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Christian Prayer
and Liturgy Resources
Christian Prayer within worship
is a conversation, but sometimes the words dry up when we
start talking to the creator of the universe! At times like
this it can be useful to dip into prayers that others
have written, as they can often inspire us and open our
minds to new ways of praising and worshipping our God.
Early Christian prayers show how connected the Celtic church
was to the God who created this world, and it's good to remind
ourselves of the rich Christian heritage of prayer and worship
that we are now stewards of.
This is a collection of new Celtic inspired
prayers and liturgy
written in the beauty of the Welsh Countryside for private
and public use, together with a selection of prayers from
other sources, worship resources and
suggested books on
prayer.
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what's on the site?
For a list of the various themes explored through prayer
- Click Here
Opening Prayers
for Worship
Contemporary prayers which can be used as
opening prayers within traditional forms of worship
- Click Here
New Hymns
I've written a couple of hymns which you are
free to use, and Elisabeth Traverse has kindly written a new
hymn tune for one
- Click Here
ebook downloads
Check out our downloadable ebooks - Bible
Studies and collections of prayers
- Click Here
Book Reviews
Now and then I get sent books to review. My current favourite
is 'Living Jesus' from John Pritchard, the Bishop of Oxford,
which is both scholarly and practical
- Read More
New! Prayers -
Bread of Life
Following a prompt to write prayers on a theme
of 'Bread of Life' I've posted the results on the site.
- More info
Resources for
Harvest
Prayers, liturgies, links and resources to
use at Harvest Thanksgiving.
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More info
Resources
for Advent
If you are looking for an Advent Bible
Study for your church, then Little Town, Big Story might fit
the bill - based upon the hymn 'O little town of Bethlehem.'
- More info
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New! The Worship Leaders Little Helper
Opening Prayers for use in Christian Worship - ebook
Complete sets of opening prayers (adoration,
thanksgiving and confession) for ordinary and celebration
Sundays written for anyone asked to lead the opening
prayer slot. Each set can be printed off on a sheet
of A4.
More info and
sample
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'Stand at the crossroads
and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way lies;
and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls.'
Jeremiah 6:16
This world
Your creation
Rolled into a sphere
Packaged in sunshine
Gift-wrapped in love
Given to us
Thank you
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Prayer in the Early Church
These are examples of my favourite prayers handed down to us from
the first centuries of the Christian Church. There's a lot to be
said from studying early prayers such as these as they provide a
continuous link of worship between the early Christians of the first
few centuries after the Crucifixion to ourselves. Their content
and pattern provide a useful template for the writing of modern
prayers:
Look upon us, O Lord,
and let all the darkness of our souls
vanish before the beams of thy brightness.
Fill us with holy love,
and open to us the treasures of thy wisdom.
All our desire is known unto thee,
therefore perfect what thou hast begun,
and what thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer.
We seek thy face,
turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory.
Then shall our longing be satisfied,
and our peace shall be perfect.
(Augustine, 354 - 430)
We beseech thee, Master, to be our helper and protector.
Save the afflicted among us; have mercy on the lowly;
raise up the fallen; appear to the needy; heal the ungodly;
restore the wanderers of thy people;
feed the hungry; ransom our prisoners;
raise up the sick; comfort the faint-hearted.
(Clement of Rome, 1st Century)
O Lord, who hast mercy upon all, take away from me my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me the fire of thy Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore thee,
a heart to delight in thee,
to follow and to enjoy thee,
for Christ's sake.
(Ambrose of Milan, c 339-97)
Deep peace of the running wave to you,
Deep peace of the flowing air to you,
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,
Deep peace of the shining stars to you,
Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you, for ever.
(Source unknown - early Scottish)
May God the Father bless us;
may Christ take care of us;
the Holy Ghost enlighten us all the days of our life.
The Lord be our defender and keeper of body and soul,
both now and for ever, to the ages of ages.
(Æthelwold c 908-984)
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