A guide to using Calling on God in worship communities, with: A sample order of service Suggestions for enhancing the visual environment for worship Guidelines for creating liturgies collaboratively in your own worship community This special prayerbook is for today¡s Christians who find comfort in the rhythm of the traditional lectionarybut long to connect with God in ways that are satisfying to the modern heart and mind. Founded on creativity, inclusivity and sharing, it encourages us to remember the divine elements of the natural world around us as we express our hopes and fears for others and ourselves. Inspiring words help us givethanks for human inventions and lament the evils of poverty, violence and oppression of all kinds while remaining mindful of God¡s promises of healing for a broken world. Following the annual procession of the seasons with prayers that are appropriate for personal devotion as well as for use in leading worship, these new ways to call on God will feed your soul and inspire you to fi nd your own fresh language for thanksgiving, praise, intercession and petition, whether in your community or personal spiritual life.

Let go of your pretensions—squeeze, shape, knead & play your way to spiritual growth. "I am being formed by the clay. I am reconnecting with the earth, and with the other basic elements, too—air, water, fire—and life itself. Every gesture leaves its trail in the clay. Every fingerprint, a message. My breath fills the cavity. My touch curves the wall of a bowl. And inwardly, I am being formed by the outward practice. I am learning to trust the process, to lean into the possibilities rather than striving for some predetermined goal. I am being hollowed out, stretched and constricted, trimmed and sometimes reworked entirely." —from the Prologue Drawing from her first-hand experience of working with clay, Marjory Zoet Bankson takes you through the seven-step process of making clay into a pot, drawing parallels at each stage to the process of spiritual growth: Grounding—Connecting with our core elements Kneading—Awakening to the inner realm Centering—Gathering everything together Shaping—Focusing inner and outer pressures Finishing—Trimming away the excess Decorating—Adding a playful touch Firing—Committing to transformation This simple connection with the earth has the potential to put you in touch with the whole of creation and, at the same time, your soul's longing to participate as an artist, creating something new and unique. Through reflective questions in each chapter—along with a wealth of unique clay projects that even beginners can do—Bankson invites you on a journey of spiritual discovery, a path of reconnecting with your body and spirit, and with the earth itself.

A guide to using Calling on God in worship communities, with: A sample order of service Suggestions for enhancing the visual environment for worship Guidelines for creating liturgies collaboratively in your own worship community This special prayerbook is for today¡s Christians who find comfort in the rhythm of the traditional lectionarybut long to connect with God in ways that are satisfying to the modern heart and mind. Founded on creativity, inclusivity and sharing, it encourages us to remember the divine elements of the natural world around us as we express our hopes and fears for others and ourselves. Inspiring words help us givethanks for human inventions and lament the evils of poverty, violence and oppression of all kinds while remaining mindful of God¡s promises of healing for a broken world. Following the annual procession of the seasons with prayers that are appropriate for personal devotion as well as for use in leading worship, these new ways to call on God will feed your soul and inspire you to fi nd your own fresh language for thanksgiving, praise, intercession and petition, whether in your community or personal spiritual life.

Fresh, inclusive, creation-conscious prayers to nourish your soul—and the soul of your worship community. "We are called to name the extravagant wildness of God, the overflowing abundance of creation, and the deep aching need of a broken world in new words and images that speak to contemporary concerns.... [These prayers] are an invitation to pray boldly." —from the Introduction This special prayerbook is for today's Christians who find comfort in the rhythm of the traditional lectionary but long to connect with God in ways that are satisfying to the modern heart and mind. Founded on creativity, inclusivity and sharing, it encourages us to remember the divine elements of the natural world around us as we express our hopes and fears for others and ourselves. Inspiring words help us give thanks for human inventions and lament the evils of poverty, violence and oppression of all kinds while remaining mindful of God's promises of healing for a broken world. Following the annual procession of the seasons with prayers that are appropriate for personal devotion as well as for use in leading worship, these new ways to call on God will feed your soul and inspire you to find your own fresh language for thanksgiving, praise, intercession and petition, whether in your community or personal spiritual life.