"So what are we about as pastoral pray-ers? We are about bringing ourselves individually and as a faith community into right relationship with God..." What about aRevised Common Lectionarybased book of pastoral prayers for clergy and lay leaders that provides responsive prayers for each Sunday of the year, including propers? David gets asked this question often when people recognize him as the author of the three volumes ofPrayers to Share. So, acknowledging that the pastoral prayer is often overlooked and undervalued, and that clergy and lay leaders may be hard-pressed for time to compose a fresh pastoral prayer each week, he has put together a unique and comprehensive collection of prayers that can be adapted to present circumstances and used in a variety of settings. The prayers are responsive, written for one or two leaders and a congregational response. They all allow for the inclusion of local and worldwide current events, and individual and congregational concerns. David usually uses the weekly Gospel reading as the broad theme for the prayers and divides them into four easily identified sections: world suffering church ourselves The "how to use" section covers preparing to offer pastoral prayer, and offers 12 ways to "do" pastoral prayer, such as: two leader congregational response using people and objects to dramatize a theme using part of a hymn for a lead or a response using silence for effect Each week offers specific suggestions for two or three prayer formats. Other features include: Thematic Index Scripture Index Icons in the margin to enable quick identification of prayer sections and alternate suggestions Data CD with text files for Year A

David Sparks gives us the third volume of pastoral prayers in this three-book series based on the scripture readings from the Revised Common Lectionary for Year C. Church leaders will find an entire year's worth of responsive pastoral prayers to help bring individuals and faith communities into right relationship with God. The prayers can be adapted to a variety of settings and circumstances and are divided into four easily identifiable sections: world, suffering, church, ourselves. Each week offers a main prayer along with several "other ways" of praying. The book also includes: * Data CD *How to Use section with a step-by-step guide to different prayer formats *Thematic index *Scripture index *Icons in the margin for quick reference

Just what is pastoral prayer all about? When we pray for others and ourselves, what are we attempting to do? As David Sparks explains, as pastoral pray-ers we are about bringing ourselves into right relationship with God, both as individuals and as a faith community. As pastoral pray-ers, we are about expressing our compassion for suffering humanity, and fulfilling God's intention of establishing God's realm on earth. Pastoral pray-ers are also about being involved in the answers to our prayers. There's no trying to persuade God to do what we ourselves could do with some energy and effort here! Sparks writes his prayers to awaken in us an awareness of where to put our energy and use our faith to bring about God's kingdom on earth. The paryers cover local and worldwide events, individual and congregational concerns. They are lectionary-based and responsive and can be easily adapted to particular circumstances and used in a variety of settings.

The third in the popular series from David Sparks. Based on the scripture readings from the Revised Common Lectionary, this book offers church leaders an entire year's worth of responsive prayers for use in worship and other church group settings.

Part of a pastor's role in the community is to pray publicly. The pastor is often the official "pray-er" at all kinds of community events--the high school football game, the opening of the new grocery store, the county school board meeting, kindergarten graduation--to name a few. But the pastor must also pray knowing that there are believers (of many persuasions) and non-believers present. This book will contain sample prayers for many civic functions that can be used with little modification. Belton Joyner is a retired United Methodist pastor and author of Being Methodist in the Bible Belt: A Theological Survival Guide for Youth, Parents, and Other Confused Methodists