Feasting on Hope - by Hannah Miller King (Paperback)

About the Book

"In the Christian story, we feast on a hope that has broken into the present moment but that hasn't yet fully resolved all grief. We do not need to be ashamed of the fact that things are still hard. But neither should we collapse into cynicism. Rather, we are invited to "taste and see" that the Lord is good, and that He is coming soon to renew all things. Sometimes it's difficult to comprehend this truth intellectually or emotionally. But God has provided a powerful, tangible way for us to practice it with our bodies. When we struggle to believe, or to understand, we can still take and eat. In a time when many Christians are reevaluating their relationship with church, Feasting on Hope is a different kind of altar call. This personal and pastoral examination of the Lord's Supper invites people to hear the gospel in all its sacramental depth, and to see themselves as wanted guests of God's hospitality. Our table fellowship with God forms us as individuals and as a people: it makes us members of a family that is strong enough to hold sorrow inside of hope"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A Sacred Invitation to Hope

How can we live as people of hope in the midst of unmet longings, unanswered prayers, and seemingly unresolvable pain?

Through sharing her personal story of deep loss, Hannah Miller King reflects on how the ancient Christian practice of Communion can reframe our grief by embedding it in a larger picture of gospel hope. Each chapter presents a way in which the Lord's Supper makes the hope of the gospel tangible, reminding us of God's present faithfulness and promise of future renewal. With its inviting tone and thoughtful reflections, Feasting on Hope provides solace for those seeking hope amid a world that is not yet restored.

In Feasting on Hope, you'll find

• Rich biblical insights made approachable for all readers
• A hopeful exploration of how we participate in Christ's triumph
• An invitation to see yourself as a wanted guest of God's hospitality
• Reflection questions for individuals and groups to foster thoughtful engagement

Whether you are grappling with what seems like an endless search for peace, wrestling with unmet desires, or simply longing for a deeper connection with God and others, this book meets you with tender realism and abundant grace.

Feasting on Hope invites you to the Communion table, where God's people are formed into a family that is strong enough to hold sorrow inside of hope. Are you ready to take your place at the table?

Review Quotes

"Hannah Miller King invites us to examine and partake in the table that Christ has prepared for us. Her theological examinations are accessible, full of grace and conviction, and worthy of careful consideration for those who partake of the Lord's Supper."

--Kara Bettis Carvalho, editor at Christianity Today

"In Hannah Miller King's fabulous book, Feasting on Hope, we are reminded of things that we all-too quickly forget but desperately need to remember. We are reminded that our Lord feeds the hungry with bread that exceeds their deepest hungers, along with their greatest sorrows; satisfies the thirsty with wine that lasts for days; sits the stranger at the head table, not the kid one; sets the penniless and powerless at feasting tables while enemies watch nearby; and makes the wasteland of our lives blossom with beauty that both pierces and gladdens our hearts. Above all, he nourishes our bodies and souls with living food and the blood that is true drink. He does so with his very own self. There's so much to feast on in this book. I say: eat up and enjoy!"

--W. David O. Taylor, associate professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary and author of Prayers for the Pilgrimage and A Body of Praise

"If your church observes the Lord's Supper infrequently, you may wonder what all the fuss is about. Can eating bread and drinking wine in a worship service really make a difference in one's life with God? In this beautifully written book, Hannah Miller King demonstrates the power of Holy Communion by generously, humbly describing the difference it has made in hers. Profound, mature, instructive, and deeply consoling, this book is a gift for the people of God."

--Wesley Hill, associate professor of New Testament at Western Theological Seminary

"In this beautiful meditation, weaving together her experience as an Anglican priest and the pain and hope she's met in her own life, Hannah Miller King helps us understand why the Eucharist has always been central for Christian worship. It is a meal that teaches us to live in the in-between, where joy and sorrow are indissolubly bound together. This is a book that rewards slow and attentive reading and revisiting. Highly recommended!"

--Tish Harrison Warren, Anglican priest and author of Liturgy of the Ordinary and Prayer in the Night

"Writing from a deeply personal space, Hannah Miller King explores the beauty and significance of the Lord's Supper as a place of hope and encounter. She weaves in the profound significance of Jesus' embodiment--and our own--for the Lord's Supper and Christian community. With words of grace and hope, she shows how abundance, hospitality, and courage all flow from this sacrament. In the end, she presents the Lord's Supper as the anticipation of our deep longing to be truly home--the home that awaits us when we at last see the Lord face-to-face. This book is an invitation to the feast of weekly communion as well as the feast of seeing its profound significance for all believers. I warmly recommend this book to all who are hungry and long to be fed."

--Dana M. Harris, professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

"Our Father has spread a table in the wilderness for us. His Son Jesus feeds us as we join him at the meal. And the Spirit of God unites us in his love as we eat. Hannah Miller King's apt reminder of these supernatural blessings is a word spoken in season. The Lord's Supper does not eradicate our pain and anxiety. But the communion it provides us with the Lord and one another gives us grace and peace now and bright hope for the day when God will make all things new and fulfill our every longing. Please join God's family as we feast."

--Douglas A. Sweeney, dean and professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School at Samford University

About the Author

Hannah Miller King is a priest and writer in the Anglican Church in North America. She writes for Christianity Today and serves as the associate rector at The Vine Anglican Church in western North Carolina. She and her husband, also a priest, have three children.