Prayers for the Eucharistic Gathering

Description

Prayers for the Eucharistic Gathering

by Eugene Andrew Lehrke

The First Prayer and Other Proper Prayers for Sundays and Special Days of the Church Year

“The first major objective of catholic worship,” Pastor Eugene Lehrke writes, “has always been the plain and unadorned reading of the sacred scriptures.” Since the 6th century, the lessons have been prefaced by a special “first” prayer. Older Lutherans will remember when these brief prayers were called “Collects”. There was one for each Sunday and Feast Day of the church year, and most had been in use for many centuries. When the 3-year lectionary was adopted, the Collects were replaced by a one-year cycle of mostly new prayers, now called the Prayer of the Day. Pastor Lehrke believes the church thereby lost much, not least the teless perspective of earlier believers. In this book he provides historical background, fresh translations of the old “First Prayers” and a brief meditation on each, along with Offertory and Post-Communion prayers for each Sunday and festival. It’s a great place for pastors to begin their worship preparation.

Eugene Andrew Lehrke has been a student of liturgy and a Lutheran parish pastor in five congregations in Canada and the United States since 1958. During this time he has made an extensive study of the ancient and contemporary developments of the catholic liturgy in the context of parish ministry. A goal of his ministry has been to make that liturgy a living reality in each of his congregations. He is now retired.

Prayers For The Eucharistic Gathering includes:

Paper, 224 pages, including Introduction, Endnotes and Bibliography, $5.00 + postage