For over sixteen centuries, Christians have prayed many of the same prayers, even on the same days of the Church Year. Catholics, Anglicans, Episcopalians, and many others continue to share this rich inheritance.

Over the past thirteen years I have carefully reworked these ancient collects in contemporary English, seeking to preserve their theological depth, poetic richness, and liturgical character while making them accessible to today’s worshipping communities. They are now revised and gathered into this publication: Book of Prayers in Common.

Each week on this website, I explore the history of the upcoming collect and offer a reflection.

This book is available in several formats. The printed editions are a new option. If you have been using an older version of this book, please replace it with this updated, accurate, and revised edition. I am delighted by the use of these prayers. I appreciate people letting others know about this resource.

You may download any of these free of charge:

PDF (booklet edition): an 80-page booklet designed to be printed, folded, and saddle-stitched (stapled).
PDF (coil-bound edition): an 82-page version prepared for local coil binding by a print shop, copy shop, or commercial printer.
EPUB edition: suitable for reading on phones, tablets, Kindles, and other e-readers. The download at this link is directly from my site. [Because I initially had issues uploading it, I also placed it free at the ko-fi site. And I also made it available through Lulu which means that there is a token price they require.]

For those who prefer a professionally produced copy, two printed editions are available.

The selling price covers printing and distribution costs; the book is not published for profit. Shipping is calculated directly by the print service and varies by destination and delivery method. My understanding is that different regions in the world will see an appropriate version and price for your region.

Coil-bound edition: Designed to lie flat, making it especially suitable for leading worship and personal prayer.

Paperback edition: A standard bound edition, ideal for reading, study, gifting, and everyday use.

Book of Prayers in Common is a collection of contemporary prayers for the Christian year. Drawing on the classic structure of the Church’s ancient collects yet expressed in fresh, accessible language, these prayers are intended for use in public worship, personal devotion, and theological reflection.

Organised according to the seasons and principal festivals of the Church Year, the collection includes prayers for Sundays and major holy days, together with an introduction to the history, structure, and use of collects. The prayers seek to be faithful to the Christian tradition while speaking clearly to and for today’s worshipping communities.

This revised and expanded edition offers a resource for clergy, worship leaders, communities, and individuals seeking language that is scriptural, poetic, and prayerful.

A practical and enduring resource for public worship and personal devotion throughout the Church Year.

This collection represents thirteen years of careful, prayerful work. I hope these prayers will help individuals and communities pray the Church’s ancient faith in language that is both faithful to the tradition and alive for today.

This link gives the permanent page for the Book of Prayers in Common.

Positive feedback is, of course, appreciated (e.g. in comments section below). If there are any issues, also let me know about them and I will try my best to deal with them.

The photo at the top shows the PDF (coil-bound edition) printed coil-bound at Warehouse Stationary (NZ)

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