Introduction

When the Covid-19 pandemic began in winter/spring 2020, and we were forced to close down the church, I wanted to find a way to stay connected with my congregation and to continue worshipping together.

So I began to record a series of short videos of morning and evening prayers. As part of this offering, I would paraphrase or rework a psalm into a poetic piece which I called a canticle, as well as write a prayer that reflected what was happening in folk’s lives, my life and the life of the world.

These short liturgies are some of the results of that effort, which continues during this time of uncertainty: of lockdown, partial lockdown, lockdown again, of adjusting to ‘the new normal’, of praying for effective treatments for Covid-19 and a vaccine …

If you would like to add Bible readings to the morning and evening worship, I suggest you do this between the canticle and the prayer. I use the daily lectionary of the Presbyterian Church here in the United States; I imagine your Church or community has something similar.

Most of the suggested songs and hymns are well-known and easy to find on the Internet; you might want to include others more familiar to you. You could sing the hymns, or speak the words like poetry. Words of well-loved songs and hymns can go very deep into the heart and soul.

The times are always changing, so please adapt these liturgies to your situation.

I’ve also included two weeks of Bible readings and poems. I hope this is helpful, and maybe inspires you to write your own poems and prayers based on lectionary readings. I’ve found the spiritual discipline of writing each day during this time very centring.

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thom M Shuman, Associate member of the Iona Community, Columbus, Ohio, USA