Prayer is essential to the Christian life, bonding us to God. Yet we find it difficult in our frenetic world to keep our minds focused for long. All kinds of external noise and inner voices clamor for our attention. How can we slow down and quiet down so as to truly wait on the Lord? Nan Lewis Doerr and Virginia Stem Owens offer a solution that calls on the physical senses to break through to the spiritual ??? praying with beads. The use of prayer beads, which has a long history in practical spirituality, is now becoming more widespread among Protestants. Doerr and Owens here show readers how to use what have become known as Anglican or Christian prayer beads. Readers can then use the basic prayer structure provided by the beads to pray their way through each day ??? morning, noon, and night ??? and through the church year. These prayers can be enhanced and enriched by the mindful and meditative practice of using beads.

William Byrd's Gradualia is one of the most unusual and elaborate musical works of the English Renaissance. This large collection of liturgical music, 109 pieces in all, was written for clandestine use by English Catholics at a time when they were forbidden to practice their religion in public. When Byrd began to compose the Gradualia, he turned from the penitential and polemical extravagances of his earlier Latin motets to the narrow, carefully ordered world of the Counter-Reformation liturgy. It was in this new context, cut off from his familiar practice of choosing colorful texts and setting them at length, that he first wrote about the "hidden and mysterious power" of sacred words to evoke a creative response. Liturgy and Contemplation in Byrd's Gradualia responds to Byrd's own testimony by exploring how he read the texts of the Mass and the events of the church calendar. Kerry McCarthy examines early modern English Catholic attitudes toward liturgical practice, meditation, and what the composer himself called "thinking over divine things." She draws on a wide range of contemporary sources - devotional treatises, commentaries on the Mass, poetry, memoirs, letters, and Byrd's dedicatory prefaces - and revisits the Gradualia in light of this evidence. The book offers a case study of how one artist reimagined the creative process in the final decades of his life.

First exclusively Episcopal prayer book for youth Perfect gift for teens at Christmas, confirmation, graduation, and birthdays Recent studies show teens want a language for articulation their faith and a means for being able to express their spirituality in prayer This prayer book designed for teens draws from the Book of Common Prayer, relevant prayers written by well known Episcopalians, and ancient prayers rooted in the Bible. New and original prayers are also offered, written by contemporary church leaders in the Episcopal Church, as well as by teens themselves, young adults and youth leaders. The book is structured in four parts: Daily Prayer. Including morning prayer, table blessings, and night time. Prayers for the Seasons of the Church Year. Blessing of a Christmas tree, prayer for Christ in my life for Easter, prayer for courage to share my faith, and more. Prayers for Daily Life. Before a special school event, before a sports event, before a test, being left out, bullying, dating, divorce, doubts, forgiveness, friendship, gratitude, grief, guidance, hope, motivation, peer pressure, pets, purpose, and more. Prayers for Important Events. Significant birthday, earning a driver's license, Confirmation, beginning the school year, starting high school, applying for college, graduating high school, going to college, joining the workforce. In paperbck version.

Though it may not be immediately obvious why articles on topics from such distantly removed areas of western Europe - the Iberian peninsula and southern Italy - should appear in the same volume (the fourth collection by Roger Reynolds), the materials covered illustrate that they are indeed closely related, both in their differences and their similarities. Both peninsulas had their own indigenous liturgies and music (Old Spanish and Beneventan), distinctive written scripts (Visigothic and Beneventan), and legal and theological traditions, and repeatedly these worked their influence on other areas of western Europe. Although there were frequent attempts by the papacy and secular rulers from the 9th to the 13th century to suppress these distinctive traditions in both areas, elements of these nonetheless survived well into the 16th century and beyond. Despite the differences in these traditions, the articles in this volume also demonstrate through manuscript evidence the continued exchange of the distinctive customs between the Iberian peninsula and southern Italian cultures from the very early Middle Ages through the 12th century.

