Daily Prayer for the Contemporary Congregation

Fixed–hour prayer is an ancient and widespread discipline in many Christian communities. Historically, Presbyterians have practiced this form of prayer under the name Daily Prayer. Due to shifts in American culture over the past two hundred years, however, many contemporary Presbyterians are unfamiliar with this way of praying. This project situates Daily Prayer within a Reformed theological framework of prayer in general, describes how a pastor-researcher guided congregation members into the practice of Daily Prayer, assesses the outcomes of their experience, and makes suggestions about whether and how this practice should be cultivated in today’s Presbyterian churches.