How the Light Gets In

Alain Létourneau is a librarian in the J.N. Desmarais Library at
Laurentian University.

With a smooth style and a vivid sense of humor, Reverend Brian E.
Pearson presents a selection of short stories that celebrates the life
of the Anglican Church. Largely based on recollections from his
parochial activities, these entertaining stories depict the conflict
between tradition and new trends that churches are facing as they enter
the new millennium.

“Country Kitchen” brings us to the heart of the life of St-Jude
(Pearson’s first parish)—the kitchen; unannounced parochial visits
at the end of a Sunday afternoon invariably leads one not only to roast
beef and mashed potatoes, as the author says, but also to the heartbeat
of a congregation. “The Rise and Fall of Arthur Pitfield” tells the
story of a simple man who, by dint of odd circumstances, becomes the
bishop of a divided diocese; the scene of the confirmation service,
which raises the question of whether something important is being missed
here, is a testament to Pearson’s gift for storytelling.