Is your personal prayer life giving you problems? Read this book. It will clear your mind about your need for prayer and strengthen your will to do it. Beyond all that, it will simply flood your soul with goodness and love of God!

If you are like most Christians, you know you should be praying more often, taking it more seriously, and giving it more priority in your life. But what often gets missed is that prayer is not a requirement but a privilege! Prayer is the pathway to building a relationship with the Savior. Through prayer, the Creator and Sustainer of everything actually listens to us. In Praying with Power, you will explore what the Bible has to say about this fascinating two-way communication with God. You will explore journaling prayers, praying the Scripture, and how to pray your way through a desert or valley. You will also discover the incredible power of prayer and the promises God provides when you go to Him with your needs. The Women of Faith (R) Bible Studies provide intriguing insights into topics that are relevant to women's lives today. Each guide includes twelve weeks of study, down-to-earth illustrations, and reflections to help you move the truth from your head to your heart. A leader's guide for use with small groups is also included.

Jane William's widely read and much enjoyed Church Times columns brought together in one volume for the first time. In Lectionary Reflections, Jane Williams aims to help us engage with the Sunday readings in the Revised Common Lectionary for Years A, B & C. Each section gives the lectionary references and provides a thought-provoking starting point for exploring the readings, drawing out points of connection between them. Intelligently written and inspiring, Lectionary Reflections will prove invaluable in preparation for Sunday worship or for regular Bible study throughout the year. It will be of use to both groups and individuals for opening up the Bible and applying its rich teaching and stories.

Tracing the origins of daily prayer from the New Testament and Patristic period, through the Reformation and Renaissance to the present, this book examines the development of daily rites across a broad range of traditions including: Pre-Crusader Constantinopolitan, East and West Syrian, Coptic and Ethiopian, non-Roman and Roman Western. Structure, texts and ceremonial are examined, and contemporary scholarship surveyed. Concluding with a critique of the present tenor of liturgical revision, Gregory Woolfenden raises key questions for current liturgical change, suggests to whom these questions should be addressed, and proposes that the daily office might be the springboard for an authentic baptismal spirituality. The author explores how prayer and poetic texts indicate that the thrust of the ancient offices was a movement from night to morning - from death to resurrection.

Tracing the origins of daily prayer from the New Testament and Patristic period, through the Reformation and Renaissance to the present, this book examines the development of daily rites across a broad range of traditions including: Pre-Crusader Constantinopolitan, East and West Syrian, Coptic and Ethiopian, non-Roman and Roman Western. Structure, texts and ceremonial are examined, and contemporary scholarship surveyed. Concluding with a critique of the present tenor of liturgical revision, Gregory Woolfenden raises key questions for current liturgical change, suggests to whom these questions should be addressed, and proposes that the daily office might be the springboard for an authentic baptismal spirituality. The author explores how prayer and poetic texts indicate that the thrust of the ancient offices was a movement from night to morning - from death to resurrection.

A classic title now republished, this reference work is devoted to matters of worship. It does not limit itself to any specific period, but covers all the Christian centuries. Nor is it devoted to one Church only, but attempts to be truly ecumenical. This lexicon contains over 800 entries, ranging from simple definitions to full-length articles tracing the history of the object or practice described. The entries selected are those that the student of liturgy is likely to encounter most frequently. Bibliographical references are given for the main items and a special feature where a liturgical document is concerned, is the listing of original texts and, when available, of translations together with critical studies if there are any directly bearing upon the subject. Cross-references are indicated by an asterisk. This book is an indispensable tool for all students of worship and indeed anyone interested in the history and practice of Christian liturgy.

A critical analysis of the eucharistic, baptismal and confirmation rites in the Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish liturgies, showing how all Reformed worship rests upon the Christian doctrine of God, centred in the person and work of Jesus Christ. In this sense he claims that to be Reformed, or Presbyterian, it is essential to be Christian, Catholic and Calvinist not only in doctrine but in worship.

