This is the second 'book of bits' for worship produced by the Wild Goose Worship Group. Its predecessor, Cloth For the Cradle, was received with great enthusiasm by clergy and laity alike. This book traces Jesus' road to the cross through Lent, Holy Week and Easter. Its prime purpose is to resource worship that enables people to sense the hope, apprehension and joy of Easter as felt by Jesus' friends. The range and diversity offers a unique source of elements for lay and clergy worship planners and enablers. All of the material has been used in celebrations and services of public worship, but little has been previously published.

From the author of the bestselling "Anam Cara" comes a beautiful collection of blessings to help readers through both the everyday and the extraordinary events of their lives.
John O'Donohue, Irish teacher and poet, has been widely praised for his gift of drawing on Celtic spiritual traditions to create words of inspiration and wisdom for today. In "To Bless the Space Between Us, " his compelling blend of elegant, poetic language and spiritual insight offers readers comfort and encouragement on their journeys through life. O'Donohue looks at life's thresholds--getting married, having children, starting a new job--and offers invaluable guidelines for making the transition from a known, familiar world into a new, unmapped territory. Most profoundly, however, O'Donohue explains "blessing" as a way of life, as a lens through which the whole world is transformed.
O'Donohue awakens readers to timeless truths and shows the power they have to answer contemporary dilemmas and ease us through periods of change.

This book thrusts the reader into the intellectual turmoil of medieval Europe. In interrelated studies of largely unexplored material dating from the ninth through to the fourteenth centuries, the contributors explore changes in functions and forms of liturgical poetry and music, and of biblical interpretation. Although the twelfth century constitutes the main focus, the phenomena dealt with here had roots in earlier times and remained in circulation in later centuries. The cultural heritage of the Carolingian intellectuals tied to the palace school of Charles the Bald is examined in a liturgical context. Forms and ideas from this period were reused and transformed in the twelfth century, as represented here by sequences, tropes, Abelard's poetry, the gloss to Lamentations, and ritual representations or 'liturgical drama'. The two final chapters treat fourteenth-century uses and understandings of Boethius's De institutione musica and the new genre of sequence commentaries, both dealing with later medieval views on music theory and liturgical poetry from an earlier period, thus connecting the end of the book to its beginning. The sections are interspersed with philosophical reflections on overriding themes of the contributions. The volume concludes with an anthology of poetic texts in Latin with English translations and musical transcriptions.

It is the not-too-distant future, and the rapture has occurred. Every born-again Christian on the planet has, without prior warning, been snatched from the earth to meet Christ in the heavens, while all those without the requisite faith have been left behind to suffer the wrath of the Antichrist as the earth enters into its final days.

This is the premise that animates the enormously popular cultural phenomenon that is the Left Behind series of prophecy novels, co-written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins and published between 1995 and 2007. But these books are more than fiction: it is the sincere belief of many evangelicals that these events actually will occur--soon. "Plotting Apocalypse" delves into the world of rapture, prophecy, and tribulation in order to account for the extraordinary cultural salience of these books and the impact of the world they project. Through penetrating readings of the novels, Chapman shows how the series offers a new model of evangelical agency for its readership. The novels teach that although believers are incapable of changing the course of a future that has been preordained by God, they "can" become empowered by learning to read the prophetic books of the Bible--and the signs of the times--correctly. Reading and interpretation become key indices of agency in the world that Left Behind limns.

"Plotting Apocalypse" reveals the significant cultural work that Left Behind performs in developing a counter-narrative to the passivity and fatalism that can characterize evangelical prophecy belief. Chapman's arguments may bear profound implications for the future of American evangelicalism and its interactions with culture, society, and politics.

The quality of the contributors

IVP Readers' Choice Award The Book of Common Prayer (1662) is one of the most beloved liturgical texts in the Christian church, and remains a definitive expression of Anglican identity today. It is still widely used around the world, in public worship and private devotion, and is revered for both its linguistic and theological virtues. But the classic text of the 1662 prayer book presents several difficulties for contemporary users, especially those outside the Church of England. The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition gently updates the text for contemporary use. State prayers of England have been replaced with prayers that can be used regardless of nation or polity. Obscure words and phrases have been modestly revised--but always with a view towards preserving the prayer book's own cadence. Finally, a selection of treasured prayers from later Anglican tradition has been appended. The 1662 prayer book remains a vital resource today, both in the Anglican Communion and for Christians everywhere. Here it is presented for continued use for today's Christians throughout the world.

Partner with Jesus in heavenly prayer. The true longing of your heart is to connect deeply with God, the True Source, and this blessed communion begins in the place of prayer. Pour out your heart before the Lord each day and meditate on his Living Word. Find comfort and confidence in the knowledge that God the Father rules in perfect wisdom and reigns in majesty above all. Lean into his presence, let his glory shine down on you, and be changed by the power of his love.

