TORONTO – During the pandemic, people lost the ability to pray together in church. Yet at the same time, people were also turning to prayer to cope with their anxiety, fear and grief. Like clergy everywhere, The Rev’d Robert Mitchell had to figure out a way to minister to his parish (St. Olave’s, Swansea), and provide opportunities for online worship. Not immune to feelings of loss and helplessness during COVID, Mitchell came to depend on the prayers of the Canadian Book of Common Prayer in a new way, as he navigated through this challenging time.
Aware of the depth and breadth of the prayers found within that book, but that so many of them were rarely used because they were not easy to find, Mitchell set to work categorizing more than 500 hundred prayers from the BCP, the Book of Occasional Offices and other sources. He organized them according to when they might be needed, seeking to make them more accessible. “I wanted others to discover the richness of the Anglican prayer tradition and to have easy access to the beautiful prayers that have sustained the people of God for generations.”
These Our Prayers is for clergy and lay people alike. Whether you’re anxious about finding a job, recovering from an illness, mourning a loved one or preparing for a journey, there’s a prayer in this collection that has stood the test of time. The book also includes tips for creating or customizing your own prayer, and how to build your own at-home liturgy. The book has now been revised to include prayers for King Charles where applicable.
Born and raised in Saskatoon, Mitchell is a graduate of Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. He was ordained priest in 2002 and has served in several parishes in the Diocese of Toronto, currently as the sixth Rector at St. Olave’s, Swansea.
These Our Prayers can be ordered from Lulu Publishing for $22.99 plus taxes and shipping, or for pickup at St. Olave’s for $25 (if you happen to be in the area!). Visit the website: stolaves.ca/these-our-prayers for links and details.
