The world of special needs is filled with statistics: in the United States, about 17 percent of children have a diagnosed developmental disability, and 14 percent of public school students receive special education services. But behind these statistics are stories-stories of children struggling to fit into a world that wasn't designed for them, and stories of parents giving everything they have to advocate for their children. Most of these parents didn't choose this path; they were thrust upon it unknowing, unprepared, and often overwhelmed. They may struggle to talk about their experiences in relatable ways with family, friends, and even God. Special Grace is a collection of 127 prayers for all aspects of life for families with special needs. Here are prayers for family life, school, and church; prayers for an initial diagnosis, for the first day of school, and for celebrating a milestone. Each section is set off by a reflective essay from Evans's own family life. Filled with humor and wisdom, these prayers and reflections will help families process their experiences together and offer them to God with hope and simple trust. In moments when the cries of your heart leave you speechless, Special Grace provides words you can bring before your Father in heaven.

Designed for use across a variety of settings, this supplemental volume includes new hymns and songs. The Anglican Church in Canada's new supplemental hymnal is specifically designed to be of use on both sides of the border. Primarily, it includes hymns and service music that do not appear in the current ACC hymnal, nor in any of the Episcopal Church's hymnals. The ecumenical task force that created the hymnal also chose to include music that will be of interest to other denominations and faith groups. Contains new settings of liturgical texts found in the Book of Alternative Services, including prayer responses, gospel acclamations, Amens, and canticles, and features guitar chords where appropriate.

This convenient pocket-sized book contains the necessary texts for the lenten celebration of the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts by the priest and deacon, interpolated with comprehensive rubrical directions. The parallel format gives the Church Slavonic text on the left page and the English on the right. The book also includes thanksgiving prayers upon receiving Holy Communion and the priest's prayers at Matins. This smyth sewn and stamped hardback edition is printed in two colors, with rubrics in red. Includes two marking ribbons.

In introducing eight new eucharistic prayers, "Common Worship" has focused fresh attention on the most central act of Christian worship. This text offers a wealth of information on both the words and actions of the Eucharist. Part one focuses on the content of the Eucharist, from the opening greeting to the final blessing and dismissal. Each stage of the service is explored from a biblical and historical perpective and readers discover how the Eucharist has evolved from the days of the Early Church. Part two focuses on the actions of the Eucharist: the posture and movement of the celebrant and participants, ceremonial, symbolism, the role of memory, essentials and variables in the rite. Part Three explores the eight different Eucharistic prayers of "Common Worship", their distinctive styles, provenance, theological features and pastoral uses.

"I loved The Listening Heart! So rich. Your work is drenched with scripture and your love for God. I've been buying and giving copies to family and friends. I plan to read it again in the future."--FRANCINE RIVERS, New York Times bestselling author Listen to My heart in the quiet of your heart . . . More. Life is full to overflowing, but we crave an elusive more. Via social networking, airwaves, and TV, our culture tells us to strive for more stuff, more activities, more adventure--you name it. Yet we are often left feeling unfulfilled and wanting. Empty, even. With so many demands for our attention, it is difficult to quiet our minds long enough to hear the still, small voice of our loving Father, and to listen to the One who desires to bring us so much more than the noise of everyday life. Judy Gordon Morrow discovered the more when her world was turned upside down and she knelt before God to seek Him and ask for His help. More than a decade ago, in tear-stained notebooks, she began to pen God's responses to her desperate prayers. Now, in The Listening Heart, Judy invites you to spend a year hearing from the God Who Speaks--the God who wants to speak to you. Each daily devotion echoes the Father's love and care for you, offering hope, comfort, encouragement, and more--a rich closeness with God that will satisfy the longings of your heart.

Completely updated to reflect the sweeping changes in worship patterns which began with "The Liturgical Revival" and culminated in the adoption of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer.

Chapters cover preparations for the various services of the Church, plus special celebrations such as Advent, Christmas, Lent, Holy Week, and Easter, weddings, burials, ordinations, consecrations, and others. A glossary of church terms is included.

A celebration of the voices of women of color in prayer

Women of color pray and have prayed out of necessity for survival, out of love for the Divine and because we believe in the power of prayer. Prayer has been the prevailing force behind the education of our children, protection and courage for our men, hope for our daughters and the balm that heals sorrows. from the Introduction

Prayers by women around the world from China and Japan, to Syria and Ghana to African American, Asian American, Native American and Hispanic women in the United States including:

Teresa Palomo Acosta Yolanda Adams Rabi a Al-Adawiyya Paula Gunn Allen Savitri Bess Mary McLeod Bethune Irene I. Blea Sandra Cisneros Marian Wright Edelman Rachelle Ferrell Monique Greenwood Joy Harjo Linda Hogan Patricia Locke Janice Mirikitani Toni Morrison Naomi Quinonez Della Reese Cathy Song Susan L. Taylor Sojourner Truth Harriet Tubman Iyanla Vanzant Phillis Wheatley CeCe Winans Empress Yamatohime ... and many others

This beautiful collection of prayers will take you on a journey into the spiritual walk of women of color around the world including Asia, the Middle East and Africa as well as Native American, African American, Asian American and Hispanic women in the United States. Through these prayers, poetry, lyrics, meditations and affirmations, you will share in the strong and undeniable connection that women of color share with God. As you delve into the words of unwavering faith, perseverance, resistance, celebration and communion with God and family that fill each page, you will find your ideas about prayer challenged and your own prayer life inspired and renewed.

