Easter I: Prayer and worship

Tuesday 20 April 2004: A Time to Pray

What is "Prayer"?
Conversation with God. Importance of listening as well as talking. Scope of conversation: more than just "gimme". Ways that God answers prayer: not just "yes", "no", and "wait"; but also "you're welcome", "I love you my dear", "fear not" and "there, there".
When to pray? Fitting prayer into an already busy life. Creating routines (experts say 21 to 28 days of repetition to establish a routine).
Monastics in the middle ages used the Daily Office, praying every three hours throughout the day: Prime, Terce, Sexte, Nones, Vespers, Compline, Lauds, Matins
Cranmer combined the Monastic Offices into Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer (Matins and Vespers) with the option of Prayers at Mid-Day and Compline. Find in BCP and read rubrics.These are intended to be daily disciplines required of clergy (and optional for laity) not main Sumday worship.
Prayers in Families -- Find in BCP. Typically table grace, bedtime prayers, and/or Morning Prayer.
Some Protestants promote the idea of "quiet time"; 20 minutes to an hour in the early morning spent reading and meditating on Scripture.
Patterns for Prayer: "ACTS"

Tuesday 27 April 2004: Prayers of the People