More than a how-to guide, this book helps readers appreciate the significance, value, and role of church communications as a ministry, inviting communicators to understand the role they play in transmitting the Gospel. The author explains how the history of church communications, starting with the first-century church, provides a useful context for understanding church communications today, and offers counsel about using spiritual practices to face the challenges of communicating sacred messages.
Despite academic training which included completing a doctoral dissertation, Meredith Gould never intended to write books. After grinding out academic journal articles during her decade as a Sociology professor, she graduated to writing for regular folks.
An essayist and lifestyle reporter for nearly two decades, Gould was published in magazines and newspapers -- when she wasn't writing public relations blather about pest control and wall coverings. Some sort of strange interior, possibly bio-chemical and definitely psycho-spiritual thing happened after her first book was published in 1998.
Why Is There a Menorah on the Altar: The Jewish Roots of Christian Worship (Seabury, 2009) is her seventh book. "I guess I'm a book author," says Gould, who is swift to point out that being a mid-list author is hardly lucrative. "Providing editorial services and communications strategy for the consumer healthcare industry pays the rent."
For literary relaxation, Gould blogs about the spirituality of everyday life at More Meredith Gould (http://meredithgould.blogspot.com). She's also the editor of The Virtual Abbey blog (http://www.thevirtualabbey.com) and currently serves as the abbess for that virtual community of modern monastics.
