Over the summer, the Editor recieved word of two new books that might be of interest to readers of the Mustard Seed. Following is some information on these two books. They are included here with accompanying words from the author. Unfortunately, the Editor has not read either of these books (…yet!)
The Rev’d Dr. Kevin Goodrich OP, sometime rector of the Pelly Plains Parish and Archdeacon of Brandon, published his most recent book earlier this summer, “Mystic Bonfires: Walter Hilton and the Development of Practical Spiritual Theology.”
The book has many formal endorsements, including from Dr. Julia Gatta, the Bishop Frank A. Juhan Professor of Pastoral Theology at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee: “Mystic Bonfires revives Hilton’s tradition to work in tandem with a creative and contemporary practical spiritual theology. Its integration of spiritual theology with pastoral theology points a way for pastors, spiritual directors, Christian educators, and church evangelists to recover this living contemplative tradition at the heart of the church’s mission.” The book is available on Amazon in paperback and kindle formats.
“We humbly beseech thee most mercifully … to receive these our prayers, which we offer unto thy Divine Majesty.”
So says the Intercession that forms part of the service of Holy Communion in the Book of Common Prayer. And it is those words that lay at the heart of a new book, These Our Prayers, created by the Rev’d Robert Mitchell, the sixth Rector of St. Olave’s, Swansea in the Diocese of Toronto. A graduate of Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto, Fr. Mitchell was ordained priest in 2002 and has served in several parishes in the Diocese of Toronto (including as the Associate Priest at St. Thomas’, Huron Street, where Fr. Matt Koovisk was a chorister for a period of time during Fr. Mitchell’s tenure.)
Private prayer is a mainstay of the Christian life. It is a pathway to God and personal faith for many people. Over the centuries, the Book of Common Prayer has opened that door for both clergy and lay people alike, using rich, poetic language that connects us to our forebears.
Combing through the 1962 BCP, the Canadian Book of Occasional Offices, and a few other sources, Fr. Mitchell has compiled and organized hundreds of prayers according to when they might be most needed. Whether it’s a time of anxiety, sickness, or celebration, you will find a tried and tested prayer for any need in this collection. For more info, please visit stolaves.ca/these-our-prayers.
