Saints,

Advent is over and we move bolding as Resurrection People into the season of Christmas and onward into Ordinary Time. Over the course of the next eight weeks I will be preaching a sermon series on “Prayer.” John Calvin said that “prayer is the chief exercise of faith.” If that be the case, we should be a praying people.

I will be drawing deeply from the well of classical Reformed theologians: Calvin and Karl Barth as well as Dietrich Bonhoffer and two very accessible contemporary theologians: Allan Hugh Cole, Jr. (The Life of Prayer) and Deborah van Deusen Hunsinger (Pray without Ceasing).

We will have copies of Allan’s and Deborah’s book available for purchase. There are copies of Bonhoffer’s Life Together in the church library, as well as the others. I encourage you to purchase and read Allan’s book first, then either or both or one of the others. The sermon series outline follows, The Life of Prayer. Reading these as I preach will greatly benefit you and the community. The series and the book, while theological, are both extremely practical – the objective is to teach you about prayer and to get you started or revitalized or move you deeper in your prayer life.

One of my colleagues in ministry remarked that he had never in his life prayed so much as he has since his ordination into parish ministry – I can attest to that.

In anticipation of upcoming series I invite you to spend time with the Minor Prophets; the series after Lent will be Playing in the Minor Leagues with Hosea and Company. Following that will be a series on Galatians, Living Free. So begin to read the prophets and the Letter to the Galatians now.

I have a request: pray for me! Pray for my study and preparation as I shape these sermon series. Prayer is the action that keeps the heart of the church beating and on mission. Happy Praying!

Grace and peace,

Dick