SHAKEN AWAKE

In Madding’s fictional account of a blizzard in Atlanta, Georgia, members of a church seek to better serve the homeless in their community.

The Rev. Samuel Matthews is awakened early one morning by a call from the police, informing him that a man died on the front steps of his church the previous night. When the pastor goes to the hospital to identify the body, he learns that the man froze to death and was likely a member of Atlanta’s large homeless population. When the death is reported in the newspaper, parish members Phil Portman and Alvin Smith have a conversation about how the church could step in to better serve the homeless community. Phil is concerned about the church’s lack of funding for such endeavors, but Alvin asserts, “If we cannot afford to do the work of the church...we should close the doors and stop calling it a church.” All three men soon find their dedication to service challenged by a freak snowstorm that inspires the pastor to open the church as a temporary snow shelter. As the storm brings together the homeless and others temporarily stranded by the storm, the pastor begins to think critically about how to replicate the good deed and offer continual aid for Atlanta’s homeless of Atlanta. The book also offers final questions for reflection and an appendix of resources. Although the three-part story is set largely at a church and invokes faith, it’s never sanctimonious in tone, and it can be enjoyed by community-minded non-Christians. The author clearly establishes and develops each character, which will compel readers to take a genuine interest in their lives. Madding’s prose is clear and readable throughout without seeming overly informal. He also appears to be well acquainted with the city of Atlanta, as his descriptions are precise and easy to visualize. His overall approach to service is refreshing as he coaxes readers into examining their prejudices and selfishness.

A call to serving the homeless, couched in a novel about a community coming together.