PRAYER ELEVEN
Not so much an academic course as a journey, designed to help people on the way to a fuller and more fulfilling prayer life and relationship with God. Led by Rev Simon Tillotson with assistance from members of All Saints church. Please speak to Simon (phone number 01227 272308 and email tillotsons@googlemail.com) if you are interested in coming. This is a course designed by Jonathan Walker and based on the book “Prayer – Finding the Heart’s True Home” by Richard Foster. It is important to purchase this book in advance as it will be needed throughout the course (Simon can arrange an internet order of £6.39 per book. The church can pay for anyone who would find this cost difficult ).
DATES AND TIMES
The Wednesday morning course times and dates will be given to those participating.
The Tuesday dates and times are as follows
Course Overview
Course book: Prayer - Finding the heart’s true home by Richard Foster
The three principles of the course:
1) Our journey into prayer will always be imperfect...so live with it!
2) We journey like long distance runners NOT sprinters!
3) If we come to God in humility, give him silence and time, we will learn to hear his voice.
The first three lessons are focussed on our relationship with God.
ALL AT 7.30pm at ALL SAINTS CHURCH
TUESDAY 30th SEPTEMBER
Lesson One: The place of Silence and Listening in prayer.
Read: Chapters 1 “Simple Prayer” & 6 “Formation Prayer”.
TUESDAY 7th OCTOBER
Lesson Two: The place of Praise and Thanksgiving in prayer.
Read: chapters 7 “Covenant Prayer”, 8 “The Prayer of Adoration” & 9 “The Prayer of Rest”.
Can we thank God in all circumstances? Our calling to be co-conspirators with God.
TUESDAY 14th OCTOBER
Lesson Three: The place of Repentance and Righteousness in prayer.
Read: chapters 3 “The Prayer of Examen” & 2 Prayer of the Forsaken”.
The relationship between how we live our lives & our effectiveness as pray-ers.
NO MEETING ON TUESDAY 21st OCTOBER
The second three lessons look at the three sections of the Lectio Divina.
TUESDAY 28th OCTOBER
Lesson Four: The place of Scripture in prayer.
Read: chapters 10 “Sacramental Prayer” & 20 “Authoritative Prayer”.
20 minute DVD on life in a Carthusian monastery.
Introduction to the Lectio Divina.
TUESDAY 4th NOVEMBER
Lesson Five: The place of Meditation in prayer.
Read: chapters 11 “Unceasing Prayer” & 13 “Meditative Prayer”.
Ignatian imaginative meditation & the “Jesus Prayer”.
TUESDAY 11th NOVEMBER
Lesson Six: The place of Contemplation in prayer.
Read: chapters 14 “Contemplative Prayer” & 12 “The Prayer of the Heart”.
Helping our love for God to grow.
The next four lessons are preparation for ministering to others through prayer.
TUESDAY 18th NOVEMBER
Lesson Seven: The place of Suffering and Fasting in prayer.
Read: chapters 4 “The Prayer of Tears” & 19 “The Prayer of Suffering”.
The painful process of becoming unattached.
TUESDAY 25th NOVEMBER
Lesson Eight: The place of Intercession in prayer – praying in faith.
Read: chapters 5 “The Prayer of Relinquishment” & 18 “Healing Prayer”.
Focus on faith.
TUESDAY 2nd DECEMBER
Lesson Nine: The place of Intercession in prayer – praying out of a heart of love.
Read: chapters 15 “Praying the Ordinary” & 17 “Intercessory Prayer”.
Focus on Agape-love.
TUESDAY 9th DECEMBER – Simon not available, hopefully led by Dr Martin Garsed
Lesson Ten: The place of Intercession in prayer – becoming a friend of God.
Read: chapters 16 “Petitionary Prayer” & 21 “Radical Prayer”.
Called to maturity...where will our prayer journey take us?
TUESDAY 16th DECEMBER Lesson Eleven: End of course Review
