Spiritual Insights from the World's Most Beloved Neighbor

I appreciate the author's honesty and sincerity - and have no doubt that she had a special friendship with Mister Rogers. But the book lacks depth (also commented upon by another reviewer). The author states that Fred Rogers greatly admired and was a friend of Henri Nouwen, that renowned priest, pastor, professor and writer of the 20th century, yet also admits that she has read nothing of Nouwen. My sense is that she doesn't have the background to be able to articulate the contemplative heart of Rogers' faith. It is a friendly, easy read, appealing for all who love Mister Rogers - so see it as an introduction to the spiritual perspectives of this wonderful man, but not, by any means, as a full representation of his profound and visionary faith in Christ.

I appreciate the author's honesty and sincerity - and have no doubt that she had a special friendship with Mister Rogers. But the book lacks depth (also commented upon by another reviewer). The author states that Fred Rogers greatly admired and was a friend of Henri Nouwen, that renowned priest, pastor, professor and writer of the 20th century, yet also admits that she has read nothing of Nouwen. My sense is that she doesn't have the background to be able to articulate the contemplative heart of Rogers' faith. It is a friendly, easy read, appealing for all who love Mister Rogers - so see it as an introduction to the spiritual perspectives of this wonderful man, but not, by any means, as a full representation of his profound and visionary faith in Christ.

Mister Rogers has influenced my life so much. He helped me love my own feelings and see them as good after surviving childhood spiritual abuse, which taught me that I was bad and my feelings were too. I'm so grateful for Hollingsworth's book, archiving his beautiful teachings for us in simple language. It's easy to read, but I often had to stop and reflect on how profound it was.

Learned a lot. Loved the heartfelt book about a worthy disciple written by an equally worthy disciple. Thanks for sharing. Robin Banks Robin,

The ceiling of your outdoor space is painted Pratt & Lambert - color Argent
1322. This can be matched at any paint store, it doesn't have to be Pratt &
Lambert. The trim is Benjamin Moore Interior Ready Mix White.

Thanks,
Christi Bowen

-----Original Message-----
From: Robin Banks [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2017 2:02 PM
To: Nancy Lynch
Subject: Color of Terrace paints

The blue of ceiling and the white. Can you find the details on these 2
colors for me, please?
Thank you, Robin

Sent from my iPhone

This is an honest and well written book which includes good examples of how Fred Rogers was the real deal. This book substantiates that there is a way to be a good person in a bad world and that way is through living the Christian faith, leaning on God. Fred Rogers had that kind of faith and was that kind of person.

Being a Presbyterian minister who attended the same seminary as Fred Rogers (albeit many years later), I was intrigued by "The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers." When Mister Rogers passed away, I had scanned the newspapers and the internet about glimpses into his life of faith. I found little, and what I found were platitudes. All I really knew about the faith of Mister Rogers was that he took it seriously, and he was ordained in the United Presbyterian Church as an evangelist to children. Guessing that Mister Roger's faith did not fit the stereotypical protestant evangelical mold, I was even more intrigued when I discovered that the book's author, Amy Hollingsworth, worked eight years as a writer and researcher for the 700 Club.

The book is part eulogy and part devotional. It effectively plays on emotions although not in a manipulative way. Intellectual biography or systematic theology is not the intent. Don't expect it. Through the book, we take away simple lessons from the life of Fred Rogers on prayer, forgiveness, quietness, etc. In some ways, the book is really about the author as she struggles with these lessons. In fact, some of the best anecdotes are about her life, not Mister Rogers. Nonetheless, I met Mister Rogers in this book (after having met him countless times on television).

More importantly, I have a glimpse into his faith. That faith is profoundly influenced by the gospels, authors like Henri Nouwen and Madeleine L'Engle, books like the "Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and his own studies of child development psychology. That faith is disciplined by prayer, scripture reading, the singing of hymns and times of quiet. I'm sure there are doctrinal issues with which Fred Rogers and I would disagree, but I cannot disagree with the kindness, compassion, and love of this gentle man. Someone once asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" It would be hard to do better than Mister Rogers.

Amy Hollingsworth's "The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers" grew out of the author's correspondence over nine years with the legendary children's TV host. Part author memoir, part Christian devotional, and part biography of Fred Rogers, the book takes readers on a journey through the life of author and the Christian discipleship of the man behind "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."

Asked in 1994 by her employer to do an interview with Fred Rogers, a man not given to interviews, Hollingsworth was able to secure that interview by sticking up for Rogers in an editorial response she wrote to a snarky article by a New York journalist that condemned Rogers as nothing more than a panderer to self-esteem and the latest pop psychology. So the author lays out the beginnings of her friendship with the gentle man whom she later credits with saving children's television, particularly PBS's version of it.