This book is a compilation of prayers, poems, and reflections on grief and grieving, to help the grieving person to put his or her feelings into words. With classic texts from the Bible and other prayers and poems from around the world, this book makes the perfect gift for a bereaved person and will be an indispensable resource for those working with the bereaved (e.g. pastors, funeral directors, chaplains, etc.). The content is organised thematically with chapters on, for example: - 'Give Sorrow Words' - Love Immortal - 'Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep' - Comfort and Consolation

Many people experience levels of grief and loss at different times in life. For some, the depth of loss causes difficulty in carrying out what we may consider to be normal activities. You are not alone. When grief and loss threaten to overwhelm you, pick up this book. 'Prayers & Promises for Grief and Loss' incorporates more than 70 themes to help you receive the assurance, peace, strength, and comfort found in the promises of God's Word. Uplifting prayers and journaling space offer an opportunity for deeper reflection. God is the best source of comfort you will find. He knows your heart and he is full of compassion for you. By staying connected to him, and believing the promises of his Word, you can experience hope and peace in difficult times.

Dads wear many hats. From protector to playmate, confidante to counselor. No matter the role, families rely on dads to lead with strength and faith. And in Pocket Prayers for Dads, Max Lucado offers forty scriptures and guided prayers that will help dads do just that.

This revised edition of the classic Manual for Lay Eucharistic Ministers offers practical guidance on everything a eucharistic minister or eucharistic visitor does. (Eucharistic ministers help to administer the elements at the Eucharist, while eucharistic visitors bring those elements to members of the congregation who can't be present). This guide, updated to include the new canons and procedures, also offers suggestions on how to prepare oneself spiritually to present the sacrament, what to do when visiting the sick or shut-in parishioner with the Eucharist, and how to prepare a sacred space in someone's home or hospital room. Appendices include rites, suggested prayers and guidelines, services for commissioning and sending forth Lay Eucharistic Ministers, and a bibliography. Beth Ely also traces the changing customs and canons of lay administration of communion from the early churches to the present, and discusses the riches and mystery of the Holy Eucharist through the centuries.

El pastor Mark Batterson sostiene en su libro -Circulos de oracion- que dibujar circulos de oracion alrededor de nuestros suenos no es solo un mecanismo que nos permite lograr grandes cosas para Dios. El tambien lo utiliza para lograr grandes cosas en nosotros. Alguna vez has sentido que tiene que haber muchas posibilidades mas en tu oracion, y en la vision de Dios para tu vida? Te invitamos a aprender de Honi, El Hacedor de circulos, un hombre lo suficientemente audaz para dibujar un circulo en la arena y no salirse de el mientras Dios no contestara sus oraciones por su pueblo. Cual es ese gran sueno imposible a cuyo alrededor Dios te esta llamando a trazar un circulo?"

A timeless collection of prayers, quotes, poems and speeches for every occasion. Complete with a brief introduction to each piece and its author, this book features words and prayers from 300BC to the present day. It provides a great source of inspiration when planning a speech or ceremonial occasion or can be used for personal devotions. This carefully chosen selection of the best loved prayers and words of wisdom is a staple for any bookshelf. The many contributors include C. S. Lewis, Florence Nightingale, St Francis of Assisi, John & Charles Wesley, Mother Teresa, John Stott, Oswald Chambers, G. K. Chesterton and Julian of Norwich. From The Lord's Prayer and Footprints, to excerpts from A Pilgrims Progress and A Christmas Carol, this compilation is a useful for individuals to read and reference, and a great source of inspiration when planning for a ceremonial occasion, speech, wedding or funeral. Each reading is introduced with a brief history to the piece and its author, providing new levels of interest and a sense of context. The 300 hand-picked pieces have been arranged alphabetically, so that selecting a favourite work is easy. This guide is also accompanied by a set of indexes which detail first lines, themes, Bible references, and authors, so that each entry is thoroughly cross-referenced, enabling you to make the most of this fabulous selection.

The Book of Hours was a 'best-seller' in medieval and early modern Europe, the era's most commonly produced and owned book. This interdisciplinary study explores its increasing popularity and prestige, offering a full account of the Book of Hours as a book - how it was acquired, how it was read to guide prayer and teach literacy and what it meant to its owners as a personal possession. Based on the study of over 500 manuscripts and printed books from France, Virginia Reinburg combines a social history of the Book of Hours with an ethnography of prayer. Approaching the practice of prayer as both speech and ritual, she argues that a central part of the Book of Hours' appeal for lay people was its role as a bridge between the liturgy and the home. Reinburg describes how the Book of Hours shaped religious practice through the ways in which it was used.

This pew edition (also called basic singers edition) contains all hymns and service music for allwho sing, choir and congregation alike. It is the current official Episcopal Hymnal."

This is a book to accompany the readings in year C of the Common Worship Lectionary. It aims to help individuals and groups to understand and use Luke's Gospel.

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.

