Just Shy of Harmony

Philip Gulley is a Quaker pastor living in central Indiana. This is the second installment in his "Harmony" series also set in a fictional small town in central Indiana and the protagonist is a Quaker pastor. Often, authors get the advice to "write what they know" and that is exactly what Mr. Gulley has done - and very, very well!Sam Gardner is the narrator of the story and he is the Quaker minister of Harmony Friends Meeting. He is feeling beaten down by the church he is serving and suffers a crisis of faith. When a minister no longer is sure he believes in God, it makes it difficult to preach each Sunday and serve the church the way the members feel they should be served. The way the membership handles this is the springboard for much of what happens in the rest of the novel. Many of the characters we met in "Home to Harmony" appear in this book as well. Dale Hinshaw feels called to develop his scripture egg ministry (you have to read the book to find out what this crazy idea is), Asa and Jesse Peacock struggle to make ends meet while sitting on a winning lottery ticket, Wayne and Sally Fleming struggle with major issues in their marriage, and Fern Hampton is busy trying to get a new vanity in the ladies room installed and dedicated to another family member. These are just a few of the storylines woven throughout this slim but full novel.Often laugh-out-loud funny and always poignant, this is a wonderful book and fabulous series that I can't speak of highly enough. In the case of these books, they are permanent fixtures in my home and I go back to re-read when in the mood for comfortable, but with meaning.Others have compared this series to the Mitford Series by Jan Karon (which I also love). While I think the audiences for these two groups of books will often overlap, they are still different and just because you love Jan Karon doesn't necessarily mean you will love these. There is a bit more of a "bite" in here since, while very very humorous, there are people here you really wouldn't want to spend more time with than you had to. Great book, Great series!!Side note: A resident of central Indiana myself, I have had the opportunity to hear Mr. Gulley speak multiple times over the years. If you ever get the chance, please take advantage of it. He is a fabulous speaker and once you hear him it will enhance your enjoyment of his books. Now, when I read his work, I actually hear his voice reading aloud - very distinctive voice and style. I was actually disappointed to find that the audio recording was not by the author. He would have done a better job, I think.

Mr. Gulley takes an irregular route to the very heart of things, complete with a test of faith. The reader returns to Harmony where once again the author shines up the mediocre and the mundane and turns it into a miracle. A very sympathetic look into the discouragement of leading a church of willy nilly believers, with one or both feet in the past and blinders on their eyes. The reader will learn why goal setting and a gymnasium aren't necessarily a good thing for a church, and how a run-away wife and mother can pull people together. The accidental lottery winners and scripture eggs and yes - gossip - keep things interesting, when life isn't always harmonious. Believe it or not, there is something for everyone here in this story of a Quaker minister challenging faith and depression. The well intentioned, as well as the goofier members of this congregation, are kindly and humorously set out in caricatures that leave you laughing or shaking your head (and I'm betting you'll recognize some of these folks). The Friendly Women taking on the liberal press and hijacking the hospital kitchen was simply a touch of genius. The gentle people of Harmony occasionally practice the fine art of indifference, but joy and faith, steadiness and kindness carry through. A thought provoking and profound ending that challenges the reader to come up with their own explanation. Might giving thanks be more important than seeking the truth?Don't miss Gulley's other warm, wonderful and charming books: Home to Harmony, Front Porch Tales and For Everything There A Season ... divided into easy to digest chapters for all ages.

I felt like reading a good Quaker book with a bit of humour. Friends are very good at making fun of themselves. The first book was lovely as we went through in introduction of so many of the stalwarts in this set of short stories really, By this second book I was beginning to find the humour was beginning to veer towards ridicule, which is never a good way to go, it began to make me uneasy. As a matter of interest I started the third kindle book and I have only read the first six pages. As a Friend for 42 years I was hoping to revisit some kindly people. I worked out why I left ten years ago. The Minister was weak, and hoped his troubles would go away. He harboured frustration and should have dealt with it. People in his Meeting were being damaged and he was after all the minister. I have come from a completely unprogrammed Meeting background but the issues are the same for all Friends(Quakers) wherever. Many church goers from all traditions may enjoy these anecdotes. All I can say in conclusion is that I hope he has changed names to protect the innocent........