Major life change in the editor and his children’s lives provided the beginnings for this book. It became clear to Hugh Sanborn that many events and milestones that change one’s life forever, go uncelebrated in our secular lives. Even more profoundly, they go unrecognized in our faith lives and in our worship. Sanborn is offering some food for thought to the church at large to remedy this situation.

    Individuals from a rich variety of denominations and expertise have been invited to address life change at specific stages of life. Each author first gives a theological and developmental overview of the stage of life and the changes encountered. In addition, each author gives an example of a Liturgy, Rite or Service that could be used or adapted to address that event in the context of the faith community.

    Samples of subjects and authors include Jerome W. Berryman "The Transition from Infancy to Childhood", Marie Johnson "Women Entering Mid-life", Bryan J. Cannon "Upon Leaving a Home", and Hugh W. Sandborn "Coming of Age". Almost as valuable as the individual chapters, is the forward by Howard Clinebell. Clinebell lays the groundwork for the premise that healthy ritual life, is a good indicator of a healthy organization or society. Conversely, a society poor in meaningful ritual can not be healthy.

Getting from Me to We… Right of Passage: The Heroic Journey to Adulthood by Nancy Geyer Christopher, 1996, Cornell Press, P.O. Box 25798 Washington, DC 20007-8798.

    The author brings to this book her education in anthropology, theater and religion and decade of high school teaching experience. This background gives her an insight into the importance of ritual and rites of passage in the creation of a socialized, valued young person within the community.

    The author proposes that it is not enough to celebrate a "rite of passage" into adulthood. She contends that a "Rite of Passage" is necessary, but that it marks only the beginning of this passage into a new way of being. She maintains that the Rite does not change individuals, but that it publicly calls to the communities attention, that the individual is desirous of belonging to the group as an adult. Nancy Christopher, proposes that this process occurs in stages, beginning with separation, (a public setting apart or recognition) transition (a time of trying out new skills, and behaviors) and finally incorporation back into the community as a "new" being (transformation).

    The author contends that most communities, religious and secular pay some homage to the initial stage but do not put much creative energy in the support of the young person in the succeeding stages. The author proposes that structured community service can assist young persons in this transition period, in that it can provide a reasonably safe environment to try on new adult behaviors and contribute to the community at the same time.