What about a Revised Common Lectionary based book of pastoral prayers for clergy and lay leaders that provides responsive prayers for each Sunday of the year. David gets asked this question often when people recognize him as the author of the three volumes of Prayers 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 included with the print version

David Sparks has served as a minister for 38 years in The United Church of Canada and the United Reformed Church of England and Wales. He has written six books of lectionary-based prayers in the Prayers to Share and Pastoral Prayers to Share series (Wood Lake Books) and his hymns have been published in hymn books in Canada and USA. Sparks has led workshops on various aspects of public prayer. Now retired, he lives with his wife in British Columbia.

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