Her stories of Rogers get to the one side of his persona that he kept very quiet, his Christian faith. In his younger days, Rogers started off as a puppeteer on a children's show and saw the need to bring the Gospel into the way that television reached out to children. To this end, he enrolled in seminary, only to find resistance to his being ordained. The ordination board did not know what to do with a man who did not want to pastor a local church, but instead wanted to pastor every person who watched a children's TV show he led. But Rogers's insistence that the Holy Spirit was able to speak truth even through the airwaves convinced the seminary board; he was ordained in the United Presbyterian Church.

The show he became famous for first debuted in Canada, then came to PBS via WQED in Pittsburgh. Rogers lived right down the street and walked to the studio every day. And that was the kind of person Rogers was. He was always given to the simple, the quiet, and the vulnerable even as a child. From the people in the neighborhood he grew up in, he learned that the small things matter. Hollingsworth relates Rogers's encounter with an elderly woman who taught young Freddie how to make his favorite breakfast, toast sticks, using this encounter as a backbone of the book.

The best parts of this book are the little revelations. Hollingsworth tells of Rogers and his seminary buddies going on a road trip to hear a famous pastor speak, only to find a substitute preacher--and a boring one at that--putting the congregation to sleep. Rogers was incensed by this, only to turn to the woman seated next to him and notice her crying because the message spoke to the deepest part of her need. Rogers decided at that point that it was unwise to be judgmental because he could never know how the Holy Spirit was touching someone. Hollingsworth also tells stories that viewers of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" relate concerning how the show changed their lives. Some of these stories, particularly the teenager who was horribly abused by his parents throughout his early years, are worthy of five hankies. Another revelation is that Rogers cultivated deep friendships with many famous people. Of particular note to me was that Rogers was close friends with Henri Nouwen, the Catholic priest and author of classic books like "The Wounded Healer" and "The Return of the Prodigal Son."

One of the other truths that comes out of this book is that God blessed Fred Rogers with an enormous creative gift. He wrote 900 episodes of his show, penned over 200 songs, performed the classic background piano music, and was the voice behind most of the puppets in the Land of Make Believe. Hollingsworth does an excellent job showing how that creative bent allowed Rogers to draw children to him and share the Gospel of Jesus in the same way that the Lord blessed the little children who were presented to Him. Knowing that Rogers got up every day at 5AM to read the Bible and pray only reinforces the reality that he brought that time before God into every show he made.

If there are any complaints against "The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers" they lie in the brevity of the book and the lightness of the entire narrative. Fred Rogers is about as teflon a personality as ever walked the earth (the author even discusses the urban legend that thieves stole Rogers's car, only to return it the next day when they learned it was his), but more discussion of the man's flaws and how he used his faith to overcome them would have been appreciated. This book is as close to fawning as any biographical work you'll ever read.

That said, I met Fred Rogers when I was at Carnegie Mellon University. See, I literally lived in Mister Rogers's neighborhood of Shadyside in the Pittsburgh suburbs. I'd see Rogers walk to work at WQED almost every day since my dorm room was right next to the PBS station's studio where he taped his show. Getting to talk with him from time to time proved to me that he was everything we saw on TV and more--an example for all the people who ever watched "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" and grew up to be better people because of the simple faith of Fred Rogers.

A very good book about a very good man. Definitely worthy of your time.

As parents in the early 70's, we limited television viewing, but Mister Fred Rogers was a welcome guest for our younger children. Thankfully, with DVDs and re-mastering, my young grandchildren also can sing along with "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood."

In this book, readers are allowed a rare glimpse into the life of Fred Rogers. And guess what? His persona as a gentle, caring person who loved children was authentic on and off the screen.

The author, however, goes deeper and shows us the man's faith in GOD. Quoting Mr. Rogers, "I'm so convinced that the space between the television set and the viewer is holy ground...and what we put on the television can, by The Holy Spirit, be translated into what this person needs to hear and see, and without that translation, it's all dross as far as I'm concerned." (read full review post on conniemace.com)

A friend, who just recently had his 100th book published, once told me that the biography that he most wanted to write was the life of Fred Rogers. I was intrigued.

In the months before Mister Rogers' death, I read the articles that began to appear about him. I even came across an article that he wrote, which appeared in Reader's Digest. What I read confirmed to me that he was an extraordinary man. When I saw that this book had come out, I couldn't wait to read it.

My expectations were high, and I was not disappointed. Just pages into it, an obscure image from the movie review section of the San Francisco Chronicle summarized what I was feeling. On weekends the Chronicle published summary reviews of movies in a pink Datebook edition. Each review was accompanied by a depiction of a man sleeping, looking bored, sitting and clapping, or out of his seat clapping fanatically. It served as a visual summary of how good the movie was. As I read through the introduction and opening chapters of Amy's book, inside I was like the little man who was out of his seat clapping hysterically. I was singing on the inside. This book is a delight.

