Raised in non-conformity, I have never been comfortable with liturgical prayers.
While no one would deny the beauty and the elegance of the Book of Common Prayer, it seems too stilted and too formal to address the Lord with words written hundreds of years ago.
Yet, sadly, evangelical churches today sometimes veer to the opposite extreme. Orders of service can be thin on content. There might be little if anything in the way of a pastoral prayer. It is unusual to hear intercession for rulers and authorities and matters of national interest, or prayers for believers who are persecuted, or even prayers for the Kingdom to come in every corner of the globe. So, in some circles, there is a return to some form of read prayers. At least if the prayer is pre-prepared we can hope for good structure and well-ordered intercession.
How are you - really? Body and soul
How are you? Being British, the correct answer is always: “Fine, thank you very much.” No, how are you? “Well, …