rschuler

When asked what I’ve been doing since retirement, I’ve often said that I’m working on a book project. It’s been so long that I suspect some friends and colleagues might have thought that book was merely in my imagination. No wonder, when I look back on the lengthy gestation process! Kent and I started working on a book proposal in August 2021. Ten months later (June 2022) we sent the proposal with a couple of drafts chapters to Wipf and Stock Publishers, working with the team of “publishing midwives” at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. In late October 2022 (a mere four months later), our proposal was accepted for publication as part of the CICW Worship and Witness series, a Cascade imprint.

Roughly a year and half later (late May 2024), we submitted our manuscript to our editor. Since January 2025, we seem at last to be “in labor” but not yet to the point of pushing. We have the image of a cover, including endorsements on the back, and we have proofread the first typeset manuscript. Here’s what Rodney, our editor wrote in an email on February 10, 2024:

Kent and Rhoda, I have finished a close reading and copyediting of Journeying to Jesus. Thank you for this deft melding of on-the-ground research and theo-missional reflection. It will be urgently helpful in helping churches consider and implement the catechumenate in their midst. Your inviting and respectful tone throughout is salutary. 

Stay tuned for more updates on the official publication!