The nineteenth century was a period of intense religious conflict across Europe, as people confronted the major changes brought out by modernity. In Zurich, one phase of this religious conflict was played out in a struggle over revisions to the ritual of baptism. In its analysis of the Zurich conflict, Liturgy Wars offers a strategy for understanding the links between theology, ritual and socio-politics. Theodore M. Vial offers a new perspective on contemporary ritual studies - and critiques the cognitivist approaches of Lawson and McCauley, as well as Catherine Bell's analysis of power and the body - by reintegrating the importance of speech acts into considerations of ritual.

In this book, Peaston challenges the common assumption that the Prayer Book is the exclusive possession of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, and researches its adoption in the Free Churches of England. Peaston acknowledges the Catholic revisions of the Prayer Book since its establishment during the reign of Elizabeth I, but concentrates predominantly on the Protestant revisions which ultimately heralded the way for much liturgical revision in the Free Churches. He also focuses upon the development of liturgical worship in those communions which were generally regarded as belonging to the strict Protestant tradition. Peaston explores how the Prayer Book found a new home amongst Methodists, Moravians, Congregationalists, and Swedenborgians, as well as several others. He explores its traditional importance to them, and its modern relevance. Free Churchmen may have left the Establishment with or without regret, but the cadences of Cranmer and ancient Anglican piety have lingered in unforgotten memory amongst Nonconformists. In his Foreword the late Professor E.C. Ratcliff comments that: 'It is no exaggeration to say that Peaston has completed the extra-Anglican history of the Prayer Book. In so doing, he has made a notable contribution to the history of English religion.'

These are heartfelt and very realistic prayers about college life. Kerry Weber beautifully expresses all the familiar emotions, all the highs and lows, all the fears and dreams that every college student experiences. She learned early on in her own college life that she couldn't cope without God's guidance and she clung to her faith to see her through. She makes a compelling case for staying close to God from the first unfamiliar days on campus to the moment of graduation. This is a wonder gift for any young person heading off to college. It offers reassurance and comfort and encourages them to build a vibrant life of faith and prayer.

"That prayer is most likely to pierce heaven which first pierces one's own heart." For the Puritans, prayer was neither casual nor dull. Their prayers were passionate affairs, from earnestly pleading for mercy to joyful praise. These rich expressions of deep Christian faith are a shining example of holy living. The Puritan combination of warm piety and careful intellect have fueled a renaissance of interest in their movement. This combination is on display in Piercing Heaven, a collection of carefully selected prayers from leading Puritans. The language in these prayers has been slightly updated for a modern audience while still retaining the elevated tone of the Puritans. With prayers from Richard Baxter, Thomas Brooks, John Owen, and many more, each prayer reminds us that heartfelt prayer is central to the Christian life.

Poetry has always been a central element of Christian spirituality and is increasingly used in worship, in pastoral services and guided meditation. In Sounding the Seasons, Cambridge poet, priest and singer-songwriter Malcolm Guite transforms seventy lectionary readings into lucid, inspiring poems, for use in regular worship, seasonal services, meditative reading or on retreat. Already widely recognised, Malcolm's writing has been acclaimed by Rowan Williams and Luci Shaw, two leading contemporary religious poets. Seven Advent poems from this collection will appear in the next edition of Penguin's (US) Best Spiritual Writing edited by Philip Zaleski, alongside the work of writers such as Seamus Heaney and Annie Dillard. Malcolm Guite is Chaplain of Girton College, Cambridge. A performance poet and singer/songwriter, he lectures widely on poetry and theology in Britain and the US and has a large following on his website, www.malcolmguite.wordpress.com. He is a contributor to Reflections for Daily Prayer.

The "Celtic Wheel of the Year" offers an original and inspiring selection of prayers for individual use. Divided into monthly sections, it incorporates Celtic Christian and Celtic Pagan traditions in a single pattern of prayer. Prayers combine the Christian seasons with the seasons of the Solstices and Equinoxes. But they also reach beyond both traditions, dancing together and finding a new way of worshipping; one that we can enjoy in private spirituality or as a partaker of established religion.

