The Pastor’s Page and Other Small Essays by Russell E. Saltzman
Most churches have newsletters. And most pastors write a regular column in their churches’ newsletters. For those who know Russ Saltzman via his 17 years as editor of Forum Letter from 1991 - 2007‚ it will come as no surprise that writing a monthly “Pastor’s Page” is something he did uncommonly well. This small book contains a collection of newsletter columns that he mostly wrote originally for his parishioners.
Pastor Saltzman’s writing is engaging and often humorous. But these are serious pieces about serious subjects like the Incarnation, the authority of the Bible, suffering, judgment, the Real Presence, the Two Kingdoms and more. Some are personal reflections on family or congregational life, but most are in fact short theological essays. Pastor Saltzman is writing for people he knows, loves and respects, and he has put a lot of thought into what he says. Reading each of these short essays is rather like having a conversation with a pastor you can trust to be honest with you.
Current Forum Letter editor and parish pastor Richard O. Johnson said about it that “The Pastor’s Page should be a seminary textbook for teaching future pastors how to communicate-and just how to be-with their parishioners.” There is indeed much here for pastors and other Christian teachers from which to learn and to borrow. But this book is also a joy to read just for its own sake.
The Pastor’s Page is available at $6.50 plus $2.80 for postage ($.40 postage for each additional copy). Paper, 100 pp.
