Women S Uncommon Prayers Our Lives Revealed Nurtured Celebrated

Looking for ways to be strong yet tender, independent yet intimate, women today strive toward ever greater understanding of themselves, their relationships with family and friends, and their place in the world. Written by clergy and lay women from all around the country, this compilation of prayers and poems is the collective wisdom of contemporary women who base their search for such understanding on the belief that all of life must be seen against the backdrop of a vital faith. Offered in a spirit of sharing and encouragement, these prayers and poems are as rich, intricate, and complex as the women's lives they represent. Women's Uncommon Prayers covers the full spectrum of emotions from desperate pleas for compassion in times of despair to quiet gratitude for the simple blessings of everyday living, to raucous praise during moments of celebration. These prayers touch on an amazing array of topics organized under the categories of identity, daily life, stages of life, spirituality, and ministry. Also included are comprehensive sections of seasonal and corporate prayers.

Written by clergy and lay women from around the country, this compilation of prayers and poems is the collective wisdom of contemporary women who base their search for such understanding on the belief that must be seen against the backdrop of a vital faith. These prayers touch on a variety of topics organized under the categories of identity, daily life, stages of life, spirituality and ministry.

Meet the ministers and laypeople driving foundational Christian theological change and restoring awareness of the sacred value of women and girls. “The Bible teaches that we are made in the image and likeness of God; therefore, I must believe that there is a male and female expression of God…. Claim your divinity and walk in it every day, because you are fearfully and wonderfully made.” —Rev. Dr. Susan Newman, “Claiming Our Divinity” In a world filled with injustice and violence, we long for a new sacred symbolism to inspire transformation. Our yearning includes a widespread hunger for visions of the Female Divine in church life and worship to restore gender-balance and finally achieve just, equal and inclusive faith communities. This collection of engrossing narratives of women and men trying to change the institutional church—and society—illuminates how reclaiming multicultural female images of God extends beyond the sanctuary and into the community. Whether you’re searching for your own place in the church or you want to explore this growing movement, these fascinating pioneers invite you to join the adventure of creating rituals that include Her, affirming the sacred value of all people and all creation.

God’s Good Earth offers Christians and their communities an engaging resource for prayer, reflection, and worship that reflects and nourishes their efforts to serve God and care for God’s creation. Compilers Anne and Jeffery Rowthorn have prepared 52 beautiful, ready-made prayer services, each around a specific theme, drawing from a rich variety of ecumenical resources: psalms and other responsive readings, Scripture, hymns, prayers, and reflections from the world's most engaging nature writers and interpreters of the social and cultural landscape. Each section can be used in full, or the user may select smaller sections; permission is granted to the purchaser to reproduce for use in public prayer. God's Good Earth forms hearts and minds to know that transformation is not only possible but essential if the Earth is to survive, healthy and whole. Those who enter into the book’s praise and prayer will have their faith in God the Creator strengthened, their gratitude for the wonders of God's creation deepened, and their commitment to act on behalf of God's good earth enhanced. The print edition is printed with high production standards on recycled, FSC-certified paper.

This Benedictine prayer companion presents a modern reworking of the ancient monastic practice of praying at set hours. For each season of the Christian Year, it provides eight short, simple prayer outlines, complete with readings: • Waking as an occasion for praise • Discernment at the beginning of the day • Wisdom for the mid-morning reflection • Perseverance at midday • Love as a focus of the afternoon • Forgiveness as the day closes • An invitation to Trust at bedtime • Midnight at the time to Watch Everything needed to follow the pattern of prayer is printed out in full, including scripture readings, short meditations, quotations from Christian writings, hymn texts and questions for reflection. Daily Prayer for All Seasons originated in the Episcopal Church of America (where it is authorised by the General Convention) and was compiled by a diverse team of priests, liturgists, writers and lay men and women. Bishop John Pritchard introduces this UK edition.

In stories and pictures, this book shows how people of all faith traditions use prayer beads as a spiritual tool and a means of expressing their creativity. Every major world religion has a tradition of praying with beads and all are explored here, including the history and use of beads and specific prayers. Describes in detail and with diagrams how to make sets of prayer beads for personal use.