Friends and Enemies: A book of short prayers & some ways to write your own

A collection of short prayers about friends, enemies, relationship and the particular moments and places of our daily lives.

There is much wisdom and humour in these prayers, while some of them contain strong thoughts and words. 'Saying what we mean to God,' writes Burgess in her introduction, 'is more honest than tiptoeing around the issues and concerns we find disturbing or difficult. To write with integrity is to write within the traditions of the writers of the psalms.'

Three prayer-writing workshops are also included:

• A Haiku Prayer Workshop - an introduction to short prayer writing, which can be enjoyed by participants of all ages
• Writing Personal Prayers - an experimental workshop encouraging creativity and reflection
• Writing Intercessory/Bidding Prayers - included because these are the prayers that lay people aree most often asked to contribute to public worship

This book is offered as a resource for personal prayer and public worship, and as an encouragement to both individuals and congregations to be creative and courageous in their prayers.

Contents include:

Friends

• 15 prayers

Enemies

• 13 prayers

The daily silencing - prayers of (those labeled) enemies

• 7 prayers

Neighbours and communities

• 11 prayers

Family

• 8 prayers

Justice and peace

• 12 prayers

Regrets, hopes and graces

• 10 prayers

Hurt and healing

• 12 prayers

Credo

• 8 prayers

Daily Living

• 22 prayers

Moments of our days

• 13 prayers

Morning and evening

• 8 prayers

The seasons turning

• 8 prayers

Advent and Christmas

• 10 prayers

Ash Wednesday, Lent (5 Sundays), Holy Week, Easter, Easter Monday, Pentecost

• 12 prayers

Prayers for the Journey

• 11 prayers