Faith and worship website inspires new book of Common Worship lectionary prayers
First created over a decade ago, the web site www.faithandworship.com today attracts a third of a million visits per year, and feedback from as far afield as Alaska and Tasmania. The site has provided church prayers for many ordinary, unprepared church members, assisted church magazine editors looking for material and aided church leaders looking for inspiration for the liturgical year.
The creator of the site, John Birch, who takes inspiration from his experiences in Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodist traditions, began compiling prayers of his own after consistently finding that the books of prayers available to buy didn’t speak as he did or excite or challenge as they should.
A prize–winning poet, John’s influence for his writing is drawn mostly from the raw honesty of the psalmists and the earthy, everyday working environment prayers of the Celtic church.
BRF is now delighted to publish John’s latest book of printed prayers—all new and not available on the website.
The Act of Prayer: Praying through the lectionary is a comprehensive volume of contemporary prayers written to be easily spoken. It follows the three–year lectionary cycle used by many denominations. Starting with the First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the church year, the prayers reflect the readings for each Sunday in the lectionary year, along with some extra days such as Good Friday. All of the main Sunday readings are covered.
The structure used is drawn from the example found in the writings of the early church, with prayers focusing on Adoration, Confession and Thanksgiving (ACT), a formulation that prevents prayer from becoming narrow in its aspirations and provides the title for the book.
Designed to resource and inspire people leading prayer in church services, this imaginative book is particularly suitable for any who are taking their first steps into this ministry, as well as those looking for original prayer material to use in small group settings.
Read a sample chapter from The Act of Prayer: Praying through the lectionary.
The Author
John Birch is a Methodist Local Preacher living in South Wales. He is an experienced writer of devotional and Bible study material for a number of online and print publications.
The Act of Prayer: Praying through the lectionary is available now, priced £11.99. Click here to buy from BRF online.