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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Sacred Pathways Week 3: Traditionalists

I hope you found the traditionalist pathway to be surprisingly fascinating as I did! We had a lot more material we could have covered (sorry I had to rush at the end of class). But, I hope your appetite has been whetted. If this is a pathway you think might enrich your own worship life, then explore further! Try out an idea or two. You might start with establishing a couple fixed prayer times. Or getting a prayer book. Here is a link for the Book of Common Prayer: http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/formatted_1979.htm
Or here is a link to a site that gives you some liturgical calendars, prayers for the offices, and other information: http://www.commonprayer.org/ There are many other books of prayer so if one doesn't suit you don't give up, search more! The internet can be used to explore and get some great ideas. (For us evangelicals, we will want to omit any prayers to Mary, but many of the prayers will be appropriate. Choose the ones that are meaningful to you.)

Here is a link to a site I have enjoyed, which lists the daily scripture readings from the liturgy. It has proven to be a rich sourcefor me of digging into God's word along with the church calendar.
http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/inspiration.htm


What ideas or resources do you have to share? What was your reaction to the traditionalist pathway? I love to read your comments!

3 comments:

  1. Hey everyone,
    I found this week's class to be very inciteful. I would not have thought that I had any ties to the traditional way of worshiping. I would not have seen myself being drawn to it in any way. In fact, I saw it as very boring and often confusing when I have been in services where I did not know what was going on. However, something I want to share is that Ed's family is very traditional. I have always fought that, and in some ways I think I just fought them (not wanting to conform). However, from his family we have adopted a mealtime prayer that is something we say as a family with each meal, and it is meaningful. It also gives us a sense of belonging when his whole family gets together and we say it en mass. There is just something about hearing all the generations together in prayer. As we have adopted it, our kids' friends have also learned it when they come to spend the night or just a meal with us. They hear it a few times and pick it up. They have expressed that they feel like part of the family after they learn it. That is just one aspect of the traditionalism in Ed's family. There is more when we attend church with them that I just cannot get into, but it is something different. I think that with my problems of focusing during prayer, a prayer book may come in handy. At least then my thought may not wander as much. Thanks for the idea and the sites Justine. Hopefully I can get my hands on one soon.

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  2. Thanks, Maria! What is the prayer your family uses at mealtimes?

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  3. I am not sure where it comes from, but it goes like this:
    For our food and all Thy gifts of love, we give you thanks and praise. Look down oh Father from above, and bless us all our days.

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