Contact: Janice Neely, 877-899-2780 ext 1792, jneely@gbod.org

NASHVILLE, Feb. 9, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Upper Room, an ecumenical Christian publisher best known for The Upper Room daily devotional guide, has announced a publishing partnership with the Henri Nouwen Society in Toronto, Canada. Two books by Henri Nouwen, widely considered one of the most influential spiritual writers of our time, are scheduled to release in Spring 2011 as part of The Henri Nouwen Spirituality Series.

Robin Pippin, editorial director of Upper Room Books, says, "This is a very exciting publishing partnership for Upper Room Books. The Upper Room has always admired the work of the Henri Nouwen Society and has worked with them informally on projects in the past, but this new series opens up the Henri Nouwen archives in fresh ways and on new topics that Nouwen didn't address formally in his other books."

Sue Mosteller, a trustee of the Henri Nouwen Legacy Trust, remarks, "As one who has been working with Henri Nouwen's legacy since his death, I'm excited and grateful for this new partnership between the Henri Nouwen Society and Upper Room Ministries. Living and working with Henri during his lifetime, and certainly with his legacy after his death, my experience has always been that Henri brings people together for inspiration, worship, friendship, and comfort. This coming together of The Upper Room and the Henri Nouwen Society offers a new threshold for Henri's vision and inspiration to bring good news into a broken and suffering world."

Henri Nouwen was an internationally renowned author, respected professor, and beloved pastor who wrote over 40 books on the spiritual life that have inspired and comforted countless people around the world. Since his death in 1996, an ever-increasing number of readers, writers, and researchers have explored his literary legacy. Nouwen's works have been translated and published in more than 22 languages.

Christians of diverse traditions will benefit from reading books in The Henri Nouwen Spirituality Series. The first book in the series, A Spirituality of Fundraising (Feb.), emphasizes Nouwen's belief that fundraising is, first and foremost, a ministry. He sees fundraising as a way to offer people an opportunity to participate in your vision and mission. According to Nouwen, "Fundraising is as spiritual as giving a sermon, entering a time of prayer, visiting the sick, or feeding the hungry."

A Spirituality of Caregiving (April) is the second book in the Henri Nouwen Spirituality Series. In this book, Nouwen, who spent the last years of his life living in L'Arche Daybreak community and serving as daily caregiver for a man with mental and physical disabilities, shares his insights into what it means to be both the caregiver and the person who receives care.

John S. Mogabgab, special projects editor at Upper Room Books, is the series editor. He worked with Nouwen from 1975 to 1980 at Yale Divinity School as his teaching, research, and editorial assistant.

Future books in The Henri Nouwen Spirituality Series include writings for Advent and Lent.