Contemporary lectionary prayers

A collection of prayers written for worship across the Sundays of the Cycle A lectionary. Each prayer can be read by a congregation as it stands or divided for antiphonal reading. Its wording is informal and reflects how people speak today. One sample prayer, set for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, takes the form of a worshiper quizzing God about the requirements for serving in God's field. The questions cover biblical knowledge, age, ethnic background and family ties, and the prayer ends with a willingness to work paired with a request for help.

Each prayer appears on a page that also gives the assigned Gospel reading, a Gospel theme and a short note on that passage. Every page lists the liturgical color for the day and suggests hymns to pair with the prayer, so a worship leader can plan a service from a single spread.

The author, Dennis P. Koch, is pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church in Palos Verdes, California. He holds degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary.