Stir Up, O Lord: A Companion to the Collects, Epistles, and Gospels in the Book of Common Prayer

Anyone who finds solace in the words of the Book of Common Prayer will welcome this companion to its Collects, Epistles, and Gospels, to be used at the Ministration of the Holy Communion, throughout the Year.

Written for both the lay and ordained, this thought provoking commentary gives the words of Cranmer and his colleagues renewed meaning in our own time by providing historical context for their composition and reflection on their broader message. This book provides an excellent starting point for sermons or personal contemplation on the readings and prayers that comprise the liturgical year.

The foreword is from The Very Revd Michael Sadgrove, Dean of Durham Cathedral.

Each high day and holy day receives separate treatment, enticing the reader to contemplate the historical context for the collect’s composition and the selection of the readings, and relating these to our present situation.

Accompanying each section are five Thoughts for Reflection, providing potential starting points for sermon writing, discussion, or personal reflection. (In the paperback edition these can be found at the back; in the e-book edition they are located with each commentary.)

Carey’s exposition of the biblical readings and Prayer Book collects is careful, thorough, and informed by a well-populated theological and cultural hinterland ... I wholeheartedly commend it and recommend it to every thoughtful Christian.

The Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, Dean of Durham (from the foreword) 

Kevin Carey is the Chairman of RNIB, the UK's leading blindness charity, and a Reader in his parish church. He has been a Member of General Synod, and is a chorister, published poet, and classical music critic. Read an interview with the author about this book.