May 13, 2005

MINNEAPOLIS – The questions pondered in Ted Loder's new book, Loaves, Fishes, and Leftovers, reflect the deep faith concerns many people experience yet find muffled by the rituals of worship, the professional roles of clergy, or the presumptions of the church. This book grew from a group discussion about questions such as: Why is there evil in the world? Does my prayer affect God's response? The story of Jesus feeding the multitude is an apt metaphor for the process the group went through: it starts with hungry people, uses the resources available, and ends with leftovers for further exploration.

Loaves, Fishes, and Leftovers is an invitation to be honest about our deepest questions and to embrace the mysteries of faith rather than the comfort of certainties.

"In an age of easy, rote, paint-by-the-numbers Christianity, Ted Loder serves up sustaining answers to the great spiritual questions of our lives. He's written an unexpected page turner, fueled by his infectious passion-passion for prayer, for justice, for hope in God's mysterious ways. Reading Loder is a little like listening to Mozart: it's hard to get enough." –Vernon Loeb, Los Angeles Times.

"Loaves, Fishes, and Leftovers is the real thing-real people with an experienced guide digging into real issues at the core of life. When so many religious publications offer ‘fool's gold,' Dr. Loder has mined deep to a vein of true spiritual gold. This book is a treasure for anyone seeking a vital faith, as well as a motherlode for pastors and teachers." –Rev. Dr. Arvin R. Luchs, Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Portland, Oregon.

"The great thing about Ted Loder is that he thinks theologically but speaks colloquially, often with real eloquence. He strengthens belief in God by being himself so believable." –William Sloane Coffin, Pastor Emeritus, Riverside Church, New York City.

"In a time when many are starved for connection and for the opportunity to talk about life's deep topics, Ted Loder shares remarkable conversations about real questions that are important to people of faith. Loder delivers on the promise, implied in the title Loaves, Fishes, and Leftovers, that readers will be fed and nourished in spirit." –Bob Edgar, General Secretary, National Council of Churches USA.

"Real people with real questions call for this spiritual leader to go deep and wide with wit and wisdom. Only decades of vulnerable ministry in the local church could prepare him for such insight and honesty. Prophetic and extremely practical." –Maxine Clarke Beach, Vice President and Dean, Drew Theological School.

Ted Loder served for almost forty years as a senior minister of one of Philadelphia's most unusual churches, the First United Methodist Church of Germantown. With imagination and vision, Loder led the church to the forefront of artistic endeavors, political activism, and social justice.

Format: Paperback, 6' x 9,' 192 pages; Item No: 0806651415; Price: $13.99; Publisher: Augsburg Books, Minneapolis, MN.

To order Loaves, Fishes, and Leftovers call Augsburg Books at 1-800-328-4648 or visit the Web site at http://www.augsburgbooks.com/.

Augsburg Books