Not only is it extremely well written, the author made a great choice in how to present the material. It's not a beginning to end life story of Mister Rogers. Instead the author gives an overview of his life in the introduction and sets the stage for what is to follow. The book has more to do with the legacy of Mister Rogers-what we can learn from him-than a chronology of events.

Each chapter covers a different subject. How Mister Rogers lived and thought about solitude and silence, prayer, the work of the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, difficult times and other subjects are covered.

The opening chapter on taking time to be alone and quiet immediately captivated me. Mister Rogers knew that he was a quiet person. He didn't try to be what he was not. I'm not a quiet person, someone might think. The beauty of Mister Rogers' legacy was that he encouraged people to be themselves.

I was inspired by what I read; in fact, I found it to be potentially life-changing. Mister Rogers made taking time alone and being quiet seem so natural. There was nothing mystical about it. Inside I was thinking, yes, this is right. I ought to do this. I received the gentle encouragement. That was Mister Rogers' way.

This book never would have come into being if it were not for an interview. The author was granted a rare interview in part because she came to the defense of Mister Rogers when he was criticized unfairly by a newspaper columnist. That first interview led to return visits and a deep friendship developed. We are fortunate that the author is able to share from her personal experience and correspondence with Fred Rogers. We get the viewpoint of a close friend rather than a detached observer.

I thank God for this book. It's sprinkled with so many simple yet profound and life-changing truths. It's full of practical wisdom that can be mined by ministers, teachers, speakers or anyone else for the anecdotes, quotes and ideas. I hope that it will always have a place in my library. It's a book that I didn't want to read through too fast-one that I didn't want to end.

I think one of the things that make the book and Mister Rogers so special is that we are given a glimpse of Christ that we seldom see. Fred's gentleness, kindness, tenderness and love remind us of that part of Christ's nature.

Fred's life makes me realize that too many of us are a product of our environment and culture. We absorb too much of it. Mister Rogers was so different! He was so unique that people made fun of him, but he bore it all with the grace that was so characteristic of him. I joke to myself that he would never have been invited to speak at a Promise Keeper's rally, but maybe he should have been. Men, and women, could learn a lot from his example.

I never grew up watching Mister Rogers, but I sure enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone. It's packed with gentle encouragement that will warm your heart. If we allow ourselves to learn from Mister Rogers' legacy, we can help make it a better neighborhood for all.

This is a book about the beliefs of Mister Rogers. The Author had correspondence with Fred Rogers over the last several years of his life. She interviewed him on more than one occasion . This book takes a look at the faith that inspired a man to dedicate his life to making children feel special.

The book is decent and it gives the reader a look into the life and times of Fred Rogers. The author incorporates different episodes of the show into the message that Fred was trying to reveal. The most important message from the book was that Mister Rogers taught faith by not shoving it down your throat. He was the model christian that emulated how everyone should act to each other.

The writing was ok. It needed a bit more editing. Parts of it were redundant. The author tells some of the same stories over in different parts of the book, will foreshadow a story that would be relevant were it is foreshadowed and references stories from the beginning that would have been more relevant where she referenced them.

Overall, this book was a good 3 star book for those whom are not interested in Mister Rogers. Those with interest in him would probably take it up to 4. The book is full of Christian themes and might be a little harder for a non-christian to get into. Not that you shouldn't try.

I have a connection to Mister Rogers because he answered my sister's letter to him with a personal letter back. This book describes the spiritual dimension behind his incredible kindness. The author carried on a friendship and correspondence with Fred over the years. Thankfully she documented all the correspondence and organized them into a beautiful remembrance of the man. It is not just full of platitudes but gives Mr. Rogers some real depth. My admiration for him grows everytime I add some more knowledge of his life. You find out the real strength behind his patience and kindness was Jesus.

The author organizes each chapter methodically with a series of lessons she learned from Mr. Rogers. She has done a nice job documenting the human inspirations for Fred as well. Who knew of his friendship with Henri Nouwen?

I didn't want the book to end. I found a lot more spiritual depth than you might expect from a children's televsion host.

I just finished The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers by Amy Hollingsworth. Beautiful, beautiful book. Part of it is just because of the subject. Who doesn't love Mister Rogers? But it's not just that. Amy has an amazing way with words that makes her one of the best writers I've ever read. I'll even forgive her for me crying all through the book. (A warning would have been nice, though.:-P)

If you haven't read this yet, walk, don't run (because Mister Rogers was never in a hurry) to the bookstore or library and pick up a copy.

I grew up in the 1960s, and enjoyed watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as a boy. While I enjoyed the program as a whole, it was the Neighborhood of Make-Believe that really appealed to me. It offered me a safe, cozy place that everyone was neighborly, yet best of all… it was a land whose main residents were puppets! Over the past few years I sometimes wonder why I still find his work still so interesting?

