Essential Reading
Books have a way of shaping how we see the world, our neighborhoods, and the work God is inviting us into.
Whether you're discovering Parish Collective for the first time or continuing your journey, these books have influenced our vision of faithful presence, belonging, and community. We hope they encourage, challenge, and inspire you as you cultivate deeper roots where you are.
OUR RECOMMENDED FIRST READ
The New Parish
If you're new to Parish Collective, this is the best place to begin.
The New Parish lays the foundation for our vision of neighborhood-rooted faith. It invites us to imagine the Church not as a place we go, but as a people deeply connected to the neighborhoods we call home. Through practical stories and theological reflection, this book explores what it means to cultivate belonging, practice faithful presence, and join in God's work right where we live.
Continue the Journey
After reading The New Parish, continue exploring how these ideas take shape through stories of everyday faithfulness, practical wisdom, and the experiences of people living this work in their own communities.
Everywhere You Look
Everywhere You Look offers stories of ordinary people discovering God's presence in everyday places. Through reflections and lived experiences, it encourages readers to notice the sacred in their neighborhoods and embrace simple practices that cultivate connection, hospitality, and hope.
Read along with us
These books have been written by members of our Guiding Voices; pastors, practitioners, artists, organizers, and community leaders whose work continues to shape the life of Parish Collective.
Many of these titles have also been featured in our Book Club, where we read together as a community, and in our Coffee Break conversations, where we gather with the authors to continue the discussion. We hope they'll encourage you to join the conversation and discover new ways of cultivating faithful presence in your own neighborhood.
Church Forsaken
Jonathan Brooks
Liberating Leadership
Jonathan Brooks
Reclaiming Your Community
Majora carter
Ecosystems of Jubilee
José Humphreys and
Adam Gustine
Seeing Jesus in East Harlem
José Humphreys
God Speaks through Wombs
Drew Jackson
Touch the Earth
Drew jackson
Falling Free
Shannan Martin
The Ministry of Ordinary Places
Shannan Martin
Start with Hello
Shannan Martin
To Alter Your World
Christiana Rice and
Michael Frost
Fragile Neighborhoods
Seth Kaplan
Becoming Rooted
Randy Woodley
Counterweights
Shannan Martin
Enough for Today
Donna Barber
More Great Reads
Beyond our own community, these books have shaped the conversations and practices of Parish Collective. They explore themes of discipleship, hospitality, justice, reconciliation, and the way of Jesus in everyday life.
Whether you're just beginning or continuing your learning, we hope these resources encourage deeper reflection and inspire faithful engagement in your own neighborhood.
Belonging
Bell Hooks
The Land
Walter Brueggemann
Acts
Willie James Jennings
Transforming Communities
Sandhya Rani Jha
The Patient Ferment of the Early Church
Alan Krieder
The Abundant Community
John McKnight and
Peter Block
The Gospel in a Pluralist Society
Leslie Newbigin
The Mission of the Church
Ruth Padilla DeBorst et al
Liturgy of the Ordinary
Tish Harrison Warren
Shalom and the Community of Creation
Randy S. woodley
Placemaking and the Arts Jennifer Allen Craft
Becoming Neighbors
Amar Peterman
Continue the Conversation
Reading is one way we grow, but transformation happens in the community.
If these ideas resonate with you, we'd love to invite you to continue the journey with us through conversations, gatherings, and opportunities to learn alongside others seeking faithful presence in their own neighborhoods.
Join the Book Club
Read and discuss meaningful books alongside a community of learners. Each month we explore ideas that inspire faithful presence and neighborhood-rooted living.
Online Coffee Break
Join us for free online conversations with authors, practitioners, and friends of Parish Collective as we explore topics of faith, community, and belonging.
Join the Book Club
Become part of a growing community committed to cultivating faithful presence in neighborhoods around the world. Members receive exclusive gatherings, resources, and opportunities to connect.