In 100 succinct summary statements that serve as a basic overview of the parts of the Mass, this compact volume provides an introduction to understanding the greatest prayer of the Church. Perfect for RCIA use, returning Catholics, or as a concise, handy reference. Illustrated.

This sequel to the best-selling Leading Intercessions offers a completely new set of intercessory prayers for Sundays and special occasions, following the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary. Rather than draw on all the Bible passages for the day, this second collection draws entirely on the Gospel readings for the day's Principle Service. Using images and phrases from the life of Jesus Christ, it connects the comfort and guidance of his life and teachings to our prayers for the church and the world today. Elegantly written, the prayers are complete in themselves yet also allow for local and topical concerns to be inserted.

This is a beautifully crafted collection of prayers for each Sunday and most major festivals in the church's year, together with additional material for each season. The Sunday prayers - known as "collects" in the Anglican tradition - follow the three-year cycle of the Revised Common Lectionary. The author uses expansive and inclusive language and imagery to address and describe God, to describe God's presence and action in the world, and to describe the people of God. Ideal for use at weekday celebrations, including the Book of Common Prayer Order for Eucharist.

Religion African-American StudiesLet It Shine! probes the distinctive contribution of black Catholics to the life of the American church, and to the unfolding of lived Christianity in the United States. This im, portyant book explores the powerful spiritual renaissance that has marked African American life and self-understanding over the last several decades by examining one critical dimension: the forging of new expressions of Catholic worship rooted in the larger Catholic tradition, yet shaped in unique ways by African American religious culture.Starting with the 1960s, the book traces the dynamic interplay of social change, cultural awakening, and charismatic leadership that have sparked the emergence of distinctive styles of black Catholic worship. In their historical overview, McGann and Eva Marie Lumas chronicle the liturgical and pastoral issues of a Black Catholic liturgical movement that has transformed the larger American church. McGann then examines the foundational vision of Rev. Clarence R. J. Rivers, who promoted forms of black worship, music, preaching, and prayer that have enabled African American Catholics to reclaim the fullness of their religious identity. Finally, Harbor constructs a black Catholic aesthetic based on the theological, ethical, and liturgical insights of four African American scholars and expressed through twenty-three performative values. This liturgical aesthetic illuminates the distinctive gift of black Catholics to the multicultural tapestry of lived faith in the American church, and can also serve as a pastoral model for other cultural communities. Blending history, theology, and liturgy, Let It Shine! is a valuable resource for scholars, teachers, and students and a practical pastoral guide to bringing African American spirituality more firmly into the sacramental life of American parishes.

Religion African-American StudiesLet It Shine! probes the distinctive contribution of black Catholics to the life of the American church, and to the unfolding of lived Christianity in the United States. This im, portyant book explores the powerful spiritual renaissance that has marked African American life and self-understanding over the last several decades by examining one critical dimension: the forging of new expressions of Catholic worship rooted in the larger Catholic tradition, yet shaped in unique ways by African American religious culture.Starting with the 1960s, the book traces the dynamic interplay of social change, cultural awakening, and charismatic leadership that have sparked the emergence of distinctive styles of black Catholic worship. In their historical overview, McGann and Eva Marie Lumas chronicle the liturgical and pastoral issues of a Black Catholic liturgical movement that has transformed the larger American church. McGann then examines the foundational vision of Rev. Clarence R. J. Rivers, who promoted forms of black worship, music, preaching, and prayer that have enabled African American Catholics to reclaim the fullness of their religious identity. Finally, Harbor constructs a black Catholic aesthetic based on the theological, ethical, and liturgical insights of four African American scholars and expressed through twenty-three performative values. This liturgical aesthetic illuminates the distinctive gift of black Catholics to the multicultural tapestry of lived faith in the American church, and can also serve as a pastoral model for other cultural communities. Blending history, theology, and liturgy, Let It Shine! is a valuable resource for scholars, teachers, and students and a practical pastoral guide to bringing African American spirituality more firmly into the sacramental life of American parishes.

Seeks to identify and describe the continuing Christian vision, to trace its modes of transmission, and to permit it to illuminate the human context. The result is a systematic theology in the perspective of worship.

At a time when there are often as many adults as young people preparing for confirmation, the concept of notes written in adult language, which the younger candidate can grow into, is particularly appropriate for today's needs. The growing number of adult study groups, working through mutual questioning within group discussions, will find it helpful to have these clear succinct notes about the content of Christian belief and practice. Few books have been more influential in confirmation preparation than Hugh Montefiore's 'Confirmation Notebook', written while he was vicar of the University Church in Cambridge. After five editions, with nineteen printings of the fifth edition alone, the notebook is now in a handy pocket-sized format that includes space at the end of each chapter for notes. Existing chapters have been updated and, in most cases, enlarged, while new chapters have been added on 'Common Worship', Christian festivals and fasts, Christian responsibilities, Christian behaviour, and the Christian view on sex and marriage.