Alternative Collects for the new liturgical year
Added about 6 years ago by Sacristy Press
With Advent nearly upon us, here is a taste of Graham Turner's radical new set of collects “that follow in the wake of Cranmer”.
Most days now we hear somebody talk about Christmas and how soon it will be upon us. But before that we have the magnificent season of Advent and the start of a new church year. Do you fancy freshening up your liturgy with a set of new and radical collects?
Here are the collects for the first two Sundays of Advent (Year C):
O Advent God of our hopes and longings, come to us and save us.
As we continually slip into the violence of war,
as we deplete the resources of the world,
as many live lives of shame,
knowing nothing of the divine image within,
come, fulfil your promise;
come, enact justice;
come, raise the downtrodden,
that the life of the Son of Man may be known here,
for all people, for all time.
Amen.
O God, the creator of wild people
who speak dangerous words of prophecy,
we need to hear your risky messages once again.
In our decadence, we are disillusioned
and clothed in sorrow, craving new garments to wear.
Our ways of living have imprisoned us.
Our ways of loving have diminished our souls.
Our ways of leading have sent many astray.
Can we endure your purifying love?
Yet still we covet your unpredictable presence afresh amongst us.
Amen.
Collects for the whole three-year lectionary cycle, written in this style, can be found in Graham Turner’s well-received Alternative Collects: Prayers to a Disruptive and Compassionate God.
Graham Turner has written a new set of collects that follow in the wake of Cranmer. Turner fully understands and appreciates the force of the genre; his offer is a set of prayers that are fiercely timely, bold in their claims, and venturesome in their voicing. I cannot think of better access points to worship than those offered by Turner.”
Walter Brueggemann (Columbia Theological Seminary)
Graham Turner's radical prayers break the mould of the “collect” prayers that are so familiar to millions of Christians worldwide. They are the result of the author’s struggle with the blandness and predictability of so many of the church’s traditional prayers. Useful for both personal and liturgical devotion, these prayers will both challenge and nourish. Order your copy today in time for the new liturgical year!
Please note: Sacristy Press does not necessarily share or endorse the views of the guest contributors to this blog.