By Timothy Jones On the surface, the short quote seems profound enough, and jarring in a good way: “Silence is God’s first language.” The line is variously attributed online to the Sufi mystic Rumi or to St. John of the Cross. While the 16th-century contemplative saint did speak of the importance of stilling our words in God’s presence, the remark belongs to Thomas … [Read more...] about Why God’s First Language Is Not Silence
prayer
Rejoice in the Lord!
Photo Essay By Mo Sadjadpour To worship and pray — “What does it mean to you? Would you show me?” These are the questions I asked some of the most humble souls I’ve ever met in Bujumbura, Burundi, in early 2020. I was on assignment for ALARM — African Leadership And Reconciliation Ministries. My task was to show how the ministry of ALARM had encouraged and brought … [Read more...] about Rejoice in the Lord!
All I Really Need to Pray I Learned from the Litany
By Sarah Hinlicky Wilson The Litany has replaced Holy Communion at my church. This is not an act of anti-sacramental aggression but, like so many worship matters these days, a practical necessity. Located as our church is in one of the busiest parts of already-busy Tokyo, and sensitive to the Japanese public’s bafflement even under normal circumstances at Christians’ … [Read more...] about All I Really Need to Pray I Learned from the Litany
ARCHIVES: Readers Urge Sunset Prayer, Street Processions
October, 1918 was the most severe month of the Spanish flu pandemic in the United States as well as the final month of World War I. The two following letters to the editor appeared in the October 26, 1918 issue of The Living Church. PRAYERS DURING THE EPIDEMIC To the Editor of The Living Church: It may help others to realize that during the present epidemic which has … [Read more...] about ARCHIVES: Readers Urge Sunset Prayer, Street Processions
A Call to Prayer at Noon Wednesday
The Episcopal Church has endorsed an invitation from Pope Francis for all Christians everywhere to say the Lord's Prayer at noon, local time, on Wednesday, March 25. Spread the Word. Following is the text of the Church's news release: All Christians Invited to Pray on Wednesday, March 25th Episcopalians are invited to join with Christians around the world as together … [Read more...] about A Call to Prayer at Noon Wednesday
Prayers for Use During the Pandemic
By Kirk Petersen On March 9, a Catholic mother of two in Seattle posted a prayer on Instagram that has been widely shared throughout the internet. Cameron Wiggins Bellm has released the prayer into the public domain, and welcomed its use and distribution for people of faith. Some churches have incorporated a version of it into their online worship services, as the basis for … [Read more...] about Prayers for Use During the Pandemic
The Prayer for Our Journey
The Lord's Prayer: A Guide to Praying to Our Father By Wesley Hill Lexham Press, pp. 144, $15.99 As an Amazon Associate, TLC earns from qualifying purchases. Review by Christopher Yoder It is the prayer for all seasons — the Lord’s Prayer, the prayer Jesus gave his disciples. The prayer for every day, feast days and fasts, as long as the earth endures, … [Read more...] about The Prayer for Our Journey
Presiding Bishop Calls for Prayer and Fasting for America
By Egan Millard Episcopal News Service Read Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s 2020 Lenten message and you may notice something different from previous years. For one thing, the tone is noticeably solemn, with phrases like “profound division,” “genuine crisis of national character” and “great national concern and urgency.” But there’s also an invitation from Curry to … [Read more...] about Presiding Bishop Calls for Prayer and Fasting for America