Treasury of Daily Prayer presentation

I continue to be impressed with the new Lutheran breviary (prayer book) published by CPH called the Treasury of Daily Prayer. Quite of few of my parishioners have purchased the book, and many of them report being similarly delighted.

However, for first-time users of a breviary, the practice of traditional, disciplined prayer can be unfamiliar or even strange. To Lutherans, it may seem strange to pray the Bible rather than studying it (and this is not to dimish the importance of the latter). It can also be an intimidating tome, with 1500 pages and six different colored ribbons to mark pages.

But in reality, TDP greatly simplifies daily prayer, and yet it is very flexible, being as rigorous as one desires.

After Sunday's Mass, I gave a presentation on the TDP and a workshop on how to use it. Of course, we had to begin with food, as parishioner Jean Richoux brought sandwiches (including muffulettas!) and other church members brought various cakes and goodies. After the repast, I opened with a scene from the movie Southern Belles that comically depicts a less-than-disciplined approach to prayer at a dinner table - a sort-of "what not to do" which stands in stark contrast to the TDP's traditional approach to Christian prayer. I then jumped into my powerpoint presentation itself, after which we concluded with a prayer service from the TDP itelf.

It was a real joy to be able to encourage my parishioners to join their brothers and sisters in daily prayer with this fine resource.

My powerpoint is not a scholarly treatise, and I'm quite sure it could be done much better. But if anyone is interested in what I presented, you're free to take it, look at it, modify it in any way, and use it as you see fit for any presentations of your own. If it can help someone else, great! The point is to help people get over the hump and start praying!

So, if you'd like a copy of the ppt file, click here and then click on "Treasury of Daily Prayer presentation."