Why do you need this book?
Because there are treasures in tradition.

In stark contrast to the common belief that youth workers require nothing less that a light show, smoke machine, and sweaty punk-rock band to reach teenagers' souls, more and more youth have actually been moving toward depth and quiet—and away from fluff and noise. Creeds, candles, silence and ancient spiritual practices are all gaining understanding and popularity among students who're passionately seeking otherworldly and mysterious fragrances. They're realizing that there are treasures in tradition.

The Book of Uncommon Prayer is your tool for unearthing, dusting off, and tapping into those treasures—but in ways that are completely contemporary and, more importantly, completely relevant to students.

It's personal.
The prayers and worship services inside are written for youth ministry—for students and for youth workers! They tell the from-the-gut truth about what you and your kids face every day—and in a language that won't leave anybody scratching their heads.

It's practical.
These tools are for just about any situation you can think of. Need a prayer for a lock-in? For family? For loving enemies? For final exams? How about a mind blowing "Dumpster" Christmas service? An eye-opening service for All Hallows Eve? Or the most intense service for Good Friday you've ever experienced? They're all here—along with many other innovative vehicles for bringing your students into communion with God.

It's unparalleled.
This book is for all denominations. It doesn't matter if you're mainline or evangelical, Protestant or Catholic; The Book of Uncommon Prayer is geared for all teenagers and youth workers in Jesus' church!

There's also an entire section of devotions and prayers written specifically for you, the youth workers, to help renew and strengthen you when times are tough. Plus...we've included a bonus music CD in the back—Eucharist—an at-once moody and energetic, ancient-post-modern collection of songs straight from the "alternative worship" movement in the United Kingdom. Many services inside use songs from the Eucharist CD, and there's even an entire service that uses the CD from start to finish.

Mysterious. Practical. Treasure-filled. (Yes, uncommon, too!) The Book of Uncommon Prayer is a rich source of God-revealing worship and one-of-a-kind guide for personal renewal that youth workers, camp counselors, Sunday school teachers, adult volunteers (and even students) will love.

Download a PDF of chapter 1 from The Book of Uncommon Prayer. You'll need the FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the PDF sample.

A Service for All Hallows Eve

Introduction

Don't freak out. This really is a worship service for All Hallows Eve—and it's really cool.

Centuries ago, the early church noticed that the druids were worshiping in the cemetery on one specific night of the year. They weren't offering human sacrifices— they were burning dried crops to their gods in thanks for a plentiful harvest.

When the early church began to create its calendar in the 800s, it placed All Saints Day on the day following the druid festival. Churches began worshiping in the cemeteries on All Hallows Eve as part of the All Saints Day celebration. It was a somber service about death and life-afterdeath.

The order of worship here is based on a service from the Episcopal Book of Occasional Services. You can add communion to this service as an example of everlasting life or as a death-is-not-the end theme.

I first did this service with a group of teenagers in l996. We were in a cemetery in Akron, Ohio. My assistant at the time knew a monk from a monastery in Cleveland. We invited him to come along. The cemetery was very old. It had a lot of statues and not much light. We used the Annie Lennox version of "Take Me to the River" by the Talking Heads as a processional.

Brother Jacob brought a thurible (a swinging incense burner), and we walked through a cemetery and read Scripture about the dead coming to life.

This service is a wonderful way to bring some Halloween back to your church if you've had controversy in the past. It can also be used as a service in which your youth leads the congregation.

You can add music to this service wherever you feel it's appropriate. The best song I've ever used in the service is "When All Is Said and Done" by Geoff Moore & the Distance. It's an excellent closer.

Another cool idea is to have your psalm readers surrounding the congregation. Each reader takes one line of a psalm. This produces an "enclosed" sensation for those worshipping.

I've also used a variation of "The Shield of St. Patrick" as a closing prayer. It's very powerful, especially in the hands of a good reader. At the end of the service, invite those in attendance to stay as long as they'd like. When they're ready, have them blow out the candles and leave quietly.

Order of Worship

Opening Prayer
God, we gather in this place on this night to remember. We remember the words of your son when he said "I am the resurrection and the life. If you believe in me, you will never die but have eternal life." Many of us have had someone close to us go home to be with you, God. We are selfish to want them here with us instead of with you. Watch over us here, God. It's only a matter of time before we're all together again in your arms. Guide us now as we come into your presence. Amen.

Scripture
Job 4:12-21

Reading
Psalm 4
interpreted
God, you are my guardian.
Listen to me again, God.
I've been in this spot before, and you helped me.
God, we chase after stupid things.
We fill our lives with worthless possessions
Because we don't know what's really important.
God ,as we lay quietly in our beds searching our souls
Let us remember that we owe you—and not the other way around.
There are blessings all around us, Lord.
You give us all that we need.
We can lie down and sleep soundly.
We have no worries.
You will always be there to protect us.
Amen.

