Reflections for Prayer
First Baptist Church of West Hartford
| Dedicated to bringing Christian Faith and Life together through Worship, Outreach, Education and a Caring Community |
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| First Baptist Church of West Hartford 90 North Main Street West Hartford CT 06107 |
Reverend Tom Carr has compiled a second book for prayer, reflection and
contemplation and it is now in the church office.
The book is designed to be a supplement for your daily devotional/spiritual
life, to assist you in your prayer practices.
Many of these prayers, poems and stories were written by the Reverend
Carr; others are those he has found meaningful in his prayer life.
contemplation and it is now in the church office.
The book is designed to be a supplement for your daily devotional/spiritual
life, to assist you in your prayer practices.
Many of these prayers, poems and stories were written by the Reverend
Carr; others are those he has found meaningful in his prayer life.
You may purchase these Reflections for Prayer books for $7.00 apiece
(please make checks payable to First Baptist Church).
Also, there are several copies of Reflections for Prayer, the first volume.
If you would like to purchase one of these at the same time, the two books
are available for $13.
(please make checks payable to First Baptist Church).
Also, there are several copies of Reflections for Prayer, the first volume.
If you would like to purchase one of these at the same time, the two books
are available for $13.
Excerpt by Rev. Thomas Carr from The FBC News, April 8th:
"A couple of days ago, I read the following poem by Wendell Berry. I
share it with you because, to me, it speaks of our unity with our
predecessors, those who will come after us and those with whom we live
now. It also recognizes the larger community of life of which we are a part,
our relatedness with every living being. Spend a little time with it and allow
it to speak to you."
"A couple of days ago, I read the following poem by Wendell Berry. I
share it with you because, to me, it speaks of our unity with our
predecessors, those who will come after us and those with whom we live
now. It also recognizes the larger community of life of which we are a part,
our relatedness with every living being. Spend a little time with it and allow
it to speak to you."
We clasp the hands of those
that go before us,
And the hands of those
who come after us.
We enter the little circle
of each other’s arms
And the larger circle of lovers,
Whose hands are joined in a dance,
And the larger circle of all creatures,
Passing in and out of life,
Who move also in a dance,
To a music so subtle and vast that no ear hears it
Except in fragments.
that go before us,
And the hands of those
who come after us.
We enter the little circle
of each other’s arms
And the larger circle of lovers,
Whose hands are joined in a dance,
And the larger circle of all creatures,
Passing in and out of life,
Who move also in a dance,
To a music so subtle and vast that no ear hears it
Except in fragments.
Howard Thurman, 20th century Baptist preacher,
teacher, author and mystic, was often asked to speak
about prayer. He struggled doing so, because he
knew that to talk about prayer was to miss its
essence. Prayer is experience and, in his words, “is
a vote of confidence for the human spirit.” You
cannot make a case for it, cannot define or
circumscribe it; those who do are generally standing
outside of the experience itself.
One night during his boyhood, he had gone to his
mother’s room and, standing near the open door, he
saw her kneeling in prayer beside her bed, her face
uplifted, the moonlight falling on it. No words
accompanied her prayer, nor did her lips move
silently. She was making no requests of God, no
words of thanksgiving were even necessary; she was
simply and profoundly in the presence of God, which
is the heart of prayer.
“The child who slips his hand into that of his father
has done all that he needs to do,” Thurman once
wrote. “What the father will do is of no moment to the
child. What I most want to know is that in my journey I
am companioned by Him, and that has nothing to do
with what befalls me on my journey.
“All through my life it has been as natural as
breathing for me to share my concerns with God, not
because God could or would want to do anything
about them, but because it is my way of honoring my
relationship with God; it is my way of airing my spirit
so the winds of God can blow through it.”
Today, will you slip your hand into God’s hand and
know that God is with you?
teacher, author and mystic, was often asked to speak
about prayer. He struggled doing so, because he
knew that to talk about prayer was to miss its
essence. Prayer is experience and, in his words, “is
a vote of confidence for the human spirit.” You
cannot make a case for it, cannot define or
circumscribe it; those who do are generally standing
outside of the experience itself.
One night during his boyhood, he had gone to his
mother’s room and, standing near the open door, he
saw her kneeling in prayer beside her bed, her face
uplifted, the moonlight falling on it. No words
accompanied her prayer, nor did her lips move
silently. She was making no requests of God, no
words of thanksgiving were even necessary; she was
simply and profoundly in the presence of God, which
is the heart of prayer.
“The child who slips his hand into that of his father
has done all that he needs to do,” Thurman once
wrote. “What the father will do is of no moment to the
child. What I most want to know is that in my journey I
am companioned by Him, and that has nothing to do
with what befalls me on my journey.
“All through my life it has been as natural as
breathing for me to share my concerns with God, not
because God could or would want to do anything
about them, but because it is my way of honoring my
relationship with God; it is my way of airing my spirit
so the winds of God can blow through it.”
Today, will you slip your hand into God’s hand and
know that God is with you?