Product Description

Philip Gulley takes us to Harmony, Indiana, at Christmastime as inspiration strikes the inimitable Dale Hinshaw. Always looking for a way to increase the church's profit margins, Hinshaw brainstorms a progressive nativity scene that will involve the whole town, complete with a map like those for the Hollywood stars. Neither Pastor Sam Gardner nor the other members of the Harmony Friends meeting express any enthusiasm for this idea, but Dale is unstoppable. Meanwhile, Pastor Sam has his own concerns: he's having his annual argument with his wife, and he's worried that the four-slotted toaster he bought for her may be too lavish a gift.

Amidst the bustle of the season, the citizens of Harmony experience the simple joys and sometime loneliness that often go unseen. Sam comes to the realization that Dale, in his own misguided way, is only trying to draw meaning from the eternal story of Christmas. "In this unsettled world, it is good to have this steadiness -- the Christmas Eve service, the peal of the bell. . . .There is a holiness to memory, a sense of God's presence in these mangers of the mind. Which might explain why it is that the occasions that change the least are often the very occasions that change us the most."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #110168 in Books
• Published on: 2002-10-01
• Released on: 2002-10-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 96 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780060520120
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Gulley's beloved Harmony series takes a festive turn with this delightful novella, featuring Quaker minister Sam Gardner and the intimate circle of eccentrics who comprise his congregation. The infuriating church elder Dale Hinshaw is up to his usual schemes, this time planning an all-out "progressive nativity scene" on Christmas Eve that will convert the heathen while turning a tidy profit for the church. Gulley's trademark humor is much in evidence, as when he muses on the irony that Dale wants to raise a "Quaker militia" to forfend any terrorist activity on Christmas Eve, or describes how the church's Christmas card list gets longer every year because even one-time visitors who drop a small check in the collection plate gain "a place in our directory in perpetuity." More extraordinary than the jesting, however, is Gulley's theological sensitivity and often profound reflections on parenting, traditions and the Christian story.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Quaker author Gulley returns to the quaint town of Harmony, IN (Home to Harmony; Just Shy of Harmony), and the eccentric members of Pastor Sam Gardner's Quaker church. Sam reflects on the true meaning of Christmas as church elder Dale Hinshaw embarks on yet another of his hare-brained fund-raising schemes, a progressive Nativity scene involving the whole town. Fans who love these quirky characters and Sam's wry take on the nature of Christianity and the meaning of life will rejoice at spending the holidays with them. An essential purchase for libraries owning Gulley's previous Harmony books.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
Fans who love these quirky characters ... will rejoice at spending the holidays with them. -- Library Journal

Gentle, humorous, heartwarming ... the lessons of Harmony leave a lasting impression on readers' hearts. -- Lynn N. Austin, 2002 Christy Award winner and author of Hidden Places

With his usual quirky characters and heart-warming style, Gulley has created a memorable glimpse of an old-fashioned holiday. -- BookPage

[A] hilarious and thought-provoking little gem that has the potential to become a new Christmas classic. -- CCM Magazine

[A] memorable glimpse of an old-fashioned holiday. -- BookPage

Customer Reviews

Inaccurately compared to Karon's Mitford series
Amazon, bookstores, and readers on this site often compare the Harmony series to the Mitford series by Jan Karon. I think the comparison is misguided. Certainly there are obvious similarities; but Gulley's stories have a crucial difference. Mitford, while idealized, is supposed to be a plausibly realistic place, with realistic people. Gulley, on the other hand, cannot keep himself from lapsing constantly into hyperbole for comic effect (sort of like Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon stories). This becomes apparent in just the first few pages of this book: Would a local beauty queen, asked to dress in a bathrobe to portray Mary in a Christmas pageant, really wear a revealing negligee? And would the church allow the pageant to proceed if she did? Would a church board member seriously propose that the church obtain W-2s of prospective members to evaluate their potential financial contributions? In both cases, of course not.
Don't get me wrong -- I agree with other reviewers that the book is funny. It's just a different kind of book from Karon's; hers are gentle humor within a realistic framework, while Gulley's emphasize humor (sometimes to the point of wackiness) over realism.

Funny and Heartwarming!
Philip Gulley won me over with his first Harmony book, "Home to Harmony." His character development and wonderful sense of humor bring the people in his books alive. I was quite surprised when I found that this book was only 84 pages long! But that is good for a Christmas book, as you can read it in one sitting. Anyone who has been a member of a church can find someone to indentify with or knows someone in their church like Dale Hinshaw! I laughed out loud more than once, but the best part of the book was the ending.......very heartwarming, touching and made a tear roll down my cheek.

Christmas in Harmony
Just finished reading this book in one sitting. The flow and writing were easy to follow, taking the reader from one emotion to the other - the simplier ways of life, the five and dime, Santa, family gatherings. The best part of the book was the part where "Sam" read the Christmas story to "Frank". Thus going back to the original tradition that the church has observed for years.

Let's not forget about Dale Hinshaw, every small town has someone like him. A likeable character although somewhat misguided. Philip Gulley makes him to appear almost humanlike, along with the other characters in his book. Once you read one of his books, you can't wait until the next one is published.

Although only a layman on book reviews, I give this book an extremely high rating. It is rare that a book touches me enough to laugh and cry at the same time. It is an excellent Christmas gift to give anyone - young or old.