Scripture
1 Samuel 28:3-25. For this passage, assign the reading in parts and read the Scripture as if it were a script. You will need a narrator, Saul, Samuel, and a witch.

Reading
Psalm 23
interpreted
I am not alone.
God will lead me.
God will let me rest beside the water.
God will let me regain my strength.
It's a dark world.
It's full of scary people.
God is with me.
The Lord is with me.
The creator of the universe is by my side.
Nothing can harm me.
God plans a party for me
And all those who laughed at me will have to stand outside and watch.
My glass will never be empty.
God is with me every move that I make.
I will live in God's house forever.
Amen.

Lighting Candles
Instruct that the candle lighting is to be done in silence. Ask each participant to think about a departed loved one. You can send "lighters" into the congregation, or you can start one flame and allow it to be passed along until everyone has a light.

Scripture
Ezekiel 37:1-14

Reading
Psalm 143
interpreted
Hear me God
Hear my cries of for relief
Save me.
Don't judge me, Lord. Nobody is perfect.
There are those who wait for me.
They make me feel like I'm already in my coffin.
My soul is weak
My heart is confused.
I read your Word
I see your creation
I am praying to you like a desert prays for rain.
Answer me, God.
Don't leave me down in this hole.
Let hope come with the rising of the sun.
You are my guide.
Show me the way.
I will trust you.
Silence my enemies.
I will give you my soul.
Destroy my foes.
I am your servant.

Closing Prayer
I bind to myself today
The virtue of love,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors.
I bind to myself today
The power of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The density of rocks.
I bind to myself today
God's power to guide me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to teach me,
God's eye to watch over me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to give me speech,
God's hand to guide me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to shelter me,
God's host to secure me,
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of Christ,
I believe the Trinity in the unity of the creator of the universe.

Closing Song
"When All Is Said and Done" by Geoff Moore & the Distance

What is SoulShaper?

SoulShaper resources use historic, contemplative practices and flesh them out in the context of modern youth ministry. Students learn to see God in their everyday lives and connect to God's unfolding story through silence, scriptural meditation, contemplative prayer, spiritual listening, and a host of other counter-cultural practices.

You may think, "Isn't that just new-age stuff?" No! Just because new-agers coopted spiritual practices that began as devotions to Jesus doesn't mean we should shy away from them. They're part of our tradition, part of our story.

These revolutionary, old ways of listening to God will help students move God from being academic and distant to being relational and intimate.

Uncommon, Indeed

Daily Prayers
A prayer for each day of the week...{12-15}

Services
A Service for All Hallows Eve
Services for Communion
A "Dumpster" Christmas Service
A Service for Good Friday
A Service for Sunrise
A Service for Morning
A Service for Sunset
A Service for the Small Hours
A Service in the Rain
A Memorial Service for a Youth Group Member
A Service for a National Tragedy

Prayers
Acceptance
Advent/Christmas
All Hallows Eve
Close of the Day
Courage
Determination
Easter
Enemies
Family
Faith
Final Exams
First Day of School
Forgiveness
Gifts
God Is in Charge
God's Law
Goodness
Good Times
Government
Grace
Gratitude
Grief
Growth
Guidance
Hard Times
Holy Week
Homework
Hope
Independence Day
Justice
Judging Others
Lock-Ins
Loving Our Enemies
Masks
Miracles
Missions (General)
Mission Week Prayers
New Year's Eve
New Year's Day
Open Our Eyes
Patience
Peace
Praise God
Protection
The Rain
Self-Image
Selfishness
Small Hours of the Night
Sunrise—New Day—Second
Chances
Sunset—Peace of Mind—Worries
Thanksgiving {86} Unity
Valentine's Day
Weekends

Responsive Readings
Acceptance/Getting Along
Acceptance/Racism
Accepting Ourselves
Belief
Body of Christ
Christmas Hope
Christmas Faith
Christmas Joy
Christmas Peace
Decisions about the Future
Deciding to Follow God
Discipleship
Easter
Enlightenment
Faith/Decisions
Faith
Forgiveness
Forgiveness (ourselves)
Forgiveness (others)
Friendship
Grace
Growth
Guidance
Love
Obedience
Outreach/Mission
Patience/Rest
Spiritual Gifts
Standing Up for What's Right/Temptation
Thankfulness/Understanding/Inspiration

Private Devotions for Youth Workers
The Youth Worker's Prayer
"We Gotta Get Outta This Place!"
"Guess What Your Kids Did Now?"
"Your Services as Youth Director Are No Longer Required"
"They Don't Pay Me Enough for This!"
"I'm Sick and Tired of This Job!"
"You Say 'Tomato,' I Say 'The Glass Is Half Empty'"
"Is Pizza, Soda Pop, and Chips Really the Breakfast of Champions?"

Communion/Worship Service for Eucharist CD

Lyrics and Notes for Eucharist CD