I just received the 2026 Reading Program list and have looked through the selections as well as the choices from the previous eligible years (2021-2026) and have chosen this year’s titles, based on relevance and availability (with the exception of the Spiritual Growth title which you will have to purchase, but I assure you it will be worth the expense). In some cases, it was hard to narrow the choices down to just one, but I also used diversity/subject matter as a deciding factor. Please note that all meeting begin at 7:00 PM via Zoom 

 

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng  from the 2025 Social Action Category is our first title. I read this book when it was first published in 2022 and gave it a five-star review (a score I rarely give). This is a prophetic dystopian novel where, due to laws enacted to preserve American culture, behavior is tightly controlled, books are banned, free thought is not allowed, and there is a distrust of anything Asian (especially Chinese). From a mixed-race family, Bird lives quietly with his father while his Chinese mother is on the run to keep her son safe, so he won’t be relocated to an “acceptable” family. Then, when Bird goes searching for a banned book of his mother’s poetry, his whole life changes. I look forward to a dynamic discussion of the themes Ng explores and their possible parallels to our lives today. (335 p) Tuesday, November 16, 2025 

 

Our second title is The Women by Kristin Hannah from the 2026 list.  

It was difficult to narrow this choice down due to the numerous exceptional titles on the topic of Nurturing for Community, but this particular book is one of those must reads. It has been so popular that many of you might have already read it, but the focus on women during the Vietnam War and their treatment after the war is worthy of discussion. This novel explores the female nurses who worked at the front, helping to save the soldiers' lives, often taking on responsibilities which went beyond their nurses’ training. It also delves into relationships which the main character develops with her fellow nurses as well as her romantic interests. Another must read. (471 p)  

Thursday, January 22, 2026 

 

Since our keynote speaker at Assembly is Stacey Abrams, I thought it was appropriate to read her Memoir, Lead from the Outside: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change - where we learn about Abram’s background, her struggles, and suggestions for how to deal with situations we might encounter based upon her experiences. From the 2024 Leadership Development List, whether we attend Assembly or watch her speech via streaming, we will get more out of her talk if we explore her point of view. (226 p.) Wednesday, April 22, 2026 

 

I’m not sure of the dates for the next two books.  

 

I was excited to see The Ever-Expansive Spirit of God: For All Who Feel Left Out by Peggy A. Johnson on our 2026 Spiritual Growth List. Unfortunately, it is not available at the public library, but you can purchase it through Amazon, currently $15.42 (paperback edition). I met Peggy through our Zoom COSROW retreat, and her story is fascinating. As a Bishop in the Eastern Pennsylvania and Peninsula-Delaware Conferences, her term was extended during COVID, despite some personal issues that conflicted with the United Methodist Church. She explores the path which our church has taken over the past ten+ years and how it affected her and her family. I am trying to arrange for her to join our discussion because I’m sure you will be curious and have numerous questions. I’ll let Bishop Johnson choose the date which will fit into her schedule. (about 200 p.) TBD 

 

From the 2025 Education in Mission List, we will read The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Richardson, a sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. I chose this title because so many of us enjoyed the first book. This continues the Appalachia saga where individuals with a blue hue (based on their French Heritage) face discrimination in the mountains of Kentucky. Honey Lovett, the daughter of Cussy Carter, must evade the authorities while she continues her mother’s pack horse library route, so that she doesn’t get sent to a juvenile detention center. I envision a lively discussion on how we treat others who don’t fit into the mold we consider acceptable in our society. (336 p.) TBD 

 

I urge you to read these titles and hopefully join in the zoom discussion, Ellen Klock, 716-208-6802, olmstedlms@gmail.com