This service book is derived from the Great Book of Needs, and includes the full text, for both clergy and choir for the funeral service of a layperson. A space for special notes is included in the back of the book.

'Because the Sacred Liturgy is truly the font from which all the Church's power flows...we must do everything we can to put the Sacred Liturgy back at the very heart of the relationship between God and man... I ask you to continue to work towards achieving the liturgical aims of the Second Vatican Council...and to work to continue the liturgical renewal promoted by Pope Benedict XVI, especially through the post-synodal apostolic exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis...and the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum... I ask you to be wise, like the householder...who knows when to bring out of his treasure things both new and old (see: Mtt 13:52), so that the Sacred Liturgy as it is celebrated and lived today may lose nothing of the estimable riches of the Church's liturgical tradition, whilst always being open to legitimate development.' These words of Robert Cardinal Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, underline the liturgy's fundamental role in every aspect of the life and mission of the Church. Liturgy in the Twenty-First Century makes available the different perspectives on this from leading figures such as Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, Abbot Philip Anderson, Father Thomas Kocik, Dom Alcuin Reid, and Dr Lauren Pristas. Considering questions of liturgical catechetics, music, preaching, how young people relate to the liturgy, matters of formation and reform, etc., Liturgy in the Twenty-First Century is an essential resource for all clergy and religious and laity involved in liturgical ministry and formation. Bringing forth 'new treasures as well as old,' its contributors identify and address contemporary challenges and issues facing the task of realising the vision of Cardinal Sarah, Cardinal Ratzinger/Benedict XVI and the Second Vatican Council.

This shorter edition of Christian Prayer presents a selection of material for Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer in a format that is easier for the lay person to use that the complete Christian Prayer or the four-volume Liturgy of the Hours.

'Holy Ground' contains liturgies and worship resources on a range of subjects and concerns: globalisation, food, water, HIV/Aids, the environment, interfaith dialogue, prisoners of conscience, 20th century martyrs, homelessness, racism, gender, living in community, youth, children, ageing... and much more.

Enchantment and Creed in the Hymns of Ambrose of Milan offers the first critical overview of the hymns of Ambrose of Milan in the context of fourth-century doctrinal song and Ambrose's own catechetical preaching. Brian P. Dunkle, SJ, argues that these settings inform the interpretation of Ambrose's hymnodic project. The hymns employ sophisticated poetic techniques to foster a pro-Nicene sensitivity in the bishop's embattled congregation. After a summary presentation of early Christian hymnody, with special attention to Ambrose's Latin predecessors, Dunkle describes the mystagogical function of fourth-century songs. He examines Ambrose's sermons, especially his catechetical and mystagogical works, for preached parallels to this hymnodic effort. Close reading of Ambrose's hymnodic corpus constitutes the bulk of the study. Dunkle corroborates his findings through a treatment of early Ambrosian imitations, especially the poetry of Prudentius. These early readers amplify the hymnodic features that Dunkle identifies as "enchanting," that is, enlightening the "eyes of faith."

Elmer Towns's Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough has become must-reading as this powerful spiritual discipline of fasting has seen a revival among followers of Christ. Now Towns digs deeper into one of the most popular forms of fasting today, the Daniel Fast. With an emphasis on a healthy, simple diet, the Daniel Fast is named after the prophet Daniel who participated in a partial fast for spiritual purposes. Daniel was taken captive into Babylon when he was sixteen years old. The Babylonian king wanted the young prophet to help him administer his rule over the captive Jews--and he wanted to "Babylon-ize" Daniel, to make the young man of God more like him. The first step the king took in his campaign was to provide a sumptuous feast to tempt Daniel--food fit for a king-- basically fattening comfort foods. In response, the prophet refrained from the king's table, choosing instead to eat only vegetables and to drink only water. He honored God over the king. Dr. Elmer Towns introduces readers to the spiritual, physical, and mental basics of the Daniel Fast, coaching them through either a ten-day or twenty-one-day period of renewal, and he includes original Daniel Fast recipes created by executive chef John P. Perkins. Dr. Towns addresses practical questions, such as what to eat and when, as well as how to pray effectively. Readers will learn how to encounter God during their fast, how to worship through self-discipline, and how to pray for specific answers. They will also explore the role of weeping, repentance, and spiritual warfare in their life of faith. Daniel is a model to God's people of someone who chooses spiritual nourishment over bodily satisfaction, in The Daniel Fast for Spiritual Breakthrough, God's people can learn to follow his example.