Just what is pastoral prayer all about? When we pray for others and ourselves, what are we attempting to do? As David Sparks explains, as pastoral pray-ers we are about bringing ourselves into right relationship with God, both as individuals and as a faith community. As pastoral pray-ers, we are about expressing our compassion for suffering humanity, and fulfilling God's intention of establishing God's realm on earth. Pastoral pray-ers are also about being involved in the answers to our prayers. There's no trying to persuade God to do what we ourselves could do with some energy and effort here! Sparks writes his prayers to awaken in us an awareness of where to put our energy and use our faith to bring about God's kingdom on earth. The paryers cover local and worldwide events, individual and congregational concerns. They are lectionary-based and responsive and can be easily adapted to particular circumstances and used in a variety of settings.
"So what are we about as pastoral pray-ers? We are about bringing ourselves individually and as a faith community into right relationship with God..." What about aRevised Common Lectionarybased book of pastoral prayers for clergy and lay leaders that provides responsive prayers for each Sunday of the year, including propers? David gets asked this question often when people recognize him as the author of the three volumes ofPrayers to Share. So, acknowledging that the pastoral prayer is often overlooked and undervalued, and that clergy and lay leaders may be hard-pressed for time to compose a fresh pastoral prayer each week, he has put together a unique and comprehensive collection of prayers that can be adapted to present circumstances and used in a variety of settings. The prayers are responsive, written for one or two leaders and a congregational response. They all allow for the inclusion of local and worldwide current events, and individual and congregational concerns. David usually uses the weekly Gospel reading as the broad theme for the prayers and divides them into four easily identified sections: world suffering church ourselves The "how to use" section covers preparing to offer pastoral prayer, and offers 12 ways to "do" pastoral prayer, such as: two leader congregational response using people and objects to dramatize a theme using part of a hymn for a lead or a response using silence for effect Each week offers specific suggestions for two or three prayer formats. Other features include: Thematic Index Scripture Index Icons in the margin to enable quick identification of prayer sections and alternate suggestions Data CD with text files for Year A
David Sparks gives us the third volume of pastoral prayers in this three-book series based on the scripture readings from the Revised Common Lectionary for Year C. Church leaders will find an entire year's worth of responsive pastoral prayers to help bring individuals and faith communities into right relationship with God. The prayers can be adapted to a variety of settings and circumstances and are divided into four easily identifiable sections: world, suffering, church, ourselves. Each week offers a main prayer along with several "other ways" of praying. The book also includes: * Data CD *How to Use section with a step-by-step guide to different prayer formats *Thematic index *Scripture index *Icons in the margin for quick reference
“Will you give the devotion at the beginning of the meeting?” With Off to a Good Start, you can confidently answer, “Yes!” Inside are 24 openers with a scripture, prayer, reflection, questions, and a simple activity. There are openers for specific small groups, as well as for Advent, Easter, and other church seasons. You’ll also find prayers for every occasion and season, including graces. This handy collection is ideal for small groups, boards, women’s groups, and workshops.
Based on the scripture readings from the Revised Common Lectionary, Prayers To Share offers church leaders an entire year's worth of responsive prayers for use in worship, and other church group settings. This first volume is for year B. Includes Call to Worship, Opening Prayer, Prayer of Confession, Words of Assurance, Offertory Prayer and Commissioning Prayer for each Sunday of the church year, including all the propers. A thematic index allows leaders to pick prayers by subject, for use in a variety church settings.
This revised, expanded edition of the Common Worship President’s Edition contains everything to celebrate Holy Communion Order One throughout the church year. It combines relevant material from the original President’s Edition with Eucharistic material from Times and Seasons, Festivals and Pastoral Services, and the Additional Collects.
By inviting the congregation to participate in the worship prayers, leaders will nurture the growth and engagement of everyone in the gathered community. Responsive Prayers offers an entire year’s worth of responsive prayers that can be adapted to a variety of settings and circumstances. This collection includes full prayers for the Call to Worship, Opening Prayer, Words of Assurance, Offering Prayer, and Commissioning, as well as an outline for the Pastoral Prayer, for each Sunday of the lectionary year. Some weeks include additional prayer options. Includes a scripture index. Authorization to reproduce and freely adapt all the prayers in the collection for use in worship in the local congregation is included with the purchase of the book.
This collection of responsive prayers is based on the Revised Common Lectionary, Year A, as is perfect for clergy and lay leaders alike. Like every collection of prayers written by David Sparks, Responsive Prayers, Year A offers an entire year’s worth of responsive prayers that can be adapted to a variety of settings and circumstances. This collection includes full prayers for the Call to Worship, Opening Prayer, Words of Assurance, Offering Prayer, and Commissioning, as well as an outline for the Pastoral Prayer, for each Sunday of the lectionary year, plus Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Some Sundays include additional prayer options. Responsive Prayers Year A also includes a scripture index. Authorization to reproduce and freely adapt all the prayers in the collection for use in worship in the local congregation is included with the purchase of the book. Praise for volumes in the previous series. "An eminently useful collection of worship resources tailored for the lectionary year." – The United Church Observer "These are truly wholesome and appropriate responsive prayers that engage the pray-ers… [They are] composed with an eye to the contemporary religious climate and are truly “about us” and our beliefs as a worshipping body of Christ’s faithful." – review posted on Amazon.com
"A book you will want to read and read again." -- Eugene Peterson Afterword by Bono. How can you find a more transparent, resilient, and fearless life of faith? Open and Unafraid by David Taylor takes readers on a profound journey through the book of Psalms, which has been a central pillar for God's people for millennia, across all walks of life and cultural contexts. In reading it, we discover that we are never alone in our joys, sorrows, angers, doubts, praises, or thanksgivings. In it, we learn about prayer and poetry, honesty and community, justice and enemies, life and death, nations and creation. As a professor, pastor, author, and producer of the short film Bono and Eugene Peterson: The Psalms, David Taylor has created an accessible guide to the psalms that resonates deeply with first-time and long-time Bible readers, poets and artists, devout believers and spiritual seekers alike. Open and Unafraid shows you how to read the psalms in a fresh, life-giving way, and so access the bottomless resources for life and experience the presence of God--in order to deepen discipleship and worship. Endorsements: "David Taylor’s take is 'open and unafraid' alright. He really goes there, exposing himself before God in the most beautiful way. He might have called the book Naked, because if you don’t find your own self feeling a little exposed here, it might be time to take some armor off." -- Bono, from the Afterword "A book that you will want to read and read again, and yet again, in order to discover the wisdom of the Psalms that shows us how to walk in the life-giving way of Jesus." -- Eugene Peterson, from the Foreword "A winsome, accessible entry into the Book of Psalms…Connects the poetry of the psalms to real-life wonders and struggles." -- Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary "Taylor reads these biblical prayers with Dr. Seuss, rappers, and other poets, along with theologians and the daily news....Guides readers in tracing out patterns of holy speech that have the potential for healing our hearts and our communities." -- Ellen F. Davis, Duke Divinity School "I have always loved the psalms--for their defiant devotion, their deep joy, and their brutal yet beautiful honesty. And after reading this fantastic book about them, I love them even more." -- Matt Redman, worship leader and song writer "In these fraught and fearsome days, we need the psalms more than ever. And we need more faithful artists and thinkers like David Taylor to mine the infinite gifts the psalms offer across the ages." -- Karen Swallow Prior, author of Fierce Convictions
