Beginning with Advent, this book of devotions covers well-known holy days and seasons such as Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. Other days celebrated during the church year may be less familiar to some, such as Holy Cross Day in September, which commemorates the church’s use of the cross symbol to identify Christians. Early in the history of Christianity, the fish was the symbol used. This changed when Helena, the mother of Constantine, Emperor of Rome, traveled to the Holy Land in the 330s. There she discovered a cross and promptly had a basilica built on the site.

Another potentially unfamiliar holy day is an Anglican church feast that recognizes Armistice Day at the end of the Great War in 1918. Many young English, French, and German soldiers died in the trenches or in the dangerous no man's land between the entrenched armies. These soldiers were held captive both by automated gunfire and the orders of their commanders on both sides. To understand why the church chose this as a November event to celebrate, one need only imagine how many prayers went up from church members in hopes of a peaceful settlement.

In this work, Jackson presents 45 devotionals that mostly correspond with events of the Christian church year. The author serves as a reader for services held in an Anglican church. The congregation requested printed copies of his presentations, which resulted in this small book. Each devotion reveals Jackson’s passion for the church and his zeal for the care of its members. His research found short, poignant stories that will enlighten members of any Christian church regarding special days and religious celebrations. The book could also serve as a unique Bible study guide.

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