The season of Lent has begun!
To guide our time through this holy season, we will be offering a Lenten Prayer Group starting on March 8 at 6:00pm. The goals for the group are simple: we will learn about prayer, and we will pray. No preparation is necessary, other than a heart that is open to the Lord and to your brothers and sisters in Christ.
There is, however, a video series that will aid and deepen our group. It’s called “Rule of Life: Prayer,” from Practicing the Way, and you can learn more about it by clicking here. The website will ask you to register, which will grant you access to our church's group page!
We hope to see you on Wednesday nights starting March 8!
Schedule:
Week 1—March 8—Talking to God
Week 2—March 15—Talking with God
Week 3—March 22—Listening to God
Week 4—March 29—Being with God
Week 5—April 5—Following God’s Direction
*Please notify the Church Office if you need childcare.
Resources for Prayer
Podcast: “Rule of Life: Prayer” – available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts online.
Prayer Room: Our church Prayer Room is available for you to use anytime the church is open. It is located across the hall from the Sanctuary.
Books about Prayer
There are more books on prayer than anyone could ever read! Where should you begin? Here are some resources that I (Blake) have found especially helpful in my journey with Jesus:
For a general introduction to prayer: Richard Foster, Prayer
Richard Foster is the founder and former president of Renovaré, an interdenominational Christian ministry that focuses on spiritual formation. I read through this book when I was first ordained in Raleigh and found Foster’s wisdom and insights to be profoundly helpful, especially for a beginner in the school of prayer.
For a guide to praying with Scripture, especially the Psalms: Eugene Peterson, Answering God
Eugene Peterson is one of my favorite writers and thinkers. In this book he not only explores the importance of prayer for the Christian life, but he opens up the Psalms as the prayer-book of the Bible. In these cries of joy and lament (and everything in between), we see every human emotion laid bare before the face of God.
For a study of prayer through a Reformed lens: P.T. Forsyth, The Soul of Prayer
Forsyth was a titan of late-19th/early-20th century Scottish theology, and this book bears witness to that fact. Short but chock-full of rich theology and pastoral reflections, this is a must-read for anyone who hopes to recover the practice of prayer in our Presbyterian tradition.
For a study of prayer through an ancient lens: Gabriel Bunge, Earthen Vessels
I read through this book in 2016, during my first Lenten season in Sylva, and it quickly became one of my favorites. Bunge began as a Catholic priest and monk and later converted to Orthodoxy, and his writing represents his commitment to both the church and the Great Tradition of the Christian faith. Read this book for a look at how the communion of saints have prayed through the ages, and be encouraged to go and do likewise.
Devotionals
These books are meant to be read slowly and contemplatively – more for the “heart” than for the “head” – and often in conjunction with Scripture.
For a short, grace-filled daily devotional: Brennan Manning, Reflections for Ragamuffins
This was my daily devotional during my first year of marriage to Erin, and I can still picture the kitchen table in Costa Rica where I would sit each morning and drink my coffee and read this book. Manning was a master teacher of the gospel of grace, and this book — full of insights from his various other books — does not disappoint. Read a page each day and be challenged and encouraged by the goodness of God.
For a longer devotional that focuses on morning, noontime, and evening prayer: Phyllis Tickle, The Divine Hours
To go deeper in prayer, many Christians take on the practice of praying “the hours,” which refers to praying three, five, or even seven times a day on a regularly-scheduled rhythm. These books (three in all) provide guidance for doing this. Tickle was an Episcopalian and draws heavily from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, but this is a helpful resource for anyone desiring an ordered prayer life. It has been my guide for years, one that I read nearly every weekday morning.
For a compendium of daily, household prayers: McKelvey & Bustard, Every Moment Holy
I confess that I haven’t spent much time with these prayers yet, but trusted friends rave about this as a beautiful resource for daily faithfulness – especially for those who have read Tish Harrison Warren’s Liturgy of the Ordinary and who want to take the next step.
Of course, these lists aren’t exhaustive: there are so many other resources for you to explore. Many of our church members have benefited from Oswald Chambers’ book My Utmost for His Highest. Many have enjoyed Philip Yancey and Timothy Keller’s books (both called Prayer and both in our church library). Many in our church have been blessed by the ministry of Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International. Ask the Lord and your trusted friends to help you and to teach you as we go deeper in prayer together. And above all, don’t let your desire to learn get in the way of Jesus’ invitation for you to actually pray!
