MarsHill.org Spiritual Practices 1: Daily Office

Mars Hill Church in Michigan have some good documents posted regarding spiritual practices, some of which I mentioned in recent posts about growing spiritually. The PDF's are linked below. The Daily Office What is the Daily Office? The Daily Office is a set rhythm of reading the Scriptures, singing, and prayer. Sometimes called “liturgy of the hours,” it originally developed when early Christians continued the Jewish practice of reciting prayers and songs at certain hours. Even today, priests, monks, and followers of Jesus the world over observe the Daily Office. With the first prayers of the office beginning at 3:45 AM, many people choose to participate in only certain parts of the Daily Office rather than its entirety. The Daily Office is often different from a devotional time, as the purpose of the Daily Office is to simply spend time in the presence of God, nothing more. There are a number of ways to incorporate the Daily Office into your day. The following resources will be helpful if you’re interested in participating in the Daily Office. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzerro [Integrity, 2006] Chapter Eight provides an introduction to the Daily Office and how it can be incorporated into a daily spiritual practice. The Little Book of Hours: Praying with the Community of Jesus by the Community of Jesus [Paraclete, 2003] Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures by Kenneth Boa [Zondervan, 1997] The Prymer by Robert E. Webber [Paraclete, 2000] The Daily Office can also be found online at www.missionstclare.com Mars Hills Documents Daily Office Lectio Divina Prayer of Examen