Retiree News 05-23-2012
Retired North Alabama Pastor Writes Her First Novel
Marjorie Palmer is a member of the NAC ARMS, living in Madison, AL. She has recently written and published a book called, Winnie's Walk: A Journey of Faith and Romance. The book is a fiction piece about a widowed, UM pastor who has been appointed to a small, rural church.
She began writing Winnie’s Walk after she retired from active itineracy in 2009. She had just moved to Augusta, GA to live with her husband, who was working at Ft. Gordon. She retired, yet she knew she was not tired of sharing the good news of God’s love in Christ, and she wanted to find a new audience for this good news. A novel seemed like a natural answer.
Winnie, her alter ego, is a widow (She had been a geographical widow for half a dozen years) who is a preacher in a small, southern town near Knoxville. Her life is shaped by her need to prepare a new sermon every week. She knows well the ‘count-down’ from Monday to Saturday, as the week shrinks and her need for coming up with a new sermon grows.
Marjorie’s initial effort in writing Winnie included a sermon at the end of each chapter (each week), but her editor convinced her the sermons had to be removed. Twenty-two sermons did make a very heavy tome! She finally agreed to take the sermons out, although there is one at the end of the book.
Winnie discovers that she’s falling in love with John, a professor of philosophy at University of Chicago. John seems most interested in Winnie, but he mentioned to her that he doesn’t believe in church, which makes Winnie hesitant to tell him of her profession. As the story proceeds, this situation becomes a wonderful avenue to explore how an atheist can come to faith in God in Christ.
Another important theme that floats in the background is the sanctity of marriage. Although the opportunity for adult activity certainly presents itself, Winnie is clear that marriage involves a contract that begins at the altar or before a judge. Marjorie is displeased with much of what the media puts out to the general public. Sometimes it’s all gore and violence or it’s about inappropriate, intimate relationships. Too many people have bought the idea “two, consenting adults” can do whatever they want to. She objects to such justification, so her book points out the opposite.
She believes that readers of Winnie's Walk will feel good about themselves and have something to think about, too.
Winnie's Walk is available on Amazon
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