Practicing Prayer
Prayer is an important practice in the Christian faith. The faith practice of prayer is a way in which we actively submit ourselves and our world to God’s ongoing transformational work in Christ. In prayer we express ourselves to God, and listen for God to engage with us. (https://www.crcna.org/FaithPracticesProject/prayer)
For 45 days this spring we at Hebron will be practicing prayer together. Each day will begin with an invitation to prayer. Then we will move to a Psalm before a prescribed prayer, and then items for intercession. The practice ends with a blessing. Since prayer is a conversation between God and us, there will be opportunities to pause and listen for what God might be saying.
The prayers and blessings are taken from a number of different sources (see the last page for the list of resources) in order to give us a wide variety of exposure to different styles of prayer. You are encouraged to explore these resources to further your prayer life and also to continue after these 45 days are over. In preparing this I had help from the book “Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year” by Philip F. Reinders. Laura, our Prayer Coordinator, also helped with forming the intercession items.
Although many of us will be practicing prayer on our own, we encourage you to share your experiences with others and find opportunities to pray together.
Thank you for joining us in this journey; I look forward to hearing how God moves among us when we are intentional about practicing prayer together.
~Pastor Elizabeth
Sources
All Scripture passages taken from: Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reinders, Philip F., Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible Through the Year, 2010: Faith Alive, Calvin Institute for Christian Worship, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI
1. Claiborne, Shane & Wilson-Hartgrove, Jonathan, Common Prayer: Pocket Edition, Zondervan, 2012
2. Adapted from Pete Greig, Sabbath Blessing, petegreig.info as found on Lectio 365 App.
3. Northumbria Celtic Prayer: https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/how-to-use-daily-office/
4. As found on: https://www.faithandworship.com/blessings_and_benedictions.html#gsc.tab=0
5. Birch, John as found on: https://www.faithandworship.com/blessings_and_benedictions.html#gsc.tab=0
6. Shuman, Thom, and posted on Lectionary Liturgies. http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/ as found on Re:Worship Blog
7. Lectio 365 App
8. Prewer, Bruce and posted on Bruce Prewer’s Homepage. http://www.bruceprewer.com/ as found on Re:Worship Blog
9. Durber, Susan and posted on the Monthly Prayers page of the Christian Aid website. http://www.christianaid.org.uk/ as found on Re:Worship Blog
10. Altrock, Chris on True North. http://chrisaltrock.com/ as found on Re:Worship Blog
11. from the Worship Elements page of the Ministry Matters Website as found on Re:Worship Blog
12. Found on the Re:Worship Blog: https://re-worship.blogspot.com/
13. adapted from the Ecumenical Water Network’s Seven Weeks for Water campaign for World Water Day (22 March), and posted on World Communion of Reformed Churches http://www.wcrc.ch/node/780
14. Gaultiere, Bill & Kristi, inspired by Psalm 80. Posted on Soul Shepherding. http://www.soulshepherding.org/ as found on Re:Worship Blog
15. written by Laura Jaquith Bartlett. Posted on the Worship Elements page of the Ministry Matters website.