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Prayer during the
Day |
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Introduction |
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Prayer During the Day provides material for
a number of patterns of prayer. |
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It provides a framework for a daily Quiet
Time and Bible Study - an Office of Readings. |
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It is a single order for those who wish to
be united with the Church's daily corporate offering of
prayer. |
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It is a simple order for use during the
day, with Night Prayer as a simple evening office. |
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It is Midday Prayer for those who wish to
supplement the saying of Morning and Evening Prayer. |
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It is a model for prayer at the third,
sixth and ninth hours - traditionally called Terce, Sext
and None - as used by some religious communities and their
associates. |
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Using Prayer During the Day
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a variety of patterns |
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Many people have evolved a daily Quiet
Time, for reading Scripture and for praying. With
this in mind, Prayer During the Day is offered as a
framework for personal devotion; it follows a pattern which
would be shared with others. In this way Christians can be
united in their worship by making use of common lectionary
resources and the overall shape of the Church's year. |
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Some will use Prayer During the Day as
their sole act of prayer and praise. Others will use
both Prayer During the Day and Night Prayer in a simple
pattern of prayer at the beginning and end of the day. |
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There will be those who wish to say the
offices of Morning and Evening Prayer each day but without
lengthy readings. They will be looking to what
is sometimes called the 'city' or 'cathedral' model of
office - prayer and praise - rather than to what is
sometimes called the 'desert' or 'monastic' model of office
- reading and meditation. For those who use
Morning and Evening Prayer to focus on prayer and praise,
Prayer During the Day will become a time for a greater
concentration on Bible reading and meditation - an Office
of Readings. |
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Others will use Morning and Evening Prayer
with full Bible readings. Prayer During the Day
will then become Midday Prayer, perhaps using the short
Bible readings printed in the text of the service. |
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All of these patterns are variations on a
common theme - praying the Bible together. A church
in which people pray the Bible together becomes a church
which is equipped for proclamation and service. It is
in this hope that Prayer During the Day is offered as a
simple starting point for common daily prayer. It is
advisable, once choices have been made, to use them
consistently for at least four weeks before any change is
made. |
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Prayer During the Day |
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Structure |
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Preparation |
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Opening responses, or another introduction. A Form of
Penitence
may be used here or in the Prayers. |
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Praise |
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Either the printed text or another acclamation, hymn
or song |
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The Word of God |
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A psalm, and one or more Bible
readings |
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Response |
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The printed text, or a less formal response |
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Prayers |
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Intercession, a Collect and the Lord's
Prayer |
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The Conclusion |
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A closing prayer, dismissal, blessing, or
other ending |
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