"Changing Churches" by "Dottie Parish" Book Review by Villageanne

 

Changing Churches by author Dottie Parish managed to capture the essence of people who are searching for a new church because of one reason or another.  As a woman who has switches churches, I know how hard it can be.  I was drawn to this book because I wondered just what struggles others had when changing churches. I had never met Dottie Parish, much less heard of her but after reading her book, I feel that I know her. I wish I had this book when I was searching for church that not only welcomed me but fed me Spiritually.

As Relief Society in our church, I found "Changing Churches" to be very helpful in serving those who are in the church as well as just moving in.

In Changing Churches, Dottie relays to those in leadership positions just how important it is to love those who enter into the doors of their church.  She writes with a style that is comforting, not just words. I could feel her love for people as I read her book.

I would recommend it to anyone who is in a leadership position in the church.  This book was not written for one specific denomination, quite the opposite.  She treats all churches equal.

I rate this book a 4 star because it is more of a booklet instead of a book.  I would have liked to have seen each tip with more suggestions added.  The print is large and easy to read but it is a quick read.

 

FROM THE BACK OF THE BOOK:

Changing Churches describes, through the eyes of one couple the difficult journey that “church switchers” travel—a journey often precipitated by disruptive church changes. The book encourages Christ-like transformative change in churches rather than man-devised makeovers.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dottie Parish brings a seasoned counselor’s wise viewpoint and the soft heart of a child of God to her first book called Changing Churches: A View from the Pew. 

A longtime resident of the greater Cincinnati area, Parish holds a Master of Social Work degree from Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University.

She has more than 30 years of professional experience as a counselor at two family service agencies as well as in private practice. Her experience included diagnosing and treating individuals representing a wide variety of problems, socioeconomic backgrounds, and ages as well as short and long term therapy. Her private practice included individual, marital and family therapy with special interest in helping couples resolve marital differences.

She organized and led The Third Option educational group for married couples from 1996-2007 – in two locations

Parish also wrote a weekly advice column, “Family Counselor,” for more than fifteen years for the Hamilton Journal News, Hamilton, Ohio.

Dottie Parish is a wife, mother and grandmother and she loves Jesus and His Church. Her current devotion to God and His church stems from extreme misgivings about drifting away from God and church after graduate school. She and her husband lived for decades without faith. Their return to faith in 1990 begins the journey described in Changing Churches.

Places to find Dottie online:

 

Dottie blogs on a variety of subjects at  

Dottie on Marriage and Family issues

Facebook: 

Facebook Fan Page:

Twitter: 

Winepress blog

 

 

Changing Churches can be purchased at your local bookstore of any of the following sites online:

Amazon