects real well life in the parsonage along with the antics of the women. When I started this book, the only time I put it down was to sleep. I can't wait to see what the author writes about next.
June 9, 2023
Absolutely loved this book! I am so sad this series has ended. I felt like these characters were part of my own church and my friends. I laughed and cried with them all through the series.
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