A re-evaluation of the mysterious "charms" found in Anglo-Saxon literature, arguing for their place in mainstream Christian rites. Since its inception in the nineteenth century, the genre of Anglo-Saxon charms has drawn the attention of many scholars and appealed to enthusiasts of magic, paganism, and popular religion. Their Christian nature has been widely acknowledged in recent years, but their position within mainstream liturgical traditions has not yet been fully recognised. In this book, Ciaran Arthur undertakes a wide-ranging investigation of the genre to better understand how early English ecclesiastics perceived these rituals and why they included them in manuscripts were written in high-status minsters. Evidence from the entire corpus of Old English, various surviving manuscript sources, and rich Christian theological traditions suggests that contemporary scribes and compilers did not perceive "charms" as anything other than Christian rituals that belonged to diverse, mainstream liturgical practices. The book thus challenges the notion that there was any such thing as an Anglo-Saxon "charm", and offers alternative interpretations of these texts as creative para-liturgical rituals or liturgical rites, which testify to the diversity of early medieval English Christianity. When considered in their contemporary ecclesiastical and philosophical contexts, even the most enigmatic rituals, previously dismissed as mere "gibberish", begin to emerge as secret, deliberately obscured texts with hidden spiritual meaning.

Contemplative Prayer for Christians with Chronic Worry presents an eight-week approach for working with recurrent worry. Each chapter offers an introduction for the week, goals, techniques, and homework. Six free audio recordings are also available to download for use when practicing the guided meditations. Clinicians and their clients will find that the workbook helps them explore ways to lessen daily worries through contemplative prayer. Relying on scriptural support, the contemplative Christian tradition, and psychological science, clients will learn how to sit in silence with God, trusting in him during moments of uncertainty, worry, and anxiety.

This book includes four hitherto unpublished papers together with a substantial introductory historiographical and bibliographical overview. Many of the studies concern the liturgical views of figures like Lanfranc, St Hugh of Lincoln, and William of Malmesbury (an edition of William's Abbreviatio Amalarii is included) and the ways Thomas Becket and the Venerable Bede were viewed liturgically. Others reveal the achievement of an 11th-century Canterbury scribe, lay out a hagiographical puzzle as to the saints venerated on the 19th January, ask why calendars come to be attached to psalters, demonstrate that monks at Canterbury Cathedral were still reading Old English homilies in the 1180s, and present a fascinating, previously misunderstood, psalter owned by bishop Ralph Baldock, c.1300. Two final papers deal with 'Sarum' services in late medieval parish churches and with the devotional practice called St Gregory's Trental.

With the twelve-volume series Feasting on the Word, Westminster John Knox Press offers one of the most extensive and well-respected resources for preaching on the market today. When complete, the twelve volumes will cover all of the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with moveable occasions.The page layout is truly unique. For each lectionary text, preachers will find brief essaysA--one each on the exegetical, theological, pastoral, and homiletical challenges of the text. Each volume will also contain an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers may make use of its contents. The printed volumes for Ordinary Time include the complementary stream during Year A, the complementary stream during the first half of Year B, the semicontinuous stream during the second half of Year B, and the semicontinuous stream during Year C. Beginning with the season after Pentecost in Year C, the alternate lections for Ordinary Time not in the print volumes will be available online at feastingontheword.net.

This is the ideal book for anyone wishing to reacquaint themselves with their faith, appreciate the cultural and historical tradition of worship, and partake in the familiar shared expressions of religion. Split into thematic sections, the book provides hymns and psalms on the subjects of celebration, guidance, courage and salvation. Including some of the most cherished hymns and psalms, this beautiful illustrated collection is an inspiration and a comfort. Companion to the Illustrated Book of Prayers.