This volume draws together 23 essays previously published in Weavings, a Christian journal of spiritual life. As the title implies, the focus is on the layers of relationship that link our lives with other believers and God. The three themes are explored with an eye toward their value for those in roles of spiritual leadership.
There are articles on prayer, reading scripture, liturgy as holy play, speaking the truth in love, and social imagination. The best three are Wendy Wright on listening, Sue Monk Kidd on compassion, and Henri J.M. Nouwen on power and powerlessness.