I
often encourage students, in a charge that is intentionally provocative, to refrain from constructing their own prayers forthe first five years of ministry. Take at least that much time, Isay, to acquaint yourselves with the great treasury of Christianprayer that can be found in our Presbyterian
Book of CommonWorship
or the United Methodist
Book of Worship
or
The Oxford Book of Prayer
or the Episcopal
Book of Common Prayer
.Become familiar, I say, with John Henry Newman’s prayer:“O Lord, support us all the day long of this troublous life, untilthe shadows lengthen and the evening comes and the busy worldis hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. TheninThy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace atthe last; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”Become familiar, I say, with that wonderful blessing at a child’sconfirmation: “Defend, O Lord, your servant N. with your heav-enly grace, that he/she may continue yours forever, and daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more, until he/she comes toyour everlasting kingdom.” That prayer, so powerful at themoment when the pastor’s hands are laid upon the head of a con-firmand, are equally powerful every night when the parent praysbedtime prayers with the children.Become familiar, I say, with the Psalms—the first hymnal of the children of Israel—and understand their rich texture, be themood praise or lament or affirmation of faith.I hope through such a challenge that our students will cometo appreciate the majesty, dignity, beauty, and testimony of thoughtful prayers from across the century. I hope that they willnot fall into the pious assumption that a prayer has to be com-posed on the spot in order to be truly sincere. If people at prayer“listen and wait upon God, call God by name, remember God'sgracious acts, and offer themselves to God,” as our
Directory for Worship of the Book of Order
puts it, then church leaders shouldapproach prayer with appropriate preparation and expectancy. Atthe very least, they should think about it just a little.So I am pleased that this issue of
Windows
offers in the fol-lowing pages a bit of wisdom and experience from faculty andother friends regarding the practice of prayer. Read on, too, to dis-cover the latest news from your Seminary; and pray with us andfor us as we prepare for a new season of activity in academic year2009-2010!Faithfully yours,Theodore J. Wardlaw
President
LOOKING OUTWARD
The President’s Preaching and Speaking Engagements
June 7-27,
Teacher
, Justo Mwale TheologicalUniversity College, Lusaka, Zambia, Africa
July 8,
Worship Leader
, Calvin Jubilee, MontreatConference Center
September 10
,
Host,
Partnership Lunch, CorpusChristi, Texas
September 17
,
Host,
Evening with the President,Houston, Texas
September 19-20
,
Preacher,
FPC, Stillwater,Oklahoma
September 28
,
Host
, Alumni/ae Challenge Kick Off (ASA Board, Austin area alumni/ae, AustinSeminary seniors), Austin
October 1,
Host,
Partnership Lunch, Lubbock,Texas
October 4
,
Preacher
, FPC, Fort Worth, Texas
October 13
,
Host
, Evening with the President,Conroe, Texas
October 23,
Preacher,
Opening Worship, MissionPresbytery
October 26
,
Host,
Evening with the President,San Antonio, Texas
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