To answer my own questions I had to think about this a bit. My own father worked quite a bit when I was growing up, so I didn’t see him often. Mister Rogers may have been a kind and caring television friend that visited our house, perhaps even a substitute father from time to time. Revisiting The Neighborhood with my two children brings back happy memories from my own boyhood “visits”.

As I follow my journey in puppetry, I often research people, music, and things that have helped bring joy to my life. In this I hope to pass along something that I have learned to my own children, and the children that come to see me perform with my puppet characters. My interest in the life and career of Fred Rogers has lead me to reading several books, most recently The Simple Faith of Mr. Rogers: Spiritual Insights from the World’s Most Beloved Neighbor by former Cincinnatian Amy Hollingsworth.

I will admit upfront that I have been aware of this book for several years, yet was uneasy when it came to the idea of reading it. After all, it is about the faith of a man I admire, yet I do not consider myself a very religious person. Why I had these feelings I am not sure, since I know that Fred Rogers was an ordained minister in the United Presbyterian Church. My mother has reminded me of his religious background too during a few phone conversations about people who have influenced me as a puppeteer.

There have been a few incidents over the past year that inspired me to learn more about Fred Rogers, and read Amy’s book. The first was during a lecture that I was asked to speak at last summer, a woman in the audience came up to me after I had finished and told me that I reminded her of Fred Rogers. At first I was puzzled by this compliment. He was a very famous man, I am just a one man puppet troupe. His message was simple and direct, mine is (if there is one) have fun with puppets. Then I though, if something I said brought out my “inner-Fred”, why not? That’s not a bad thing. More recently I have had the pleasure of communicating with David Newell, Fred Rogers’ friend and the actor who played the Speedy Delivery man Mr. McFeely on the television program. David’s note arrive on the last day of 2013, I had been ill for a few days. Reading his kind words of encouragement really made my day, and ended 2013 with a burst of happiness. Was this Fred Rogers’ at work? Perhaps.

I found myself so interested in this book, that I zipped through the 224 pages in two days. In it Amy Hollingsworth shares some of her times with Fred Rogers, often as a television interviewer. The parts that I found particularly special were when she included quotes from letters that Mister Rogers wrote to her. The fact that he would take time out of his very busy life, to stay in touch with many people, is just a small example of what a fantastic person he was.

He seemed to be able to see the good in everyone, and see what their special talent was to share with others. That he could do this makes me admire him even more. Perhaps this may be that Fred Rogers had never lost his ability to see the world through the eyes of a child? I am not certain, he did seem to have the ability to see things with a sense of wonder and an appreciation for everything.

Thank you Amy, for your gifts as a writer, and for giving your readers a look into the friendship you shared with Fred Rogers. I learned more about Fred Rogers the person from reading this, and would feel that his faith and devotion to children through television was both simple and honest.

“There are three ways to ultimate success:
The first way is to be kind.
The second way is to be kind.
The third way is to be kind.” -Fred Rogers

The original review of this book appeared in my blog, you are welcome to read it:
[...]

Like most American children, I grew up watching Fred Rogers remove his sport coat and put on a cardigan every morning. I loved the factory visits and special deliveries. What I didn't know then was the faith of the man on television. Having watched his acceptance speech for the Television Hall of Fame and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Emmy's (two speeches on youtube) - I was moved by the words he spoke and wanted to know more. I stumbled upon this book and couldn't put it down. It seems that here is a man who truly understood what life is about and our worth to God. He treasured people and knew how to treasure them - inspiring the good in them. What a tremendous legacy! If only there were more like him for future generations! This is an excellent book about a truly excellent man.

Ths is one of the most inspirational books I have read, and as a seminary student I read lots of "religious" books. The simple truths not just voiced but also embodied by "Mr. Rogers" shine through in this book. Amy Hollingsworth does a wonderful job of giving the book a structure through her relationship with Mr. Rogers, so it comes off as a personal recollection rather than a dry biography or collection of wisdom. I will certainly be giving this book as a gift, as reading it was a gift to me!

Amy Hollingsworth does a superb job of sharing not only the incredible impact that Mister Rogers had in her life, but in the lives of countless people of all ages. It was so refreshing to read behind the scenes stories that reveal the same wonderfully warm and caring character of Mister Rogers that was broadcast daily into the homes of millions. I personally have very fond memories of watching Mister Roger's Neighborhood nearly everyday as a child. As a psychologist, I know how powerful the principles and values shared and lived out by Mister Rogers are and am very pleased that they are so thoughtfully and eloquently remembered in this exellent book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who truly desires to learn, or be reminded of, some of life's most important truths.